Morford:How to talk to complete idiotsThree basic options. Choose wisely, lest you go totally insane

[Shallah Kali]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/09/25/notes092509.DTL

The absolute best way to speak to complete idiots is, of course, not to speak to them at all.

That is, you work around them, ignore them completely, disregard the rants and the spittle and the misspelled protest signs and the fervent prayers for apocalypse on Fox News. Complete refusal to take the fringe nutballs even the slightest bit seriously is the only way to make true progress.

This also happens to be the invaluable advice of one Frank Schaeffer, noted author and a former fundamentalist nutball himself, who made a simply superb appearance on Rachel Maddow's show recently, wherein he offered up one of the most articulate, fantastic takedowns of the fundamentalist idiot's mindset in recent history. It's a must-watch. Do it. Do it now.

Now, you may argue that, while Schaeffer may be dead right and also rather deserving of being quoted far and wide, it's also true that calling people stupid is no way to advance the debate, and is itself rather childish and stupid. And you'd be absolutely right.

But you'd also be missing the point. When you ignore the idiots completely, you are not calling them anything at all. You are not trying to advance any sort of argument, because there is no debate taking place. You are simply bypassing the giant pothole of ignorance entirely.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/09/25/notes092509.DTL#ixzz0SBTBLHKK

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Morford is always great, and Frank Schaeffer was stupendous on Rachel's show.

Excellent article.

"Complete refusal to take the fringe nutballs even the slightest bit seriously is the only way to make true progress."

Here is his appearance...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPwGV1h4lW8


another appearance on her show by Frank Schaeffer...
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/rachel-maddow-show-frank-schaeffer-how-hate

[NBachers]

2. Great article, thanks for pointing it out

Morford's great.

I live in SF, but every time I read the comments section on SFGate, I feel as if I've stepped into some big never-ending infinite family feud. It makes DU so much easier to handle, and makes the community here seem intelligent, rational and polite by comparison.

[bemildred]

3. K&R.

Attention is the coin of the realm on the internets, be careful how you spend it.

[bbgrunt]

4. His advice is right on. The only problem is that

these idiots keep getting 24/7 corporate media coverage.....including on "liberal" media. I can hardly listen any more because these idiots are about all the media covers any more.

[Miss Authoritiva]

5. Just wave goodbye from the shore

I had the same realization about an elderly relative who suffers from progressive dementia. At some point I realized that her illness had progressed to the point where logical conversations were no longer possible. I also had the same sad realization with some friends, relatives, and coworkers. They've so steeped themselves in either Limbaugh/Beckism or fundamentalism/creationism or birtherism/ACORNism that logical conversations are no longer possible.

I just wave goodbye from the shore.