patrick.net

Patrick says

Earlier this year, I noticed something in China that really surprised me. I realized I felt more comfortable discussing controversial ideas in Beijing than in San Francisco. I didn’t feel completely comfortable—this was China, after all—just more comfortable than at home.

That showed me just how bad things have become, and how much things have changed since I first got started here in 2005.

It seems easier to accidentally speak heresies in San Francisco every year. Debating a controversial idea, even if you 95% agree with the consensus side, seems ill-advised.

This will be very bad for startups in the Bay Area.

A communist country now has more freedom of speech than SanFrancisco, the most liberal city in a democracy. I'm also willing to bet the Chinese can draw all the Mohammad cartoons they want without fear.
We are fucked up.

A few SJWs and IHLs will fix China.

Haven't you seen Marco Polo on Netflix? The Chinese will listen very politely and agreeably to whatever you say, up the point that you are rubbing them the wrong way, and then they just shoot an arrow into your chest.

yeah, this is what I'm seeing too. At the long table in the Starbucks where I go, these young mid-twentyish Russians with two little girls came and imposed themselves on top of another guy, who like me, comes in here to study and read. Anyway, one of their girls threw out a bag of popcorn all over the table, and started screaming at the top of her lungs and drumming HARD on the table (two feet from my laptop and me). I slapped the table three times hard right in front of her and sternly said "SHUT UP". (she did, her mouth fell open with amazement, though) Her father immediately balled his fists and came and stood over me and made menacing faces, but I just ignored him. They got in a big huff and left, leaving me and the other student to clean up the table. Most of these Russians are fanatical religious Slavic Baptists or Ukrainian Penacostalist "anti-Communists" (yeah, the same ones that formed the Einsatzgruppen militia who helped the Germans carry out the initial large killings of the Holocaust in the East) and they are incredibly self-centered, unassimilated, rude, pushy, and arrogant. They are also racist, although, OF COURSE, if one criticizes THEM, then THAT is racist (and worse, I guess). My Russian ex-boss told me that his brother-in-law and three thug friends beat an Arab and stole $5 from him (he looked at them disrespectfully) and did prison time, then were deported back to Russia. They hate black people too, I've heard Russians and Ukranians talking about this at work three or four times. Things like this occur commonly now.

On 12/16/2017 05:05 AM, D wrote:
>
> This is interesting. I felt the same as you. However, many foreigners believe they have much more freedom here. I think it is because they are outside the normal "unspoken" systems of control.
>
> In a similar vein to what you are saying, I was invigilating an exam the other day and had a student ask a question. Rather than give the answer directly, I attempted to put the word in question (they were asking whether France was a developed country), into context. I asked if they had learned about underdeveloped and developing countries in class. And how Canada was considered a developed country. They cut me off and said "goodbye" I looked at them in a weird way, and they got upset with me and suggested that my approach was treating them like they didn't know anything (or something along those lines). I don't know. Never had this one before. I was also in superstore the other day (like target, I guess, but more focused on food), and pushing the cart along in conversation with Ae, when some woman ran out right in front of us (from a smaller side-aisle) but stopped just before getting run over by us and said sorry. A. and I continued our conversation, but I stopped and she walked around us. As she went by she called me an asshole. I have no idea why, because we didn't stop and tell her "it was OK" or some such shit? Anyway, two weird incidents within a couple of days. I must be becoming an asshole. Maybe Christmas brings out my good side.

Liberalism
www.youtube.com/embed/Y69tkCbeC5o

anonymous says

Political correctness is bad for America. This is an idiotic point of view, often put forth by idiots

This is an idiotic statement put forth by an entitled idiot who is merely justifying his job to other idiots. The OP is correct: smart people can’t stand political correctness because it’s EXACTLY EQUIVALENT TO RELIGIOUS DOGMA! And intelligent people can’t deal with “truth by proclamation” which is TABOO to debate.

Anyone asserting that this is best for society is also an idiot.

Don’t be an idiot.

Quigley says

Don’t be an idiot.

Really? As if I don't have enough obstacles in my life.

anonymous says

Even the Galileo reference is misplaced. As we now know, Galileo’s ideas started the scientific revolution. He was hardly silenced.

What? He was required to retract his ideas, put under house arrest for the rest of his life, and publication of his works was banned. He was indeed silenced. The fact that his ideas later proved to be correct in the face of this silencing is why his case is famous.

anonymous says

One of the best ways to kill an idea from someone who rarely if ever offers an input is for one of the loud mouths in a group setting to state "that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard" without taking the time to even consider the merits that may lie within regardless of how absurd the idea may seem at first glance.

Exactly and that is classic leftism. You have ideas set in stone and anyone who opposes is a hateful bigot who has to be destroyed.No logic, debate can enter the leftoid mindset.

anonymous says

If you doubt what I have written concerning killing ideas, you have not spent enough time in meetings only to see those "stupid ideas" surface again down the road with someone else's name attached.

That is a different topic. This is about shutting down free speech under threat of physical violence, hate, losing your job-which in today's world is exclusive to the left. That to me is very dangerous and very indicative of leftist authoritarian regimes across the globe.

anonymous says

Losing your job because you can't or won't control the stupid coming out of your mouth is overdue.

And by “stupid” you clearly mean “not PC” ideas that aren’t favored by leftists. This is the very definition of not only censorship, but authoritarianism and intolerance. In an earlier post you said this:
anonymous says

Diversity is more than sex and skin color

If you truly meant it, you’d realize that the only diversity that truly matters is diversity of thought and ideas. Any time you use either the government or mob rule to shut down ideas you don’t care for, you’re quashing many more ideas that people no longer feel comfortable enough to share. Well-meaning kind people might have perfectly great ideas, but are afraid of being witch hunted by Leftist SJWs if they share them with the group.

Don’t be that guy.

Merry Christmas!

anonymous says

I am however enlightened to learn that only leftist regimes across the globe are the primary movers and shakers when is comes to shutting down dissent in any of it's many forms.

Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot-they all start with the same ideas of the current left. Like you said same idea, different people. FBI was sued to spy ona Presidential campaign by using a dossier paid by Hilalry and DNC. Typical propaganda.

The only question is will Americans follow the path of Stalin, Pol Pot, Hitler et al or escape and continue to be a free country.
Look at the death threats against Ajith Pai. The violence against Milo or AnnCoulter .Scary times we live in.

lostand confused says

Exactly and that is classic leftism. You have ideas set in stone and anyone who opposes is a hateful bigot who has to be destroyed.No logic, debate can enter the leftoid mindset.

Nope--there are people on both sides of the aisle that are intolerant of new ideas. I find it more prevalent with conservatives, but there are definitely folks on both sides.

anon_8f378 says

I find it more prevalent with conservatives, but there are definitely folks on both sides.

Nope, conservatives ar enot the one rioting on the streets to shut down speech they don't like. Conservatives are not the ones violently suppressing free speech when people try to attend the rally of a Presidential candidate. Conservatives are not the one bruising and bloodying people on the streets because they attend a Presidential rally.

Sad. The leftoids have destroyed innovation in the US. Maybe Logan can be the beacon of hope ;)

anonymous says

As far as China being a freer environment...Surveillance cams, face scans help China make thousands vanish

I'm beginning to like communism.

lostand confused says

Nope, conservatives ar enot the one rioting on the streets to shut down speech they don't like. Conservatives are not the ones violently suppressing free speech when people try to attend the rally of a Presidential candidate. Conservatives are not the one bruising and bloodying people on the streets because they attend a Presidential rally.

Conservatives are the ones giving death threats to evangelical authors who dare express an anti-Trump opinion.