Conversation

Notices

1. Embed this notice
   Peter Ludemann (peterludemann@mathstodon.xyz)'s status on Monday, 01-Apr-2024 16:01:29 JST Peter Ludemann

   in reply to

   • Lauren Herda

   @lauren
   I have friends whose political views I strongly disagree with but we get along fine because they're not trying to *implement* those views - and we can have fun debating over a beer and then move on to other topics.

   Politicians (such as Al Gore) can get along fine with other politicians they disagree with because they operate in a world of "win some, lose some" and often have to compromise a lot to get anything done, on the theory that half a loaf is better than none; and - with the costs of electioneering in this country - that often means a lot of compromise of principles. But I have to live with the consequences of all those compromises, so my opinion of a politician is legitimately very different from Al Gore's.

   For any given politician, it's hard to tell how much they're compromising in order to get enough donations to get re-elected - and whether they're doing this because if they don't get elected, the alternative is far worse.
   Yes, I'm being cynical^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hrealistic.

   • clacke likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Lauren Weinstein (lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org)'s status on Monday, 01-Apr-2024 16:01:30 JST Lauren Weinstein

     in reply to

     @PeterLudemann How do you feel about Gore? Gore was at his memorial, and speaking very fondly of him.

   • Embed this notice
     Peter Ludemann (peterludemann@mathstodon.xyz)'s status on Monday, 01-Apr-2024 16:01:31 JST Peter Ludemann

     in reply to

     • Lauren Weinstein

     @lauren

     I don't have joy at anyone's death; but I wish there were a better way of expressing my feelings that it's nice to no longer have that person making things worse for society (I care more about what they've done recently, such as blocking a public option for health insurance).

     True respect and the usual platitudes are, unfortunately, indistinguishable. :(

   • Embed this notice
     Lauren Weinstein (lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org)'s status on Monday, 01-Apr-2024 16:01:33 JST Lauren Weinstein

     @PeterLudemann Depends. On social media, even here on Mastodon, there is a decided lack of respect for anyone that anyone disagrees with about anything. In this particular case, the guy wasn't evil, though he took a strange conservative change of course (but by no means what we'd call MAGA today!). I didn't like that change, but I didn't feel joy to see him dead, and at his age I didn't have any concerns about what he was currently doing. So no, I really can't buy into your concept as a generalization.