Who is admired by Fidel Castro?

[Jester]

Depends on the people, no?

I can't see how. How does Fidel Castro (or anyone) liking Obama matter? It doesn't reflect Obama's character, since it says nothing about what he thinks of Castro. It doesn't reflect a security threat, or a diplomatic weakness - quite the opposite. So how is this a problem?

-Jester

[Swiss Mercenary]

Isn't it obvious, Jester? Castro is an oppressive dictator. Castro likes Obama. Therefore, Obama is an oppressive dictator.

We may as well get right to the Godwin, here.

Hitler wore pants. Obama wears pants. Hitler invaded Poland. Therefore, Obama will invade Poland.

[kandrathe]

Hitler wore pants. Obama wears pants. Hitler invaded Poland. Therefore, Obama will invade Poland.

No, Obama will invade your pants in Poland! We might as well make it a conspiracy as well.

[Rhydderch Hael]

No, Obama will invade your pants in Poland! We might as well make it a conspiracy as well.

No, he will invade Poland in your pants. It has to be a big-government conspiracy at that.

Down with the "Pants Tax"! Or is it "Down with the Pants" Tax? :unsure:

[Occhidiangela]

No, he will invade Poland in your pants. It has to be a big-government conspiracy at that.

Down with the "Pants Tax"! Or is it "Down with the Pants" Tax? :unsure:

I'm happy to moon the lot of them, but if they try to tax me for that, it'll bring gunplay.

Occhi

[Ashock]

I can't see how. How does Fidel Castro (or anyone) liking Obama matter? It doesn't reflect Obama's character, since it says nothing about what he thinks of Castro. It doesn't reflect a security threat, or a diplomatic weakness - quite the opposite. So how is this a problem?

-Jester

I think it's pretty obvious. If a person who is basically morally bankrupt admires someone else, it does not say anything good about that certain someone else. Otherwise, they would not be admired by the former. Monsters, which Fidel happens to be, do not admire those who are doing things contrary to what they themselves believe in.

Let me ask you this question. If Hitler admired Obama, would you still think it was no biggie?

[Jester]

Let me ask you this question. If Hitler admired Obama, would you still think it was no biggie?

Hitler admired Schopenhauer. Doesn't change my opinion of Schopenhauer. Why would it change my opinion of Obama?

-Jester

[Ashock]

Hitler admired Schopenhauer. Doesn't change my opinion of Schopenhauer. Why would it change my opinion of Obama?

-Jester

Kind of different. Obama is a leader of a country and so is Fidel, or was. This is different from Fidel liking a phylosopher, artist or actor as they are both of the same profession.

As to Schopenhauer:


"The highest civilization and culture, apart from the ancient Hindus and Egyptians, are found exclusively among the white races; and even with many dark peoples, the ruling caste or race is fairer in colour than the rest and has, therefore, evidently immigrated, for example, the Brahmans, the Incas, and the rulers of the South Sea Islands.

Schopenhauer additionally maintained a marked metaphysical and political anti-Judaism. Schopenhauer argued that Christianity constituted a revolt against the materialistic basis of Judaism, exhibiting an Indian-influenced ethics reflecting the Aryan-Vedic theme of spiritual "self-conquest." This he saw as opposed to what he held to be the ignorant drive toward earthly utopianism and superficiality of a worldly Jewish spirit:

While all other religions endeavor to explain to the people by symbols the metaphysical significance of life, the religion of the Jews is entirely immanent and furnishes nothing but a mere war-cry in the struggle with other nations.

In another context, Schopenhauer reiterated his antidemocratic-eugenic thesis: "If you want Utopian plans, I would say: the only solution to the problem is the despotism of the wise and noble members of a genuine aristocracy, a genuine nobility, achieved by mating the most magnanimous men with the cleverest and most gifted women. This proposal constitutes my Utopia and my Platonic Republic"

These are snippets from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Schopenhauer


Gee, I wonder if that was the reason Hitler liked him? Naaaah, can't be.

BTW, is that why you like him also?

[Jester]

Kind of different. Obama is a leader of a country and so is Fidel, or was. This is different from Fidel liking a phylosopher, artist or actor as they are both of the same profession.

