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Publicly unacceptable opinions

Undividual

I posted on the recent referendum and probably deserved a lot of the flak I got for my posts. I was trying to work things out in my head so I don't mind any of that tbh. It did make me think however about unacceptable opinions to voice in public. I've seen other posters get labeled (perhaps correctly) as racist/bigoted etc for discussing some issues online, but to me the problem is that they cant be discussed in real life, as in bad ideas/logic should be challenged openly.

Below are some of my unpalatable opinions:

1) I'm afraid of the effects of Islam on the West (less about terrorism than segregated societies/Sharia law/child grooming gangs etc) and our governments willingness to accept more refugees from Muslim countries. To clarify, I dont believe this will be a problem for Ireland in the next ten years. I have Muslim family members who have assimilated (obviously) to Irish culture, but I feel the discussion in Ireland about the specific difficulties in assimilating Islam are not really broached. I realize it is probably not logical to worry at this point, as we haven't had a terrorist attack in Ireland or any scandal with Muslims here.

2) It really annoys me that the problems between the settled community and the traveller community are never adequately addressed. There are a lot of liberal minded people who would rather defend supposedly oppressed minorities than treat them as fallible humans. I remember a Slavoj Zizek interview where he asked a liberal "Should they live beside you?" The answer obviously wasn't yes. I don't mind segregation up to a point, but what does it say about the settled community's values that the illiteracy rate among travelers is so high? Is it not the duty of the state to try to give every child the same chance at life, regardless?

3) As I get older, I find that I respect women less than men. In general I find men to be more stoic about their situations. I find more women than men to have unrealistic expectations, particularly about relationships. What I would call the feminization of society (therapy culture, obsession with the abolition of traditional gender roles etc) has created a generation of men who are undoubtedly good fathers, though I worry what kind of men these men will raise. A woman in her late 50s recently said to me that she was alone and that no one called in to her. I asked her why she didn't just leave the house. She said "And go where?" If a man said that to me, I would probably laugh in his face.

4) I prefer gay men to lesbians (settle down). I have a lesbian family member who has been overly aggressive towards me in the past, in a way that I don't think she would have been with my female relatives. I do understand that as a lesbian, men must seem like a mixture of nuisances, competitors and outright pests, so it doesn't bother me that much, but it's a pain to be treated differently for what you are rather than who you are (upon re-reading, I realize this may sound ironic). I find most gay men I've met to be funny and easy to talk to, even if less than I thought (hoped) were attracted to me.

And yes, I am Hitler.

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LirW

Something about disliking kitchen islands and embossed wallpaper.

Galwayguy35

Shenshen wrote: »

I think (mostly) people can still agree on reality. I wouldn't expect anyone opening a thread on AH for example to meet any challenges when stating that currently, aspects of traveller culture have a significant negative influence on a number of members of the community.

The discussion to be had here is more around how to address the situation. That's where opinions come in. And you generally will get some very fast-typing posters declaring that they should all be a) imprisoned, b) deported or c) killed, while there will be many others trying to put forward some more social, workable, but long-term and costly approaches.

And any mod stepping in to this will inevitably end up being accused of being too left-leaning and liberal for banning the guys calling for travellers to be killed, but not the guys suggesting ways to give them better access to education.

They have the same access to education as everyone else.

All these so called problems they have are entirely of their own making.

They always have the hand out for free money and contribute nothing to society.

Try_harder

https://twitter.com/damonayoung/status/1023330328683790336

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

In a lot of circles in Ireland, it would be far more acceptable to say racist and transphobic things than to speak against those sentiments.

As for travellers, I have almost never met a person who said anything good about them.

Duck Soup

Men in a work environment can be patronising, coarse and dismissive. No doubt about it.

But women can be more highly and directly aggressive - shouting, screaming even, berating, threatening - to a degree a man could never get away with.

I'd say 90% of the outright bullies I've come across at work have been women.

Cookie_Monster

Belief in god (any one of them) should be treated as a form of mental illness. It's delusional and people should be given help to understand why they need to have such a crutch in their lives and overcome it. It's the most destructive construct in human history needs to be eradicated as a valid concept.

keffiyeh

suicide_circus wrote: »

mass immigration is great just ask the Aztecs. Oh wait, you can't, they're all dead.

Yes there's no difference in that situation, it's especially not true that it's almost entirely flipped in terms of power dynamics, right? I think this may be the dumbest argument I've ever seen.

Gavlor

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Belief in god (any one of them) should be treated as a form of mental illness. It's delusional and people should be given help to understand why they need to have such a crutch in their lives and overcome it. It's the most destructive construct in human history needs to be eradicated as a valid concept.

Redemption is possible, brother monster.

The lord will provide but only if I throw a few quid in a box and light a 20c candle.

Taytoland

Strabanimal wrote: »

Southerners are very English ethnically and culturally. Moreso than Unionists here. You can tell by their constant whinging and appeasement during the troubles.

