Here's Another Crime Story.

[EricLovesBA]

never taught a day in my life. outside the cartoon-centric US and its lackey Anglophonic countries, reading a bit of sociology or philosophy doesn't qualify anyone as an intellectual; it's just part of being a grown up.

I don't know Gatto, but framing modern school systems as having their roots as a method of controlling populations has been the conventional view for the last couple of hundred years. My experience of private schooling is that it's heavy on indoctrinating the ruling classes and inculcating a right-to-rule mentality, in which it differs markedly from the public system. And rightly so.

Yes, I actually meant intellectual with a more negative connotation. Ideally an intellectual would be a person devoted to expanding and exercising their mental faculties. More often than not though, it is a person who wraps their personal identity in feeling smarter than everyone else. They read just enough to be dangerous, but spend more energy using their knowledge to prove they are superior. The smug condescending attitude give it away every time. The main difference between a real intellectual and the ego-obsessed one would be the ability to entertain new ideas, and the pursuit of full intellectual potential as an end in itself rather than to artificially boost lacking self esteem. Troll I meant in the more common usage of provoking a confrontation to get attention for self proclaimed superiority.

Anyway, thanks for helping me support Arlean's original point - that schools (public schools) teach us to parrot and discourage critical thinking. That's the main systemic problem which has left the US population "cartoon-centric". But that of course should not be a problem for you since only the ruling class really needs a proper education, and rightly so. How could they possibly control a thinking population after all?

 

[StevePalermo]

We are safer in Australia because we have less guns than we used to, not the other way around.

The gun lovers have a conceptual difficulty with this. I recall the old saying, "I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you".

 

[stevec]

They read just enough to be dangerous...

A compelling use of cliché. In the context of a discussion of guns—tools designed for the purpose of killing or injuring—the idea that knowledge makes one dangerous is brilliant. No doubt the next school massacre will involve a library aide beating children to death with an encyclopaedia.

The main difference between a real intellectual and the ego-obsessed one would be the ability to entertain new ideas, and the pursuit of full intellectual potential...

Private school good, public school bad? A new, dare I say, revolutionary perspective. No wonder I have shunned it.

Anyway, thanks for helping me support Arlean's original point - that schools (public schools) teach us to parrot and discourage critical thinking.

A bit of a stretch: I'm (regrettably) a product of the private system, so how could I prove anything about public schools’ supposed shortcomings?

Anyhow, I think I’ve got the picture: [sorry, prepared a little cartoon to illustrate but can't seem to make it display]

 

[EricLovesBA]

...the idea that knowledge makes one dangerous is brilliant. No doubt the next school massacre will involve a library aide beating children to death with an encyclopaedia.
...

Whoahoo! Nice! Graphic my good man, graphic. And thank you for the cartoon, it did make me laugh sincerely. It's all very Pumped up Kicks, very Jeremy Spoke in Class Today. You know, now that I'm getting to know you better, I actually want to encourage your trolling behavior. You need some kind of release valve for that pent up aggression of yours. Better to vent it here on the forum rather than letting it build up to explosive levels and leave you skulking about the streets of BA stalking innocents or torturing small animals. Carry on then!

 

[EricLovesBA]

You know Steve, I thought I didn't like you, but the cartoon changed everything. I want you to know that if you are ever kidnapped by aliens, I will be the first one on the front line, throwing encyclopedias at the mother ship.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

For the record, there are some gun owners who actually read. Some of us even got past the 9th grade.

 

[cbonanni]

For the record, there are some gun owners who actually read. Some of us even got past the 9th grade.

Of course we could field strip our daddy's .45 before we could read.......

Math was easy when learned by the caliber method. (.22 , .25 , .32 , .38 (same as 9mm) , .40 , . 45 , 10 gauge , 12 gauge etc....

 

[stevec]

For the record, there are some gun owners who actually read. Some of us even got past the 9th grade.

Pictures or it didn't happen.

 

[trennod]

I understand your point of view,from what you are telling us it really worked in your country ,however it would be interesting to have some input from the population in rural areas of Australia.Again i respect your stand but i disagree and i will tell you why,no gov't ,state or administration can or will guarantee your well being or survival in a life or death situation,that's why we have door locks ,seatbelts,fire extinguishers,baby seats for cars,and such,all these safety items are regulated by the gov't but if you don't use them properly they will do you no good..
A gun is no more and no less than that, a tool for a specific use.

Grew up on a farm in the country in Western Australia. My old man is a 4th generation farmer, always been atleast one gun in the house or shed out the back as it was used both for ridding unwanted pests on the farms plus a bit of hobby shooting too (never owned with the primary purpose of protecting the household / family).

The fact is, you can still own a gun in Australia, although its not easy to get one (made very difficult since the mid 90s & the Port Arthur massacre - all have to be properly licenced and for some types of guns (and people) it can be very difficult if not impossible.

Rural Australia is actually very safe generally, as a rule much safer than the cities (many people leave their houses totally unlocked, 24/7). I don't know anyone that owns a gun for protection. I think anyone that owned a gun for protection might be seen as a little crazy/paranoid in Australia given many Australians view the pro-gun stance of many Americans a little, well difficult to understand/strange.



Rural Australia generally is quite safe (probably as safe if not safer than most of the cities)

 

[John.St]

Here's my suggestions : http://www.bersa.com...nder9pro_en.php You bash in my door I will blast you right back outside.

Cissy!

I use a tactical nuclear bomb

to keep the buggers away