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Gwyneth's avatar

Joseph Heller

Catch 22

The novel’s protagonist, Captain John Yossarian, remarks:

"It was miraculous. It was almost no trick at all, he saw, to turn vice into virtue and slander into truth, impotence into abstinence, arrogance into humility, plunder into philanthropy, thievery into honor, blasphemy into wisdom, brutality into patriotism, and sadism into justice. Anybody could do it; it required no brains at all. It merely required no character.

It isn't about race, it's about character (or the lack thereof).

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Jim Hogue's avatar

I loved that book. And the movie matched it.

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Jim Hogue's avatar

Thanks for this, John. Good, clear, analysis. We may be well adjusted and generally happy, but, personally, I feel an anger welling up about genocide. Some "liberals" I know are able to just deny it. No genocide, no problem. What would their worlds be like if they faced the truth about genocide in Gaza, vaccine damage, the scamdemic and neo-racism?

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Polly Frost's avatar

Thanks, John, great piece. I do consider myself a liberal. I'm still the arty, hippie girl I've always been. I left the Democratic Party because it is no longer liberal. I don't think being liberal is a mental illness. Growing up in California I saw the difference early on between liberals and Lefties. As a teenager I met some Leftists who went on to have big careers in the government. They were awful back in 1970 and they're awful now. Were they mentally ill? I don't think so, just boring and power hungry. And in the words of Thomas Sowell, they saw themselves as “the anointed.” The people I know who are mentally ill are the ones who don't see how the Democratic Party has changed, who believe in their superior morality, as you pointed out. They think hating Trump, Musk and Kennedy - and disowning anyone they know who doesn't hate them, whether a longtime friend or relative - is virtuous. But I'm not a conservative. I'm still a liberal. They, however, are not liberals. They're insane.

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Renée McGuinness's avatar

“In practical terms, people who lack insight into the accuracy of their own beliefs may be more likely to treat political issues as moral imperatives and less willing to consider alternative viewpoints. This could help explain why low metacognitive ability has been linked to greater dogmatism and political extremism in previous research.” This describes nearly 100% of our Vermont Democrat and Progressive legislators. I hope you are considering running again, John.

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Chief Wolf's avatar

Evil Glochembaleftists

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Handsome Pristine Patriot's avatar

I believe leftism is directly proportional to the proximity to large bodies of water.

For example:

Chicago

The entire east coast

The entire west coast

Burlington Vt.

Houston

Miami

Etc.

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

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Mike Rodgers's avatar

Funny, although somehow you have to account for Denver. Maybe mountains???

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Handsome Pristine Patriot's avatar

All the dope smoke wafting up from the lowlands, I'd wager.

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Tom's avatar

John, just wondering if you've watched the film "The people vs David and Collet Stephan"

Password: PVS1

Vimeo link https://vimeo.com/991774343

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