[lbo-talk] Trash [was: Celebrity and false idols]

Wojtek Sokolowski wsokol52 at yahoo.com
Sun Dec 11 08:30:19 PST 2005


--- Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
> So by your own admission you're adding to the
> quantity of trash?

What is the definition of trash? Is it

(a) tabloid-style chat on the subject of sex,celebrities, and "human interest" stories?

(b) ad hominems hurled at interlocutors?

(c) opinions that most interlocutors find false, objectionable, or offensive?

(d) opinion that most interlocutors accept for their face value without questionning their validity?

My pick is (d), because it is most damaging to the quality of public discourse - (a) is harmless passtime that no reasonable people will confuse with a serious debate; (b) may be offensive, but again most reasonable people will not confuse it with a serious debate; (c) may be offensive, but it may also lead to a serious debate (or may not). By contrast (d) lulls people into thinking that they have all the answers, and stop thinking critically, which is where the reason ends and religion takes over.

Wojtek _______________________ DISCLAIMER: Opinions posted by this writer to this forum are solely forms of literary criticism exercised as the First Amendment right, and do not necessarily reflect the author's views or attitudes toward real-life people, including other writers posting to this forum, groups of people, institutions, or events to which the critiqued texts may refer, either explicitly or implicitly. Any statement asserting or implying such views or attitudes on the basis of this writer's opinions posted to this forum is thus unfounded, and may be libelous. ________________________

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