The Role of Ridicule in Society

I think ordinary people worldwide are engaged in a struggle to free themselves from a parasite: the financiers at the top of the military, industrial, academic, medical complex.

9-11 was a turning point because it was so in-your-face that it started a healthy waking-up process that is ongoing. By waking up I mean that it has become apparent that deception has been a major tool in placing those financiers in control of the rest of us at the top of a pyramid.

But there are many minions who go along to get along with those at the top. In order to be a successful minion one has to engage in various types of game-playing in order to make things seem ethical and appropriate.

I think the most common tactic is the fallacy of reason called ridicule. It's rampant. Because it works to shut people up, people use it with impunity.

But what kind of world are these minions handing down to their children and grandchildren? We're supposed to do something to make this a better world in my opinion.

I think the least we can do is be aware of that knee-jerk reaction ridicule and try to not engage in it.

I spent alot of time over the years working in red neck watering holes...
the improper use of ridicule in that environment usually leads to the hospital or jail

reply to post by Danbones


Well, I guess there are the virtues of restraint and compassion to consider, too.

I started this thread out of discouragement for how long it takes to make progress in public affairs issues.

It seems that people shoot themselves in the foot. By people I mean people not at the top of the pyramid. We're not free. But we help keep ourselves not free with our own actions.

Ephesians 6:12

New International Version (NIV)


12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

reply to post by Mary Rose


Nothing is what it seems. A helping hand is a stab in the back, and some good words are a poisoned Arrow shot at your heart.

reply to post by Mary Rose


as a writer one must aknowledge ridicule as literary technique I think...
that said I find ridicule is often used to deflect from a factless position in a debate:
it shows the person knows they are factless if thats all they can put on the table

also ridiculing a ridiculer and slapping some facts down on the table is kinda fun:
to write and to read if its well done

Danbones
also ridiculing a ridiculer and slapping some facts down on the table is kinda fun:
to write and to read if its well done

I think you're right but those aren't our finest hours.

We all engage in sniping and bickering but in the end we get back what we dish out.

Sometimes humility is beneficial. It forces a person to examine their train of thought and understand society. The problem seems to be that a minority of people are using this humility to squash the rest in the world. Keeping their thumbs held down on the majority. If these people had good intentions it wouldn't be bad, but their desire for wealth and power is what is of most interest to them.

As we know ridicule to mean the following:

rid·i·cule
[rid-i-kyool]
noun
1.
speech or action intended to cause contemptuous laughter at a person or thing; derision.
verb (used with object), rid·i·culed, rid·i·cul·ing.
2.
to deride; make fun of.

The role of ridicule in society should therefore be reserved for particular subject matters that have been proven false by the scientific method. If the ridiculing in question benefits society in terms of peace, love, and liberty than it is justified and warranted. For example, ridiculing certain security agencies for known mass violations of our right to privacy should be condoned and encouraged. If ridicule is merely used to smear a person that has uncomfortable ideas that go against the grain of conventional thought without the use of sound logic, it would therefore be detrimental to society in terms of free speech protections. Of course there are a plethora of broader circumstances we should consider also but this is the most simple way it can be explained at this time of the morning.

keenobservernet
The role of ridicule in society should therefore be reserved for particular subject matters that have been proven false by the scientific method.

There is no such thing.

There is the question of interpretation. There is the question of unethical behavior of researchers in their publications. There is the question of new experimentation.

Ridicule is a fallacy of reason no matter what the topic is or who is engaging in it.

reply to post by Mary Rose


People don't like it when others disagree with them because it threatens their confidence. It's like being told you have to go through school all over again. It destroys your confidence and also makes you sigh because it's a lot of work to start over. Society is the same way. People latch onto the common agreements in society and don't like if something or someone disagrees.

Agreement is like solid ground. Disagreement is like quicksand.

I myself am very opinionated. Being told I'm wrong about something is like being stabbed in my mind and bleeding painful thoughts. I don't like to contemplate all the work and all the sureness I had or have about my previous position. SO the tendency for me is to explain away what someone says or to file it away in the back of my mind. It's a long and tortuous ordeal to finding the right path.

reply to post by jonnywhite


I think we all struggle with challenges to our worldview. Every single one of us.

Ridicule is a way to hit back, but it's a cheap shot.

It's worth the effort, I think, to work on eliminating it.

Mary Rose
reply to post by jonnywhite

 

I think we all struggle with challenges to our worldview. Every single one of us.

Ridicule is a way to hit back, but it's a cheap shot.

It's worth the effort, I think, to work on eliminating it.

Are you an idiot? No way in hell it's going to be eliminated.
Politics and religion would cease to have any meaning with out the vitriol
and snipping at opponents. I was told and ridiculed by the MODs to "grow a thicker skin"
when I complained about the insults, ridicule and "people like you" comments. Perhaps you
could benefit from their advice as well!!

Just having a little fun here Mary Rose....I agree with you completely!!!

reply to post by olaru12


That was close!

Yeah I've noticed the use of diversionary responses, too. Leaves the problem hanging there with no remedy.