Compendium Of Best Pax Posts On "Too Pure Principles," Perfectionism, And The Collapse Of Conservatism Into "Know-Nothing" Christian Nationalism

 

Alan: With the dependability of tides, Too Pure Principles bedazzle "conservatives," seducing them to believe in rarefied "ideals" that by nature cannot be realized.

Tragically, this sequence of events does not end in mere failure. 

Yes, ideals are useful, even necessary beacons. But they emit such blinding light that it becomes impossible for devotees to conceive compromise as necessary for the achievement of every Real Good, however limited that good may be.

Voltaire observed that "perfection is enemy of the good." 

By trying to be like "the angels" (something we humans are not) we first deny, then lose, our common humanity -- and through idealized self-segregation of "The Chosen," coupled with self-righteous condemnation of "The Damned" -- we fall lower than predatory beasts. 

ISIS and The Inquisition exemplify this abyssal Fall, a bottomless collapse in the name of principles so pure that "true believers" routinely ascribe them to The One and Only God who -- mirabile dictu! -- happens to be their God.

Blaise Pascal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal

"The terrible thing about our time is precisely the ease with which theories can be put into practice.  The more perfect, the more idealistic the theories, the more dreadful is their realization.  We are at last beginning to rediscover what perhaps men knew better in very ancient times, in primitive times before utopias were thought of: that liberty is bound up with imperfection, and that limitations, imperfections, errors are not only unavoidable but also salutary. The best is not the ideal.  Where what is theoretically best is imposed on everyone as the norm, then there is no longer any room even to be good.  The best, imposed as a norm, becomes evil.”  

"Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander,” by Trappist monk, Father Thomas Merton

"The profoundest truths are paradoxical."

Laozi (Lao Tze)

"You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image 

when it turns out God hates all the same people you do."
Tom Weston S. J.

http://davincidilemma.com/2012/06/how-your-perfectionism-affects-others/

Religion and Perfectionism

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/11/religion-and-perfectionism.html

"Are Republicans Insane?"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/10/are-republicans-insane.html

The Psychiatric Diagnosis Of American Conservatives: Folie à Plusieurs

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-psychiatric-diagnosis-of-american.html

"American Conservatives And Oppositional-Defiant Disorder"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/09/arrested-development-american.html

"The Republican Party Is A Satanic Cult"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-republican-party-is-satanic-cult.html

"Do Republicans Do Anything But Piss, Moan, Bitch, Whine?"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/11/do-republicans-only-piss-moan-whine.html

"The Party of Personal Responsibility" Is "The Party Of Personal Irresponsibility"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-party-of-personal-responsibility-is.html

Republican Rule And Economic Catastrophe, A Lockstep Relationship

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/05/republican-rule-and-economic.html

"Conservatives Scare More Easily Than Liberals"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/07/conservatives-scare-more-easily-than.html

Bill Maher: The Zombie Life Cycle Of Republican Lies. They Never - Ever - Die

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/07/bill-maher-zombie-life-cycle-of.html

How the death of epistemology validates rhetorical vapidity:

1. The Guardian: "John Oliver's Viral Video Is The Best Climate Change Debate You'll Ever See"
   
   1. http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-guardian-john-olivers-viral-video.html

Stewart, Colbert, Oliver Probe The Spectacular Idiocy Of Climate Change Deniers

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/12/jon-stewart-probes-spectacular-idiocy.html

The Cornerstone Of American Idiocracy

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-cornerstone-of-american-idiocracy.html

"The Reign of Morons Is Here," Charles P. Pierce, The Atlantic

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-reign-of-morons-is-here-atlantic.html

Zillionaire Nick Hanauer: Stock Buybacks Are Destroying The U.S. Economy

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/02/zillionaire-nick-hanaurer-stock.html

Zillionaire, Nick Hanauer, A Former Free Marketeer Calls For Radical Wealth Redistribution

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/02/zillionaire-nick-hanauer-calls-for.html

"The Pitchforks Are Coming For Us Billionaires"

Amazon Financier, Nick Hanauer

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us.html

"The Death of Epistemology"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/09/are-polls-skewed-death-of-epistemology.html

"People Who Watch Only Fox News 

Know Less Than People Who Watch No News"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/07/watching-only-fox-news-makes-you-less.html

"A Southerner Explains Tea Party Radicalism: The Civil War Is Not Over"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-southerner-explains-tea-party.html

"Republicans For Revolution," A Study In Anarchic Apocalypticism

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/10/republicans-for-revolution-study-in.html

