Ace of Spades HQ

March 28, 2013

On Emotion and Narcissicism
— Ace

I have two stories about Piers Morgan and am trying to connect them up.

First up, "Piers Morgan demonstrates how emotion triumphs over reason on cable news." After noting how Piers Morgan and his designated Victim Prop resorted again and again to cheap emotionalism in an alleged debate on gay marriage...

Again, in this authorÂ’s opinion, the intellectual underpinnings of [the] argument against gay marriage are especially frail. Morgan probably could, if he chose, dissect and dismantle [that] argument with facts of his own. Orman most certainly could have. Neither chose to, however, because they were content to express their feelings on the matter, and the audience ate it up. Why would either rely on a dispassionate argument in favor of gay marriage when the audience rewards them so for merely expressing their feelings?
There is a deeply fulfilling and powerful intellectual debate ongoing in the print and online community about gay marriage today, just as there is regarding nearly every contentious issue of the day. Readers of this post are probably aware of that, and are likely to be voracious consumers of that debate. The viewers of programs like MorganÂ’s are, sadly, cheated out of that experience. One would hope that Morgan thinks highly enough of his own audience to treat them to an educated discussion on the issues at hand, rather than to rely solely on the self-evident high regard he has for his opinion.

I linked this recently, but Sacred Honor compels me to link it again: Adam Carolla goes off on Piers Morgan's remorseless narcissism. Note particularly Carolla acknowledges we all have this beast of narcissism inside us (or, rather, we who seek public attention all do), but that there used to be a decorum about it, a Social Contract about how much you were permitted to blatantly talk about yourself in any five minute period. Say, about for about one minute in five, so long as you could gin up a plausible pretext to return to every narcissist's favorite subject, the Almighty Me. You couldn't just talk about yourself for five minutes straight, without even pretending to have anything else in mind but a celebration of the Almighty Me.

But that decorum is largely gone. Those who breach it pay no social penalty for doing so -- indeed, as Carolla notes, they're actually socially rewarded now.

Linking these two ideas about Piers Morgan: It occurs to me that while there is a selfish, ego-centric aspect to ideas -- we are, after all, proud of the ideas we hold, in perhaps a way we shouldn't be -- emotion, on the other hand, is entirely about the Self.

Ideas -- even if we are egotistically invested in them -- remain, fundamentally, external to us. What we call "abstract." They are Specters that reside in a Plane of Ideas outside of us. We champion one Specter over another, and surely there is an element of self-justification in our choices, but, at the end of the day, Ideas are owned by no man. They are owned, briefly, by their first creator, but after that briefest period of intellectual ownership, they have no owner and are simply commonly-held good which any man can utilize. They are outside of us. Ideas shape us but they are not us.

Emotion, on the other hand, is purely and entirely about the self. Emotions do not exist or have importance outside the self that feels them.

While the ego may be protective of the Ideas it chooses, the ego is not merely protective of emotions; emotions are the ego, and the ego is emotion.

I note this because every statement of emotion is unavoidably a statement about the Self. This is the Narcissists's Playground. At last, an opportunity to talk endlessly about oneself! Ideas, quotations, and lines of argument must be frequently cited to external sources. Credit must be given to others. What a hateful thought to the Narcissist.

But Emotion? O Joyous Thing, Emotion! We are all the authors and owners of our own Emotions, and undeniable experts on ourselves and our feelings! We need not share credit with anyone! For our emotions are Us and when we speak of our emotions we Sing a Joyous Song of Ourselves!

It takes hard work and talent to craft and argument -- but, actually, anyone can do that, can't he? So long he has something on the ball.

But only Piers Morgan can tell you what Piers Morgan is feeling. That is specific to he himself; that Glory is his alone.

I think this is what I find so bothersome about Meghan McCain's constant use of the words "young people" in justifying herself. She's not talking about external ideas that could be of interest to young people; primarily she is just asserting that her personal status as (sort of) young should make she herself compelling to young people. Rather than advertising her ideas (should she stumble upon one some day) she relentlessly and remorselessly advertises herself (but always with the unmet promise that one day she will offer an idea external to herself that Young People might think is just swell).

And make no mistake, when she says things like "Young people need a young spokesperson" or the like, what she really means, barely disguised at all, barely comporting with the decorum Carolla mentions, is that "Young people need the Almighty Me."

I think Carolla is right; at some point we stopped telling the Narcissists that they were boors, and stopped imposing the social penalty of Shunning on them, and instead started pouring gasoline of attention on the already-blazing fire of self-regard.

We should probably stop that.

Posted by: Ace at 11:08 AM | Comments (371)
Post contains 948 words, total size 6 kb.

1 Barrel.

Posted by: GMan at March 28, 2013 11:08 AM (sxq57)

2 Is Ace subject to the barrel, or is that something the head moron need not worry about?

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Assault CAD Monkey at March 28, 2013 11:09 AM (K+mtQ)

3 I dunno, but...barrel.

Posted by: GMan at March 28, 2013 11:09 AM (sxq57)

4 I've heard you do not want to be the person following the Ewok in the barrel. What's done while he's in there is just wrong.

Posted by: Virginia SoCon at March 28, 2013 11:10 AM (+/C3g)

5 The barrel is to big for Ace. Too much room in there for an Ewok.

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:11 AM (kfCWm)

too big.

got the spacing and lost the other 'o'. Pixxy is a fickle beast.

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:12 AM (kfCWm)

7 This mainly works for celebrities, normal folks having normal interactions still tend to respect the old norms. So blame it on the Celebrity Culture.

Posted by: Marty at March 28, 2013 11:12 AM (FZdvr)

8 the people responsible for closing tags have been sacked.

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 11:12 AM (LCRYB)

9 Emotionalism, when it's all you got...

Posted by: Dang at March 28, 2013 11:14 AM (R18D0)

Emotion, on the other hand, is purely and entirely about the self. Emotions do not exist or have importance outside the self that feels them.

and you're not married? Go on.

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:14 AM (kfCWm)

11 The link is addiction.

Posted by: qualia at March 28, 2013 11:14 AM (XYSwB)

We should probably stop that.

---------------------------

Ace, I agree, but this is part of the everybody-gets-a-trophy culture. If everyone is a special snowflake, then everyone must have something unique to say that everyone else must listen to.

We'll know its all over when CPAC starts handing out trophies to all of the blogs nominated for Best Blog.

Posted by: Virginia SoCon at March 28, 2013 11:15 AM (+/C3g)

13 Hmmm, the "beast of narcissism" in anonymous blogging ... Sounds like a PhD thesis at Columbia.

Posted by: Jean at March 28, 2013 11:15 AM (VHfsw)

There's certainly a natural tendency to emote, and The Young have not learned to harness emotion and narcissism. Which is why I firmly believe the voting age should be 40.

Of course the millions of aging hippies surrounding me in NoCo make everything I just said a damn lie. Gawd I hate hippies.

/emoting

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Assault CAD Monkey at March 28, 2013 11:15 AM (K+mtQ)

Then enter Facebook, Twitter, etc. - Narcissist napalm.

Not only is it all about me all the time, but you are obligated to know I checked into McDonald's this morning for breakfast and while I'm at it here are my thoughts on homosexuality. Hot lesbos are mandatory, the rest, eh.

Posted by: Jollyroger at March 28, 2013 11:15 AM (t06LC)

16 I was very troubled to learn recently that despite having made stalking illegal in Illinois, elected officials in the state have afforded union bosses an exemption.

Yes, thatÂ’s correct; during labor disputes, IllinoisÂ’s law against Â“aggravated stalkingÂ” does not apply to union organizers (Public Act 097-046

. This leads to a simple and logical question: is it ever acceptable to engage in stalking? Apparently, the answer in the Land of Lincoln is yes.

For anyone who engages in aggravated stalking in Illinois, it is a Class 3 felony with a Â“second or subsequent convictionÂ” serving as a Class 2 felony. The penalty for the crime is serious and it should be. ThatÂ’s what makes the exemption for organized labor Â— a special interest Â— so outrageous and inexcusable.

But unfortunately, Illinois is not alone; it is joined by California, Pennsylvania and Nevada. These states have placed the interests of Big Labor bosses above the safety of average citizens.

Posted by: Jose Daniel Ortega Saavedra at March 28, 2013 11:16 AM (e8kgV)

17 Say what you will about emotionalism Ace, but sometimes a guy just has to cry.

Posted by: John Boehner at March 28, 2013 11:16 AM (8ZskC)

18 the people responsible for closing tags have been sacked.

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 03:12 PM (LCRYB)

--- Well I hope they received a reasonable settlement

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at March 28, 2013 11:16 AM (R8hU8)

19 >>>and you're not married? Go on. you ever tell a woman something about what she should feel or shouldn't feel and get that super-egotistical lecture about "How dare you tell me about my feelings..." ?

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 11:16 AM (LCRYB)

20 Root canals are for narcissists.

Posted by: Dang, grinning a great big meth-mouth smile at March 28, 2013 11:18 AM (R18D0)

you ever

You ever told a woman, 'Those are your feelings. Not my problem.'?

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:18 AM (kfCWm)

22 "you ever tell a woman something about what she should feel or shouldn't feel and get that super-egotistical lecture about "How dare you tell me about my feelings..." ?" Or when you don't and accused of "not listening to my feelings."

Posted by: Jean at March 28, 2013 11:18 AM (VHfsw)

23 I bet ace cried when he wrote this.

Posted by: Dr Spank at March 28, 2013 11:18 AM (3+QKS)

Link in nick-

My favorite despair.com t-shirt: The Social Media Venn Diagram.

I think it's apropro for this post.

Posted by: Virginia SoCon at March 28, 2013 11:19 AM (+/C3g)

25 >>>You ever told a woman, 'Those are your feelings. Not my problem.'? not in so many words. I think I say things like "Let's circle back to that later (never)."

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 11:19 AM (LCRYB)

26 Cried like a girl.

Posted by: Dr Spank at March 28, 2013 11:19 AM (3+QKS)

27 >at some point we stopped telling the Narcissists that they were boors, and stopped imposing the social penalty of Shunning on them, and instead started pouring gasoline of attention on the already-blazing fire of self-regard. We should probably stop that. I have felt this way for some time now. Much of the conservative blogosphere is posting 'the daily outrage' and 'can you imagine if George Bush had done this?' It's really just a constant re-telling of what we already know: the other side doesn't play fair, and has fucked-up ideas. An example is Piers Morgan. The only people paying attention to him, really, are those who are pre-disposed to agreeing with him already. And to be sure, a lot of his shtick is whoring for attention by saying outrageous things. Why amplify what he has said by blogging on it and repeating it? Why put more eyes on him? Ignore these fuckers. I don't think we get anywhere by repeatedly pointing out the latest dumb remarks from the Left. They will always be there. It's like pointing out the grass is green and the sky is blue, day after day.

Posted by: Jones in CO at March 28, 2013 11:19 AM (8sCoq)

28 finally, something with enough ghey in it to matter. Of course, us young people are totally in love with the idea of gheys, thanks to Will and Grace. There is no known objection to this idea of ghey marriage outside of some sky buddy the cast of Duck Dynasty has. As for nacissism, isn't marriage just a chance for one or both (now!) parties getting married to have an I'm a Pretty Princess Poopypants day? And really, the argument comes down to such logical forces as "whhhhyyy"? Don't you know that these two same sexed people love each other soooooooo much? Whyyyyy can't they be married then. whyyy? Ugh, that the fuck arguments there. Whhhhhyyyyyyy and Because. Luckily the immediate impact will be, what about another 2,000 people get married? Even if about 800 of them won't technically be monogamous, but whatever, Brittany Spears got married so fuggg you my man. The next step though will be a continued assault on religious institutions.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:19 AM (QxSug)

29 Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 03:12 PM (LCRYB)

Too many young punks around here who don't appreciate that joke.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 28, 2013 11:19 AM (3Mkrp)

30 Why does this remind me of the new Tiger Woods ad: Winning takes care of everything.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 11:19 AM (XYSwB)

31 I have two stories about Piers Morgan and am trying to connect them up. Piers is a boor & thinks he sucks the best dick. That was easy.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 11:20 AM (GFM2b)

Please understand that I am talking about Generalities, not specifics... and especialy not about specific people....

But...

Men tend to argue about issues and use reason and logic to try to convince others...

Women tend to argue emotion...

Problem is that the emotional argument used to be dismissed by decision makers, but because of the change of the Electorate since Women gained the right to vote, and the Feminization of the American Male (you have to get in touch with your feelllllinnngggssss....)... it has gained ascendensy above Rational Reasoned Discourse.... as shown by the last Two Presidential Elections.

Note... the President, and Piers Morgan, both argue emotion.... and we make fun of their Manhood....

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 11:20 AM (lZBBB)

33 ohh, and I bet we discover that the writers of the 14th amendment meant for it to include wimmen and gheys.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:20 AM (QxSug)

34 You're welcome.

Posted by: MTV Networks at March 28, 2013 11:20 AM (WCe8r)

35 Posted by: Jean at March 28, 2013 03:18 PM (VHfsw)

You are either married or not married.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 28, 2013 11:20 AM (3Mkrp)

36 pfft.

Posted by: willow at March 28, 2013 11:21 AM (nqBYe)

37

In before the movie review jokes......

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at March 28, 2013 11:21 AM (TIIx5)

38 I think this is what I find so bothersome about Meghan McCain's constant use of the words "young people" in justifying herself.>>

By the time I was 30 I had a career, wife, 2 kids and a mortgage. The young people thought I was already an old man.

Posted by: Buzzsaw at March 28, 2013 11:21 AM (81UWZ)

39 and really, not giving gheys the status of being married is basically forcing them to break up, even though half of them aren't monogamous. And the other half are a wee bit too monogamous.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:21 AM (QxSug)

40 >>> I have felt this way for some time now. Much of the conservative blogosphere is posting 'the daily outrage' and 'can you imagine if George Bush had done this?' It's really just a constant re-telling of what we already know: the other side doesn't play fair, and has fucked-up ideas. I often feel pretty stupid about writing things like that. I have avoided the "imagine if George Bush had..." just because it's so obvious, at least for a while. Nevertheless, if you're writing 10 to 15 (or 30, as some do) things a day, you're going to have to resort to Classics.

