Fidel Castro Dead at 90

[Drowsy Emperor]

Do you see anyone holding onto power Cuba in that kind of extremely polarized environment without being a dictator though. 

 

*shrug* I'd say the answer is patently obvious to everyone

[Hurlshort]

I should probably emphasize lifelong here.  I have a problem with any one individual holding onto power like that indefinitely with no balances.  

[Drowsy Emperor]

There is no stepping down from that position. The only way to leave power is to strike a deal, death or exile. And no one will choose any of those options unless they're already on the edge of defeat.

Edited November 28, 2016 by Drowsy Emperor

[Hurlshort]

There is no stepping down from that position. The only way to leave power is to strike a deal, death or exile. And no one will choose any of those options unless they're already on the edge of defeat.

 

That seems very dramatic.  

[Drowsy Emperor]

This was actually more pro-Castro than Russia today's embarrassing Zizek stint

 

 

Incidentally why do they keep asking that prick to give his opinion on anything - I've never heard him say anything worthwhile

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

There is no stepping down from that position. The only way to leave power is to strike a deal, death or exile. And no one will choose any of those options unless they're already on the edge of defeat.

 

That seems very dramatic.  

 

 

Its just common sense

[Gorgon]

This was actually more pro-Castro than Russia today's embarrassing Zizek stint

 

 

Incidentally why do they keep asking that prick to give his opinion on anything - I've never heard him say anything worthwhile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CDkWN1-BwE

 

I sometimes put on one of his lectures if I can't sleep. The way he drones on in an unexcited monotone about power structures. It's comforting.  

[Amentep]

 

There are a number of alternatives to becoming a lifelong dictator, I imagine.  I just don't get the need to defend the guy.  There are very few presidents I would defend in such a way.  I can't think of one, actually.

Given the track record of the US, the alternative was getting replaced by a CIA puppet dictator. Sort of like Batista(who Castro overthrew) or Pinochet. While I wouldn't say Castro was good in the sense of being ideologically close to my ideal or good in practice, it's hard to imagine the alternative that wasn't as bad or worse.

 

 

Its probably also fair to point out that Batista was showing no indications that he didn't plan to be a lifelong dictator himself.  Unlike his first stint as President, he wasn't elected for president his second time around - he'd led a military coup after losing the election and installed himself as president.  He reportedly had done many of the same things that Castro would later be accused of doing as well.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Johan Norberg

‏@johanknorberg

When I die, I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like Fidel Castro, not screaming in terror, like his victims.

[Gorgon]

He never killed anyone like that. Although plenty of people were thrown in jail for having the wrong opinions. 

 

Details matter. 

[Wrath of Dagon]

Chomsky is subliminally affecting you while you sleep.

[Gorgon]

Maybe I should go back to funny animal compilations on youtube.

[Malcador]

Hah, seems they shamed Trudeau into not going to the funeral

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

This was actually more pro-Castro than Russia today's embarrassing Zizek stint

 

 

Incidentally why do they keep asking that prick to give his opinion on anything - I've never heard him say anything worthwhile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CDkWN1-BwE

 

I sometimes put on one of his lectures if I can't sleep. The way he drones on in an unexcited monotone about power structures. It's comforting.  

 

 

I was talking about Zizek. I feel Chomsky still has intellectual credibility and is as a rule clear about the things he says.

 

Zizek just blabbers on and on, hits on something true at a rate of one sentence per hour - just enough that you can't call the mental ward to take him away. 

Edited November 28, 2016 by Drowsy Emperor

[Gromnir]

He never killed anyone like that. 

 

 

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Chilloutman]

well, what can i say? Finnaly?

[Gorgon]

 

He never killed anyone like that. 

 

 

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

 

He never killed anyone like that. 

 

 

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

Well, a bullet to the chest doesn't leave you screaming. 

