Stupid in America 20/20 with John Stossel

[disorderlyvision]

YouTube - Stupid in America (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx4pN-aiofw)

[SimpleName]

Thanks for posting this. I think it's been up here already a few times, but I can't stand Search whores anyway. I think I've given this response to, but I don't mind. This forum is just the same basic ideas reiterated 15 billion times. And I love that! :D

I watched this is a Sociology class my senior year in high school. The teacher, a confusing mess of ideologies. He was classic conservative (including the social issues...UGH) with all the bad elitist intolerant tolerance of today's raging liberals. Anyway, he started off by calling Stossel "ABC's token libertarian" with some giggles. I hated that guy. Anyway, he would interrupt our viewing every 10 minutes to ask us about his bias, which is obvious and intended, but he played it up like Stossel was trying to cover shit up. And this stupid mindless public school audience started swarming with anti-Stossel government androids. He was of course called biased by the class and the teacher while some fought against his heavily armored and logical reasoning (oh no! I'm being bias.) One girl even let the whole class know "I really don't like this guy!" Good for you, Fluffy. Want a treat?

I am still disappointed at myself for not stepping in for the MAN! I mean Stossel is...the MAN! But I'm always to timid, too shy to bother. Plus, I am a miserable debater and improviser so I'd probably just make the MAN look worse. So, all in all, a terrible two days those were. What I could have spanked these kids with that day. Especially that one chick in that skirt. What? She hated Stossel. I had no choice.

Oh, I almost forgot. Great video! Stossel = DA MAN!

[KCIndy]

One girl even let the whole class know "I really don't like this guy!" Good for you, Fluffy. Want a treat?

LMAO!!! "Fluffy" - I knew a few girls like that when I was in high school.




I am still disappointed at myself for not stepping in for the MAN! I mean Stossel is...the MAN! But I'm always to timid, too shy to bother. Plus, I am a miserable debater and improviser so I'd probably just make the MAN look worse. So, all in all, a terrible two days those were. !

SimpleName, don't be too hard on yourself for not taking on the entire class and the brain dead teacher.

I'll likely get flamed for this, but in my opinion, it's best to pick your battles. Or as Dirty Harry once said, "A man has got to know his limitations..." Arguing against the entire class plus teacher would probably have ended in one of two ways. Either you would have been shouted down and subjected to ridicule, or worse, you could have scored a few zingers against the teacher through reasoned logic.

Why did I say zinging the teacher would be worse? I say "worse" because the teacher is the one with the grade book. I have yet to see a leftist/statist teacher or professor who is fair to a libertarian student with an articulate argument. You knock the pins out from under this guy on an intellectual level and you're liable to end up doing "A" work for a "C minus" grade.

My advice: screw 'em... Sit back quietly and observe how they spin their opinions as fact. Make notes to yourself every time you find an inconsistency, try to mentally counter all their positions,then wait for a level playing field on which to demolish them. Wait for some forum or event where you're not putting a grade at risk, such as an extracurricular debate club, or class elections speech, or exchange of letters to the editor of the student paper. Prepare yourself, have rational, fact-filled responses to counter their emotional bleatings, and you'll be prepared to verbally flay "Fluffy" and friends with your reasoning.

Fear not, your chance will come. :cool:


okay..... now watch the "die for your principles" crowd fire away... INCOMING!! :p