Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
sad G_j Jul 2013 #1
a celebrity culture that embraces the banal and idiotic warrant46 Jul 2013 #25
Celebrity indeed nil desperandum Jul 2013 #35
Good one. 12AngryBorneoWildmen Jul 2013 #39
Welcome !! warrant46 Jul 2013 #48
Thank you! Nice to be here nil desperandum Jul 2013 #53
Heh, name 5 in line fore the presidency? Wednesdays Jul 2013 #55
Okay, I'll bite :) BB1 Jul 2013 #59
Mona Lisa, Nightwatch, Sunflowers, The Scream, The Girl with the Pearl Earring AlbertCat Jul 2013 #67
Well, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Vermeer made some nice paintings. BB1 Jul 2013 #107
Only if you're Dutch. westerebus Jul 2013 #71
Conspiracy theory Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #2
Another take on conspiracy theories: a tool to distract the non-sheeple sheeple: Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #7
The public views critical thinking as both a liability and a threat Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #10
+1000 Junkdrawer Jul 2013 #42
You have it exactly backwards. Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #83
If I apply critical thinking skills to our government's official explanations Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #100
The FBI said eyewitnesses were unreliable. AlbertCat Jul 2013 #105
So when everyone describes the same thing, it's mass hysteria? Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #108
How do you hide a conspiracy? zeemike Jul 2013 #24
And fund people like Alex Jones that promote BOTH wild and reasonable theories.... Junkdrawer Jul 2013 #43
Yep...he works for them zeemike Jul 2013 #44
I think the powers that be view Alex Jones as a useful idiot. nt Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #84
It's easy. Most people dont want to know the truth. The truth may require them to take sides, make rhett o rick Jul 2013 #89
It is the curtain that is a problem randr Jul 2013 #30
I hope you are not saying that conspiracies dont exist. Politics is all about conspiracies. rhett o rick Jul 2013 #60
Those that try to convince us that conspiracies dont exist AlbertCat Jul 2013 #70
+1 Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #86
Conspiracies do exist. Watergate and Iran-Contra certainly existed. nt Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #85
Well said Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #101
Thank you Mr. Haskell. nm rhett o rick Jul 2013 #106
"promote accommodation, quietism and passivity" canoeist52 Jul 2013 #3
Which has been a trick of certain religions since their inception. LisaLynne Jul 2013 #8
The Socialists used to mock such thinking with the refrain: HardTimes99 Jul 2013 #16
As Howard Beale prophetically said in "Network": deutsey Jul 2013 #4
A lot of rich people have hired a lot of spin doctors to keep the public distracted and divided. reformist2 Jul 2013 #5
Apropos toons from Monday: Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #6
Wow, and I thought I could be pedantic. A lot of truth to this though. Vattel Jul 2013 #9
the 'that's your opinion' thing, as if there are only opinions, no real facts. actively promoted HiPointDem Jul 2013 #12
Good point. Vattel Jul 2013 #29
right. and if it's all about opinions and you can get people to change theirs, then you have HiPointDem Jul 2013 #50
By god you're right.... defacto7 Jul 2013 #92
Why worry about evidence or the laws of physics? Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #102
Some good stuff here brush Jul 2013 #11
By and large The Wizard Jul 2013 #13
Exactly. Developing an intellect has become a 'job' for so many matthews Jul 2013 #47
Which is staggering, because the internet has such potential to equalize people XemaSab Jul 2013 #72
Kick And Recommend cantbeserious Jul 2013 #14
"I like money" datasuspect Jul 2013 #15
!!! MrMickeysMom Jul 2013 #18
I get it.... MrMickeysMom Jul 2013 #17
Gay Marriage! Royal Baby! Jeff In Milwaukee Jul 2013 #19
Recently read "Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free" mnhtnbb Jul 2013 #20
The film "Stupidity" is a must see for everyone, especially the stupid sheeple. Coyotl Jul 2013 #21
replying to your post so I can easily find it Lifelong Protester Jul 2013 #54
I'd really like to know why Snowden never released any info on the 1%s effort to control our country hue Jul 2013 #22
The 1% have people to do things for them zeemike Jul 2013 #27