[Drowsy Emperor]

We can criticize Castro from the standpoint of individual ethics (as pointless as that is without taking into account the context), but no American president has a leg to stand on in this regard by comparison. The combined body-count of the ten US presidents Castro outlasted makes him look like a paragon of virtue and humanity.

 

 

Besides, the Bay of Pigs is proof enough who the Cuban people identified with. 

Edited November 29, 2016 by Drowsy Emperor

[Gromnir]

 

 

He never killed anyone like that. 

 

 

(images)

 

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

 

He never killed anyone like that. 

 

 

(images)

 

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

Well, a bullet to the chest doesn't leave you screaming. 

 

you don't think more than a few o' the victims o' castro were screaming? those who went down in the boats castro sank at sea or those who watched family members killed before getting their own bullet were no doubt stoic and silent.

 

*chuckle*

 

HA! Good Fun!

[licketysplit]

 

 

This was actually more pro-Castro than Russia today's embarrassing Zizek stint

 

 

Incidentally why do they keep asking that prick to give his opinion on anything - I've never heard him say anything worthwhile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CDkWN1-BwE

 

I sometimes put on one of his lectures if I can't sleep. The way he drones on in an unexcited monotone about power structures. It's comforting.  

 

 

I was talking about Zizek. I feel Chomsky still has intellectual credibility and is as a rule clear about the things he says.

 

Zizek just blabbers on and on, hits on something true at a rate of one sentence per hour - just enough that you can't call the mental ward to take him away. 

 

 

Chomsky is a senile, biased as hell nutter at this point. The stuff that guy blames on Britian and the US is ridiculous. Sam Harris was right in dubbing him the godfather of the regressive left. A shame their debate never happened, Harris would mentally eviscerate this guy. In a calm and soothing voice. 

Edited November 29, 2016 by licketysplit

[Gorgon]

 

 

 

He never killed anyone like that. 

 

 

(images)

 

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

 

He never killed anyone like that. 

 

 

(images)

 

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

Well, a bullet to the chest doesn't leave you screaming. 

 

you don't think more than a few o' the victims o' castro were screaming? those who went down in the boats castro sank at sea or those who watched family members killed before getting their own bullet were no doubt stoic and silent.

 

*chuckle*

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

Well following the Robesperian chaos after the revolution, these things tend to happen, things have been relatively quiet. But fair point, I don't mean to paint him as a nice  guy or anything.  

[Drowsy Emperor]

I've never heard him say anything ridiculous. But I'm not exactly a Chomsky scholar either

[Namutree]

I've never heard him say anything ridiculous. But I'm not exactly a Chomsky scholar either

"I didn't like Clinton at all, but her position's are much better than Trump's on every issue I can think of." -Chomsky in an interview post election.

 

Major election issues:

 

TPP- Any genuine supporter of socialism (or even any non-corporatist shill) should be 100% opposed to TPP. Trump is far better than Hillary on this issue.

 

Syria, Libya, Iraq, and neo-con warmongering- Trump was critical of Iraq, opposed intervention in Syria. On this front a genuine leftist should see Trump as better. At the very least Chomsky should considering his past rhetoric. 

 

These are NOT minor issues either. Either he's lying now, lied about his goals/ideology in the past for years, he's a partison hack, or he's just an idiot.

 

Screw Chomsky. Zizek>>>>>>>>>>>Chomsky

[Maedhros]

 

 

 

Chomsky is a senile, biased as hell nutter at this point. The stuff that guy blames on Britian and the US is ridiculous. Sam Harris was right in dubbing him the godfather of the regressive left. A shame their debate never happened, Harris would mentally eviscerate this guy. In a calm and soothing voice. 

 

 

Did you see their email exchange? Chomsky definitely "won" that exchange, even though they were pretty much just talking past each other.

 

https://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-limits-of-discourse

[Gorgon]

I kinda get the vibe that Chomsky really doesn't care one way or the other about public perception and that Harris cares too much and is a bit too self promoting.