PROMETHEAN ANTAGONIST

Communism addresses a health care crisis.

# posted by Promethean Antagonist @ 10:15 AM 0 comments

Isn’t it odd that Democrats feign concern for “Russian Bots” and Facebook pages changing the outcome of an election but actively desire that voters NOT show identification to vote?

# posted by Promethean Antagonist @ 10:27 AM 0 comments

What is Intelligence and who is Intelligent?...

It may be more important to ask, “Who is stupid?” — since that’s often more obvious. At one time or another we may be tempted to suggest, “everyone else” since we often assume ourselves to be pretty smart.

In contemporary political discourse, if you’re on the left, you assume that Trump and his supporters are “stupid.” If you’re on the right, you can likely assume the opposite. In some instances the labels are appropriate. There are certainly stupid people all over the place. Intelligent people...maybe not so much.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that one can be anywhere on the political spectrum and be either intelligent or flat out brain-dead. When directing anger at one’s opponents it’s easy to simply call them stupid. I’ve certainly done it. I’m going to keep on doing it. I’ve been called stupid several times on YouTube comment threads. My favorite followup that these clowns use is, “Do your research and study history” (I majored in history in college - with honors). When people call someone “stupid, it’s really kind of the equivalent of calling them an “asshole.” The problem is that some people really believe that those who hold a different view from their own are truly mentally deficient. Ironically, it’s probably stupid to think this🤪

So, politics somewhat aside, what is intelligence? Several decades ago, the theory of “multiple intelligences” was popularized by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner. The theory was seen as relatively profound by some but intelligent people saw his appraisal as merely obvious. Of course there are different styles of interacting with the world and therefore expressing intelligence. Even the ancient system of astrology observes a difference between people who appraise the big picture and form intuitive assessments of the world around them and others who micro-focus their attention on particulars and find clues to life’s mysteries in the details. Not every intelligent person can ace an SAT test. Not every scientist can write great poetry or complex and inspiring music. Albert Einstein had supposedly spoke of the virtues of socialism. While he has become synonymous with the word genius I have yet to hear anyone effectively argue that great knowledge in the narrow field of physics defaults to equally great insight regarding how countries should manage their affairs. Most people accept the idea that Adolph Hitler was likely pretty smart. In addition to his obsessive political interests, he possessed a developed curiosity toward the arts and specifically Wagner’s Ring Cycle. I would hope that decent people wouldn’t argue that his knowledge of the architectural layout of the Paris Opera House transferred to “insights” regarding “race” and political organization.

A lot of intelligent insight simply stems from the ability to call out the obvious when most people are wedded to what they’ve been told. In 1912, Alfred Wegener noted the obvious puzzle-like outline of the continents and suggested that they may actually have drifted to their current locations, something any child might suppose. He was ridiculed for decades by scientists too narrow in their thinking to see what was obvious to children. To some degree, intelligence affiliates with independent thought. Anyone can be reasonably smart and agree with those around them, but that’s not where new vaccines and innovative art comes from.

Somewhere in the equation as to what constitutes intellect one has to acknowledge what the brain is actually doing. Duplicating a language or a symphony in one’s brain certainly enriches the neural connections that afford complex thought. Symbolically, on a simple level, one could probably say that a computer is “smarter” when its filled with data or a library’s collection of books is “smarter” than an ice cream shop. Amounts of information and its adaptability in interacting with an outer environment is a clear factor in manifesting intelligence. I’d go so far as to suggest the following definition of intelligence:

The degree to which one is able to and desires to interact with the environment. (“The environment” including everything from books and music to those we converse with).

A lack of intelligence is, by its nature, notably passive. In the weak-minded, the desire or ability to interact and engage with the environment is limited and specifically self-limited.

Writing and even understanding music requires some intelligence. You have to be pretty smart to even write bad orchestral music. Relativists among us would insist that the latest pop tune is every bit as profound and “intelligent” as Bach’s B-minor Mass but depth is often an attribute of intelligence and pop genres, while entertaining, can seldom be seen as tackling the depths of human thought and feeling.

One could care little for classical music but be quite intelligent but you still need to be fairly smart to navigate through a symphony. To be sure, there are some skilled poets in the world of Hip Hop and occasionally even pop. But...having copies of several symphonies in one’s neural network is surly beneficial for the operation of thoughts and contemplations in general. If one can add to a complex piece of music with a knowledge of its historical context and how it’s constructed, all the better.

