Lefty despair

[Peter K.]

>>Why are so many LBO-talkers obsessed with finding fault with "the
>>left"?  If leftists themselves don't like "the left," why should
>>anyone else?  Self-flagellation and self-deprecation are
>>unattractive.  It makes sense to flog "the left" ritually once we
>>cease to consider ourselves leftists, but, otherwise, it's
>>self-defeating.  Suppose we are interested in winning friends and
>>influencing people, as everyone here says we should be; then it makes
>>sense to stop saying that "the left sucks," which is like a salesman
>>saying, "Never buy this product -- I won't use it myself."
>>- --
>>Yoshie
>
>Self-deprecation is a hell of a lot more attractive to me than
>self-righteousness.  Someone genuinely trying to figure something out is more
>attractive to me than someone who appears to have all the answers (and
>apparently was born with them.)  I'll cop to this: When I'm less sure, I'm
>more dogmatic.  Enybody else wanna cop-out? (as Etheridge Knight says.)
>
>Jenny Brown

I agree and I'll cop-out too. As to Yoshie's points, sometimes the truth
sucks and conversely I wish salesmen would be a little more honest,
but I won't hold my breath on that one.

Self-righteousness can be fine if you agree with the person, but when
you don't, ugh. Carrol's tone sometimes reminds me of a George Will or
a William Bennett.

Peter