Ask me about Communism.

[Wrath of Dagon]

I'm in the camp that thinks its more the culture than the guns. The US has a culture of fear. People who are afraid that everyone is out to kill you and your family are more likely to unload into someone threatening. Hence why the societies where the mindset is more peaceful tend to have high gun ownership rates and low incidents of gun crime. Canada for instance has a higher gun ownership rate than the US, but gun crime rate is much lower.

Canada doesn't have the same social problems US has. Compare yourself to Minnesota. US does not have a culture of fear. There should be fear of going to certain areas, but that's based on fact, not culture.

[Calax]

I'm in the camp that thinks its more the culture than the guns. The US has a culture of fear. People who are afraid that everyone is out to kill you and your family are more likely to unload into someone threatening. Hence why the societies where the mindset is more peaceful tend to have high gun ownership rates and low incidents of gun crime. Canada for instance has a higher gun ownership rate than the US, but gun crime rate is much lower.

Canada doesn't have the same social problems US has. Compare yourself to Minnesota. US does not have a culture of fear. There should be fear of going to certain areas, but that's based on fact, not culture.

if we don't have a culture of fear why is every message we get "Don't do this because X Y or Z happens!"

 

Like our "don't have sex because you'll get an STD" or "don't talk to strangers because they'll kidnap you, do horrible things then kill you" or "If we don't act now we'll all die in the fires of a nuclear explosion/horribly of weaponized influenza" etc etc.

 

When your motivations for your people and the way you teach them lessons is based around fear, you're culture is based on fear.

[Hiro Protagonist]

"don't talk to strangers because they'll kidnap you, do horrible things then kill you"

 

The Stranger Danger things is really surprising. With kidnappings, Strangers aren't the problem it's the family members or who the kids know that are the problem. It's weird that kids are taught to watch out for the less than 1% chance of being kidnapped by a stranger than being kidnapped by people they know.

['GM']

I'm in the camp that thinks its more the culture than the guns. The US has a culture of fear. People who are afraid that everyone is out to kill you and your family are more likely to unload into someone threatening. Hence why the societies where the mindset is more peaceful tend to have high gun ownership rates and low incidents of gun crime. Canada for instance has a higher gun ownership rate than the US, but gun crime rate is much lower.

 

I had to give this some consideration... the 'fear' part. I don't think we have a culture of fear, at least we haven't until recent times. And not because we think everyone is out to kill us. Instead, I think the fear stems more from all this political correctness bs that is running rampant. It is everywhere. Watch what we say and watch what we do because someone might be offended. Parents can't correct their kids in public for fear some righteous nosy-body will report them as child abusers. We supposed to make sure we don't offend fat people, crippled people, people of different religions, races, color, height, width, intellect, whatever! We have learn fancy words because saying the word 'fat' for instance might hurt a fat persons feelings, even if we're referring to a slab of bacon....

[Walsingham]

I agree with Oerwinde here. A clean conscience is worth the price of a drycleaned suit, don't you think? Not to mention the cost of actually getting your suit cleaned.

 

I rather have him dead. If someone points a gun at me then I am going to react to it like he or she is going to kill me, and if someone is going to kill me I want to kill them first. Anyway, the stupid idiot got himself caught 30 minutes later because his getaway car had a busted tail light.

 

With respect for your typical Charles Bronson reasoning, I suspect you've never seen anyone killed. I have and I'd gladly pay 20-40 quid (the most I carry in my wallet) to avoid seeing it again. Moreover ANY time you take a snap decision like shooting somebody you're taking a chance that you're completely wrong. So long as theft is all it is I would cheerfully hand over the cash.

 

None of this is to say that in situations/countries where theft is typically accompanied with murder I'd have any hesitation in carrying a gun and using it. I don't have any less respect fior my own life than some random halfwit's.

[Wrath of Dagon]

I'm in the camp that thinks its more the culture than the guns. The US has a culture of fear. People who are afraid that everyone is out to kill you and your family are more likely to unload into someone threatening. Hence why the societies where the mindset is more peaceful tend to have high gun ownership rates and low incidents of gun crime. Canada for instance has a higher gun ownership rate than the US, but gun crime rate is much lower.

Canada doesn't have the same social problems US has. Compare yourself to Minnesota. US does not have a culture of fear. There should be fear of going to certain areas, but that's based on fact, not culture.

if we don't have a culture of fear why is every message we get "Don't do this because X Y or Z happens!"