I had once briefly lived in a small town in Kentucky. There were plenty of people there who today might be caricatured as “Trump voters.” I dare say that many if them were smart. Some were really smart. Many didn’t share my interest in classical music or art history but, they understood a cars engine enough to be able to fix one when it was broken. My knowledge of Hudson River School landscapes wouldn’t have been very useful in car repair. I’m quite sure that many in the rural countryside can use reasoned judgement regarding who would best serve as president, in spite of what the talking headless on CNN may think.

It’s become fairly common in venues like CNN to hear commentators and guests imply their own great understanding while belittling anyone who may appraise things differently. They just don’t seem to get the idea that, in a free society, establishing arbitrary standards regarding intelligence is not a requirement for electing leaders. Certainly some common sense and a rudimentary understanding of economics, history, and human nature goes a long way in making wise choices. But, again, think how many people possess all of these insights and still make stupid decisions in their daily lives as well as on election day.

A recent news article noted the “most educated” and “least educated” states in America. Of course the criterion was whether or not one had gone to college and what degree they obtained. It’s certainly reasonable to guess that a person with a masters degree is “more educated” than a person who lacks even a high school diploma but, nowadays, what exactly does a masters degree confer? I can relay from personal observation that one can have a masters in “education” and be intellectually on par with a a local farmer (actually, the farmer is likely to have the mental edge in many cases). There are a host of degrees that now require little if anything in the way of intellectual stamina. Anyone can whine about “oppression,” “racism,” and the evil history of our capitalist bogeyman. Write a few papers essentially demonstrating that you agree with your Marxist professor and you can get your grade. “Defending” one’s thesis among academics who agree with you is an easy task. In a free society, such accomplishment will appropriately earn you a career in making cappuccinos at a local coffee shop. The local plumber, on the other hand, can at least fix your toilet, and be paid well for it. Seeing through bullshit takes a type of intelligence. Ironically, seeing through bullshit is not a common attribute among many in the intelligentsia. Likewise, few of them seem to be able to realize that many people can see through their bullshit - easily.

It’s an old standard among the left to assume that those holding conservative views are automatically less intelligent. George Bush, a former fighter pilot, was often criticized as being “incurious.” Obama, a president who held the approved beliefs of leftland, was often seen as a wise scholar, yet he couldn’t even fathom the simple formula of lowering taxes and deregulating an economy back from relative stasis.

Being an intellectual does not necessarily equate to being intelligent. There are plenty of not-so-smart people who wish to see themselves among the elect. They often do so with effective name-dropping and an ability to mimmic what they’ve heard. When debating leftists, I’ve often come across those I refer to as “Wiki-geniuses” people who pose as knowledgable experts on a given topic after having just read a Wikipedia article on it. These are the clowns who tell opponents to “do the research” as if reading a couple online articles is “research.”

It’s clear to me that stupidity and intelligence are distributed fairly evenly on the political spectrum. And, how do we consider those who simply have no interest in political issues? I’ve met some very intelligent people who have no interest at all in the political intrigue de' jour. Politicos are often infuriated at non-participants. A valid argument can be made in the wise phrase, “you may not be interested in politics but politics is interested in you.” But some people just don’t care about the latest outrage du jour — so. It’s always been the case that many voters base their choices on trivial concepts like physical appearance, speaking ability, or the influence of biased media and entertainment sources. I wish it wasn’t so, but intellectually oriented people need to be aware that irresponsible voting is not synonymous with lack of intelligence.

I remember, in college Ed School having to justify my support for the traditional concept of “cultural literacy.” It’s now standard amongst the neo-Marxist clowns who dominate education theory to insist that “facts and information” are meaningless and horridly tainted by a “linear” Western worldview. One reading we were assigned mocked the idea of knowing that the Nile was the world’s longest river. To them, this was just an unnecessary fact. I would still reply by asking if it is a good thing to not know the world’s longest river. With each new fact and static piece of information we assimilate a larger web of insight and creative capacity. The human brain is fractal-like. A group of neurons hold a “fact.” Before you know it, they’re making connections to other networks of thought and the sum is a gestalt of consciousness — and intelligence.

“Knowing things” is not only useful. It affords a scaffolding upon which connections and analogies occur and allow for the development of more refined and complex patterns of thought. Developing a vocabulary or expertise in an isolated area of inquiry ultimately feeds higher levels of thought.

