Argument Clinic: A Theory of Verbal Abuse

Verbal abuse and written abuse are important social tools. If you’re going to use them (or defend against them) you may as well do a good job and be properly equipped. In this series, I am going to offer some of my opinions about strategy regarding verbal abuse. To be clear: this is not a canonical treatment; I welcome your feedback – especially if it’s well-aimed and cruel.

Is this the right room for an argument?

Is this the right room for an argument?

I hope to expand this into a full series including a variety of techniques as subtle as eye-gouging and groin-kicking are in a street-fight. This section is groundwork and throat-clearing, so it’s going to be delivered more in the tone of a short lecture than as strategic or tactical maxims. As Anne Elk said, “This is a theory, which is mine. And this is it.”

We start with the 5 minute argument.

[Read more…]

Propaganda: Applied Eugenics

I obtained a copy of the classic text by Paul Popenoe, published in 1918 by McMillan. Unfortunately, original editions don’t appear often on Ebay and I thought that it’d be better to spend my money on nerd toys instead of obtaining a beautiful old printing of an ugly old book.

[Read more…]

Sunday Sermon

What follows is for those who want to change the world from what it is to what they believe it

Saul Alinsky

Saul Alinsky

should be. The Prince was written by Machiavelli for the Haves on how to hold power. Rules for Radicals is written for the Have-Nots on how to take it away.

[Read more…]

Sunday Sermon

For the present I should like merely to understand how it happens that so many men, so many villages, so many cities, so many nations, sometimes suffer under a single tyrant who

Étienne de La Boétie

Étienne de La Boétie

has no other power than the power they give him; who is able to harm them only to the extent to which they have the willingness to bear with him; who could do them absolutely no injury unless they preferred to put up with him rather than contradict him. Surely a striking situation!

[Read more…]

6×9

For some reason this is not getting a lot of attention over here at the US. I can’t imagine why.

Chelsea Manning is apparently in the hospital following a suicide attempt. Solitary confinement is used as a torture technique in US prisons, and can be applied for the most trifling of reasons (“did you look at me?”  “hey, look at me when I’m talking to you!”) or supposed gang membership. In some cases, like Manning, or Jose Padilla, it’s applied out of sheer nastiness.

[Read more…]