I can't see how. Your argument has nothing to do with professions. And in any case, Fidel is now retired, and spends his days putzing around and writing articles. Raul has taken control of everything that matters.

Gee, I wonder if that was the reason Hitler liked him? Naaaah, can't be.

BTW, is that why you like him also?

I didn't actually say I liked Schopenhauer, but thanks anyway for the cheap shot. I said that Hitler admiring him does not change my opinion of him. People are to be judged on *themselves*, not on what other people think of them.

Schopenhauer's ideas were not particularly strange for his time. His anti-semitism would have been widely shared, and not just by crazies like Hitler. Finding Europeans who did not have some idea of a hierarchy of races and civilizations in the early 19th century was rare, and he was at least anti-Slavery, a position that puts him alongside Lincoln or Darwin. And almost all of these same themes (notably without the anti-Semitism) can be found in Nietzsche, whom Hitler didn't like. Would Hitler's dislike change your opinion of Nietzsche?

This all seems like a very empty exercise.

-Jester

[--Pete]

Hi,

Hitler admired Schopenhauer.

Hitler also admired Wagner. Mark Twain said that Wagner's music was better than it sounded. Century Magazine serialized Pudd'nhead Wilson. The Century Magazine was edited by someone named Richard Watson Gilder, of whom I know virtually nothing. All of that does not change my mind one bit about the dullness of The Count of Monte Cristo which was also serialized, but not in Century Magazine, at least AFAIK. And I don't give a Dumas what anybody thinks of that.

Now, were did I leave my meds?

--Pete

Afterthought -- I love "associative logic", although I prefer to use only the first syllable.;)

[DeeBye]

Mark Twain said that Wagner's music was better than it sounded.

This whole tread was getting stupid real fast, then Pete makes me laugh out loud:)

Thanks Mark Twain! I bet he and Yogi Berra would get along great, or maybe hate each other.

[Vandiablo]

This whole tread was getting stupid real fast, then Pete makes me laugh out loud:)

Thanks Mark Twain! I bet he and Yogi Berra would get along great, or maybe hate each other.

I was skimming through a Twain a biography lately, and I found something I had not heard before.

Rudyard Kipling came to visit Twain. They had not met before. Twain was impressed (and you know he doesn't impress easily).

Afterward, (i'm paraphrasing) Twain commented: "Between the two of us, we know everything; he knows all that is worth knowing, and I know the rest."

-V

[Vandiablo]

This all seems like a very empty exercise.

Aw, yer just need to change yer attitude! This stuff is fun!

Lessee,
Hitler -- bad
so
Racial purity -- bad
so
Colleges forcing racial purity -- bad
so from our other thread
Christian college -- bad
so
Christian -- bad
so
Christ -- bad

See? This is fun!

So let's continue...
from
Christ -- bad
so
crucifixion, good -- confirmed by a character in Life of Brian
so
torture -- good
so
Dick Cheney -- good! (So I've been wrong about him all along!!)

This also shows that Dick Cheney is (part of) the Antichrist.

Fun fun fun, let's keep going...

Bad: Hitler, racial purity
so
Jefferson said the races shouldn't mix, so
Jefferson -- bad
But wait! In practice, he mixed 'em up! So how do we classify Jefferson?
Actions speak louder, so we'll say
Jefferson -- good
Many slave plantation owners were the same way, so
Slave plantation owners -- good
So
Slavery -- good
So
Emancipation -- bad
So
Lincoln -- bad
So
Party of Lincoln -- bad (I knew it!)
So
Small goverrnment -- bad

Fun fun fun. Well, wifey's home, gotta go.

-V

[kandrathe]

Aw, yer just need to change yer attitude! This stuff is fun!

I've heard that Hitler's favorite food was Baklava. What do I make of that?

I've never seen Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg either.

I think many a world leader have displayed their collective crushes on Obama. I fear it is not genuine, however, and that it is a cheap method to ingratiate themselves to their peoples. It will fade quickly (as it seems to be happening in the far left here), as Obama fails to deliver quickly enough or as deeply on all the promises he made to cater to that crowd.