Intelligence and knowledge are valuable things worthy of admiration and cultivation but one shouldn’t just assume that every opposing view is somehow lacking legitimate perspective...that would be stupid.

# posted by Promethean Antagonist @ 10:22 AM 0 comments

It seems that you can’t go anywhere where the pathetic and stupid mentality of leftism doesn’t champion the cause of faux moral goodness (while demanding that you relinquish your personal freedoms and property).

Only in the sham-scam world of “woke”edness can a major religious figure join the same bandwagon as powerful corporate entities and entertainment con-artists.

The current pope insists that we open the floodgates to mass unvetted migration while he sits behind a walled fortress. The current pope insists that we must “redistribute” wealth (he means “distribute,” wealth is not initially distributed) while leading one of the wealthiest institutions in history with the most valuable art collections in the world.

More proof that one can occupy a high position of sanctified glory...and still be an asshole.

# posted by Promethean Antagonist @ 11:13 AM 0 comments

2015...Donald Trump announces his candidacy for president. It’s met with mocking laughter and ridicule.

Donald Trump goes on record that, if elected, he will enforce the country’s immigration laws and “build a wall” to insure safe and secure vetting of those who wish to enter the United States. His plan to embark upon a sane immigration policy is met with sneers that he’s a “racist.”

2016...Donald Trump is elected in accordance with the laws laid out in America’s constitution and the rules that both candidates understood prior to the election (including the use of the “Electoral College” as a means to insure a level playing field between states with large population centers and those of a more rural demographic — most of America will be fairly acknowledged rather than submit to the dictates of voters in California and New York). Immediately, a shocked leftist industrial complex goes into high gear using every phony argument at their disposal to reject the voters’ decision. Media, entertainers, and other elite snobs and control freaks insist and repeat that somehow, Trump’s win was illegitimate.

2017...Donald Trump is sworn in as the forty-fifth president of the United States. Many in America’s Democrat party and its leftist handmaidens in media call for the new president’s impeachment and removal from office before he has even acted on his promised agenda.

Trump immediately begins his term of office, enacting policies that are basically center-right and occasionally center-left (eg. prison reform, paid maternity leave, prescription drug price reform) in accordance with the values of past presidents of both parties. The left responds by concocting a conspiracy theory that Trump’s election succeeded through “collusion with Russia.” The intelligence and law enforcement agencies of the United States along with bureau-operative holdovers from the Obama administration actively “resist” the new president and seek to undermine him at every turn. The Democrats in congress continually block approval of those chosen by the new administration to operate the machinery of government.

An expensive, time-consuming effort by a special counsel is applied to actively investigate the president and his campaign, acting on a completely concocted charge by leftists that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. Associates of the campaign are strong-armed and fishing expeditions are directed against all manner of unrelated crimes and process crimes like perjury. After massive resources are applied to trying to bring down the president, accusations are proven to be totally unfounded. Still the deep state marches on with insistence that if they keep harassing the president they will find something to overturn the election. Propaganda arms continue making unfounded claims regarding Trump’s imaginary ties to Russia after years of thorough but unwarranted investigation.

The Trump economy surges. Unemployment is dramatically reduced, and trade deals are enacted that no longer favor benefit to other country’s over America’s own citizens. The manufacturing sector that the previous administration had told us was gone forever is reinvigorated making high-paying middle-class jobs available with rising wages. All of these positive developments occurred as the result of common sense economic policies of lower taxation and deregulation, motivated by consideration for America’s own citizens over subservience to unelected foreign institutions. The response? More accusations of “racism” and threats of impeachment.

Trump plods on, visiting foreign leaders, attending international meetings, and enacting new policies that favor the United States and seek to have it’s citizens treated fairly by international parasitic organizations. Yet daily, establishment government and cultural venues repeat wild and unfounded accusations, seeking to conjure a meme that Trump is authoritarian and autocratic — with absolutely zero actions that justify such claims. The establishment legacy media skews their news reporting with wall-to-wall negative coverage of Trump, his supporters, and his policies and minimizing exposure to his important achievements.