Southerners have a huge Ulster Scots background. Not like the English at all.

Undividual

JupiterKid wrote: »

Burning churches to the ground.

To what end?

I understand the negative sentiment towards the Catholic church, but some churches are beautiful buildings. Although the religion itself seems to be dying in Ireland, perhaps they should be kept as a reminder of the dangers of blind faith.

Undividual

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Belief in god (any one of them) should be treated as a form of mental illness. It's delusional and people should be given help to understand why they need to have such a crutch in their lives and overcome it. It's the most destructive construct in human history needs to be eradicated as a valid concept.

Would you also agree that faith can be a source of strength that atheism cannot? Atheism appears to me to be a spiritual void, though I consider myself an atheist.

suicide_circus

Try_harder wrote: »

https://twitter.com/damonayoung/status/1023330328683790336

I think those public figure conservatives are in fact voicing opinions that ordinary conservatives feel they can't say. the conservative views espoused on boards.ie for instance are done anonymously. being dismissive of the idea won't make it go away.

suicide_circus

keffiyeh wrote: »

Yes there's no difference in that situation, it's especially not true that it's almost entirely flipped in terms of power dynamics, right? I think this may be the dumbest argument I've ever seen.

relax chief, twas a joke.

Geuze

Try_harder wrote: »

I have no issue with the immigration policy as it currently stands in Ireland/EU

Even though there are thousands of non-EU people abusing the educational visas?

And even though there are many illegal/bogus Asian asylum-seekers who travelled from the UK, who have taken part in sham marriages?

Our border controls and enforcement rules are too soft.

Undividual

Try_harder wrote: »

I have no issue with the immigration policy as it currently stands in Ireland/EU

What are your thoughts of the Muslim grooming gangs in the UK and the New Years 2016 attacks in Cologne?

[Deleted User]

Undividual wrote: »

Would you also agree that faith can be a source of strength that atheism cannot? Atheism appears to me to be a spiritual void, though I consider myself an atheist.

Read Camus or look for a condensed version of his thinking, meaning can be found in anything and everything.

A person contemplating suicide( I am not trivialising suicide ). Chelse and Liverpool are playing the next week, live and they will get to see the match, football among a million other things, can give meaning to life.

There might be no meaning to life, and life can still be interesting and enjoyable that is alright as well.

Undividual

mariaalice wrote: »

Read Camus or look for a condensed version of his thinking, meaning can be found in anything and everything.

A person contemplating suicide( I am not trivialising suicide ). Chelse and Liverpool are playing the next week, live and they will get to see the match, football among a million other things, can give meaning to life.

There might be no meaning to life, and life can still be interesting and enjoyable that is alright as well.

That's not a great example. How many people have sacrificed their lives (or killed) for football? Additionally, football is innately tribal, religion is (generally) universal. The idea of someone not wanting to end their lives because of a team is a stretch.

The universality of religion seems to me to give transcendent meaning beyond the individual. Atheism is personal meaning without an answer for the big questions, why are we here and what happens after we die. Obviously I'm not saying religions can accurately answer these questions either. I would also say that atheism does not hold universal values, such as can be found in the role models of Jesus/Mohammed/etc.

yourdeadwright

Transgender folk want to be accepted for the people they are but ironically they couldn't accept the people they where ,

Not that I care what they do but it is ironic,

DavyD_83

Any heat over about 25 degrees is uncomfortable and just too hot to function properly in.
I love rain, especially cycling in the rain.

Oh, and sandy beaches are crap, I hate getting stand stuck to me, and getting in to everything.

[Deleted User]

Undividual wrote: »

That's not a great example. How many people have sacrificed their lives (or killed) for football? Additionally, football is innately tribal, religion is (generally) universal. The idea of someone not wanting to end their lives because of a team is a stretch.

The universality of religion seems to me to give transcendent meaning beyond the individual. Atheism is personal meaning without an answer for the big questions, why are we here and what happens after we die. Obviously I'm not saying religions can accurately answer these questions either. I would also say that atheism does not hold universal values, such as can be found in the role models of Jesus/Mohammed/etc.

There is a well-known psychiatrist who says the trouble with humans is that we are burdened by our thoughts, our consciousness of ourselves and our eventual death burdens humans.

Cookie_Monster

Undividual wrote: »

Would you also agree that faith can be a source of strength that atheism cannot?

no, unless you mean faith in something real or a proven concept.

7aubzxk43m2sni

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Belief in god (any one of them) should be treated as a form of mental illness. It's delusional and people should be given help to understand why they need to have such a crutch in their lives and overcome it. It's the most destructive construct in human history needs to be eradicated as a valid concept.

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've read in my life

yourdeadwright

Elle Modern Salt wrote: »

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Belief in god (any one of them) should be treated as a form of mental illness. It's delusional and people should be given help to understand why they need to have such a crutch in their lives and overcome it. It's the most destructive construct in human history needs to be eradicated as a valid concept.

