Britney Spears is an Idiot: SHOCKER!

since we're on-line it's not very surprising that lots of us share a kind of vague ideal of the running "electronic town-hall" referendum as a better model — where "being informed" arises from this kind of argument and is (supposedly) not corrupted by mediation

but on-line contains its own built-in minority, and i think its "informed" is very class-bound

I trust some people and I voted and who I voted for got in, at the last local elections and at the last general election too. I'm just saying nobody should be trusted just because, especially if that just because is predicated on them already being in power; ie. bowing to the status quo because it's easier. Britney's in a position of influence over a lot of people, particularly young people; the statement accredited to her above doesn't strike me as encouraging anything but revererence without engagement, which is one side of apathy.

it doesn't much surprise me that this is a bottom-line position across a wide range of political stances, as the war of all against all is an underlying position in free market capitalism, and as the dominant social structure this carries across into and shapes many of its so-called opponents (from individualist anarchism to revenant stalinism)

and if you're serious about your doubts — which your argument about *constant* vigilance suggests — then you should be exploring the potential good and bad of other systems and how to get to them

i asked a q. on ile ages ago about whether written constitutions were inherently imperialist, and hardly anyone answered: i should have put it on a britney thread!! who knew!!

That is so untrue. No one has said that everyone has to subscribe to what we belive. We're arguing just the opposite - form your own opinion. Even if it's exactly the same as the President's. But make it YOUR opinion - don't just adopt his.

If I had the time, brain, and committment, mark s.

Mark - Britain is run by liberals like Blair and Brown, that's the problem. That kind of liberal is bad enough but the ones who tie themselves in PC knots over someone calling Britney an idiot are equally as reprehensible, if more laughable.

Years of observing people using this line as code for "I will never respect you as long as you disagree with me" to thread.

which is why i was having a go at it on this thread, daddio my honey

you can call britney whatever names you like: just don't hide behind big political claims when you do, if you want us to take your POLITICS seriously

Marcello, clearly you are a better judge of what constitutes a successful instigation than I am. *bows*

also there are traces of liberal snobbery here. not to the extent some are alleging though.

this thread annoys me like the hmv book section

I think the word I'm looking for here is "projection".

Mark, why would I or Britney or anyone care if you took our politics seriously or not? Given that you are the world's champion at jumping to conclusions, I mean.

The general degree of faith in the American electoral system continues to shock and amaze me

And, Dan, I promise to let you have the 1000th post this time.

And even though I disagree with all of you and think you're being twats, I still value reading your opinions - and sometimes even bend mine a little because of yours.. (So you can shove your Years of observing people using this line as code for "I will never respect you as long as you disagree with me" to thread. ;-) )

wire t-shirt, more like ;) those are pretty ace but I haven't got one.

The only thing that actively annoys me in this thread is the misogyny claim! Why are you all throwing that in there, wtf? There's more than enough evidence that this board thinks Fred Durst is a retarded child as well, so it's all love here.

I just don't like extraneous arguments, I mean honestly now.

"Honestly, I think we should just trust our President in every decision that he makes, and we should just support that."

.....just doesn't suggest that she's spent any time familiarizing herself with the topic at hand. Rather, it says to me that she's perfectly happy tow whatever line is handed to her in the interests of maintaining face and insuring a controversy-free career trajectory.