Since I began blogging you have no doubt noticed I continually reference my friend Kevin. I give him the second most credit in my conversion to conservatism (the first goes to my lovely HOA).
Kevin has told me so many stories of a particular individual that continues to follow his blog and, fortunately for Kevin and his readers, suffers from one of the worst cases of foot-in-mouth disease I have ever seen. This brave soul goes by the name Markadelphia and has his own blog 'Notes From the Front'.
In one of Kevin’s more recent posts, he brings up the subject of debate (all be it in the format of humor and a cartoon strip) that was titled ‘I WANT to Debate, But They Keep Running Away!’
As I began to scroll through the various comments, I came upon one by Kevin’s favorite nemesis… Markadelphia. Mark seems to think he knows why Kevin has issues in getting anyone to debate him…
Could it be that the reason why people don't often debate you, Kevin, is that they see there is no point? It's obvious to me that your mind is set on several concepts and simply won't let go. You have created a comfortable, pocket culture here in which this...
"Oh. You mean I might change their minds."
is eternally supported. People see this and realize that there is pretty much no point in debating you on most topics. In other words, you are simply not a very reasonable person when it comes to an issue like health care, for example. ANY government run system is bad. ANY information you put on this blog will be in support of this opinion. NO positive information regarding government run health care is allowed. You pretend it doesn't exist. If ANYONE disagrees with this they are a moron, fool, useful idiot blah blah blah and (hilariously) not grounded in the scientific methods and facts.
Yet you ignore this method and these facts in areas like health care, climate change, education, and fundamental international diplomacy. The people you invite to debate see this and realize it is a futile endeavor.
Personally, after reading this I now fully understand why Kevin loves to toy with Mark, and why Kevin’s readers also love to see Mark appear from time to time…. Much like watching a video of midget porn, it is pure comedy.
I think the underlying flaw to Mark’s logic is that he assumes that government is good. That if government was left to its own devices it would be OK, but with a little guidance it could be something really great. So… when government says they are going to fix health care, Mark thinks that this is good. And that if the right people put in their two cents worth and legislation is done well; it could be the greatest thing to happen for the American people.
The problem with this is that government (and not just our government, but all government) is bad. It is a necessary evil to a modern society, and the goal is to allow it to only be big enough to do the things that must be done and no more. The moment we let it into other things the price tag goes up and the quality goes down.
So when Mark talks about government ran health care as a good thing as it is the government that will be making it work, and that with the right nudging it can be something great… well, I kind of equate that to walking into a gay bar backwards and my naked ass in the air; and that, with a little nudging in the right direction, someone might offer a bottle of lubricant for the evening.
If Markadelphia wants to challenge Kevin’s debating abilities, I suggest he learn a little history of how ‘great’ our government has been to it’s citizens first. There have been rare occasions in which lubricant was offered, but vary few times it was ever actually used.
Just my opinion…
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Even more, Markadelphia doesn't get that open debate is a public good- it allows the uninformed to help themselves make a decision. Kevin isn't trying to convert the Markadelphias of the world, he's allowing bystanders to compare the two sides and make their own decisions. This concept doesn't resonate with Mark, because that's not how it should be done in his ideal world; in his world smart "government" people and academic experts tell other people how to run their lives, and nobody needs to debate it.
ReplyDeleteSo Markadelphia and his ilk have no upside in debate. At best, it's unnecessary, at worst, it exposes them for fools.