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 11:21 AM (LCRYB)

41 Look, can't you wingnuts just let Piers Morgan get gay married, so he can be happy and maybe lighten up a little?

Posted by: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus at March 28, 2013 11:21 AM (YYJjz)

42 Pierce Morgan in "the crying game"

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:21 AM (LRFds)

43 "I think I say things like "Let's circle back to that later (never).", This works

"Whenever you bring up your feelings, I assume what you really meant to say was spank me." Let me know how it goes.

Posted by: Jean at March 28, 2013 11:21 AM (VHfsw)

I bet we discover that the writers of the 14th amendment meant for it to include wimmen and gheys.

You have to check under the penubras, but it's there.

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:22 AM (kfCWm)

45 This is so crazy it just might work: allow a spectrum of opinion in the media reflective of a huge diverse nation instead of latching on to immutable characteristics for stereotypes and reciting partisan talking points.

Posted by: Beagle at March 28, 2013 11:22 AM (sOtz/)

46 Ideas are owned by no man. Ideas are a dime a dozen. Repeat after me.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 11:22 AM (XYSwB)

47 But have those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked been sacked?

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 11:22 AM (/kI1Q)

48 Just as emotion works in the jury room, in passing legislation, it works on TV. That's science bitches.

Posted by: Piers Morgan at March 28, 2013 11:22 AM (3+QKS)

49 you ever tell a woman something about what she should feel or shouldn't feel and get that super-egotistical lecture about "How dare you tell me about my feelings..." ?

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 03:16 PM (LCRYB)

Drives me nuts in discussions, because when someone says, "I feel such is such", you can't disagree because no one can dispute another's "feelings".

Have tried hard to avoid using "I feel" when I am really saying, "I think".

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 11:23 AM (sGtp+)

50 "After noting how Piers Morgan and his designated Victim Prop resorted again and again to cheap emotionalism in an alleged debate on gay marriage..." It's not just Piers Morgan, and it's not just gay marriage - though gay marriage is where you see this absolutely in force.

Posted by: Crude at March 28, 2013 11:23 AM (N3XVc)

51 31 I have two stories about Piers Morgan and am trying to connect them up. Piers is a boor & thinks he sucks the best dick. That was easy. Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 03:20 PM (GFM2b) The ampersand was the hardest part.

Posted by: Jean at March 28, 2013 11:23 AM (VHfsw)

52 By the time I was 30 I had a career, wife, 2 kids and a mortgage. The young people thought I was already an old man.

Extended adolescence is the bee's knees. I can postpone reality with a government funded student loan.

Posted by: Young People at March 28, 2013 11:23 AM (mjR67)

53 The next step though will be a continued assault on religious institutions. If teh gheys were smart, they'd not bother Duck Dynasty. Dem cajuns will shoot them & bury them in the swamp. Cajuns don't play.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 11:23 AM (GFM2b)

54
Why does this remind me of the new Tiger Woods ad:

Winning takes care of everything. Posted by: artisanal 'ette

That would also make a good Lance Armstrong ad.

(Nike invests a lot of money is assholes, don't they?)

Posted by: Dang at March 28, 2013 11:24 AM (R18D0)

55
That was Larry King interviewing Piles Morgan?
Looked liked Ramesses II mummy interviewing Mr. Mr. Potato Head

Posted by: YIKES! at March 28, 2013 11:24 AM (mETGQ)

56 base emotionalism is the new black, I think is part of the takeaway here it is funny that we now tweet our daily minutiae AND let everyone on Facechimp know our Current Mood! WHY?

Posted by: soothie at March 28, 2013 11:24 AM (39q3n)

57 Have tried hard to avoid using "I feel" when I am really saying, "I think".

Most of the people who "feel such and such" don't think. Can't even recognize that they don't think.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 11:24 AM (/kI1Q)

58 Well lemme tell ya what happened to me today...

Posted by: Herr Morgenholz at March 28, 2013 11:25 AM (Y+vNY)

59 Federal housing regulators took a significant step on Wednesday toward helping borrowers who are falling behind on their mortgage payments Â— a move that will help more people but also introduce new risks that some homeowners could deliberately stop paying in order to become eligible for assistance.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, announced that borrowers who are more than 90 days late on their mortgages will become automatically eligible for a modification to the terms of the home loan. The goal is to reduce monthly payments.

In the past, to be eligible for a mortgage modification, borrowers had to provide documentation they had a financial hardship. They will no longer be required to do so Â— though providing such documentation will make borrowers eligible for more substantial monthly savings.

Posted by: Generalissimo Francisco Franco at March 28, 2013 11:25 AM (e8kgV)

60 Dang, assholes buy shit too. Explains a big chunk of the MFM audience

Posted by: Jean at March 28, 2013 11:25 AM (VHfsw)

61 What's everyone current mood? You're dying to say, and I'm dying to know.

Posted by: soothie at March 28, 2013 11:25 AM (DlaLh)

62
To be upfront, there a few reality shows that I watch (wicked tuna, gold rush) that have these sorts of people, but yes I agree, I hope the US moves away from this over-narcissum.

I get bothered by even seeing a commercial for those housewives from hell or whatever shows. I that Jersey kids show that I never saw either.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at March 28, 2013 11:26 AM (IY7Ir)

63 'the daily outrage' and 'can you imagine if George Bush had done this? ***** people need to read a little deeper. The no-information cares no for obama is awesome and therefore there is nothing that matters, even if obama does the same thing that got us in the mess we're in in the first place. let's get to first base and have actual news coverage instead of sure sure fast and furious was probably one in a series of anti-gun publicity masscares committed by the administration but Booooosh tried something similar even though we won't tell you why it's not similar.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:26 AM (QxSug)

64 >> She's not talking about external ideas that could be of interest to young people; primarily she is just asserting that her personal status as (sort of) young should make she herself compelling to young people. Rather than advertising her ideas (should she stumble upon one some day) There ain't a whole lot of runway left for poor Meggie Mac.

Posted by: Andy at March 28, 2013 11:26 AM (3qKxK)

65 By the time I was 30 I had a career, wife, 2 kids and a mortgage. The young people thought I was already an old man.

Posted by: Buzzsaw at March 28, 2013 03:21 PM (81UWZ)

i know, perhaps she is delaying being an adult.

as the left does and 26 now being a child. unless of course they need a 26 year old to be an adult next week . I wonder how 26 works out for paying back govt loans for college?

Posted by: willow at March 28, 2013 11:26 AM (nqBYe)

66 The only TV shows without narcissism are cartoons

Posted by: Jean at March 28, 2013 11:26 AM (VHfsw)

67 Just as emotion works in the jury room, in passing legislation, it works on TV. That's science bitches.

Posted by: Piers Morgan at March 28, 2013 03:22 PM (3+QKS)

Considering Piers has less viewers than most people's junks on yourporn it may not work on tv. Just saying, it doesn't appear he's hitting the winning formula yet.

When over half your ratings come from airport terminals and Applebee's bars when there's no sports on, not a great thing.

Posted by: Jollyroger at March 28, 2013 11:27 AM (t06LC)

68 Enough about me. Why don't you tell me what you like. About me.

Posted by: Pierced Morgan at March 28, 2013 11:27 AM (RIg+t)

69 I've said all along, the only people I know who watch MSNBC are those who wish to mock it. It gives MSNBC a lot more play than they deserve. I heard this a thousand times, "I'm going to check out MSNBC to watch their heads explode."

Posted by: mare at March 28, 2013 11:27 AM (A98Xu)

70 Low grade emotion is narcissistic, I'll grant you, but feelings on the whole are not; they are often as not, shared. It would go without saying that a Narcissist would not veer into the realm of the Common Stock Responses of Mankind.

(Primarily because one of them is revulsion to homosexual behavior.)

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 11:27 AM (El+h4)

71 a move that will help more people but also introduce new risks that some homeowners could deliberately stop paying in order to become eligible for assistance.

Oh, pshaw. No one will ever try to abuse the system. Full speed ahead to PROGRESS!

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 11:27 AM (v3pYe)

72 My ideas suck, but you can't critique my feelings. So, I'm just going to talk about them to avoid any introspection or insight.

Posted by: Megan McCain at March 28, 2013 11:27 AM (mjR67)

We should probably stop that.

Yes.

I feel the same way toward the countless douchers who relentlessly post stupid Internet Meme videos.

Let me get this straight- you're so desperate for attention and validation that you want credit for making a youtube video in which you mindlessly copied other people? Performing an action requiring exactly zero talent, creativity or thought in the hopes someone would see you doing it?

Yeah... no.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (SY2Kh)

Yeah...feelings.

Not a good thing, when 'feelings' start to be the basis of Laws and Public Policy.

That's a recipe for anarchy, isn't it?

Posted by: wheatie at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (UMBJ2)

75 What's everyone current mood?

You're dying to say, and I'm dying to know.

Posted by: soothie at March 28, 2013 03:25 PM (DlaLh)

currently calm , with a chance of thunder and rain.

Posted by: willow at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (nqBYe)

I might be bastardizing this horribly, but even if I am, I think the point still stands so stay with me. (meeememeemememe, sorry)

Catholics have a doctrine on suffering that says, essentially, that suffering is purifying. The problem with modern society is that we are so completely removed from suffering. Real suffering. Now, this isn't to say that we should go back to the days of dying in childbirth and starving to death, but when all of our base needs and desires are completely met, we start searching for more. We get bored. We take duck faced pictures of ourselves.

Now, obviously there is a political point to be had because there is a certain party that wants to make utopia on Earth and eliminate any minor discomfort. When did that become the ideal? Because it's not just limited to not starving or freezing to death. Suddenly just digging a ditch is too much suffering to endure. Why should you? You can just collect a check without any suffering and get back to taking selfies on a stolen ipad.

Posted by: Lauren at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (wsGWu)

77 71, and another is the love of firearms

Posted by: Jean at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (VHfsw)

78 We are a trivial people living in trivial times. People are tweeting about going to the Gap and on the way there someone gave them a funny look. So they were like WTF? And then they were like h8ers gonna h8.

Posted by: soothie at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (uff2W)

79

Oh, Hi. What's your name?

Well, enough about you, let's talk about MEEEE!!!

Posted by: imp at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (UaxA0)

80 The worst words a woman can say to a man, to stir the inner emotions of that man to the point of suicide sometimes is: "We need to talk".

Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (94uTl)

81 low grade emotion. Ghey marriage destroys the foundation of society but whyyyyyy, I know this soooper ghey couple that adopted kids. Are you telling me they don't love that child, can't take care of it, etc.* ?? it's a toughie. * of course, we will bury any socialogical report that evidences any negative effect of ss parenting.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (QxSug)

82 I think Carolla is right; at some point we stopped telling the Narcissists that they were boors, and stopped imposing the social penalty of Shunning on them, and instead started pouring gasoline of attention on the already-blazing fire of self-regard. We should probably stop that. This goes hand in hand with defining extroversion as the norm. There was a discussion recently about the primacy of class participation in grades that could and should have been an interesting debate about how do you draw out kids while restraining those who will happily answer any question while still grading everyone fairly. Unfortunately, the post was delivered from the point of view of an extrovert who could not understand why it was that some children simply cannot find it in themselves to speak up in class and who find being singled out to be traumatic and who do not care if this affects their grades. Also unfortunately the comments devolved immediately into how dare you do this to my child vs. kids need to speak up for themselves because that's how the world is. As someone who is both an introvert in person and who was Hermione Granger in school, I was more appalled by the fact that being able to use PowerPoint was 25% of the grade for a group of sixth graders. But I digress. No discussion could be had because each side was convinced of the absolute rightness and justice of its side. Look at the emphasis on team work and group projects and Being Proud Of Yourself and right now it is absolutely the tyranny of the extroverts. Hell, there's a link in the sidebar to a piece with Jennifer Lawrence discussing how when she's out she's thinking about how much better it would be to be home on her couch. Wanting to stay home happily doing whatever no longer means someone is a homebody. It means there's something wrong and they must be socialized and, yes, they must be taught that expressing the Almighty Me is the best thing ever. I will be the first to admit that my favorite subject is me. Guess what? I don't think this is a positive trait. Current societal structure is giving exactly the opposite impression.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Mmmm. Tea. at March 28, 2013 11:28 AM (VtjlW)

83 I'm in the mood for a Chocodile and a bottle of RC Cola.

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:29 AM (kfCWm)

84 President Obama called for action to be taken on gun control measures in a speech today at the White House, and said that "speeches aren't enough."

Posted by: Valerie Jarrett at March 28, 2013 11:29 AM (e8kgV)

Drives me nuts in discussions, because when someone says, "I feel such is such", you can't disagree because no one can dispute another's "feelings".

Have tried hard to avoid using "I feel" when I am really saying, "I think".

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 03:23 PM (sGtp+)

And my normal response to that statement??? "So?"

You only cede power to their emotions, if you GIVE it to them...

But then... I'm a Racist Bigot Male Chauvinst... Man Goin His Own Way type... who has been Un Married since his divorce 21 years ago... (note, unmarried... not alone... LOL).

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 11:29 AM (lZBBB)

86 Who falls for this "feelings" shit? Oh, right, 50% of the electorate(the ones without testicles).

Posted by: Dr Spank at March 28, 2013 11:29 AM (3+QKS)

@76

Let it (literally) burn?

Posted by: Jollyroger at March 28, 2013 11:29 AM (t06LC)

88 Lucy Baines Johnson was once the pop culture political princess who allegedly defined her generation. When she became old enough to marry and have kids she faded away. Because she grew up. It's time for Meggie Mac to do the same. (Or maybe she could have Nancy Sinatra on her show to talk about the culture of Young People.)

Posted by: Flying Manatee at March 28, 2013 11:29 AM (9Zci/)

89 Not having ideas makes me sad.

And being sad makes me hungry...