If R-money's conversation at Marc Leder's fundraiser can be taped by a waiter hue Jul 2013 #31
Because they'd get into BIG TROUBLE Jackpine Radical Jul 2013 #33
Because they don't zeemike Jul 2013 #38
"Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?" Jackpine Radical Jul 2013 #32
Yep zeemike Jul 2013 #36
Idiocracy is a documentary. hobbit709 Jul 2013 #23
Pretty much the way I see it too Populist_Prole Jul 2013 #66
I agree with this post. My question is why is this trend happening? If we can determine that, ladjf Jul 2013 #26
WE OPPOSE THE TEACHING OF . . .CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS!!! (Texas Republican Party Platform) RVN VET Jul 2013 #28
This has been going on at least as long as I can remember SheilaT Jul 2013 #34
Quote attributed to Stevenson: Wednesdays Jul 2013 #56
And who to blame? Why it's us. The Democrats. Yup. It's us. Safetykitten Jul 2013 #37
DU Rec Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2013 #40
And thanks go to that big guy from California, Ronnie Raygun! kentauros Jul 2013 #41
Don't worry, John2 Jul 2013 #45
Well, criticial thinking works best kentauros Jul 2013 #46
It's like Raygun's Alzheimer's was contagious--the whole country has it. nt live love laugh Jul 2013 #58
Yep. The Dumbing Down of America is southerncrone Jul 2013 #77
We are Fox Nation Doctor_J Jul 2013 #49
Ok, this has been going on since Reagan burst onto the scene railsback Jul 2013 #51
A well -written piece and I thank you for posting it. Lifelong Protester Jul 2013 #52
People don't think. live love laugh Jul 2013 #57
xchrom has just stated the obvious.... but thanks for the details, and reminding us AikidoSoul Jul 2013 #61
Impulse!.....gadgets, gimmicks and 2 out of 3 doctors agree! BornLooser Jul 2013 #62
For more on this topic... zeos3 Jul 2013 #63
HUGE K & R !!! WillyT Jul 2013 #64
k and r and bookmarking to read later niyad Jul 2013 #65
this could have been written in 1800's by Mark Twain Pretzel_Warrior Jul 2013 #68
Don't be so quick to bad mouth the rural areas WHEN CRABS ROAR Jul 2013 #76
The people in the small, rural town I live in are dumber than Dubya. Apophis Jul 2013 #82
I'm doing the best I can but Shankapotomus Jul 2013 #69
it won't get better until the left stops ignoring the main problem- the RW talk radio monopoly certainot Jul 2013 #73
And the response by the left is to focus on standardized testing XemaSab Jul 2013 #74
americans are a commodity and income machine hopemountain Jul 2013 #75
and make lots of money to stash away from the taxman Amonester Jul 2013 #81
I'll be back... n/t chervilant Jul 2013 #78
yeppers! K&R. eom 99th_Monkey Jul 2013 #79
this is incredibly important. It is most easily noticed when the TV is finally turned off... NRaleighLiberal Jul 2013 #80
The tool which made all this possible. n/t Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #112
DU is a good example of a microcosm of this dichotomy, nt Zorra Jul 2013 #87
But...penis photos! nt Bonobo Jul 2013 #88
I have a rule about reading rants . . . MrModerate Jul 2013 #90
Or maybe we really talk that way. defacto7 Jul 2013 #93
Well, I'm a communicator by trade . . . MrModerate Jul 2013 #95
Well personally, defacto7 Jul 2013 #96
Your choice of course . . . MrModerate Jul 2013 #98
Communicators lacking critical thinking skills ... Are a dime a dozen. Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #104
Agreed. Except that the cost to the rest of us . . . MrModerate Jul 2013 #113
You got that right. Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #116
Just because you seem primed to appreciate: chervilant Jul 2013 #111
This message was self-deleted by its author Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #103
Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!! chervilant Jul 2013 #109
I smiled at those also, then dictionary search to confirm my understanding of their meaning... Deuce Jul 2013 #115
Let's face it - the Right has won. VPStoltz Jul 2013 #91
Fantastic rant xchrom! defacto7 Jul 2013 #94
The United States is now like waking up in the middle of a Carl Hiaasen novel. Enthusiast Jul 2013 #97
Yup. woo me with science Jul 2013 #99
"...made clear how corrupt and intrusive the American government has become..." randome Jul 2013 #110
So much to say; so little time... chervilant Jul 2013 #114
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»The United States Is Awas...»Reply #45