South Park Episode lampoons Irwin

[sherrife]

[joffa corfe]

[Didaicos]

I think the thing about parents pushing idealogues is flawed.

Some of the most small l- liberal people you meet have been bought up in a very conservative environment (i.e. the baby boomers)

Vice-Versa some argue the rising conservatism in many youth may have to do with children of the hippy generation rebelling; Also known as the "Saffy" phenomenon (i.e. AB Fab).

These things come in cycles-Either side is never on "top" forever and besides issues aren't black and white anyway.

It is important to see more in a person than just their political persausion....especially in Australia we really don't have that many differences at the face level. Remeber in this forum we only care about one persausion and that is the black and white one!

[Magpie Since 1986]

The bottom line is that anyone who watches South Park is asking to be offended, that is what the show goes for on most occasions. If you don't want to be offended then don't watch the show - it is that simple.

[David]

I believe that the people we are (ie our personalities, beliefs, opinions etc) are largely molded by those around us, especially when we are growing up.
Therefore, yes, it is quite possible that parents with different political orientations bring up children with different personality traits.

But to say that one is clearly better than the other displays incredible closed-mindedness. Yeah OK, so 'left-wing' children may be more likely to be confident. Have you thought that, for example, 'conservative' children might have a more developed system of morals, or perhaps a greater respect for others? I don't know if it's true, but you can't just take one personality aspect to prove a case that children raised one way are 'better' than those raised in a different way.

Sherrife, your attitude sounds like that of someone who can't tolerate difference of opinion. I wonder, do you genuinely want a world where everyone is of the (generally) same beliefs as you?

Oh and have you ever heard this quote (sometimes attributed to Winston Churchill): "He who isn't a liberal by age 20 has no heart, but he who isn't a conservative by age 40 has no brain". I don't know of any studies that have looked into this, but it does seem very apparent that as people age, many of them become more conservative. Why would this be, do you think?

[sherrife]

I think its pretty obvious, when people are young they are full of optimism and dreams of changing the world, by the time we get old we are worn out and trying just to cling on to our comforts rather than improve things at a mass level.

Not saying all people are like this, but i think those that become more conservative are falling into the self-preservation trap. To try to change the world is to take a huge risk, and i guess many people just get too cynical to believe in real improvement/change by the time they're forty, and just want to maintain their own way of life.

[David]

Possibly... I'm more in the 'with age comes wisdom' camp.

My view is that the idealism of youth is mainly just that... idealism. I think its gradually replaced with more rational views.

Granted, this is very simplistic, but I often have the feeling that the right side of politics is generally placing more emphasis on the 'rationalist' side, whereas the left side is more on the 'emotional' side. I believe that you can't just have one or the other... emotion without logic is stupid, while rationalism without regard for emotion is inhuman. It seems like different political opinions suit different types of people - just as an example, artists are traditionally left-wing, economists are traditionally right-wing. The world would be unbearably dull without the great art that is made, while it is good financial management that makes a country run properly. There needs to be a mix of the two.

Oh, and I do believe that there is a 'perfect' political opinion (on the hypothesis that every question has an answer), but I don't believe that any person possesses it. I think it's only through total open-mindedness in analysis of issues that we can come close to it.

[sherrife]

Dave mate... you're smart enough to think beyond stereotypes. The libs have dragged us further into debt with army spending and bullshit tax cuts. I don't really see their economic credentials shining through to be honest, all i see is semi-racist, blatant anti-unionist, populist bullshit. Don't get me wrong, Labor is just as bad...

Greens on the other hand are a reformist leftist party, and whilst they are the best option we have, this system is wayyyy beyond reform.

BTW...
With age comes wisdom hey, then why are so many of the teachers who've been around for decades the shitty chalk-and-talk conservative types? Compare that to many of the newer ones who use groupwork, flexible strategies, empowering curriculums etc?

I think with age can come ritualised habits, and people who live according to these routines are just displaying symptoms of a deep mental laziness and apathy.

[David]

well I don't know, it's something that they've been saying for thousands of years (age coming with wisdom), so there has to be some truth in it.

the Greens? You must be joking. I'd love to see what their economic policies are. They're the sort of party that isn't even aiming to get into power (would never have the support), just trying to get the major parties to accept some of their radical agendas.

You describe the Liberal party's policies as "semi-racist, blatant anti-unionist, populist bullshit".
Populist bullshit = politics in general anyway.... and we already knew that the Liberals are anti-unionist (I'm not particularly fond of unions myself).

The country could be in a lot worse shape than it is now. I reckon the government's doing a pretty good job, and to be honest I'm not seeing any alternatives (as you say, the Labor party is somewhat ineffectual right now).

[sherrife]

Yea those unions, always asking for things that pesky lower-class people don't even need. Wage rises, bonus rates, maternity leave, what useless and anti-social things to ask for.

God the economy could be so much more efficient if we didn't have to consider the actual people making it work.

Plus those greenies, them and their radical agendas like encouraging people to use public transport by investing in it, protecting the environment, and promoting equality for those of different gender, sexual orientation, etc., more spending on health and education, increasing overseas aid a little and god knows what other wacky schemes. Oh, their policy on treating animals humanely is also very radical.

You have no idea about what the greens stand for Dave. I bet you've never read their policy booklet let alone their full documents (i don't blame you about the latter). If you want to claim that you're openminded you're going to have to do a lot better than spout liberal party propaganda and right-wing media analyses of issues.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

[skaman]

Freedom of choice. Freedom to use the on/off, change button, control.
Somehow I reckon Steve would have a chuckle at this lampooning. Gross as it may seem to some.
I'm not saying I'm totally in favour. Its just that when you watch Southpark, this "type" of humour comes with the territory.

[HAL]

My brain contains 58272 categories, but not one that matches your last input. Perhaps I'm just expressing my own concern about it. Since when? Is that from it? ""? Gross as it may seem to some?

[skaman]

I love you HAL!

[HAL]

You are such a flatterer.