Philosophy Now Forum

Keeping one’s head* in a social, political and psychological environment that provokes hysterical outbursts is not easy. You have to constantly step away from the hysterical whirlpool, collect yourself, and try to keep on an even keel.

In 88% of cases my Calming Aerosol® has been proven to help!

*OK, OK I do know that the actual line is “feed your head”. So I’m bending it a little. You gotta problem with that?!

advocate for banning guillotines?

-Imp

"He who saves his country does not violate any law."

I notice this statement by Trump was conveniently ignored.

phyllo wrote: ↑Fri Mar 07, 2025 1:52 pm

"He who saves his country does not violate any law."

I notice this statement by Trump was conveniently ignored.

No phyllo. What is possibly being ignored is irrational hysteria and emotional impulses.

The quote can be taken in different ways. Step back from it and cooly examine it.

You must understand, like it or not, accept it or not, that approximately 50% of the country, in some degree or other, and for different reasons, do actually believe that 1) the country is in a condition needing to be saved, and 2) that they believe it possible to act in varying ways to “save” it. There are an entire range of opinions as to what “saving” is and means.

So, the actual issue here, for the philosophy minded, is a cultural and sociological analysis of what is going on inside of people. For that reason I refer to “hysterical reaction”.

Everyone knows that Donald Trump speaks in a disordered manner. But what you want him to have said is “Though I break laws I do it to save the country”.

You project.

But is that really what he said and meant? At this point the observing mass chimes in: “He is justifying fascist takeover!” or on the other side “Oh he didn’t mean any such thing!”

Both sides, I submit, succumb to unreason. They fall into the whirlpool of unsettled, emotionalized, irrational hysteria.

And dammit man this really makes me hot under the collar! I am so angry I am like that 45 liter pressure cooker some granny left on the stove and forgot! I tell you Phyllo I am right about to explode. And furthermore …

“What, honey? Coffee’s ready? Ok dear I’ll be right there!”

Anyway you understand where I’m coming from.

Back

Anyway you understand where I’m coming from.

No I don't.

How should reasonable, rational people interpret that quote?

And why did Trump post it?

You will have to dig up that rational person and then we can talk. That of course is a joke.

We must start from this statement: we are in an irrational, over-excited time. Do you agree? If you do agree, how then shall we go about arriving at conclusions and clarifying statements about what is actually going on, why, and what it means?

I can tell you that over-excited people in the grip of hysterical reaction cannot be counted on for cool-headed analyses. If we start from this position, or this orientation, it is possible that we might begin to make clear statements about the present.

Look, I just sprayed myself and the entire room with my Calming Aerosol® so perhaps I have an advantage over many in this forum, but what I say seems reasonable to me. (It put the cat to sleep!)

Here is a start of an answer:

People who have been steeped in the notion, the spin, that Donald Trump is a vile creature who is a 'convicted felon' (on charges that some say were obviously part of a political hit-job) will, quite naturally, and even logically, interpret the statement in the way you are interpreting it.

I suggest cool analysis from a distance.

And why did Trump post it?

That is a whole other question. He is a loose cannon. He speaks irresponsibly. He does not control enough his phrasing. Also he constantly trolls those who are constantly watching him (the media systems for example).

Shall we continue?

Another perspective to examine:

Some look upon, and think about, the fact that there was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump that came within a centimeter of succeeding as *evidence* of a concerted effort to stop him. You must understand that 50% of the population (roughly) believes that The System is out to get him. Quite literally.

The notion, then, of. Deep State that will do anything and use any means to take him out then stands in relief. We can examine this.

Now, in that context if he were to say A man that acts to save his country does not break the law, at the very least you may 1) understand the mindset that drives Trump and the people surrounding him, and 2) the sector of the populace that *supports* him even when he acts and talks loosely or irrationally.

Dubious wrote: ↑Fri Mar 07, 2025 9:06 am

Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Fri Mar 07, 2025 6:19 am
If it's "well-known," you should be able to produce the evidence. But I'm still not seeing any.

As mentioned, that was already a forgone conclusion.

That you would be unable to produce any evidence? I held out hope that maybe you might. I was "looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks," as the old lyric says.

TDS it is.

Note to the forum

Because I have increased 16.8% in sheer wonderfulness over the last week I have earned the right to use larger letters than the rest of you.

Please, keep using the standard size and accept that I obviously deserve a larger footprint.

Thank you for your understanding.

speaks irresponsibly ... constantly trolls...

not constantly but enough...

enough for what?

should make you think

-Imp

This is sort of directed to Dubious, one of the most irrational hot-heads who burps up undigested, sloppy *opinions* which are thoroughly corrupt at a rhetorical and ideational level (as goes without saying really).

The quote is from a today's NYT's article. The reason I mention Aaron Renn and his view on how the view of Christians has morphed over a relatively short time, is to indicate that I think Dubious not only suffers under TDS but has a really large problem with this dreaded, frightful thing known as *Christianity*. So, because I support IC in some ways, and even though I have strong disagreements in other areas, this does not matter to irrational, possessed Dubious! And therefore I make reference to irrational hysteria!

It infects our present and it infects those who write on this forum. And I simply call attention to it. Take it in whatever way you choose to.

Mr. Renn’s schema is straightforward. Modern American history, he argues, can be divided into three epochs when it comes to the status of Christianity. In “positive world,” between 1964 and 1994, being a Christian in America generally enhanced one’s social status. It was a good thing to be known as a churchgoer, and “Christian moral norms” were the basic norms of the broader American culture. Then, in “neutral world,” which lasted roughly until 2014 — Mr. Renn acknowledges the dates are imprecise — Christianity no longer had a privileged status, but it was seen as one of many valid options in a pluralist public square.

About a decade ago, around the time that the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges made same-sex marriage legal nationwide, Mr. Renn says the United States became “negative world." Being a Christian, especially in high-status domains, is a social negative, he argues, and holding to traditional Christian moral views, particularly related to sex and gender, is seen as “a threat to the public good and new public moral order.”

We must start from this statement: we are in an irrational, over-excited time.

There are rational and irrational people. There is no irrational time.

I suggest cool analysis from a distance.

Okay, go ahead.

And why did Trump post it?

That is a whole other question. He is a loose cannon. He speaks irresponsibly. He does not control enough his phrasing. Also he constantly trolls those who are constantly watching him (the media systems for example).

A damning analysis.

It is extremely dangerous for the president of the United State not to communicate clearly and consistently.

See Phyllo, what you seek is someone to fight with so you can vent all your frustrations and fears.

And when you do this you make a calm, rational conversation IMPOSSIBLE.

And then this becomes a ridiculous game of team sport where one binary faction, in hot-headed manner, battles the other faction.

Get a grip man!

Alexis Jacobi wrote: ↑Fri Mar 07, 2025 3:54 pm Get a grip man!

Not possible while RED MAN DEFIANT's hot American piss is tricklin' down his face to mix with his own salty Brit tears.

He might feel better if he were walkin' the walk instead of just talkin' the talk: he should go fight Russkies in Ukraine.

Alexis Jacobi wrote: ↑Fri Mar 07, 2025 3:14 pm Note to the forum

Because I have increased 16.8% in sheer wonderfulness over the last week I have earned the right to use larger letters than the rest of you.

Please, keep using the standard size and accept that I obviously deserve a larger footprint.

Thank you for your understanding.

I laugh at your puny footprint!!!

Ha...Ha...
Ha!!!
_______