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've read in my life

Possibly should be worded better but not far wrong,
Religion has caused more war and suffering than anything on this planet, but the actually belief in a god isn't harmful on its own as a personal thing.

Undividual

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Undividual wrote: »

Would you also agree that faith can be a source of strength that atheism cannot?

no, unless you mean faith in something real or a proven concept.

Try get 19 atheists to blow themselves up.

Kivaro

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Possibly should be worded better but not far wrong,
Religion has caused more war and suffering than anything on this planet, but the actually belief in a god isn't harmful on its own as a personal thing.

Yes, it could have been worded better but the poster is on the right track.
Religion is very often used to excuse the behaviour of believers while they are still alive e.g. ah, it's okay for me to treat people like crap because I will be forgiven by God if I ask for his forgiveness. Or they can use the excuse of the "devil" for negatively influencing them.

If a baby is saved by doctors in hospital, then the hand of God was involved.
If a baby dies in hospital then God took him/her and God knows best.

The hypocritical nature of religious people is out there for the rest of us to see e.g. "ah, I couldn't be bothered going to mass today."
But it is one of the commandments: 'Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day', and if they don't go then they don't love Jesus: In John 14:15, “If ye love Me keep My Commandments.”

Religion was a device created by man to control other men and women. It has to do with power and in the very early evolutionary stage of its existence it was used to explain superstition. Then it progressed to thought control and wealth accumulation, and then to the total subjugation of the believers.

All religions are cults, and when mankind finally becomes enlightened by this fact, then it will be realised that religion was the biggest con game played on humanity. When the shackles of religion are gone, the world will be a much better place.

[Deleted User]

Undividual wrote: »

Try get 19 atheists to blow themselves up.

19 atheists will blow themselves up for nationalism, republicanism, political beliefs, tribalism and so on without a trace of religious belief.

An example motivated by some sort of Marxist gobbly gook.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_German_Embassy_siege

Try_harder

Geuze wrote: »

Even though there are thousands of non-EU people abusing the educational visas?

And even though there are many illegal/bogus Asian asylum-seekers who travelled from the UK, who have taken part in sham marriages?

Our border controls and enforcement rules are too soft.

If they are committing illegal acts or entering illegally thats not part of our policy

JayRoc

Elle Modern Salt wrote: »

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've read in my life

Why is it ridiculous?

If I told you I believed in a ghost that controlled the world, and that I talked to him, and that I drink his blood and eat his flesh, and that this irrational belief influenced my daily actions and behaviour...are you telling me you wouldn't think I was a candidate for the funny farm?

yourdeadwright

Kivaro wrote: »

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Possibly should be worded better but not far wrong,
Religion has caused more war and suffering than anything on this planet, but the actually belief in a god isn't harmful on its own as a personal thing.

Yes, it could have been worded better but the poster is on the right track.
Religion is very often used to excuse the behaviour of believers while they are still alive e.g. ah, it's okay for me to treat people like crap because I will be forgiven by God if I ask for his forgiveness. Or they can use the excuse of the "devil" for negatively influencing them.

If a baby is saved by doctors in hospital, then the hand of God was involved.
If a baby dies in hospital then God took him/her and God knows best.

The hypocritical nature of religious people is out there for the rest of us to see e.g. "ah, I couldn't be bothered going to mass today."
But it is one of the commandments: 'Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day', and if they don't go then they don't love Jesus: In John 14:15, “If ye love Me keep My Commandments.”

Religion was a device created by man to control other men and women. It has to do with power and in the very early evolutionary stage of its existence it was used to explain superstition. Then it progressed to thought control and wealth accumulation, and then to the total subjugation of the believers.

All religions are cults, and when mankind finally becomes enlightened by this fact, then it will be realised that religion was the biggest con game played on humanity. When the shackles of religion are gone, the world will be a much better place.

The nail on the head there,
Religion was created to control people ,
I'm not saying there isn't a god or a creator or anything like that but Religion's are solely to control people for wealth and power or whatever purpose suits at the time nothing else,
I don't think the people who started them released for how long they would remain in place, or how devoted to made up stuff people would become,

Undividual

mariaalice wrote: »

Undividual wrote: »

Try get 19 atheists to blow themselves up.

19 atheists will blow themselves up for nationalism, republicanism, political beliefs, tribalism and so on without a trace of religious belief.

An example motivated by some sort of Marxist gobbly gook.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_German_Embassy_siege

Again, not a like-for-like example. The 9/11 hijackers knew beforehand that they had no chance of survival. They willingly embraced their deaths. The above example seems to suggest that the attackers would have escaped/tried to escape if their demands were met.

If their demands were met and they blew up the embassy anyway after their demands were met, they would make it less likely for authorities to deal with terrorists in the future.