Memorial day musings

[mistermack]

Gee, I guess I better go study me some history then, right?

Perhaps question what you read a bit more? Just because it's written, that doesn't make it true.

Well, I am a gullible dumbass, ain't I? Thanks for pointing that out.

Just trying to help.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Gee, I guess I better go study me some history then, right?

Perhaps question what you read a bit more? Just because it's written, that doesn't make it true.

Well, I am a gullible dumbass, ain't I? Thanks for pointing that out.

Just trying to help.

I do find condescending to be helpful.

[Hermit]

I do find condescending to be helpful.

Of course you would. You're so good at it.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I do find condescending to be helpful.

Of course you would. You're so good at it.

Of course I'm am, but so many people fail to appreciate it.

[mistermack]

I do find condescending to be helpful.

I completely deny that I'm ever condescending.

Just for the record, I think you DO make some intelligent observations from time to time.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I do find condescending to be helpful.

I completely deny that I'm ever condescending.

Just for the record, I think you DO make some intelligent observations from time to time.

So very nice of you to concede that minor point.

[Clinton Huxley]

The Mini-Huxleys sometimes have conversations like these. And then I make them tidy their bedrooms....

[mistermack]

I do find condescending to be helpful.

I completely deny that I'm ever condescending.

Just for the record, I think you DO make some intelligent observations from time to time.

So very nice of you to concede that minor point.

Not at all. Far from being condescending, I like to encourage people to think for themselves.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Insofar as you agree with them.

[Robert_S]

It's hard to know when you're thinking for yourself, the best way to tell is by finding an independent thinker and seeing whether your opinions match theirs.

But back to the point of Memorial Day:

[Gawdzilla Sama]

It's hard to know when you're thinking for yourself, the best way to tell is by finding an independent thinker and seeing whether your opinions match theirs.

Historians have their own peer review system.

[Coito ergo sum]

People don't give you as much shit when you're strong. You can quibble about the meaning of that, but it remains a fact. Reagan's handlers devised the plan that drove the USSR broke, and ended the Cold War without nukes. Full props to those guys.

I thought Charlie Wilson did that with the way he manipulated the US government into raising its aid to the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan from $10m to $1b.

As usual, the USA administration more than squandered the victory by not following it up in peace time. They dropped their involvement in Afghanistan as soon as the Soviet forces retreated, leaving that country in its usual medieval squalor, economically, socially and politically. Subsequently, Afghanistan bit the US in the bum. Big-time.

Well, this idea of "squandering the victory"doesn't make sense, timing-wise, because Reagan left the Presidency in 1988, which was when the Russians pulled out of Afghanistan. So, it's difficult to see how much peacetime there actually was during his administration in which to squander the victory. And, what sort of support did Reagan's and later GHWBush's opposition in Congress give to sending billions of dollars to Afghanistan?

[Coito ergo sum]

Gee, I guess I better go study me some history then, right?

Perhaps question what you read a bit more? Just because it's written, that doesn't make it true.

Well, I am a gullible dumbass, ain't I? Thanks for pointing that out.

In this context, "question what you read" appears to be shorthand for: ignore the painstaking and detailed work of historians, and replace it with my own unsubstantiated an unlettered opinion...

Mistermack's statement is one we see around a lot -- "question what you read, because just because it is written doesn't make it true." How pregnant is that statement? Full of snarky and condescending implications. You obviously don't "question what you read" and you think that just because it's written down, that makes it true. LOL. I'd love to see a comparison of your and mistermack's respective sources on this matter. Then maybe we can get to the bottom of who reads what and questions what.

I've encountered some threads around here which reveal some facets of the extent and depth of your historical readings. I've not seen that regarding mistermack. So, on this point, I think that if I were a bettin' man, I know where I'd be placin' my bets on who is more well read on the issue....

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I myself have little or no historical readings, nor do I participate in forums where such is discussed by people where actually there, so I'm not qualified to make a statement here.

[tattuchu]

My mum just sent me pics of the local town parade. It reminded me that I hate parades. Never did see the point of them. Boring as fuck. One of those things I never understood as a kid. Figured maybe I'd appreciate them more when I got older. I'm older. Still don't like them. I guess I'm just a party pooper that way