Posted by: Megan McCain at March 28, 2013 11:29 AM (R18D0)

90 Maybe narcissists are hyper-hormonal. PMS is an exaggeration (and loss of control) of emotions.* *I say this as a woman who experiences PMS. I know not all do. But, I constantly analyze myself. Perhaps it's all just science. Big Science. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhOvrVUoJoY

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 11:29 AM (XYSwB)

91 Ideas are a dime a dozen.

Repeat after me.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette

However, emotions are sold by the buttload.

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at March 28, 2013 11:29 AM (UCv7P)

92 A mÃ¸Ã¸se once bit my sister ...

Posted by: wiserbud at March 28, 2013 11:30 AM (WCe8r)

93 What I mean is that emotionalism (as ace describes it) is narcissistic, but the concept of feeling or intuition is not. But those things take the difficulty of reaching out to another person who may or may not have felt the same thing you did, not because the responses are not common, but because experience differs. It's much easier to talk about how I feel about this or that. If I'm the big head, everyone feels through me, you know.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 11:30 AM (El+h4)

94 **Oh, pshaw. No one will ever try to abuse the system. Full speed ahead to PROGRESS! ** but whhhhyyyyy, are you saying I don't deserve a house????? I made 10 payments out of the expected 360? I basically own that place.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:30 AM (QxSug)

95 and the Feminization of the American Male (you have to get in touch with your feelllllinnngggssss....)... They honestly don't believe that. That's just a bullshit statement. Next time they say that, tell them that you feel like you need to touch yourself & rub one out & see how quick they disapprove.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 11:30 AM (GFM2b)

96 I think this is what I find so bothersome about Meghan McCain's constant use of the words "young people" in justifying herself. She's not talking about external ideas that could be of interest to young people; primarily she is just asserting that her personal status as (sort of) young should make she herself compelling to young people. ______________________ Some what connected, when Obama says the quality that he is looking for in Supreme Court justices is- empathy. What he really means is some kind of racial and sex based proportional representation of the populace appointed to the bench.

Posted by: tasker at March 28, 2013 11:30 AM (r2PLg)

97 Rush mentioned today that 6 million people get their news from twitter and only twitter. CNN has 870,000 viewers.

Posted by: mare at March 28, 2013 11:30 AM (A98Xu)

98 Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 03:20 PM (lZBBB) I fit the male stereotype. I have no children, but sometimes I'm scared to think of what damage I would do to my poor child if in the event that I had a normal girl. I'm just not an emotional person - more analytical and rational, and emotional appeals don't appeal to me. This is probably why I don't really like women's events at church. Anyway, back on topic. I fear the generation of narcissistic monsters we are creating what with a generation that has always had look-at-me! social media like twitter and facebook and so has no concept of privacy.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 11:30 AM (6zgse)

>>The worst words a woman can say to a man, to stir the inner emotions of that man to the point of suicide sometimes is: "We need to talk".

We would also have accepted, 'No. I'm Fine.'.

Posted by: The Judges Say at March 28, 2013 11:31 AM (kfCWm)

100 Alexthechick, my PowerPoint ranger tab has been worth much then several college courses and instructional courses.

Posted by: Jean at March 28, 2013 11:31 AM (VHfsw)

101 OK. My last comment was pretty garbled. Forgive me.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 11:31 AM (6zgse)

102 Feelings? I was feeling up this drunk chick the other night...

Posted by: Royal Mayo at March 28, 2013 11:31 AM (R18D0)

103 I tried to read this but just couldn't relate it to me.

Posted by: Megan McCain at March 28, 2013 11:31 AM (5ybey)

104 I even spell my own name wrong just to draw attention to myself.

Posted by: Megan McCain at March 28, 2013 11:32 AM (5ybey)

105 >Nevertheless, if you're writing 10 to 15 (or 30, as some do) things a day, you're going to have to resort to Classics. Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 03:21 PM (LCRYB) Hey, those who can't blog, comment. I admit I don't have any better ideas right now.

Posted by: Jones in CO at March 28, 2013 11:32 AM (8sCoq)

106 The argument against gay "marriage" is mainly linguistic and historic but it is anything but frail. You can redefine a bundle of legal rights but not religious sacrament or history. What a cluster.

Posted by: Beagle at March 28, 2013 11:32 AM (sOtz/)

107 86 Who falls for this "feelings" shit? Oh, right, 50% of the electorate(the ones without testicles). Posted by: Dr Spank at March 28, 2013 03:29 PM (3+QKS) ________________ I feel your pain. *bites lower lip* ( eyes not quite watering, yet.)

Posted by: Bill Clinton at March 28, 2013 11:33 AM (r2PLg)

108 you're going to have to resort to Classics.

Posted by: ace

Here come the fart jokes.

Posted by: Dang at March 28, 2013 11:33 AM (R18D0)

109

Let it (literally) burn?

Yeah, I think a bit of burning would do us good. Alt headline: Evil Conservative Wants Poor People (and All People) to Suffer

Posted by: Lauren at March 28, 2013 11:33 AM (wsGWu)

110 80 The worst words a woman can say to a man, to stir the inner emotions of that man to the point of suicide sometimes is: "We need to talk".

Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 03:28 PM (94uTl)

Oh yeah. I hate that one. I couldn't figure out for years why my wife would always win arguments. All of them. It was like she was some sort of argument Chuck Norris. Then it dawned on me that when we argued it was always my reason for (or not) doing something against how she felt or made her feel.

You can't use reason on emotion. That shit don't mix. I finally figured out how to win after going to the Chris Brown Institute for conflict resolution.

JK. I like to use soap in a sock. Doesn't leave as many marks.

Posted by: Jollyroger at March 28, 2013 11:34 AM (t06LC)

111 99 the judges say,

"I can explain..."

Napalm for restraint

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:34 AM (LRFds)

112 There is thunder in the distance. Is it the echo of battle, or a coming storm?

I can't tell.

Posted by: Dovahkiin at March 28, 2013 11:34 AM (gZ2vC)

113

80 The worst words a woman can say to a man, to stir the inner emotions of that man to the point of suicide sometimes is: "We need to talk".

Yeah, I really hate that...and I don't know why women say that, instead of just cutting to the chase and coming right out with whatever it is they are wanting to 'talk' about.

It calls unnecessary attention to the 'act of talking'.

Posted by: wheatie at March 28, 2013 11:34 AM (UMBJ2)

114 We're told that Piers' ratings are down because we're just tweeting all the time, and that's just bullshit.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at March 28, 2013 11:34 AM (hEr50)

115

109
Let it (literally) burn?

---------------------------------------

Well, especially when the free clinic runs out of penicillin.

Posted by: Virginia SoCon at March 28, 2013 11:34 AM (+/C3g)

116 When a woman asks what you're thinking, or feeling, tell her I think you're gaining weight. She'll not ask again.

Posted by: Dr Spank at March 28, 2013 11:35 AM (3+QKS)

117 you ever tell a woman something about what she should feel or shouldn't feel and get that super-egotistical lecture about "How dare you tell me about my feelings..." ? Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 03:16 PM (LCRYB) lol, you really do meet some interesting* women *wrong

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 11:35 AM (XYSwB)

118 :::An example is Piers Morgan. The only people paying attention to him, really, are those who are pre-disposed to agreeing with him already. And to be sure, a lot of his shtick is whoring for attention by saying outrageous things. Why amplify what he has said by blogging on it and repeating it? Why put more eyes on him? Ignore these fuckers. I don't think we get anywhere by repeatedly pointing out the latest dumb remarks from the Left. They will always be there. It's like pointing out the grass is green and the sky is blue, day after day:::: Because Piers Morgan is serving his niche and the conservative blogosphere is serving theirs. And I expect that trend to continue. The pretense of dry, dispassionate news delivery has just about been completely dispensed with, and now everyone is targeting their preferred demographic. Frankly, I prefer it that way. For one, it strips this stupid veneer of legitimacy and integrity that news organizations have been hiding behind for far too long. Let your bias show. I'll choose a show with one that confirms my own.

Posted by: Sean Connery at March 28, 2013 11:35 AM (oYLeq)

119 Morgan's not an idea guy, come on. He's a carny. He's not selling Firing Line, he's selling Jerry Springer with a desk.

Posted by: zsasz at March 28, 2013 11:35 AM (MMC8r)

120 15 JollyRoger,

hadn't read your earlier use of the napalm metaphor...

somewhere along the way society devolved into about 120 million people deciding they were undiscovered celebutards and the stars of reality shows...

these folk have as much respect for society as they would a 3d rate snoozer on a 5th rate cable network...

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:36 AM (LRFds)

121 106 The argument against gay "marriage" is mainly linguistic and historic but it is anything but frail. You can redefine a bundle of legal rights but not religious sacrament or history. What a cluster. Posted by: Beagle at March 28, 2013 03:32 PM (sOtz/) ___________________ Well the thing that started to separate us from the animals might be things like marriage. Hell "civilization" might owe a lot to the concept of marriage--name a notable civilization that does not have "marriage"? The undoing of marriage--might be the ultimate goal of the communist--the state raising it's own citizens. Cut out the middle man--so to speak.

Posted by: Bill Clinton at March 28, 2013 11:36 AM (r2PLg)

122

"Well, especially when the free clinic runs out of penicillin."

Or gonorrhea finally becomes fully antibiotic resistant.

Posted by: Lauren at March 28, 2013 11:36 AM (wsGWu)

123 They honestly don't believe that. That's just a bullshit statement.
Next time they say that, tell them that you feel like you need to touch yourself & rub one out & see how quick they disapprove.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 03:30 PM (GFM2b)

Nah.... my response is usualy "I feel like I need a beer..."... usualy shuts em up...

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 11:36 AM (lZBBB)

124 Look at the emphasis on team work and group projects and Being Proud Of Yourself and right now it is absolutely the tyranny of the extroverts.

I'm suddenly reminded of a high school project - everyone had to make and present a "Me"-Board. Some girl had a motto - "No one cares if you're sad, so why not be happy?"

Grated on me quite badly - why should my happiness depend on if someone cares about my emotional state or not? How empty is that happiness!

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 11:36 AM (v3pYe)

125 I bet ace cried when he wrote this. Posted by: Dr Spank at March 28, 2013 03:18 PM (3+QKS) Nah, he just shed.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 11:36 AM (XYSwB)

126 Yeah, that's the other thing. You can defeat ideas in many ways (some of them often very underhanded and fallacious) but feelings? We have it in our mind that the wrongest thing is to invalidate people's feelings.

I do it all the time but, you know.

"That makes me so angry!"

"You shouldn't be angry. There's nothing to be angry about."

When told I can't invalidate another person's feelings I simply state that I can, and as the whole argument was emotive to begin with, there's no fuel to fire an argument of ideas vis a vis whether feelings can be valid or invalid.

RE: Introverts/Extroverts

Alex, you forget that the only real purpose for schools now is 'socialization' (What is the primary argument against homeschooling if you get past the 'we ain't no ign'nant hicks' argument?) and therefore, ALL MUST BE SOCIALIZED. As a mild extravert, I never noticed this because I socialized myself. The stuff they do is probably pretty retarded, though I would say that public speaking is something every educate person should be able to screw up courage to do, introvert or extrovert.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 11:36 AM (El+h4)

127 **religious sacrament or history** that's the thing, yo. Those two thing matter not. To the left, they'll melt the statute of liberty into bullets if it got them a few gay gun owner votes. it don't cost nothing to give away history or religion. so they secure not so much the ghey vote (for some reason 86% of gheys I know are already commies) but the ghey sympathy vote of areligious people who just don't care either...but get to feel superior because hollywood has told them to feel so. So, you say "religious sacrament or history", they say boring. It's sort of like being a male who is all into the Lifetime TV feminist bullshit and then getting ass-reamed in a divorce where your wife accuses you of molestation and beating her in order to win sole custody, alimony, and child support. You're like, wait, I thought my support of these nice sounding ideas (husbands always wrong laws) would never bite ME in the ass. yeah, well, who knows how destroying "religious sacrament or history" will bite them in the ass. Who knows, America may undergo a huge evangelical revival in 10 years and dump San Fran into the ocean.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:37 AM (QxSug)

128 "We need to talk....I don't think we're having enough sex!" Emotion and narcissicism indeed

Posted by: mare at March 28, 2013 11:37 AM (A98Xu)

129 "One would hope that Morgan thinks highly enough of his own audience to treat them to an educated discussion on the issues at hand, rather than to rely solely on the self-evident high regard he has for his opinion."
==================

Speaking of the audacity of hope....

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 11:37 AM (aDwsi)

130 Most of what gays want can be solved by changing the tax code. Not marriage.

Posted by: Dang at March 28, 2013 11:38 AM (R18D0)

131 Let's talk about me for a minute...

http://tinyurl.com/bovwkq7

Posted by: Alan Parsons at March 28, 2013 11:38 AM (WCe8r)

132 I have avoided the "imagine if George Bush had..." just because it's so obvious, at least for a while.

I think an "Imagine if George Bush had gone on TV trying to sell a right-to-life amendment on 'This Week' by crying about a nation of lost daughters or the thwarted souls we feel all around us..." angle would work here. It would point out that there's something to add to your observations, or another idea that undermines/supersedes them.

I mean, there's clearly still a "Social Contract" or "decorum" that specifies whose narcissistic-emotional life is fit for airing and is superior to argument, and whose is a display of abjection, madness, irrationality, Loserdom, etc.

You have an example of a Thing. But maybe it's another Thing (or two). And maybe "imagine if [one of us] had..." is a good way to pin it down. Maybe that's the only way.

Of course, "the rules are different for us." But how so? Which ones? All of them? Or only a certain kind? How'd it happen? And what's the remedy? More rules? Rules that will really only apply to us? Etc.

Posted by: oblig. at March 28, 2013 11:38 AM (cePv8)

133 @Dang

... It's a tax!

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 11:38 AM (El+h4)

134 121 Bill Clinton,

BILL you are not supposed to give insight to Billy Ayers' soul in THAT nick...

//HILLARY!

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:38 AM (LRFds)

135 I think I say things like "Let's circle back to that later (never)." Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 03:19 PM (LCRYB) I figured it was more like: "Wait, the good part's coming up right here. See how he uses that whip?!"

Posted by: ms. plinkett at March 28, 2013 11:38 AM (XYSwB)

136 And my normal response to that statement??? "So?"

You only cede power to their emotions, if you GIVE it to them...