"Bank On It: The South Is Always Wrong"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/07/bank-on-it-south-is-always-wrong.html

"Red State Moocher Links"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/07/red-state-moocher-links.html

"Why The Bible Belt Is Its Own Worst Enemy"

1. http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/10/why-bible-belt-is-christianitys-enemy.html

Republican Party Is "Full Of Racists," Colin Powell's Chief Of Staff

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/10/republican-party-is-full-of-racists.html

George McGovern: "The Case For Liberalism, A Defense Of The Future Against The Past"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/01/george-mcgovern-case-for-liberalism.html

Conservative Norm Ornstein: The Media Ignore Republican Lunacy

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/11/conservative-norm-ornstein-media-ignore.html

"Let's Just Say It. The Republicans Are The Problem"

Conservative Norm Ornstein and Liberal Thomas Mann

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/05/lets-just-say-it-republicans-are.html

"Just How Far Out Is The Republican Fringe?" Norm Ornstein (And Is It The Fringe?)

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/07/just-how-far-out-is-republican-fringe.html

"It's Even Worse Than It Looks"

Conservative Norm Ornstein and Liberal Thomas Mann

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/05/conservative-think-tanker-says.html

"When Extremism Goes Mainstream"

Conservative Norm Ornstein

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/07/just-how-far-out-is-republican-fringe.html

"The Real Death Panels," Conservative Norm Ornstein

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-real-death-panels-conservative.html

Jindal Criticizes The Stupid Party: "Simply protects the rich so they get to keep their toys"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/11/bobby-jindal-criticizes-party-that.html

Bobby Jindal's Healthcare Plan: What Republicans ALWAYS Get Wrong
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/02/gov-bobby-jindals-health-care-plan-what.html

"Bush's Toxic Legacy In Iraq"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/06/bushs-toxic-legacy-in-iraq.html

"Terrorism And The Other Religions"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/04/terrorism-and-other-religions-juan-cole.html

Major General Smedley Butler: Do Wars Really Defend America’s Freedom?

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/11/do-wars-really-defend-americas-freedom.html

"American Theocracy," By Kevin Phillips

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/07/american-theocracy-by-kevin-phillips.html

"Politics And Economics: The 101 Courses You Wish You Had"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/01/politics-and-economics-101-curricula.html

"Plutocracy Triumphant"

Cartoon Compendium

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/05/plutocracy-triumphant.html

"The Rich Aren't Just Grabbing A Bigger Slice Of The Pie. They're Taking It All"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-rich-arent-just-grabbing-bigger.html

Zillionaire Nick Hanauer: Stock Buybacks Are Destroying The U.S. Economy

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/02/zillionaire-nick-hanaurer-stock.html

Zillionaire, Nick Hanauer, A Former Free Marketeer Calls For Radical Wealth Redistribution

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/02/zillionaire-nick-hanauer-calls-for.html

"The Pitchforks Are Coming For Us Billionaires"

Amazon Financier, Nick Hanauer

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us.html

Taibbi: The $9 Billion Whistel Blower At JPMorgan-Chase.

Financial Thuggery At The Top

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/11/taibbi-9-billion-whistle-blower-at.html

George Soros: On The Coming Class War In The United States

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/02/george-soros-on-coming-us-class-war.html

Major General Smedley Butler: Do Wars Really Defend America’s Freedom?

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/11/do-wars-really-defend-americas-freedom.html

G.K. Chesterton: "The Anarchy of The Rich"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/10/gk-chesterton-anarchy-of-rich.html

G.K. Chesterton and Warren Buffett's Class War

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/01/gk-chesterton-and-warren-buffetts-class.html

Chesterton Viewed The Rich As "Oppressive" "Scum" And Failures

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/09/chesterton-considered-rich-oppressive.html

"War, Peace And Political Manipulation: Quotations"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2011/10/war-peace-and-political-manipulation.html

"Pope Francis Links"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/11/pope-francis-links.html

Colombian-Born New York State Supreme Court Justice, Juan Merchan, Upholds Trump's 34 Felony Convictions

 

Friends,

This is our last chance to demonstrate what Buddhism calls "Right Action." 

What does Right Action require?

You can, of course, devise your own way to support Judge Merchan -- a courageous man who has knowingly put his life at risk.

Or, you mightexpress your support by forwarding this email to people in your directory.

But to be clearheaded, let's not forget that it has been a long time since the United States was "the land of the free" or "the home of the brave." 

We have become "the land of the servile" and "the home of stuffed, pleasure-seeking consumers."