 

Like our "don't have sex because you'll get an STD" or "don't talk to strangers because they'll kidnap you, do horrible things then kill you" or "If we don't act now we'll all die in the fires of a nuclear explosion/horribly of weaponized influenza" etc etc.

 

When your motivations for your people and the way you teach them lessons is based around fear, you're culture is based on fear.

There's a difference between living in fear and using common sense. And yes, that's totally every message we get, we don't get a message "You should have sex every minute of the day" from just about every kind of media, talk about selective observation.

[Hell Kitty]

So did this mugger pull out a gun after he threatened Killian, or is old KK just the fastest draw in Crazytown?

 

As for political correctness, I agree. It's gotten to the point where you can't even call the retarded kid a retard. It's political correctness gone mad!

[Gorgon]

I agree, there is often a misconception between being politically (in)correct and just being an ass. I prefer having the asses spurt their idiocy to artificial language though, makes it easier to see what people are really about.

Edited January 8, 2010 by Gorgon

[Calax]

I'm in the camp that thinks its more the culture than the guns. The US has a culture of fear. People who are afraid that everyone is out to kill you and your family are more likely to unload into someone threatening. Hence why the societies where the mindset is more peaceful tend to have high gun ownership rates and low incidents of gun crime. Canada for instance has a higher gun ownership rate than the US, but gun crime rate is much lower.

Canada doesn't have the same social problems US has. Compare yourself to Minnesota. US does not have a culture of fear. There should be fear of going to certain areas, but that's based on fact, not culture.

if we don't have a culture of fear why is every message we get "Don't do this because X Y or Z happens!"

 

Like our "don't have sex because you'll get an STD" or "don't talk to strangers because they'll kidnap you, do horrible things then kill you" or "If we don't act now we'll all die in the fires of a nuclear explosion/horribly of weaponized influenza" etc etc.

 

When your motivations for your people and the way you teach them lessons is based around fear, you're culture is based on fear.

There's a difference between living in fear and using common sense. And yes, that's totally every message we get, we don't get a message "You should have sex every minute of the day" from just about every kind of media, talk about selective observation.

I don't think the media tells us that we should have sex 24/7. They tell us sex is ok, but for every "sex is ok" message they send us a "If you don't do what we tell you you'll loose money/be a fool/bankrupt your family" or whatever. And media outlets like Fox News are BUILT upon partisan fear mongering.

[taks]

And media outlets like Fox News are BUILT upon partisan fear mongering.

actually, all media is built upon that concept. not so much "partisan," just fear mongering. news about puppies doesn't sell, unless they are really cute puppies, or someone is eating them.

 

taks

[Wrath of Dagon]

Btw, by "every kind of media" I didn't just mean news media, it would include movies, TV, magazines, music, what have you.

[Calax]

Btw, by "every kind of media" I didn't just mean news media, it would include movies, TV, magazines, music, what have you.

I know, How many movies show the terrible things that can happen to you? How many TV shows are based around plots by bad guys and show government incompetance? How many magazines tell you "you're not good enough and should fear being an old spinster, unwed and alone"? And music is either about love, loss of love, or killing or something depending on which genre.

[taks]

oh sure... disaster movies tend to do rather well, though typically they need a hero that saves the day to excel.

 

taks

[Oerwinde]

I'm in the camp that thinks its more the culture than the guns. The US has a culture of fear. People who are afraid that everyone is out to kill you and your family are more likely to unload into someone threatening. Hence why the societies where the mindset is more peaceful tend to have high gun ownership rates and low incidents of gun crime. Canada for instance has a higher gun ownership rate than the US, but gun crime rate is much lower.

 

I had to give this some consideration... the 'fear' part. I don't think we have a culture of fear, at least we haven't until recent times. And not because we think everyone is out to kill us. Instead, I think the fear stems more from all this political correctness bs that is running rampant. It is everywhere. Watch what we say and watch what we do because someone might be offended. Parents can't correct their kids in public for fear some righteous nosy-body will report them as child abusers. We supposed to make sure we don't offend fat people, crippled people, people of different religions, races, color, height, width, intellect, whatever! We have learn fancy words because saying the word 'fat' for instance might hurt a fat persons feelings, even if we're referring to a slab of bacon....