Not sure I want to use that level of abrasiveness in a Bible study, but it is tempting.

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 11:39 AM (v3pYe)

137 When a woman asks what you're thinking, or feeling, tell her I think you're gaining weight. She'll not ask again.

***

Then go to the bathroom to get some toilet paper so the blood from your nose doesn't stain the carpet.

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 28, 2013 11:39 AM (XUKZU)

138

Hey Soona...

Have you been following the story about the claim that that big 5.7 Earthquake in Prague, back in Nov 2011...was 'man made'?

Sounds like the Whores of Science are at it again.

A female professor at OU started it...and now the story has gone worldwide:

"Biggest Man Made Earthquake Evar!"

Linky in my nic.

Posted by: wheatie at March 28, 2013 11:40 AM (UMBJ2)

139 **130 Most of what gays want can be solved by changing the tax code. Not marriage.** They want you to kneel before Zod, I think most practical objections were dealt with in the 90's. They won't be happy until they start throwing bishops in jail for refusing to perform ghey marriages between a polyamorous coupling of 5 souls and two farm animals.* * and of course, you can't use slippery slope arguments either, even though the left is preparing for that next front in the war on culture.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:40 AM (QxSug)

140 Cried like a girl. Posted by: Dr Spank at March 28, 2013 03:19 PM (3+QKS) Shed all over the carpet, like a nervous Chihuahau.

Posted by: ms. plinkett at March 28, 2013 11:40 AM (XYSwB)

141

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 03:30 PM (6zgse)

I raised Twins.... a boy and a girl, by myself after their Mom left when they were 1.5 years old... they are now 22....

It was a bit of a struggle... I had to pay attention and think about what I would tell them, because they WOULD react differently...

My Daughter applogised to me last Fathers Day... for being such a shit when she was a Teenager.... /smile

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 11:40 AM (lZBBB)

142 "Everybody Wants To Kill Bruce Willis" http://tinyurl.com/bv95nrd Entertaining ten minute mash up of 39 movies.

Posted by: RWC at March 28, 2013 11:40 AM (fWAjv)

143 The undoing of marriage--might be the ultimate goal of the communist--the state raising *its* own citizens. Cut out the middle man--so to speak. Posted by: Bill Clinton at March 28, 2013 03:36 PM (r2PLg) ____________________ Ugh.

Posted by: Bill Clinton at March 28, 2013 11:41 AM (r2PLg)

144 124 Conservative Monster,

whoch gets back to why I don't believe them when they say "oh we get this and i SWEAR I will get right on caring about the economy!' shit...

whether you are happy or sad is an internal analytical status and assessment of your world....

and the voices in their head they are trying to shut up will never shut up until they make peace with themselves....

they can make us throw a parade for their bed partner choice but they can't make me make their inner voice shut the hell up

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:41 AM (LRFds)

145 When a woman asks what you're thinking, or feeling, tell her I think you're gaining weight. She'll not ask again. FTW.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 11:41 AM (GFM2b)

146 Or my sock. will slap you.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at March 28, 2013 11:41 AM (oYLeq)

147 Spot on Ace. Excellent analysis.

Posted by: Heralder at March 28, 2013 11:42 AM (+xmn4)

148 130 Most of what gays want can be solved by changing the tax code. Not marriage.
Posted by: Dang at March 28, 2013 03:38 PM
=============

Hide the kitchen knives..., just in case.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 11:42 AM (aDwsi)

149 Yes, but anger is a difficult beast. If you nip it before it blooms, you'll be okay and you can 'invalidate' it safely. But mostly with anger you're best to just let the person burn it off themselves.

Most of the emotions discussed in these programs are the memories of emotions; they're not the direct responses themselves. So in my mind, you can argue that you shouldn't have gotten angry or, that you shouldn't have let your anger get out of control. Emotion and feeling are complex, not simple like we want to believe, and the thought which brings forth anger can be entertained or ignored; sometimes it is just, other times it is not, but to a sane person rage should be saved only for the proper object regardless of 'validation'.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 11:42 AM (El+h4)

150 Most of what gays want can be solved by changing the tax code. Not marriage.

Posted by: Dang at March 28, 2013 03:38 PM (R18D0)

---

Tax credits or vouchers for blow jobs?

Posted by: RioBravo at March 28, 2013 11:42 AM (eEfYn)

151

@121

Its interesting you mention that. Marriage has the unique status of predating the state (any state). Lets even take religion out of the argument.

Liberals like to speak of evolution, but if that is the case why did marriage evolve in the first place? Animal breeding particularly among mammals have 1 male for 10 or so females. That aids the male in spreading his dna and will lead to the most efficient population boost.

However, this trend is different in humans, and in fact only humans and several species of birds have this trait.

Why? Homosexuality has not always been frowned upon (think greeks).

It seems that a few answers come to mind that we might look into before reversing 5000 or so years of human interaction.

Posted by: Jollyroger at March 28, 2013 11:42 AM (t06LC)

152 148 130
Most of what gays want can be solved by changing the tax code. Not marriage.

Posted by: Dang at March 28, 2013 03:38 PM
=============

Hide the kitchen knives..., just in case.
Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 03:42 PM

=====

Well..., that landed in the wrong place.....

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 11:42 AM (aDwsi)

153 I think Carolla is right; at some point we stopped telling the Narcissists that they were boors, and stopped imposing the social penalty of Shunning on them, and instead started pouring gasoline of attention on the already-blazing fire of self-regard.

We have stopped imposing social penalties for almost everything. For example, there used to be a social stigma to being on welfare and thus you worked hard to get off it as soon as you can. Now, there is no stigma attached at all. Same for tons of things. Being lazy. Being shiftless. Living like an adolescent into your thirties. Being a whore (Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian). All of these things are more common now because all social stigmas are gone. This is part of moral relativism. When there is no "true" morality to judge others with, then everything goes. And now, we have turned the corner to where we don't just not stigmatize people for bad or harmful behavior, we celebrate it - ensuring there will be more such behavior.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at March 28, 2013 11:42 AM (sOx93)

154 And another thing about this emotionalism thing: I believe it started with the public grief tsunami following the death of Princess Diana, when tens of thousands of people in Great Britain injected themselves into the event, and made it all about how much THEY were affected. OR it started with Oprah, and the narcissism of victimhood. Being a victim would get you on TV, and a personal audience with the Goddess of Grief, Oprah. Look at me, I hurt! Pay attention to me as I grieve! My agony is gorgeous! My pain is sublime!

Posted by: Jones in CO at March 28, 2013 11:43 AM (8sCoq)

155 I wonder how much of this arises from our means of communication. We got to movies to have our emotions manipulated. We listen to music to have our emotions manipulated. We live inside our emotions and we live in a world where emotional manipulation is just a push button away. It's no wonder that emotion has trumped reason in our political discourse.

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 28, 2013 11:43 AM (XUKZU)

156

Not sure I want to use that level of abrasiveness in a Bible study, but it is tempting.

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 03:39 PM (v3pYe)

LOL... reason number 842 why I don't do Church....

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 11:43 AM (lZBBB)

157 Women tend to argue emotion... Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 03:20 PM (lZBBB) oh, interesting point Piers targeting the women audience?

Posted by: qualia at March 28, 2013 11:43 AM (XYSwB)

158 Speaking of sick - this video came out during the boom years of Bush. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4126233n Particularly this sentence in the clip - "I believe that they actually think of themselves like merchandise on eBay. 'If you don't want me, Mr. Employer, I'll go sell myself down the street. I'll probably get more money. I'll definitely get a better experience. And by the way, they'll adore me. You only like me,'" Salzman says. ---- The times, they have a chang'ed. Now they live in the basement.

Posted by: Whatev at March 28, 2013 11:44 AM (A7Wh1)

159 The undoing of marriage--might be the ultimate goal of the communist--the state raising *its* own citizens. *** Good point, I don't know if this is the bug or the feature. then again, look thee to the left's ant farm, the black family. family destroyed, check. women on lifetime of parental assistance, check. kids raised by useless union thugs*,check. kids taught that anyone who makes them do anything except vote donkey is raccisss, check. * you aren't anti-teacher, are you? so, it's pretty much already there, based only on what popular culture tells me about it (reviews of precious and season 5 of the wire). So, what they did for Baltimore, they want to do for you because those fuckers vote 95-5 donkey.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:44 AM (QxSug)

160
Anecdotally, somehow got into a conversation with my twenty something nieces last year about whether it was better to be famous or rich. I of course chose rich and they were about apoplectic that famous was better. Ugh.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at March 28, 2013 11:44 AM (IY7Ir)

161
>>The worst words a woman can say to a man, to stir the inner emotions of that man to the point of suicide sometimes is: "We need to talk".

We would also have accepted, 'No. I'm Fine.'.

Posted by: The Judges Say at March 28, 2013 03:31 PM (kfCWm)

Also a candidate, "Do you think my friend Jane Doe is pretty?"

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at March 28, 2013 11:45 AM (TIIx5)

162 OK. My last comment was pretty garbled. Forgive me.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 03:31 PM (6zgse)

--- Well that makes me nervous as I understood it perfectly

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at March 28, 2013 11:45 AM (R8hU8)

163

@150

I don't think so. If I were gay, why would I want to be married by a church that disagrees with my actions? Like stomping Jesus' name, the traditions mean little to me, hypothetically. I can already live with someone I love anyway.

I think it has more to do with legitimacy and state forced aceptance. Look at me now dad.

Posted by: Jollyroger at March 28, 2013 11:45 AM (t06LC)

164

Part of the problem with an "emotional society" is that so much of that emotion is displaced or abused. Newtown is our most recent example.

People are becoming emotional over things that used to be defined as just "life". Now everything has to have intense drama. Reality tv, hell, I can go back further than that, tv soap operas, gave the impression that if there isn't high drama occuring daily, one isn't living.

Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 11:45 AM (94uTl)

165 161 ITC,

proper response to shift the chat to a male friendly battlespace....

"with or without the lights and or clothes on?"

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:46 AM (LRFds)

166 Much of the conservative blogosphere is posting 'the daily outrage' and 'can you imagine if George Bush had done this?' I reckon it's gotten a few folks fired. This is a catch-22. Damned if you do sorta thing. We need to expose, yet we do not want to support.

Posted by: qualia at March 28, 2013 11:46 AM (XYSwB)

167 154 ---------

it started with Oprah, and the narcissism of victimhood. Being a victim would get you on TV, and a personal audience with the Goddess of Grief, Oprah.

Look at me, I hurt! Pay attention to me as I grieve! My agony is gorgeous! My pain is sublime! Posted by: Jones in CO at March 28, 2013 03:43 PM
==========

Kind of made Jerry Springer a breath of fresh air...,

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 11:46 AM (aDwsi)

168 When the gays are finally free to marry can we please have the State Park and Rest Stop Bathrooms back?

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:46 AM (uqANY)

169 OK. My last comment was pretty garbled. Forgive me.

I grokked it. My niece has already been informed by her mother and her Mimi that Aunt Radish is NOT a role model. Fewer books, more makeup.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 11:46 AM (/kI1Q)

170 163 JollyRoger,

love ME daddy....

//Andi Sully

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:46 AM (LRFds)

171 Albert Einstein permitted his brain to be examined after he died. The area of this brain which is involved in spatial relationships (for example, I don't recall exactly) was described as 'muscular'. In other words, it was something that through conscious effort he had improved. Way outside of the norm. There is a part of the brain, which through MRI can be examined, is involved with thoughts of 'empathy'. Some people have way too much of it, while some psychotic mass-murderers have next to none. We're living in a time when mass media is portraying 3% of the population as equaling more then 33% of the population and people with overdeveloped empathy responses are wringing their hands and gnashing their teeth. Me? I'm thirsty and am going to use this 'Heterosexual only' drinking fountain over here.

Posted by: Regular Moron [/i] at March 28, 2013 11:46 AM (feFL6)

172 Maybe the concept of lower information voter is obsolete. It should be low information but high emotion voter.

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (XUKZU)

173

@160

Feared. The correct answer is feared.

Take the most spiteful niece and impale her. You're welcome.

Posted by: The Dread Viking Jollyroger at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (t06LC)

174 RE: Removal of social stigmas

It is our fault as Christians, on the whole, really. If you look at Liberal Christians, they've basically turned God into 'doting grandpa', probably as a reaction to their ancestors (most likely: Puritans) giving the impression they believed in a God of condemnation only (they didn't.) So gloss of Edwards leads to Social Gospel leads to 'nice' Christianity leads to Liberal 'nice'-ness which equals unequivocal affirmation.

The Liberal Christian considers it their ascesis to accept and affirm and celebrate the things which they find most revolting.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (El+h4)

175

Let's say, I'm in love with two men...

Using the same argument for gay marriage:

"I should be able to marry the person that I love!"

So then, I should be able to have two husbands then, right?

Posted by: wheatie at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (UMBJ2)

176

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 03:42 PM (El+h4)

Hmmm... anger in and of itself is not a bad thing... problem stems from when you let it control your actions...

One issue is that the wrong people are getting angry today... the Normal folks are not angry enough... while the whackos are continuously venting...

Heck.... even Jesus threw the Moneychangers from the Temple...

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (lZBBB)

177 @27 jones in co A thousand times this.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (rfXHQ)

178 **If I were gay, why would I want to be married by a church that disagrees with my actions?** Probably because there's someone out there that tells you you cant' do something. But why would a hypothetical ghey couple want to get married to ape the pair bonding of a straight couple. I guess enough of them do or feel like it's something they should want to do, even if ghey mail monogamy is an oxymoron.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (QxSug)

179 it started with Oprah, and the narcissism of victimhood.

She ganked a lot of that from Donahue.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (/kI1Q)

180 Tunisian Fatwa Permits Â“Sexual JihadÂ” In Syria, Girls Encouraged To Fulfill Sexual Desires Of Jihadis Fighting Assad RegimeÂ…

Posted by: Nevergiveup at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (9Bj8R)

181 The pastor at my old church said something in his sermon about women being more emotional. A female friend of mine at the time was crying afterward because she was so upset that he'd say something sexist like that.