We are a nation in which our insatiable quest for purchasable pleasures is finishing a hostile takeover of the domain where joy, by nature, used to reside - a nation now compelled to fill its ever-growing spiritual hole by trying to fill it with "stuff, more stuff and where am I going to store the stuff. And Why TF do I need this stuff in the first place?"

Good luck.

Despite the evident difficulties, what I would ask you to consider -- just in case you'd like "a readily available activism template" -- is no more difficult than pushing a button on your television remote.

But, first... 

Where do you stand?

Do you even know where you stand?

Will you tacitly "sign off" on letting the traitor go?

Or, will you do something to make The Law effective, rather than letting it remain a plopped-out lumpen mass of high-falutin' jurisprudence which, a fin de cuentas, distills to patriotic posing -- a body of rules and regulations that routinely condemn the little guy -- even if he didn't do anything... or worse, killing him during an addlepated police pullover, or some other cop-created altercation.

"The Deadly Oppression Of Black People: Best Pax Posts" - Introduced By Jon Stewart

https://newsfrombarbaria.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-deadly-oppression-of-black-people.html

Video Of Trump Mocking Murder Victim For Crying Out, "I Can't Breathe"

https://newsfrombarbaria.blogspot.com/2020/08/video-of-trump-mocking-murder-victim.html

A Lesson From Europe: How American Police Should Handle "Pullovers"

https://newsfrombarbaria.blogspot.com/2021/04/a-lesson-from-europe-how-american-cops.html

As a percentage of population, Uncle Sam keeps more people locked behind bars than any country in the history world.

As currently enforced, the law's chief purpose is to provide loopholes for the ultra-wealthy to "walk," no matter what.

We are in a pitiable state. 

And it is perfectly understandable -- inevitable, really -- that we have ended up here... exactly as Mario Cuomo appraised "the most violent society in the history of the world."

We pretend it's "the goddamn Islamics."

But no.

Islamics are among the most peaceful people on earth

"Terrorism And The Other Religions," Juan Cole

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/04/terrorism-and-other-religions-juan-cole.html

I cannot understand why my countrymen -- including most of my family and friends -- have sided with the same group of uncaring people whom Trump has ordered to "stand back and stand by."

Our ennui - verging paralysis - seems to be the weird end-state for a nation that previously prided itself on optimism and boundless energy - on ingenuity and sticktoitiveness.

Or, maybe we ignored the prophecy that "the first will be last," and now -- to our wondering eyes, what should appear -- but drear, fear and sudden, encompassing blear.

Nobody -- but NOBODY! -- wants to take this bull by the horns.

And yet, with a bit of enthusiasm -- and anything like a national discussion urging Judge Merchan to issue Trump a real sentence... with real consequences (and a full load of well-deserved opprobrium) -- holding the MOFO to account would be rather easy, had we not lost hope, which was Malignant Messiah's game-plan from the get-go.

As things stand, we seem to have given up even before battle is engaged.

Trump Is Hoping For One More Victory, And Time Is Running Out Quickly On Our Last Chance To Stand For The Rule Of Law... Do We Want Trump To Go Scot-Free? Currently, New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan Has Opportunity -- Even A Mandate -- To Sentence Trump For Up To 100 Years Behind Bars

https://newsfrombarbaria.blogspot.com/2024/11/time-is-quickly-running-out-on-our-last.html

"Only little people pay taxes."

The 1%: Smart Enough To Know You're Stupid Enough...

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-1-smart-enough-to-know-youre-stupid.html

What the pigs don't "get"...

Well... 

Everybody "gets it" except the pigs... and these people:

I am tempted to draw a distasteful parallel.

"All I Have To Do Is Dream"

[Intro]
Dream, dream, dream, dream
Dream, dream, dream, dream

[Verse 1]
When I want you in my arms
When I want you and all your charms
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
Dream, dream

[Verse 2]
When I feel blue in the night
And I ne\ed you to hold me tight
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
Dream -----

[Chorus]
I  can  make  you  mine, taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only   trouble is, gee whiz
I'm dreamin' my life away---

[Verse 3]
I need you so that I could die
I love you so,,, and that is why
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
Dream, dream, dream, dream
Dre\\//am---

[Chorus]
I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only trouble is, gee whiz
I'm dreamin' my life away

[Verse 3]
I need you so that I could die
I love you so,,, and that is why
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
Dream, dream, dream, dream
Dream, dream, dream, dream

Dream, dream, dream, dream   dreeeeam