How to Identify the Enemy 101

a reply to: tanstaafl

Ah, ok, got it. Thank you for letting me know once and for all that you are only here to waste everyone's time.

No, My post was sincere. I think it's unhealthy to identify "the enemy" by assigning "masks the new regalia for one side, and bareface for the other."

The OP and others mocked me for taking the topic seriously. And then you seriously answered by post, not with mockery, but with serious answers, line for line, as to why the OP is correct and justified. It's the OP wasting your time, and my time. This isn't a serious subject, don't ya know?

a reply to: Sookiechacha

If you understood why satire is employed, you'd be able to take the OP seriously.

Swift didn't think the maltreatment of Irish children to be a lark. He was dead serious when he addressed the topic--through exaggeration and ridicule.

originally posted by: zosimov
a reply to: tanstaafl

... People are just getting increasingly used to being enforcers.

This is actually a very interesting and astute observation!!

originally posted by: zosimov
a reply to: tanstaafl

There is no such rule on an internet forum, and especially not this one. People are just getting increasingly used to being enforcers.

Ummm... I know that...

a reply to: tanstaafl

Cool


I was being a bit facetious.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Have you noticed this happening lately? Abolish police and hire the Karens lol. (kidding...karen is a non partisan concept, isn't she? I wasn't trying to be so politically abrasive. Just point out the foolishness of our situation)

a reply to: zosimov

The 'rona has certainly given a green light to numerous different types of people to exercise a variety of poor behaviours.
It's like they've been waiting for an excuse to act in an appalling way towards their fellows. Justification, of sorts.

I keep a small, close circle of friends who are pretty tight and we look out for each other.
Those who constantly need to be popular and seek validation in numbers are going to end up lonely and miserable.

I said in another thread that the virus hasn't made anyone into a bad person but it's exposed a few who weren't very good to begin with..

Being facetious, sarcastic and cynical is fine when accompanied by good humour. In real life it's worth being pleasant, sociable and helpful which is often rewarded in kind. You can't fake it and the fakes soon crumble because they can't maintain an illusion.

If we ever do return to some semblance of "normal" when the hysteria of covid subsides I'm hopeful that some lessons may be learned about how to treat others.

A minority will never learn anything.

The Karens are loud today. It's like they are pretending they didn't see Rachel Madow and her segment about reprograming herself to not see maskless people as the enemy.

But it's nice you provided a venue for their vajay-jay's to accumulate the proper amount of sand.

originally posted by: zosimov
a reply to: tanstaafl

Cool

I was being a bit facetious.

Thought so, I was looking for the word for what I was being with respect to sookie's ridiculous posts... I was going to use ironic, but that wasn't it, then thought of facetious, but nothing quite fit.

Just a few thoughts now that I've had a chance to think about this thread and the responses:

First of all, clearly, I'm no Jonathan Swift. I keep mentioning his work as one of the pinnacles of the genre, not because I think this poor attempt at satire compares. His was brilliant. I doubt any reader mistook his call for butchering children for food and clothing seriously as some took mine (one never knows I guess).

But the fact that people could even consider hating another person over a mask or a vaccine is scary. That the OP wasn't immediately recognized as insanity (how to recognize your friend from foe by way of a mask) to me just shows how far the divide has been pushed on us.

And I don't want to be pigeonholed into one of those sides or another just by way of walking into a store, hence my seeking a new uniform to show a blatant noncompliance to either side of a forced and fabricated divide. The more ridiculous the better

a reply to: zosimov

You're no better than the dishonest media which takes portions of what should be obvious satire and quote people out of context.

You may have a "Writer" label assigned in your avatar, but William Shakespeare you are not. The satire is not obvious. You wrote: "Take your questions to those pushing the divide; I'm merely drawing attention to it.", which doesn't sound like satire to me! So, which is it? Is your post intended to draw attention to the divide or reinforce it?

Do you really believe what you type?

I do. Obviously you don't believe what you type.

a reply to: Sookiechacha

LOL once again your opinion is irrelevant. I doubt you'd even understand the nuance Shakespeare if you read him.

a reply to: Sookiechacha

I'll explain satire once more to you, slowly.

The writer uses elements such as ridicule, irony, and exaggeration to call attention to real and pressing issues.

So I could be using satire to draw attention to the divide that is being pushed on us. Does that make it more clear?

To be even more explicit, the quote in the OP that mentions "someone, somewhere" decided to push masks is actually referring to this forced divide.

originally posted by: Tulpa
a reply to: zosimov



Being facetious, sarcastic and cynical is fine when accompanied by good humour. In real life it's worth being pleasant, sociable and helpful which is often rewarded in kind. You can't fake it and the fakes soon crumble because they can't maintain an illusion.

This is a great point. A few of my responses on here are certainly lacking in good humor.

As for the rest of your comments, spot on.

You're absolutely right in that this past year really has just shown things as they are--good and bad.

I like your thoughts on how to treat others.

a reply to: network dude

Yikes I know. This really turned into a beast I wasn't anticipating.

Still think it's a worthwhile topic, though.

a reply to: zosimov

It's like the global equivalent of the Stanford prison experiment on steroids.





I got the point of your OP straight away.

a reply to: Tulpa


(God, the Stanford Prison Experiment was terrifying but edifying)


Your response about the mask hanging loosely from the front pocket was perfect too. I really might use that. Or (just thought of this) sew a bunch of masks on to a t-shirt and pants and wear that out.

originally posted by: AaarghZombies

originally posted by: zosimov
The masked vs. the maskless, the vaxxed vs the vaxxless, the rhetoric is ramping up and the battle lines are being drawn. Someone somewhere found a perfect answer to the conundrum: how will one American be able to distinguish a friend from foe? We already know Antifa has been sporting the face mask for some time; let’s make the mask the new regalia for one side, and bareface for the other.

Now we can easily spot the enemy.

I’m trying to figure out some conspicuous and ridiculous third option to display my refusal to adhere to either side. Any suggestions, friends?

Just print your manifesto on a T-shirt and get it over with.

You first. Take your pick, Communist Manifest, Humnist Manifesto, Manifesto of the Millenium Declaration, Occupy Manifesto, or Manifesto of the woke ANTIFA terrorist group... there may be some others out there.

originally posted by: zosimov
a reply to: DBCowboy

There's "science," and then there's "science which changes according to fauci's mood."

Right. That would be the science which "evolves".