Irony had the fattest ass in church that day.

Posted by: Dang at March 28, 2013 11:47 AM (R18D0)

182 Who's famous and not rich? Washed up actors and athletes, disgraced politicians and ummmmm....bloggers?

Posted by: Lincolntf at March 28, 2013 11:48 AM (ZshNr)

183 I loved the emotion Piers Morgan displayed when Jeremy Clarkson punched his lights out

Actually, I loved Clarkson's emotions better; "this wanker pisses me off and my fist has something to say about it"

Posted by: kbdabear at March 28, 2013 11:48 AM (mCvL4)

184 Have tried hard to avoid using "I feel" when I am really saying, "I think". Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 03:23 PM (sGtp+) You guys really do make it hard on yourselves. heh.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 11:48 AM (XYSwB)

185 174 RiverC,

definitely something to that yector or gerg was on about "there are too liberal Xians!"

earlier...

well there are liberal folks in buildings they call Churches I guess

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:48 AM (LRFds)

186 164 Part of the problem with an "emotional society" is that so much of that emotion is displaced or abused. Newtown is our most recent example.

People are becoming emotional over things that used to be defined as just "life". Now everything has to have intense drama. Reality tv, hell, I can go back further than that, tv soap operas, gave the impression that if there isn't high drama occuring daily, one isn't living. Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 03:45 PM
=====

Not only that, people began to tailor their lives and expectations according to made-up Hollywood representations of life.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 11:48 AM (aDwsi)

187 How long before gay marriage gets legalized before a gay couple is banging on a church door demanding to be married and hoping to begin the lawsuit when they're refused? 24 hours?

Posted by: zsasz at March 28, 2013 11:48 AM (MMC8r)

188 159 The undoing of marriage--might be the ultimate goal of the communist--the state raising *its* own citizens. *** Good point, I don't know if this is the bug or the feature. then again, look thee to the left's ant farm, the black family. family destroyed, check. women on lifetime of parental assistance, check. kids raised by useless union thugs*,check. kids taught that anyone who makes them do anything except vote donkey is raccisss, check. * you aren't anti-teacher, are you? so, it's pretty much already there, based only on what popular culture tells me about it (reviews of precious and season 5 of the wire). So, what they did for Baltimore, they want to do for you because those fuckers vote 95-5 donkey. Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 03:44 PM (QxSug) _____________________ The ultimate goal is the BF Skinner Box. Walden II It Takes a Village was the half way house. This week at the Supreme Court is just the yellow brick road to that end. Raising citizens from birth according to our needs will be so much more efficient, just lay back and accept it.

Posted by: Bill Clinton at March 28, 2013 11:49 AM (r2PLg)

189

Tunisian Fatwa Permits Â“Sexual JihadÂ” In Syria, Girls Encouraged To Fulfill Sexual Desires Of Jihadis Fighting Assad RegimeÂ…

Fine, Achmed. You can fuck my goat.

Posted by: Syrian Girl at March 28, 2013 11:49 AM (uqANY)

190 187 How long before gay marriage gets legalized before a gay couple is banging on a church door demanding to be married and hoping to begin the lawsuit when they're refused? 24 hours? ****** dude, the inks been dry on those papers for years. They just need to fill in the blanks for: ________ v. _______

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:49 AM (QxSug)

191 >>>The undoing of marriage--might be the ultimate goal of the communist--the state raising *its* own citizens. They get there by undoing the family, ultimately.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at March 28, 2013 11:50 AM (hEr50)

192 Don't read Orwell, he sucks.

Posted by: Bill Clinton at March 28, 2013 11:50 AM (r2PLg)

193 LOL... reason number 842 why I don't do Church....

Bad feelings are a terrible reason not to do Church. = )

I avoid that level of abrasiveness because we are a community, even if some don't think like me. We still learn from each other, and some of those other people are excellent cooks.

Actually, it's probably for the best that they don't think like me, because I'm prone to excess ... (See handle)

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 11:50 AM (v3pYe)

194

oh, interesting point

Piers targeting the women audience?

Posted by: qualia at March 28, 2013 03:43 PM (XYSwB)

No... Piers Girly Man.... ie... Metrosexual... bet he gets his nails done...

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 11:50 AM (lZBBB)

195 179 Ms radish,

and i recall thinking that as a boy when it got on WDTN back home..

"God she's like a black and even more female Phil Donahue"

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:51 AM (LRFds)

196 187 How long before gay marriage gets legalized before a gay couple is banging on a church door demanding to be married and hoping to begin the lawsuit when they're refused? 24 hours? Posted by: zsasz at March 28, 2013 03:48 PM
==========

The churches, with the *possible* exception of the Catholic Church, will fold like cheap suits...., they already are.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 11:51 AM (aDwsi)

197 Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I

They want to be sanctioned by their government, the largest thing they believe in.

Posted by: Dang at March 28, 2013 11:51 AM (R18D0)

198 Then you get the reply to **The undoing of marriage--might be the ultimate goal of the communist--the state raising *its* own citizens. ** as "but whhhyhyyyyyy?" are you telling me that model ghey couple X&X aren't raising their adopted child well. How dare you, sir.!!@#!12 Wasn't the movie the kids are alright setting down this stone?

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:51 AM (QxSug)

199 194 oh, interesting point

Piers targeting the women audience?

Posted by: qualia at March 28, 2013 03:43 PM (XYSwB)

No... Piers Girly Man.... ie... Metrosexual... bet he gets his nails done... Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 03:50 PM
=======

I'll see your nails, and raise you facials...

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 11:52 AM (aDwsi)

200 Posted by: Guy Mohawk at March 28, 2013 03:44 PM (IY7Ir) For me, the ideal is being very rich with no one knowing who the heck I am.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 11:52 AM (6zgse)

201 Oprah exists for the sole purpose of having lazy housewives feel good about themselves.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at March 28, 2013 11:52 AM (hEr50)

202

I'll see your nails, and raise you facials...

Probably bleaches his anus, too.

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:53 AM (uqANY)

203 The worst words a woman can say to a man, to stir the inner emotions of that man to the point of suicide sometimes is: "We need to talk". Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 03:28 PM (94uTl) I'm pretty sure it's "is that all you've got?"

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 11:53 AM (XYSwB)

204 The churches, with the *possible* exception of the Catholic Church, will fold like cheap suits...., they already are. ******** interesting, tell me more...so that I can slit your throats, infidel. signed xxoo, mustafffa el birghi et stabbb youlll gheys (joke premise: weak religion is a dead end, the strong religion is getting stronger, and the only strong religion i see these days don't cotton to progressive sexual politics)

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:53 AM (QxSug)

205 I'll see your nails, and raise you facials...

Posted by: Mike Hammer

Careful - around here "facials" has multiple meanings.

Posted by: Roy at March 28, 2013 11:53 AM (VndSC)

206 Well, in Orthodoxy you've got both Liberal and Conservative folks (heck the only thing we don't have is communists, finally) but if they stray from the pasture on doctrine they either have to orbit a Greek Church in a sort of shame as a 'green apostate' (Met. Hilarion's term I think) or they get ex-comm'd. So you get people with pretty liberal views (such as one of the commentators on Hot Air's links vis a vis Gay Marriage) who nonetheless tow the line about the incarnation, the Trinity, the Ever-Virginity of Mary, the real presence in the gifts, and so forth.

This is partially because the politics imported from the other parts of the Orthodox world don't necessarily analogize to American politics in a 1:1 manner, if you will.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 11:53 AM (El+h4)

207 I'm through with the Republican Party if it supports gay marriage. They will have complete their pre-determined efforts to throw socons overboard and become the liberal tax cut party.

Posted by: CK at March 28, 2013 11:53 AM (LmD/o)

208 Narcisstic Sociopaths rule Hollyweird.. That;s fact based and a few Pedophile for balance..

Posted by: clemenza at March 28, 2013 11:53 AM (HMQ8k)

209 202
I'll see your nails, and raise you facials...

Probably bleaches his anus, too. Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 03:53 PM
==========

Tougher to verify...., and I ain't gonna do it.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 11:54 AM (aDwsi)

210 Worst words I ever heard from a woman was "Oh, by the way". Kind a long story though so here goes. Girlfriend and her hot sister were screwing around, and my GF takes a picture of her sister in the bathtub. (this was a long time ago). So I'm at K-Mart, and I pick up the latest batch of photos and bring them home. GF grabs them out of my hand and asks if I looked at them. Well, not knowing her sisters bath pictures were on there I had no other reason to even look at them, and in fact didn't look at them. So they're sitting across the room giggling at some unknown (to me) nude pictures. Well, as soon as she leaves I go find the negative (the old tiny wheell shaped negatives) and can kind of see on them someone looking like they're in a bathtub. I take the negatives down to get reprints. I enjoy the pictures of her naked sister, but know damn well I will be caught no matter where I hide them so I burned them, but DID keep the negative where I think it will never be found. In the shirt pocket of a shirt at the back of the closet that I never wear. So... I'm standing there one day talking to my GF, and as soon as I notice she has that rageddy old flannel shirt on of mine, with the negative in the pocket she says "Oh, by the way..."

Posted by: Whatev at March 28, 2013 11:54 AM (A7Wh1)

211 Also a candidate, "Do you think my friend Jane Doe is pretty?" I'm assuming "I'd hit it" is an unacceptable answer.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 11:54 AM (GFM2b)

212 The worst words a woman can say to a man, to stir the inner emotions of that man to the point of suicide sometimes is: "We need to talk". Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 03:28 PM (94uTl) The Vampire Diaries should be renamed We Need To Talk. There must be a mandatory quota for that line in the show.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 11:55 AM (XYSwB)

213 The worst words a woman can say to a man... you guys need to wear some pants around the house. The worst words a woman can say to a man ... are "honey, I borrowed the car and something happened." everything else is pretty easy to handle.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 11:55 AM (QxSug)

214

191 >>>The undoing of marriage--might be the ultimate goal of the communist--the state raising *its* own citizens.

They get there by undoing the family, ultimately.

---------------------------

And this started by denegrating and ridiculing the role of the man in the traditional marriage. Culture wars.

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn at March 28, 2013 11:55 AM (n8LUb)

215 I grokked it. My niece has already been informed by her mother and her Mimi that Aunt Radish is NOT a role model. Fewer books, more makeup. Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 03:46 PM (/kI1Q) Are those mutually exclusive. My mom is a gorgeous, well-dressed, well-made up, charming person (when she's not being absent-minded) woman who's well accomplished (Ivy League doctorate from the 70s and illustrious career).

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 11:55 AM (6zgse)

216 @ 207 dont forget open borders for the little Maricones Es Sa....The Repubs are not openly supporting gay marriage and Illegal Amnesty , they do it secretly while embezelling funds from supporters..

Posted by: clemenza at March 28, 2013 11:55 AM (HMQ8k)

217 173 @160

Feared. The correct answer is feared. Take the most spiteful niece and impale her. You're welcome.

Posted by: The Dread Viking Jollyroger at March 28, 2013 03:47 PM (t06LC)

Fear is a type of fame. So you're really agreeing with the nieces.

I suppose it's a workable path if you can pull off the half-naked look and have a decent sword-arm.

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 11:56 AM (v3pYe)

218 Now you know what we mean when we say-- "Do it for the children!"

Posted by: Bill Clinton at March 28, 2013 11:56 AM (r2PLg)

219 So pouring gasoline on these piles of self-sregard is out? How about hot tar and a sprinkling of tar?

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at March 28, 2013 11:56 AM (eHIJJ)

220
I know chique, me too, why would I want anybody knowing who I was if very rich? I would totally excercise the anonymous option as a lottery winner.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at March 28, 2013 11:56 AM (IY7Ir)

221

You tried to hide something from a woman... in your closet?

Oh, that'll never work.

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:56 AM (uqANY)

222
How long before gay marriage gets legalized before a gay couple is banging on a church door demanding to be married and hoping to begin the lawsuit when they're refused? 24 hours?
******
dude, the inks been dry on those papers for years. They just need to fill in the blanks for:

________ v. _______

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 03:49 PM (QxSug)

Yup. Even though militant gays will disclaim any ulterior motives.

But that "I'm for the separation of church and h8" bumpersticker on my Subaru is just a coincidence.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at March 28, 2013 11:56 AM (TIIx5)

223 If we had any reasonable reach in the media that was favorable, this issue could be won on emotion easily. I wouldn't say that would be the right way to handle the gay marriage debate, I think there are strong arguments that defeat any notion that homosexual marriages should exist as a parallel to marriage, but none of those are single step arguments; i.e. the 'best' single step you can take (because of the steps previously taken) is to legalize homosexual marriage.

In Artificial Intelligence, this is the behavior of a 'greedy algorithm', which often gets stuck in dead ends because the immediate best choice is very often not the overall or even mid-range best choice.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 11:57 AM (El+h4)

224 Also a candidate, "Do you think my friend Jane Doe is pretty?"

I'm assuming "I'd hit it" is an unacceptable answer.

****

Or "She'd look better with her knees behind her ears."

Posted by: WalrusRex at March 28, 2013 11:57 AM (XUKZU)

225 I'll add that encouraging fewer books isn't a great idea, IMO. It's one thing if you can't get the child to take up reading but trying to discourage one who enjoys it? Not good.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 11:58 AM (6zgse)

226 @ Anonymous ? Sure your a good lad now go play Candyland with officer friendly..

Posted by: clemenza at March 28, 2013 11:58 AM (HMQ8k)

227

>>"Do you think my friend Jane Doe is pretty?"

Screen. Door.