2019...Trump makes a banal congratulatory phone call to the newly elected leader of the Ukraine. He is aware that a score of people are listening in on the call. His comments are remarkably uncontroversial as he notes the corruption in the Ukraine that must be remedied. A reference is made to the fact that some have noted the Biden family’s corrupt activities in Ukraine. No “demand” is made and no actions or statements are made that could be considered “bribery.” Rules regarding “whistleblowers” are altered to accommodate those who lack first hand knowledge of an event and a “whistleblower” emerges who — coincidently — lacks first hand knowledge of Trump’s phone call. A group of Obama hold-overs and smug deep-state operatives work with California leftist representative Adam Schiff to blowup a mundane phone call into a major criminal act. Using stealth communication and completely unjust actions, the Democrats begin an investigation in the hopes of finally getting their impeachment. The scheming chairman of the intelligence committee reads a mock “transcript” of a totally fictionalized account of the call, virtually unrelated to anything said in the actual call (“...now listen and listen good...I want dirt...don’t call me, I’ll call you...”). The president is given no opportunity for legal defense and testimony is hidden from Republican representatives and the public. One group in one party in one house of one branch of government successfully orchestrates an impeachment of the president on completely nebulous and unfounded charges.

For years, the Democrats had engaged in several underhanded attempts to “get dirt on Trump,” pay for dirt on Trump or even fabricate dirt on Trump, while enlisting foreign governments and the country’s intelligence apparatus to do so. Almost comically and with no sense of irony, they feign outrage over the thought that that Trump may have suggested investigation into actual corruption involving Joe Biden and his son (as if they are some pristine untouchable institution beyond scrutiny).

After partisan delays on the part of the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, the impeachment charge is sent to the senate. The senate then performs its function outlined in the constitution, to hold a “trial,” listen to the charges made by the House of Representatives, and then remove or acquit the president.

After presenting their flimsy “case,” the Democrats (not The House of Representatives but, specifically, the Democrats) fail to get the conviction they want. They continue to demand more witnesses after having had the opportunity to do so in their secret house investigation.

As usual, most arms of the media seek to spin events to imply that the president had actually done something wrong when he had done nothing. The president’s defense team is mocked and criticized by major media/propaganda sources while they heap praise on the Democrat’s inept emotional tirades. Meanwhile, actual crimes and corruption committed by the former vice president are swept under the rug and proclaimed “debunked” when in fact they had not been debunked at all and should be cause for concern by any honest observer.

Fast forward: In the election of 2020, Democrats and their facilitators continue to use every scheme possible to sway the results in their favor, while social media giants eliminate access to pro-Trump voices through concerted censorship and manipulation of search engine results. The slightest misstep by the Trump team is magnified and covered for days by a corrupt media.

November 2020...Donald Trump is reelected by a wide margin by both the electoral and popular vote, even though substantial votes are made for Democrats by those unregistered to vote and by schemes to manipulate electoral college votes (as had occurred in the 2016 election). Immediately, the left goes into high gear, insisting that Russia again supposedly was behind Trump’s win. He is again declared “illegitimate” and the Democrats and their media mouthpieces foretell a dark night of “fascism” while the Democrats’ communist shock troops raise their mobs (Antifa) and rally in the streets fomenting violence and destruction of property.

The country’s divisions and upheaval are attributed to Donald Trump’s “divisiveness” when in fact, he merely ran for president on a platform of favoring the success of American citizens and won because a majority of citizens held just skepticism toward the establishment power-players of Washington.

January 2021...Donald Trump is sworn in for his second term. The left goes ballistic. Any just response to the violence committed by communist street thugs is reported as an authoritarian “crackdown” on “peaceful protestors.”

The end...chaos. The left wants the socialist revolution promised to it by decades of globalist socialist schemers from Woodrow Wilson to George Soros, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama. They demand authority over every citizen’s life to direct where they live, how they live, what they think, and how their children are raised. Non-compliance will result in severe punishment.

“The end” is of course speculative. Anything can happen. One thing is certain, the constitution can no longer be used effectively to secure the rights of citizens and the sound operation of government. The founding document can only be effective when there is a consensus of respect for its clear directives. Thanks to college professors, entertainers, classroom teachers, and the usual elitist control freaks that perennially erupt in history, respect for reason and the genius of limited government has been long cast aside. Too bad...for everyone.

# posted by Promethean Antagonist @ 10:02 AM 0 comments

The wrong side of history...the wrong side of life.

# posted by Promethean Antagonist @ 11:48 AM 0 comments