“But what is it about my argument that they find so objectionable?” I’ve often asked myself. “What exactly is so evil about arguing, say, that schools should teach kids rigorously, or that climate scientists should do more science and less political activism, or that bigger government only perpetuates the power of a corrupt elite at the expense of ordinary people?”
And the conclusion I’ve long since reached is that there are some people out there who you’re simply never going to reach through logic or sweet reasonableness or basic courtesy. These people will always hate me – and those who think like me – as a matter of fundamental principle. It’s an ideological clash of total opposites: tyranny v liberty; poverty v prosperity; hysteria v reason; the state v the individual; misery v happiness.
So in what way, may I ask, would it be a sensible policy to halve the difference between those two extremes in order to reach some kind of “reasonable” consensus?
It’s what I call the ‘Dogshit Yoghurt Fallacy’.
On one side of the argument are those of us who think yoghurt works best with a little fruit or maybe just on its own. On the other are those who believe passionately that what yoghurt really needs is the addition of something more earthy, organic, recycled – like maybe a nice scoop of dogshit.
Now you can call me a dangerous extremist if you like, for refusing under any conditions to accommodate the alternative point of view. Or you could call me one of those few remaining brave souls in a cowardly, compromised world still prepared to tell it like it is: that dogshit into yoghurt simply doesn’t go, no matter how many expert surveys you cite, nor how eco-friendly it shows you to be, nor how homeopathic the dosage.
– James Delingpole, in a piece entitled Andrew Breitbart’s War Comes To Britain, explains why he has become the new Executive Editor of Breitbart London.
Also recommended, by Delingpole for Breitbart: 10 Lefty Lies About The Floods Which Have Devastated Britain.
Delingpole is a wonderful writer and I suspect Breitbart UK is going to become a must-read.
Agreed Patrick.
And as the writing that Brian quotes shows, Mr Delingpole is actually suggesting very moderate policies. For example, schools that are free (paid for by the taxpayers), but just use slightly less “Progressive” methods (i.e. the terrible methods that produced my level of spelling and grammar).
And the reaction of the left to these moderate (ultra moderate) changes?
Fanatical hatred, and vicious sabotage.
Sadly F.A. Hayek was mistaken – the left (at least the main leftists) are not just innocent victims of intellectual error. The left are evil – they really are.
To defeat them one must understand that fact and act accordingly.
The left are evil – they really are.
Not evil, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, leftists have been trying the same ideas for well over a century and it just isn’t working.
My primary argument in favour of libertarianism is “can we have a go now?”.
RB: The Left know that their policies do not work except in producing poverty, failure and misery, and that is what they rejoice in.
If you believe otherwise, then you are naïve at the very least.
That was…delicious…:-O
Alisa! :>))))!!!!
Breitbart London?
Sheesh, it was bad enough when I had to watch BBC AMERICA for less adulterated news/observations concerning issues of importance. Trimming my account with Time Warner (sigh, now Comcast) ended THAT!
Now I’m to be subjected to ALSO having to go to some damn GB based site to consider what’s what?
Oh, wait…
Humans have Groupthink as part of their political make-up. Tribal survival depended on it. Hence extremists of left or right are more the norm than we are. ‘The madness of crowds’ sums it up. Let’s all get together and go and lynch anyone who opposes us!
“Reasoning will never make a man correct an ill opinion, which by reasoning he never acquired.”
–Jonathan Swift
He ought to credit Steyn for the dog crap analogy.
It should be noted, though, that homeopathic dogshit yogurt might be entirely acceptable on account of not actually any dogshit whatsoever.
And it should also be noted that my previous comment was also somewhat homeopathic on account of not actually containing any “containing” whatsoever.