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 11:58 AM (uqANY)

228 224 WalrusRex,

"if you're happy and you know it clap your feet"

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 11:58 AM (LRFds)

229

@210... words that immediately come to mind:

1. Fifth (Amendment or gin)

2. Duck

3. Punt

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn at March 28, 2013 11:59 AM (n8LUb)

230 I am off to do some laps at the Rose Bowl and return Mad Dog looks at the Mexicans ..

Posted by: clemenza at March 28, 2013 11:59 AM (HMQ8k)

231 We would also have accepted, 'No. I'm Fine.'. Posted by: The Judges Say at March 28, 2013 03:31 PM (kfCWm) *shudder

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 11:59 AM (XYSwB)

232 Heisenbergian vows, you are either married or not married depending on the hooters of the observer.

Posted by: toby928© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 12:00 PM (QupBk)

233 someone mentioned "Do you think Jane Doe is pretty?" as a trap question. Although this is a trap question, it is such an obvious trap question the Savvy Man will look at it not as a trap but as a Golden Opportnuinty. When your woman asks you if some other woman is attractive, she is presenting you the easiest alley-oop slam-dunk opportunity there is. You should thank her for it. Every woman, no matter how attractive, has flaws. Your goal here is simply to pick out the woman's biggest flaw and grandly announce it as rendering her without appeal. Caveat: It cannot be a flaw your woman shares. BE CAUTIOUS OF THIS ONE. Although this is the EASIEST of the females' trap-questions, it is not outright Easy. If you cannot find a flaw in the woman whose appeal is in doubt, SIMPLY MAKE SOMETHING UP AND CLAIM IT RENDERS HER UNATTRACTIVE. Your lady will not be terribly picky about your premises so long as you arrive at the proper *conclusion.* For example: Your woman asks you if an obviously, incandescently attractive woman is "pretty." You quickly scan her body to find any flaw not shared by your own woman. You find none at all. Proceed as according to the following example: "Her earlobes are a bit, what's the word, attached. Clingy." "Really?" your lady asks as she touches her own earlobes to make sure they do not share this connective property. (WARNING: MAKE SURE YOU CHECK BEFORE SHE DOES.) "Is that something men key on?" "Most men, absolutely. Just makes her look, I don't know the right word. You give her a quick look, and she looks okay enough." (WARNING: DO NOT SAY "PRETTY," EVEN IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO UNDERMINE THAT. "OKAY" IS COMPLIMENT ENOUGH.) "But then you see her earlobes, all attached like some kind of weird head-accessory, and it's just like, ugh. Take this away. " Your lady flushes with a little pink pride. "That's interesting," she says, happily.

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 12:01 PM (LCRYB)

234 Are those mutually exclusive.

It's rural Iowa. No amount of makeup--and they do lay it on with trowels--can wipe away the stigma of book-learnin'.

I'm pretty sure it's "is that all you've got?"

"Are you in yet? Oh." [end scene]

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 12:01 PM (/kI1Q)

235 220 I know chique, me too, why would I want anybody knowing who I was if very rich? I would totally excercise the anonymous option as a lottery winner.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at March 28, 2013 03:56 PM (IY7Ir)

My Goal in life is to be Eccentric.... because poor crazy people are just crazy... but rich crazy people are Eccentric!

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 12:01 PM (lZBBB)

236 ::: Heisenbergian vows, you are either married or not married depending on the hooters of the observer.

Posted by: toby928Â© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 04:00 PM (QupBk) ::::

Schrodinger's Tits.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at March 28, 2013 12:01 PM (CJjw5)

237 Tackiness is the new humble.

Posted by: dananjcon self hating woploc at March 28, 2013 12:01 PM (jvd3N)

238

Let's say, I'm in love with two men...
Using the same argument for gay marriage:
"I should be able to marry the person that I love!"

So then, I should be able to have two husbands then, right?

-------------------------------------------

Even Sotomeyer remarked on the doors gay marriage would be opening if the only requirement for marriage is love.

If gay marriage becomes the law of the land, then the marxists have won. The traditional family will become a non-entity.

Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 12:01 PM (94uTl)

239 I avoid that level of abrasiveness because we are a community, even if some don't think like me. We still learn from each other, Most of the stuff they are wanting me to learn, I have no desire for.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 12:01 PM (GFM2b)

240

203 The worst words a woman can say to a man, to stir the inner emotions of that man to the point of suicide sometimes is: "We need to talk".
Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 03:28 PM (94uTl)

I'm pretty sure it's "is that all you've got?"

-----------------------------

Correction: "Are you in yet?

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn at March 28, 2013 12:02 PM (n8LUb)

241 "We need to talk..."

Answer:"Okaay...., just a moment."
(To myself): " I wonder if I should just pour a Scotch, or, take a long hard pull off the bottle.."

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 12:02 PM (aDwsi)

242 Your lady flushes with a little pink pride. "That's interesting," she says, happily. How are you not married already? Multiple times in multiple cities.

Posted by: toby928© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 12:02 PM (QupBk)

243 238 Soona,

they can only make you be part of the open air insane asylum if you stop being sane...

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 12:03 PM (LRFds)

244 know chique, me too, why would I want anybody knowing who I was if very rich? I would totally excercise the anonymous option as a lottery winner. Posted by: Guy Mohawk at March 28, 2013 03:56 PM (IY7Ir) __________________ The cool thing is in the future or very near future all the best wombs and genetic material will go to the highest bidders. Dual income gay guys are going to be able to buy better offspring you hosers will have to get by on your looks and *charm* offensive.

Posted by: Bill Clinton at March 28, 2013 12:03 PM (r2PLg)

245 The churches, with the *possible* exception of the Catholic Church, will fold like cheap suits...., they already are.

A local church split with their national organization due to gay priesthood, to the point of losing their facilities (national org owned it) and switching to a different denomination. I don't think they're in any danger of folding.

Churches will fold, but God keeps his remnants.

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 12:03 PM (sGtp+)

246 When a woman asks what you're thinking, or feeling, tell her I think you're gaining weight. She'll not ask again. FTW. Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 03:41 PM (GFM2b) I don't think this works anymore. It's the men that the fatties when I look around. It would be so easy to laugh out loud when a man said that to me.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 12:03 PM (XYSwB)

247 It's not you, it's me.

Posted by: toby928© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 12:04 PM (QupBk)

248 Although this is a trap question, it is such an obvious trap question the Savvy Man will look at it not as a trap but as a Golden Opportnuinty. Hookers play less games.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 12:04 PM (GFM2b)

249

233...When your woman asks you if some other woman is attractive, she is presenting you the easiest alley-oop slam-dunk opportunity there is. You should thank her for it.

Ace,

Wouldn't it be better to just say..."I hadn't noticed, honey. Why do you ask?"

Posted by: wheatie at March 28, 2013 12:04 PM (UMBJ2)

250 someone mentioned "Do you think Jane Doe is pretty?" as a trap question.

So you're saying that the response "I can't make that judgement until I see her labia" is not the correct one?

Posted by: Hollowpoint at March 28, 2013 12:05 PM (SY2Kh)

251 Also a candidate, "Do you think my friend Jane Doe is pretty?" Posted by: IllTemperedCur at March 28, 2013 03:45 PM (TIIx5) Now, you're just quoting Meghan.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 12:05 PM (XYSwB)

252 When your woman asks you if some other woman is attractive Give her a long look and say, She used to be a dude. We guys can tell.

Posted by: toby928© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 12:05 PM (QupBk)

253

ace at March 28, 2013

Or you can just be like my husband and openly admit that you judge every woman you meet as "hitable" or "no".

Posted by: Lauren at March 28, 2013 12:05 PM (wsGWu)

254 toby, perhaps his pancakes are not buttermilk, and syrup not real maple?

Posted by: willow at March 28, 2013 12:05 PM (nqBYe)

255 @ace

I don't bother with the deceptions on those, but my wife is not much for games. If she ever asked me if I found a woman attractive (she doesn't) I'd just do something like, "I don't see how she can compete."

If she's baffled I'd just on and say something sappy like, "There is no beauty that should sate my soul save your own."

YMMV though, I'm convinced my wife is a reincarnation of Audrey Hepburn.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 12:06 PM (El+h4)

256 251 Hollowpoint,

10 points for honesty

-eleventy points for tact....

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 12:06 PM (LRFds)

257 emotion is the tool of the tyrant, logic and reason his enemy.

Posted by: Shoey at March 28, 2013 12:06 PM (jdOk/)

258 Correction: "Are you in yet? "In? I'm done. I got mine. You get yours".

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 12:07 PM (GFM2b)

259 >>>Ace, Wouldn't it be better to just say..."I hadn't noticed, honey. Why do you ask?" that's clever for an Opening Gambit but now she has asked you to Identify a Flaw and you'll have to play. "Why do you ask?" puts the embarrassing spotlight on her, rejecting her request for reassurance and making her feel awkward about having sought it, which is a Mistake Which Will Have Consequences. Your first line is very well crafted, but that alone is not enough. You will have to follow my algorithm from there.

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 12:07 PM (LCRYB)

260 So then, I should be able to have two husbands then, right? Posted by: wheatie at March 28, 2013 03:47 PM (UMBJ2) three the correct answer is three

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 12:07 PM (XYSwB)

261 What's especially shameful is that there aren't any Republicans making noise on this issue at such a critical moment. They're ceding the field without a fight, without bothering to explain anything.

Posted by: CK at March 28, 2013 12:07 PM (LmD/o)

262 246 The churches, with the *possible* exception of the Catholic Church, will fold like cheap suits...., they already are.

A local church split with their national organization due to gay priesthood, to the point of losing their facilities (national org owned it) and switching to a different denomination. I don't think they're in any danger of folding.

Churches will fold, but God keeps his remnants.
Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 04:03 PM
=====

I did not mean that Christianity would fold, only that the organizations/congregations as they exist. The Episcopal Church certainly seems doomed.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 12:07 PM (aDwsi)

263 Just days after the Obama administration announced it was unblocking almost $500 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority, P.A. chairman Mahmoud Abbas told an Arab League summit this week he was pushing ahead with efforts to upgrade the P.A.Â’s status Â– the reason Congress wanted the money held up in the first place. Abbas complained that the Palestinian people were being collectively punished for opting to seek statehood at the U.N. Abbas also used his speech at the summit in Doha, Qatar to reprise his accusations that Israel is systemically racing to Â“judaizeÂ” Jerusalem, and repeated the inflammatory claim that it is Â“attacking the al-Aqsa Mosque and Muslim and Christian holy sites.Â” Last Thursday, President Obama in a speech in Jerusalem told Israelis he believed Abbas to be Â“a true partner.Â” Hours earlier, standing alongside Abbas in Ramallah, Obama announced, Â“IÂ’m pleased that in recent weeks the United States has been able to provide additional assistance to help the Palestinian Authority bolster its finances.Â”

Posted by: Nevergiveup at March 28, 2013 12:07 PM (9Bj8R)

264

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 04:01 PM (LCRYB)

Good tactic if its a short term relationship... but if you answer even once... they will continue with that same question at inopportune times... forever...

I just go with .. 'Yes... but shes not my type....'

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 28, 2013 12:07 PM (lZBBB)

265 someone mentioned "Do you think Jane Doe is pretty?" as a trap question. ***** it's probably a question asked because she caught you (or the guy she wishes she was boning) staring at Jane Doe. Just fucking lie, she'll respect you for it. Unless you're enough of a man to not lie in a manner that she'll respect you for it.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 12:08 PM (QxSug)

266 262 CK,

we call that "every year since Ronald Reagan"

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 12:08 PM (LRFds)

267 When your woman asks you if some other woman is attractive I usually say 'Not as hot as your sister.'

Posted by: zsasz at March 28, 2013 12:08 PM (MMC8r)

268 expert level: yeah, a 3 some would be awesome.

Posted by: joeindc44 says God bless Francis I at March 28, 2013 12:08 PM (QxSug)

269 toby, perhaps his pancakes are not buttermilk, and syrup not real maple? I suspect that Ace's wisdom about the opposite sex is a form of staircase wit. Personally, I have found in over 3 decades of marriage that hmm is very often the best answer to these questions. There is no correct answer to some questions so you need to perfect your shrug.

Posted by: toby928© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 12:09 PM (QupBk)

270

When your woman asks you if some other woman is attractive, she is presenting you the easiest alley-oop slam-dunk opportunity there is. You should thank her for it.

------

"Her shoes look wierd."

True story: I had to use this once when at a restaurant with my wife. It paid dividends big time.

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn at March 28, 2013 12:09 PM (n8LUb)

271 But only Piers Morgan can tell you what Piers Morgan is feeling. I cannot attribute feelings to vegetables.

Posted by: the bearded UNIX god at March 28, 2013 12:09 PM (j3uk1)

272

She's ok, but that haircut isn't doing her any favors.

...and what's with those shoes?

Learn it.

It needs to be reflexive.

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 12:09 PM (uqANY)

273 I don't think this works anymore. It's the men that the fatties when I look around. It always works. Doesn't matter if it's five ounces or five pounds. They get older, not younger every day. Women are more concerned about their looks than men are.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 12:09 PM (GFM2b)

274 This also explains, to me and of course only in part, the Newtown, Columbine, Batman, etc shooters.

They're brought up in a world of emotion and narcissism. "How you feel is most important." But guess what? For whatever reason, their feelings, their emotions, are not given the same weight or attention as others. It's the ultimate rejection. In a world where feelings/emotions are the top of the chain, theirs are ignored or rejected. And that narcissism is brutally crushed.

With no actual social skills to direct their anguish at being rejected, (because they've told to focus on themselves their whole life and not how to interact with people) they snap.

Posted by: BCochran1981 at March 28, 2013 12:09 PM (da5Wo)

275 It's rural Iowa. No amount of makeup--and they do lay it on with trowels--can wipe away the stigma of book-learnin'. Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 04:01 PM (/kI1Q) Huh. Interesting culture. It's kind of like how the extreme pride American parents take in their kids' sports achievements still seems weird to me. Growing up, parents bragged about academic achievement. You would never hear a parent bragging about sports. Seems to be the reverse here.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 12:09 PM (6zgse)

276 233 "Do you think Jane Doe is pretty?"

Yes, very. Can we bring her home?

I have a very good reason to believe this would work, too.

Posted by: fb at March 28, 2013 12:09 PM (JVEmw)

277 Your woman asks you if an obviously, incandescently attractive woman is "pretty." You quickly scan her body to find any flaw not shared by your own woman. You find none at all. Proceed as according to the following example:

"Her earlobes are a bit, what's the word, attached. Clingy."

"Really?" your lady asks as she touches her own earlobes to make sure they do not share this connective property. (WARNING: MAKE SURE YOU CHECK BEFORE SHE DOES.) "Is that something men key on?"