 

Political correctness is the downfall of society. I consider myself a liberal and I can't stand political correctness. We need to start reinforcing the old "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" doctrine, rather than "don't say that you might hurt someone's feelings". Free speech is much more important than some fat chick's feelings.

[Walsingham]

Political correctness is the downfall of society. I consider myself a liberal and I can't stand political correctness... Free speech is much more important than some fat chick's feelings.

 

You do realise that particular act isn't wrong because it's politically incorrect? It's unhygeinic.

[lord of flies]

The reason calling women "fat" is bad is because it perpetuates an unhealthy self-image problem endemic to western patriarchal society that causes serious psychological and physical damage to women, not because the word is evil in and of itself.

[Walsingham]

The reason calling women "fat" is bad is because it perpetuates an unhealthy self-image problem endemic to western patriarchal society that causes serious psychological and physical damage to women, not because the word is evil in and of itself.

 

Hilarious.

[Meshugger]

The reason calling women "fat" is bad is because it perpetuates an unhealthy self-image problem endemic to western patriarchal society that causes serious psychological and physical damage to women, not because the word is evil in and of itself.

 

Back in the middle ages, when the patriarchal power structure was even more powerful than it is now, being fat was considered as beautiful among women.

[Guard Dog]

The reason calling women "fat" is bad is because it perpetuates an unhealthy self-image problem endemic to western patriarchal society that causes serious psychological and physical damage to women, not because the word is evil in and of itself.

 

Back in the middle ages, when the patriarchal power structure was even more powerful than it is now, being fat was considered as beautiful among women.

I don't know about beautiful but I think it was a sign of wealth. I remeber reading that somewhere.

[Meshugger]

The reason calling women "fat" is bad is because it perpetuates an unhealthy self-image problem endemic to western patriarchal society that causes serious psychological and physical damage to women, not because the word is evil in and of itself.

 

Back in the middle ages, when the patriarchal power structure was even more powerful than it is now, being fat was considered as beautiful among women.

I don't know about beautiful but I think it was a sign of wealth. I remeber reading that somewhere.

 

Yes, you're right. Wealthy people had the luxury to eat themselves fat in those days. However, if you look at the paintings from the renaissance, you can not find any size zero women. "Fat" and wealthy women were the beauty ideal back then.

[Humodour]

The reason calling women "fat" is bad is because it perpetuates an unhealthy self-image problem endemic to western patriarchal society that causes serious psychological and physical damage to women, not because the word is evil in and of itself.

 

Back in the middle ages, when the patriarchal power structure was even more powerful than it is now, being fat was considered as beautiful among women.

I don't know about beautiful but I think it was a sign of wealth. I remeber reading that somewhere.

 

I'm pretty sure that fat/chubby was considered beautiful too. Certainly, skinny was ugly. This was the case even up to about 100 to 150 years ago.

[Walsingham]

Success is sexy, and no amount of marxist huffing will ever change that. As has already been mentioned being fat is often taken as a sign of success. Similarly things like having long nails or pale skin. But men are treated the same way.

[Orogun01]

The reason calling women "fat" is bad is because it perpetuates an unhealthy self-image problem endemic to western patriarchal society that causes serious psychological and physical damage to women, not because the word is evil in and of itself.

 

Back in the middle ages, when the patriarchal power structure was even more powerful than it is now, being fat was considered as beautiful among women.

I don't know about beautiful but I think it was a sign of wealth. I remeber reading that somewhere.

 

Yes, you're right. Wealthy people had the luxury to eat themselves fat in those days. However, if you look at the paintings from the renaissance, you can not find any size zero women. "Fat" and wealthy women were the beauty ideal back then.

You are absolutely right, just look at the ass on the Mona Lisa.

[I want teh kotor 3]

LoF, in the spirit of the thread's initial purpose, I have a query for you:

 

If Communism is so perfect and idyllic, why do they need to build walls to keep their citizens in? Shouldn't they want to stay there, as opposed to, say, heading out to West Germany?

[Walsingham]

The walls were to prevent their citizens being depressed by seeing people going about their daily capitalist exploitation.

 

What we were told was barbed wire was in fact a form of Eastern pinata. 'Candy wire' is a sort of festive bunting festooned with crystallized fruit dainties and spun sugar.The CIA ate all the candy and then took pictures.