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Badmovies.org Forum  |  Other Topics  |  Off Topic Discussion  |  It's amazing how negative some people can be...... « previous next »
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Author Topic: It's amazing how negative some people can be......  (Read 7192 times)
AndyC
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« Reply #15 on: September 02, 2012, 06:50:43 AM »

It is not very useful, is it, to whine (in flowery words) and yet to offer no solution, nor to offer any story of even having tried.

Even less useful when you don't clearly state what the problem is. This guy's rhetoric about freedom and democracy says nothing about what he opposes or what he wants. Only a couple of times does he vaguely suggest an issue, and depending on your interpretation, he could be on either side of it.

I don't see any desperation in this letter. I'm seeing a lot of righteous indignation from somebody with a flair for the melodramatic.
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« Reply #16 on: September 02, 2012, 08:15:17 AM »

Again: context is everything.  It seems to me it is being assumed that this was intended as some sort of 'manifesto' to the world.  Imagine a letter to the editor taken from a Canadian newspaper, for example, and plunked down without preamble on an international forum.  All the background and explanation you seem to be asking for here would not necessarily be included.  Without the context of the general conditions and events, no way to judge the relative scale or impact of current events local to the writer and no idea of 'what went before' in the original forum/paper in the way of articles, editorials or letters/discussion it would be very hard to know exactly what was up, and why.  Such a letter, taken out of context, may well appear to be 'out of the blue' and make little sense to those outside the environment the letter was written and presented in.

If the letter writer's reaction appears extreme - and it seems it does to many, from the comments here - that is where I read desperation.  I am making my own assumptions (as are we all, commenting on this): that the letter writer is old enough to have a history of supporting the current government and previously the anti-Apartheid movement.  He may well have made efforts on behalf/in favour of both and is frustrated that such efforts have not paid off.  Maybe he DID "dig in and fight". If he did in the past, the depth of his frustration is understandable.  To assume he has never done anything at all in his life to change or improve his country's conditions is a bit of a stretch IMO. Rather interesting that the majority here think he has done nothing and is only spewing off his dissatisfactions.

I also think it is a bit much to suggest that we as outsiders can judge the impact of the 'ills' of another country.   How can we compare?  Do you really think things are the same everywhere?  Seems to me North Americans in particular have a good deal less to complain about.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2012, 08:20:44 AM by Newt » Logged

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RCMerchant
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« Reply #17 on: September 02, 2012, 08:33:32 AM »

Blech. Idealism over realism.

Now, I'm not knocking idealism. There must be an ideal society that people strive for. The impetus to make things better is the engine that actually makes things better.

However, we still live in the muck of reality. When an idealist throws in the towel and gives up on reality he is essentially taking the useless way out. The way out that, surprise, allows him to forever declare himself as the one guy who took the high road. And that moral high-handedness is something nobody should have to listen to.

In this example, the author declares that South Africa has not lived up to the ideals that he hoped they could strive to. Instead of actually digging himself in and fighting for the things he claims to care for, he just wants to take his ball and go home. Pure laziness, and as AndyC said, "Go where?"

You want a better world? Other people will not do it for you. It's your responsibility, don't get mad when other people demand that you step up.

Mofo hit the nail on the head-and Im very guilty of b***hing about s**t and not doing f**k about it.
BUT-I will not participate in a phoney "election" which is sponsered by the super rich for the super rich.
f**k THAT.
I WILL stand on the outside-I WILL continue to say the world is f**ked-and yes-I know I'm f**ked-but if it gives a nudge to someone with more balls and power then me-good.
Tyranny and nazism is what it is-and if in my ifintisimal way I can help-even with a minor rant on a movie message board-I goddam will.
f**k evil overriding murdering  politics...and their "idealistic" followers.
Evreyone  has the right to believe in what the f**k they want-as long as it doesnt involve killing people-thats just common f**king sense.

And after reading my own post-I dont reckon my habit of using the word f**k makes me too intelligent.
Aw-f**k it. f**king f**king f**k.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2012, 08:51:05 AM by RCMerchant » Logged

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AndyC
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« Reply #18 on: September 02, 2012, 01:59:54 PM »

Again: context is everything.  It seems to me it is being assumed that this was intended as some sort of 'manifesto' to the world.  Imagine a letter to the editor taken from a Canadian newspaper, for example, and plunked down without preamble on an international forum.  All the background and explanation you seem to be asking for here would not necessarily be included.  Without the context of the general conditions and events, no way to judge the relative scale or impact of current events local to the writer and no idea of 'what went before' in the original forum/paper in the way of articles, editorials or letters/discussion it would be very hard to know exactly what was up, and why.  Such a letter, taken out of context, may well appear to be 'out of the blue' and make little sense to those outside the environment the letter was written and presented in.

But even Trevor isn't really sure what the letter is specifically about. And even if it refers to, say, the end of apartheid, is he for or against it? Trevor seems to think this person misses the good old days, and has been waiting 20 years for things to settle down and get better for him. The other view, which you've suggested, is that he's saying apartheid isn't really gone in practice, and he's been waiting 20 years for the equality everyone was promised.