"Most men, absolutely. Just makes her look, I don't know the right word. You give her a quick look, and she looks okay enough." (WARNING: DO NOT SAY "PRETTY," EVEN IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO UNDERMINE THAT. "OKAY" IS COMPLIMENT ENOUGH.) "But then you see her earlobes, all attached like some kind of weird head-accessory, and it's just like, ugh. Take this away. "

Your lady flushes with a little pink pride. "That's interesting," she says, happily.

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 04:01 PM (LCRYB)

----------------------------------------------

That's almost wishful thinking, Ace. If a guy approaches as you say to do, it always winds up to having a second question posed to you. Like: "Then do you think her breasts are too big". The old retort of "anything over a mouthful" ain't gonna hack it.

It's best to just change the subject completely. Just say, "I'm thirsty. You want another drink"? And then act like you don't even notice the hawt chick with the to-die-for tits.

Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 12:10 PM (94uTl)

278 Well, Israel definitely has been rolling down on old Christian cities but to have a Muslim say it! HAH! What hypocrisy. Suddenly you care about the Christians, Abbas? I could see a Lebanese Muslim being able to deliver that line (as long as he's not Hezbollah) but Abbas? Their stupid piss fight with the Jews has destroyed the lives and livelihoods of thousands of my co-religionists. They can both burn.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 12:10 PM (El+h4)

279 It's one thing if you can't get the child to take up reading but trying to discourage one who enjoys it? Not good.

What her mother and grandmother want is for her to become a real woman, with a husband and children, and not a worthless piece of shit like her aunt, who used to spend Friday nights in the campus library because it was quiet and there was all sorts of cool shit there to read.

Ho-hum. Let's go to the mall!

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 12:11 PM (/kI1Q)

280 Another true story Girlfriends friend meets a guy in the bar, and left her current boyfriend for him all in the span of a day. She literally told him she was going for a pack of cigarettes and never came back. So in a few days she and the new boyfriend are MARRIED and living in his trailer in a trailer park. While he's at work she sees by the bills that he's got about $50,000 in bill collectors and wonders if being married to him they are now her bill collectors. So he gets home from work and she tells him "We have to talk". He instantly goes on the defensive and says, "I don't care what people in this trailer park say, I'm not the peeping Tom!" She went out and got an annulment.

Posted by: Whatev at March 28, 2013 12:11 PM (A7Wh1)

281 Ryan T. Anderson's argument that even the Greeks and Romans only married men and women is frail? Saying mommies make better mommies than daddies and vice versa is frail? Not that every other situation is harmful, but even birds prioritize opposite sex pair bonds. Common sensical really.

Posted by: Beagle at March 28, 2013 12:11 PM (sOtz/)

282

Closin' tags are for closers.

Bitchez.

Posted by: LaCarpetron Dukemarriot at March 28, 2013 12:12 PM (Md8Uo)

283 >>>I just go with .. 'Yes... but shes not my type....' Mistake. "Yes" is a hideous answer. "shes not my type" is also a mistake, though that mistake can be cleaned up to be a good answer. This answer: "I suppose *some* men might find *that* appealing..." So long as *some* and *that* are said with a properly disgusted tone, as if you're speaking of the very basest and shoddiest of men with "some" and also the most vile garbage with "that."

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 12:12 PM (LCRYB)

284 her elbows are way too pointy

Posted by: toby928© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 12:13 PM (QupBk)

285 Geez. My sentence structure is in the shit can today.

Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 12:13 PM (94uTl)

286 Lady advice Posted by: ace

I can't decide if you are the smartest guy in the room or just a lawyer. Your answers seem smarmy yet very effective.

Posted by: dogfish at March 28, 2013 12:13 PM (N2yhW)

287

::::someone mentioned "Do you think Jane Doe is pretty?" as a trap question.

Although this is a trap question, it is such an obvious trap question the Savvy Man will look at it not as a trap but as a Golden Opportnuinty.::::

That's some pretty funny horrible advice.

Now for the boring, but real answer.

The question is a trap. For her, not for you. If your woman is asking you if an obviously pretty woman is pretty, in your judgment, your answer should be "Yes."

If your woman is either stupid or blind enough to be flattered by an obvious lie when you tell her "No", eject her dumb ass. This is not a keeper.

If your woman's self-esteem is fragile enough that she is upset by what is an obvious truth when you say "Yes", because "Prettier than MEEEEE?", ditch her broken ass. Fixer-uppers are for cars and houses, not dames.

If your woman is such a flaming lunatic that she is enraged by what is objectively true when you say "Yes", because "What - so you want to FUCK HER?!!!", then jettison her psychotic ass. Or just remove your balls and put 'em directly in her purse, pussyboy. Because that's your future - a high heel stamping a human scrotum. Forever.

The point is, you want a woman who isn't asking you "gotcha" questions all the time. It took me my first marriage to realize what I wasn't willing to accept in someone I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with.

Trust me - they're as "fixed" as they're going to be when you meet them. Don't count on her reining in the crazy once you're off to your honeymoon.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at March 28, 2013 12:13 PM (CJjw5)

288 When your woman asks you if some other woman is attractive >>

While dating, if you answer honestly and she gets pissed take it as a red flag and run. Just like women should not expect to marry a man and fix him. Men should not assume a a woman's jealousy to wain. Ive paid dearly by ignoring the red flags.

Posted by: Buzzsaw at March 28, 2013 12:13 PM (wrS2o)

289 Greeks also thought that if you weren't penetrated in the act, you remained the heterosexual.

So comparing the moralities/systems is blue/orange.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 12:14 PM (El+h4)

290 I have found in over 3 decades of marriage that hmm is very often the best answer to these questions. There is no correct answer to some questions so you need to perfect your shrug.

Posted by: toby928Â© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 04:09 PM (QupBk)

she sounds lovely and calm, that "hmm" in an acceptable answer.

nice job toby!

Posted by: willow at March 28, 2013 12:14 PM (nqBYe)

291 282 Beagle,

"rac..er'sex....erhomo...uh meanie:

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 12:14 PM (LRFds)

292 "at some point we stopped telling the Narcissists that they were boors"

I blame rap music.

Posted by: jd at March 28, 2013 12:14 PM (lduvP)

293 is an*

Posted by: willow at March 28, 2013 12:14 PM (nqBYe)

294 Schrodinger's Tits. And if they are larger than the Schwarzchild radius, they collapse into a Black Hole. You know which one.

Posted by: the bearded UNIX god at March 28, 2013 12:14 PM (j3uk1)

295 When your woman asks you if some other woman is attractive, she is presenting you the easiest alley-oop slam-dunk opportunity there is. You should thank her for it.

But what if your wife has younger twin sisters like mine? She has two younger twin sisters, and I keep teasing my wife that eventually I'll ditch her and shack up with one of them (the sluttier of the two) if she keeps nagging me about my eating habits, how much time I spend commenting, wasting money on guns and ammo, blahblahblah...

Posted by: EC at March 28, 2013 12:15 PM (GQ8sn)

296 someone mentioned "Do you think Jane Doe is pretty?" as a trap question. Seriously. Do women really say this? If so, very insecure woman. I have to say, I'm the first to point out a pretty woman... But, I never feel the danger of losing my husband, either.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 12:15 PM (XYSwB)

297 Another response to the question is "Cute. I know what you're doing and I won't play along."

Posted by: fb at March 28, 2013 12:15 PM (JVEmw)

298 Maybe I'm weird, but when I ask if he (when there's a he around) thinks a chick is cute, I'm usually trying to understand what guys find attractive or just curious about his opinion. I usually don't mind a yes, especially if I think the girl is pretty. HOWEVER, do not say something like, yeah she's about your size and I'm really surprised I'm finding myself attracted to people your size. That did not go over well.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 12:16 PM (6zgse)

299 >>>someone mentioned "Do you think Jane Doe is pretty?" as a trap question. I disagree with Ace's plan here. If the chick is plainly hot, then you denying her hotness on trivial grounds is just going to make you look like a liar. Sure, your inferior girlfriend may appreciate the lie, but she still knows you are not to be trusted. I am fortunate enough to be with a woman who actively tips me off to hot chicks for ogling purposes. But I imagine the following would be good answers to the question. "Well if you are into porn stars, I suppose." "She looks too much like my crazy ex, so no." These answers acknowledge the target's attractiveness, but firmly establish that there is no threat to your frumpy girlfriend, because you are not into gutter trash. Similar options would include the non-responsive comment, where you simply declare that the hot chick is probably full of venereal diseases.

Posted by: wooga at March 28, 2013 12:16 PM (NADAM)

300 I did not mean that Christianity would fold, only that the organizations/congregations as they exist. The Episcopal Church certainly seems doomed.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 04:07 PM (aDwsi)

Funny you mention the Episcopal church - that was the denomination. A time for choosing is coming.

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 12:16 PM (v3pYe)

301

Posted by: EC at March 28, 2013 04:15 PM (GQ8sn)

Where are the photos of them!?

Posted by: garrett at March 28, 2013 12:16 PM (coD2j)

302 I'm pretty sure it's "is that all you've got?" "Are you in yet? Oh." [end scene] Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 04:01 PM (/kI1Q) Oh yes! But, I couldn't be so cruel to say it out loud. Yet, it's happened. Gorgeous looking guy, but very skinny...

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 12:17 PM (XYSwB)

303 Excellent analysis, ace. I've long said that the Left really has no arguments, so all they do is talk about feelings.

This was pretty well illustrated during the ObamaCare debate, when the Republicans would present all these facts and figures, while the Democrats had nothing but sad letters and anecdotal evidence.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at March 28, 2013 12:17 PM (xjpRj)

304 But what if your wife has younger twin sisters like mine? She has two younger twin sisters, and I keep teasing my wife that eventually I'll ditch her and shack up with one of them (the sluttier of the two) if she keeps nagging me about my eating habits, how much time I spend commenting, wasting money on guns and ammo, blahblahblah...

Posted by: EC at March 28, 2013 04:15 PM (GQ8sn)

Twins? Reeeeaaallly. I sense a different direction for the ONT coming on. And if anyone doesn't like that, well, the Hot Air button on their computer works.

Posted by: BCochran1981 at March 28, 2013 12:17 PM (da5Wo)

305 298 FB,

or "why you want to screw her?"

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 12:17 PM (LRFds)

306 I think ace is just being funny, but really any woman who's knowingly asking to be deceived, and insists that you play along with her stupid game and flatter her in her reality-aversion, is trouble.

Posted by: Waterhouse at March 28, 2013 12:17 PM (rzNdC)

307 Say Yeah, she looks pretty good. And add, It's amazing what plastic surgery can do.

Posted by: toby928© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 12:17 PM (QupBk)

308 The wimmenz are taking notes and are going to punish us later.

Posted by: dogfish at March 28, 2013 12:18 PM (N2yhW)

309

that's clever for an Opening Gambit but now she has asked you to Identify a Flaw and you'll have to play.<<<<

Well that one's easy.

"Eh. Her tits are too big. Legs are too long and her ass is too firm. What guy wants a dame he's always wanting to bang? Sounds exhausting."

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at March 28, 2013 12:18 PM (CJjw5)

310

You're all missing a big opportunity here.

GF "Do you think that girl over there is cute?"

You "Her, oh yeah, definitely, I'd bang her"

GF "You pig!"

You "So, appetizer?"

Later that night...

GF "So...I was thinking about that girl at dinner..."

You're welcome.

Unless this advice completely backfires, in which case, I'm sorry.

Posted by: Lauren at March 28, 2013 12:18 PM (wsGWu)

311

Gorgeous looking guy, but very skinny...

Oh, my!

Posted by: George Takei knows needledicks at March 28, 2013 12:18 PM (coD2j)

312 Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs a beer at March 28, 2013 04:11 PM (/kI1Q) Huh. Now I understand why you're a little, um, sensitive about certain topics.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 12:18 PM (6zgse)

313
Let's be serious here, if your husband says "not hittable" more than 5% of the time, he's lying. Which is perfectly cromulent by they way. But we're guys, we would hit almost anything for a few minutes that has absolutely no other consequences in time, money or health attached.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at March 28, 2013 12:18 PM (IY7Ir)

314 301 Conservative monster,

It caved a long time ago when it decided it was okay with islam being the religion of the motherland...

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 12:18 PM (LRFds)

315 In the year 1202, Muslims invented the condom by using the lower intestine of a goat. In 1526 the English improved on this invention by removing the intestine from the goat. ba-dum

Posted by: RWC at March 28, 2013 12:18 PM (fWAjv)

316 The thing I don't understand: are Republicans too stupid to make the case against gay marriage (how could it be mandated in 186

or are they just afraid to talk about it?

Posted by: CK at March 28, 2013 12:19 PM (LmD/o)

317 I'll believe gays want marriage for the sake of marriage they day they say they want to be married in mosques. Otherwise, it strikes me as church-hate, heterophobia and hunger for those sweet sweet cash benefits.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at March 28, 2013 12:19 PM (xjpRj)

318 I guess saying you don't think shes that pretty but she has a great ass wont work

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at March 28, 2013 12:19 PM (R8hU8)

319 ha, sputters at EOJ's comment.

Posted by: willow at March 28, 2013 12:19 PM (nqBYe)

320

297 someone mentioned "Do you think Jane Doe is pretty?" as a trap question.

Seriously. Do women really say this?

If so, very insecure woman.

----------

Exactly.

It's...fishing for compliments.

Posted by: wheatie at March 28, 2013 12:20 PM (UMBJ2)

321 FYI: A Russian Soyuz is scheduled to lift off at 4:43 pm EDT, less than a half hour from now. It will dock at the ISS around 10:30, only six hours after launch. http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html Here's an article about the flight: http://tinyurl.com/bvta6u2

Posted by: rickl at March 28, 2013 12:20 PM (zoehZ)

322 Eh. Her tits are too big. Legs are too long and her ass is too firm. What guy wants a dame he's always wanting to bang? Sounds exhausting."

Yeah, she'll believe that.

Posted by: EC at March 28, 2013 12:20 PM (GQ8sn)

323 Sorry, Ace. But a man should never listen to his unmarried peer for relationship advice. That's how you get in trouble. If you want good advice, it's best to hear from a guy who has 20+ years of experience with the same woman. I'm only at 10 years and if you think I'd listen to you over the guy who has 20+ years of experience, well you're just being emotional and narcissistic (see I can sort of tie things together too

Posted by: taylork at March 28, 2013 12:20 PM (ppNDn)

324

It's...fisting for compliments.

Fixed.

Posted by: Barney Frank at March 28, 2013 12:21 PM (coD2j)

325

:: osted by: Lauren at March 28, 2013 04:18 PM (wsGWu) :::

IT'S A TRAP!

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at March 28, 2013 12:21 PM (CJjw5)

326 280 Ms radish,

not taking their part Heather but every parent feels at some level the progeny are immortality.....

I hope you find peace.

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 12:21 PM (LRFds)

327 Temporal shift nude thread.

Posted by: toby928© Red Partisan at March 28, 2013 12:22 PM (QupBk)

328 Say Yeah, she looks pretty good. And add, It's amazing what plastic surgery can do.

"OMG you think I need plastic surgery? That's what you're saying, ISN'T IT!"

Posted by: Hollowpoint at March 28, 2013 12:22 PM (SY2Kh)

329 316 RWC,

thanks....tip the waitress

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 12:22 PM (LRFds)

330 301
Funny you mention the Episcopal church - that was the denomination. A time for choosing is coming.
Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 04:16 PM
======

Decades ago, the Episcopate began the transition from a church of spiritual activism to a church of social activism, with predictable results. It is failing quickly. The other mainstream Protestant denominations are likely to follow suit. Tragic..., but there it is...

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 12:22 PM (aDwsi)

331 It always works. Doesn't matter if it's five ounces or five pounds. They get older, not younger every day. Women are more concerned about their looks than men are. Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 04:09 PM (GFM2b) Would never work on me. You haven't met a woman with confidence, yet, have you?

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at March 28, 2013 12:22 PM (XYSwB)

332
HOWEVER, do not say something like, yeah she's about your size and I'm really surprised I'm finding myself attracted to people your size. That did not go over well.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 04:16 PM (6zgse)

-----------------------------------------------

So saying that her ass looks almost as big as yours is a big non-starter?

Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 12:23 PM (94uTl)

333 But we're guys, we would hit almost anything for a few minutes that has absolutely no other consequences in time, money or health attached. True. What they don't realize is that "hit" and "live with for the rest of my life" are two very different things.

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 12:23 PM (GFM2b)

334 GF - Do you think she's pretty? BF - Whats it matter, you're the best I can get? Is that a legitimate answer, or no?

Posted by: Whatev at March 28, 2013 12:23 PM (A7Wh1)

335 "Well if you are into porn stars, I suppose." "She looks too much like my crazy ex, so no." >>>> I don't like these. on point one: Never bring up pron, ever. YOu just invited a "how do you know what a porn star looks like?" question. Point 2: Never EVER bring up an ex. Just don't do it.

Posted by: taylork at March 28, 2013 12:23 PM (ppNDn)

336 Well, Israel definitely has been rolling down on old Christian cities What the fuck does that mean?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at March 28, 2013 12:23 PM (9Bj8R)

337 334 rickb223,

amen....that's something that separates me from dad....

I copulate with a woman since I grasped what the deed is it sorta sticks with me...

unless destructive to my family I feel a need to try to keep woman safe and or happy...

Posted by: sven10077-ArkLaTex travelogue and Researcher at March 28, 2013 12:25 PM (LRFds)

338 "...these ol' tom cat feelings you don't understand..."---Tom Waits

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 12:25 PM (aDwsi)

339 So saying that her ass looks almost as big as yours is a big non-starter? Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 04:23 PM (94uTl) Remember I'm African. That would actually be a compliment.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 12:25 PM (6zgse)

340 > When your woman asks you if some other woman is attractive, if the woman is attractive, say yes. When your lady gets all indignant, tell her not to ask you that question again. Something about how a lawyer never asks a question he doesn't already know the answer to.

Posted by: Jones in CO at March 28, 2013 12:25 PM (8sCoq)

341 Would never work on me. You haven't met a woman with confidence, yet, have you? Many. What I haven't met yet is one that doesn't live by reason, not "emotion".

Posted by: rickb223 at March 28, 2013 12:26 PM (GFM2b)

342 288 ::::someone mentioned "Do you think Jane Doe is pretty?" as a trap question. Although this is a trap question, it is such an obvious trap question the Savvy Man will look at it not as a trap but as a Golden Opportnuint

Just say : "No, I don't think she's pretty, she just lays there during sex. Definite turn-off". Of course, I'm divorced, so my advice may not be spot on.

Posted by: Dr Spank at March 28, 2013 12:26 PM (3+QKS)

343 >GF - Do you think she's pretty? BF - sure, but I settled for you Is that a legitimate answer, or no?

Posted by: Jones in CO at March 28, 2013 12:26 PM (8sCoq)

344

A friend of mine made the unfortunate mistake of remarking: "You can see her nipples through that dress." when asked a similar question by his (then) wife.

He's currently on wife #4. Whenever I'm asked about his marital status, I simply say he's "currently between divorces".

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn at March 28, 2013 12:26 PM (n8LUb)

345

344
>GF - Do you think she's pretty?
BF - sure, but I settled for you

Is that a legitimate answer, or no?

---------------

Depends if you're wearing a cup at the time.

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn at March 28, 2013 12:27 PM (n8LUb)

346 I myself am on the lookout for next ex-Mrs Jones in CO

Posted by: Jones in CO at March 28, 2013 12:27 PM (8sCoq)

347 EC - epic fail. You're supposed to threaten to shack up with both of 'em. And be prepared to follow through. Investment income holding up okay, I hope?

Yeah, I think twins would be an ONT I'd come back for.

Now, what was I going to say about the Episcopal church? Yeah, I'm one of 'em. local rector's got a bit of a social-justice buzz which might be fine (it is, after all, a church) but the direction he takes it grates a little bit occasionally.

Posted by: JEM at March 28, 2013 12:28 PM (o+SC1)

348 It can be an innocent question and there plenty of ways to make it a non-innocent question, comment #345 showing a prime example.

If you can't have that talking about it where you tell her (and she believes you) that there can not be any competition between her and another woman, in my mind there are gonna be some problems.

Posted by: RiverC at March 28, 2013 12:28 PM (El+h4)

349
340 So saying that her ass looks almost as big as yours is a big non-starter?

Posted by: Soona at March 28, 2013 04:23 PM (94uTl)

-------------------------------

Remember I'm African. That would actually be a compliment.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at March 28, 2013 04:25 PM (6zgse)

I'm sitting here picturing a certain scene from Madagascar 2 and I'm lmao.

Posted by: BCochran1981 at March 28, 2013 12:28 PM (da5Wo)

350 New post, sort of.

Posted by: Dr Spank at March 28, 2013 12:30 PM (3+QKS)

351 Worst thing a woman could ever say: I voted for Obama. --- It's pretty much on par with being pepper sprayed.

Posted by: Whatev at March 28, 2013 12:30 PM (A7Wh1)

352 I heard 'Emotion and Narcissism' and felt I needed to be here

Posted by: Ashley Judd at March 28, 2013 12:32 PM (XvrTA)

353 348 EC - epic fail. You're supposed to threaten to shack up with both of 'em. And be prepared to follow through. Investment income holding up okay, I hope?

Yeah, I think twins would be an ONT I'd come back for.

Now, what was I going to say about the Episcopal church? Yeah, I'm one of 'em. local rector's got a bit of a social-justice buzz which might be fine (it is, after all, a church) but the direction he takes it grates a little bit occasionally.

=============

It's grating a lot of people: http://tinyurl.com/7q966rg

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 12:33 PM (aDwsi)

354 @345 - look, if any male can see them then EVERY woman within a hundred yards has ALREADY noticed.

The question isn't visibility, the question is whether it's appropriate to mention it so matter-of-factly, or whether something like "Damn, she's not wearing her Mickey Mouse nipple studs today!" might go over better.

Posted by: JEM at March 28, 2013 12:33 PM (o+SC1)

355

Just don't get too cute and say something like "...I don't find her attractive at all. I mean her boobs are just way too big."

Posted by: BigDaddyD at March 28, 2013 12:35 PM (S4N/h)

356 I have a very special wife. She knows and understands the hardwired male innate nature to key in on feminine beauty and sexual attractiveness. She knows I'm going to look, and knows I'm looking. So when she sees an obviously attractive woman, she points her out to me, so that it is not just of my own volition, but a suggestion from her. That allows me to engage in harmless eye candy with no guilt. We'll be walking along and suddenly she'll say, "that girl over there is pretty", or even, "holy hooters!" I am married 23 years, and have 4 children. So no, she's not a lesbo. She's just uniquely sensitive to facilitating my nature to look.

Posted by: IronDioPriest at March 28, 2013 12:35 PM (1dJQd)

357 Gotta go rescue the pooch from Vet/surgery. Damned expensive. I'm going to end up roasting and eating that dog...., wonder if there is a WH recipe?

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 12:35 PM (aDwsi)

358 8 the people responsible for closing tags have been sacked.

Posted by: ace at March 28, 2013 03:12 PM (LCRYB)

F'in sequester strikes again!

Posted by: West at March 28, 2013 12:36 PM (1Rgee)

359

re "at some point we stopped telling the Narcissists that they were boors, and stopped imposing the social penalty of Shunning on them", I've been thinking about the time-honored concept of shaming/shunning a lot lately, and it is something else that has been co-opted and transformed; first, it was derided as bullying by the white Xtianist patriarchy in their unchallenged unearned privilege--shaming and shunning were evil things that were only always done by bad people to good people of only ALL minorities, sexual, religious, ethnic, etc.

Once shaming/shunning became a no-no, it logically then became a tool to be ONLY used by protected classes against primarily white Christian traditional etc.

Which is why it had to become a no-no first.

So while I agree with you that shunning and shaming are the proper tools to use on some things, how does one get back to the point where the tool is actually proprietary to those with the moral standing (the actual moral standing, as opposed to protected class status) to wield it?

Posted by: barbarausa at March 28, 2013 12:44 PM (WWeoI)

360 @359 - We look forward to the NLRB ruling in favor of Local 32, HTML Workers Union. The work rules in the contract spell out quite clearly that apprentices may not enter opening and closing tags, they can do tables and bullets but you must have a journeyman on staff to do open and close tags and anything involving fonts or colors, and in any given post the same journeyman may not do BOTH fonts AND colors, if you choose to initiate a change to font AND color in any given post you must have a staff member with a HTMLWU journeyman certificate for each change.

Posted by: JEM at March 28, 2013 12:45 PM (o+SC1)

361 "I was just noticing how much less attractive she is than you."

Posted by: Ernst Blofeld at March 28, 2013 12:47 PM (XZWie)

362 It's grating a lot of people: http://tinyurl.com/7q966rg

Posted by: Mike Hammer at March 28, 2013 04:33 PM (aDwsi)

"One former Episcopal priest wrote me, Â‘The irony is that after all their property suits to get control of empty buildings, they now are losing their main property."

God has a sense of humor.

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at March 28, 2013 12:51 PM (sGtp+)

363 Every human being starts out as a narcissist. It is natural. As a child.

Many/most of us (used to) grow out of this state as a function of moral maturity, i.e., recognizing a truth and a reality beyond our Self.

Contemporary education suppresses this maturation by encouraging children, adolescents and young adults to "embrace" their own reality while also shunning traditional moraliity (i.e., as 'outmoded' patriarchy). Combine this with the Self-Esteem movement, which guarantees a new crop of narcissists with each graduating class, many of them potentially violent.

The byproduct of all this is to nurture narcissism and allow narccissists to act out unchecked. This is promoted well into adulthood, where the individual picks up where social indoctrination (read: public education) leaves off, by actively working to maintain the status quo in which they and their emotions/wants are paramount.

We saw the first exmple of such individuals' rise to real power with Clinton.

We now see the endgame of this process in Obama, and the millions who emulate him.

Posted by: goy at March 28, 2013 12:54 PM (QsFws)

364

Leaving a wine bar a few weeks ago, Mrs. Bupkis asked me if I thought the bartender's boobs (which were totally awesome, by the way) were real. I can't remember what I said -- it was too traumatic. But I remember the thoughts racing through my head.

"Boobs? I didn't notice her boobs."

"They were just too big to be fake/real."

"How am I supposed know whether boobs are fake or real? I'd have to spend a lot of time studying them to be able to tell the difference."

Posted by: Jack Squat Bupkis at March 28, 2013 01:04 PM (F3nFt)

365 "Those who breach it pay no social penalty for doing so -- indeed, as Carolla notes, they're actually socially rewarded now."

Starts with our Narcissist-in-Chief.

Posted by: John the Libertarian at March 28, 2013 01:17 PM (jKf/K)

366 Long-time married man. Ace's advice is good, but only if your delivery is mostly sincere. Insincere is bad, but completely sincere is worse.

Posted by: Emperor of Icecream at March 28, 2013 01:38 PM (ZMzpb)

367

Posted by: Ombudsman at March 28, 2013 01:47 PM (HqXYa)

368 Or you could just try honesty.

Posted by: John the Libertarian at March 28, 2013 03:39 PM (jKf/K)

369 My wife points out the pretty ones to me. We had a tough vacation in Hungary because she wanted me to videotape hotties. I drew the line there.

Posted by: sexypig at March 28, 2013 05:41 PM (dZQh7)

370 This is idiotic, just answer the truth.

Posted by: NAME REDACTED at March 28, 2013 10:10 PM (S0uEo)

371 The narcissist pretends to adore himself but deep down inside he loathes himself. The arrogance, boasting and controlling behavior is the only way they know how to interact with others. Classic narcissistic defensive procedures are splitting (dividing everything & everybody into categories of all good or all bad) and projection (pushing their negative or bad thoughts onto others). You can see how these two techniques work together. You can also see how the narcissist is a perfect fit for a liberal TV pundit.

Posted by: Kenneth at March 29, 2013 06:19 AM (kHLGO)

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