To use a North American example, one person might see justice and equality in programs for the poor that raise them to a higher standard of living, while somebody else will say justice and equality is letting people keep their tax dollars and giving them all the same chance to succeed or fail on their own. If all they do is rant about justice and equality, I don't know if I agree or not.

Even if this were a Canadian letter, I'd be scratching my head.
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« Reply #19 on: September 02, 2012, 03:36:47 PM »

Blech. Idealism over realism.

Now, I'm not knocking idealism. There must be an ideal society that people strive for. The impetus to make things better is the engine that actually makes things better.

However, we still live in the muck of reality. When an idealist throws in the towel and gives up on reality he is essentially taking the useless way out. The way out that, surprise, allows him to forever declare himself as the one guy who took the high road. And that moral high-handedness is something nobody should have to listen to.

In this example, the author declares that South Africa has not lived up to the ideals that he hoped they could strive to. Instead of actually digging himself in and fighting for the things he claims to care for, he just wants to take his ball and go home. Pure laziness, and as AndyC said, "Go where?"

You want a better world? Other people will not do it for you. It's your responsibility, don't get mad when other people demand that you step up.

And I am guilty of all of the above-except one thing.
I dont give a flying f**k what happens to this s**t ball world.
I hope it DOES self implode.
Me with it. Hatred
Dont worry-I aint the kind of psycho who is gonna dye my hair and go ballistic at a Batman movie.
No-I'll just rant on a movie message board and drink the world away.  Bluesad
Idealism is for idealists-I am not that.
Im a nihiist.
I beleieve we are all born f**kED.
Theres that word again! Wink
« Last Edit: September 02, 2012, 03:45:09 PM by RCMerchant » Logged

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« Reply #20 on: September 02, 2012, 04:02:26 PM »

Damn.
After re-reading my insane posts I'm not very useful.
I should just shut my mouth and keep my "hate the world-its f**ked" opinion to myself.
Sorry....i'm a very sorry moron at times.
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Newt
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« Reply #21 on: September 02, 2012, 08:07:52 PM »

Even if this were a Canadian letter, I'd be scratching my head.

If it were a Canadian letter it would be about something in the Canadian news, commonly discussed among Canadians and on everyones' minds. You would have the whole set of referents already; there would be no need for the background to be spelled out in the letter itself.  

No doubt at all in my mind that the writer is ANTI-Apartheid.

It occurred to me this afternoon that it is just a bit ironic that the prevailing opinion here appears to be that if one is disenchanted and uncomfortable with the political climate in one's home country, one should stay there regardless and effect change; this coming from people whose forerunners (biological or not) included a large portion of emigrants who left their homelands to become Americans (hyphenated or non - and doesn't the hyphen indicate pride in and love of one's country of origin?) in order to escape what they felt were unresolvable political, economic and other differences.  
« Last Edit: September 02, 2012, 08:11:18 PM by Newt » Logged

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indianasmith
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« Reply #22 on: September 02, 2012, 08:23:20 PM »

Damn.
After re-reading my insane posts I'm not very useful.
I should just shut my mouth and keep my "hate the world-its f**ked" opinion to myself.
Sorry....i'm a very sorry moron at times.

It's OK, Ronnie, you can vent to us - we're FAMILY!
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« Reply #23 on: September 03, 2012, 02:00:18 AM »

I actually can't explain this letter writer other than to say that he / she has given up on South Africa which makes me more than a little  Bluesad
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« Reply #24 on: September 03, 2012, 05:05:12 AM »

I actually can't explain this letter writer other than to say that he / she has given up on South Africa which makes me more than a little  Bluesad

f**k him-yer OK.
You gotta big heart-maybe too big.
Rise above-rise above,my freind.
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Newt
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« Reply #25 on: September 03, 2012, 12:11:46 PM »

I actually can't explain this letter writer other than to say that he / she has given up on South Africa which makes me more than a little  Bluesad

That's pretty much it in a nutshell.

I don't imagine the writer is too happy about it either.
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« Reply #26 on: September 04, 2012, 01:45:53 PM »

    If you truly love a nation, don't you STAY, and serve as an example of what makes it great?

No sympathy for refugees, then?  What a person finds 'intolerable' can be quite subjective.  And he did mention that it has been near on two decades since things were to be changing for the better.  I expect that he feels that if it cannot be made 'better' by those who were supposed to be best able to make it so, then there is little hope.

It comes off as an emotional outburst; a cry of desperation.  It is far too easy to take something as being well-reasoned and rational simply because the language it is presented in is eloquent.  He more or less is saying, "I cannot take this anymore!"

    Point taken, Newt. However, do you just let people destroy your home?
« Last Edit: September 04, 2012, 01:49:24 PM by alandhopewell » Logged

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     The choice is simple; refuse to create, and refuse to grow, or build, with care and love.
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