Interesting Short Story

[_Ludd]

Well, Ted may have been a nut, but his parable was pretty accurate about what is going on all around us. Our politics have turned mad in ways that are very much like this story, and at the same time thieves in fancy suits pillaged the wealth of our nation. In fact, they have been running our nation since the 80s.

Well said.

I was actually a little disturbed after reading the story, because I found myself in agreement with the underlying sentiments. I'm not saying it was a literary masterpiece. Obviously it's not. It's a simplistic tale told by a serial killer. I guess that's why I was disturbed by the fact that I empathized with what he was trying to say.

Anyway, I wasn't trying to make some statement here. It just so happened that my registering on this board coincided with my stumbling upon the story, so I decided to post it here as an "ice-breaker". I hope no one gets the wrong impression because of the story. I had hoped it would spark some productive discussion. I thought that discussion might find parallels between the men on the "poop deck" and the leadership of LDS, Inc. But maybe that would be stretching the story too far.

[_Ludd]

Well, Ted may have been a nut, but his parable was pretty accurate about what is going on all around us. Our politics have turned mad in ways that are very much like this story, and at the same time thieves in fancy suits pillaged the wealth of our nation. In fact, they have been running our nation since the 80s.

I used to theorize that if Kaczynski had been a better writer, his ideas might have carried more weight and he might not have felt compelled to bomb things in order to get published.

Interesting theory. You could very well be right. His intellect was frustrated.

[_Morley]

Interesting theory. You could very well be right. His intellect was frustrated.

I'm more than a little curious, Ludd. Your avatar is Ned Ludd and your initial post is a Kaczynski parable. The Unabomber was unalloyed in his distrust for modern technology. Are trying to tell us something?

[_Morley]

Well, Ted may have been a nut, but his parable was pretty accurate about what is going on all around us. Our politics have turned mad in ways that are very much like this story, and at the same time thieves in fancy suits pillaged the wealth of our nation. In fact, they have been running our nation since the 80s.

Well said.

Indeed.

[_Kishkumen]

I was actually a little disturbed after reading the story, because I found myself in agreement with the underlying sentiments. I'm not saying it was a literary masterpiece. Obviously it's not. It's a simplistic tale told by a serial killer. I guess that's why I was disturbed by the fact that I empathized with what he was trying to say.

What the Unabomber did was unconscionable, but that does not mean he didn't possess extraordinary intelligence. It is obvious that he understood a lot of what is going on in the world. The measures he took to address the problems were monstrous.

Anyway, I wasn't trying to make some statement here. It just so happened that my registering on this board coincided with my stumbling upon the story, so I decided to post it here as an "ice-breaker". I hope no one gets the wrong impression because of the story. I had hoped it would spark some productive discussion. I thought that discussion might find parallels between the men on the "poop deck" and the leadership of LDS, Inc. But maybe that would be stretching the story too far.

That's cool. I wasn't disturbed by it. I read the story. It could have been written by Charlie Manson for all I care. Even serial killers are capable of worthwhile insights. As far as the LDS Church goes, I think that the ills afflicting that organization are much like the ills affecting the country. Everyone sold out to the Almighty Dollar, even, in its own way, the LDS Church.

When it comes to viewing the LDS leaders as being like the men on the poop deck, I think a case can be made, but that may be a little overly cynical. Also, I don't know what they are steering that is so crucial. In the end, the LDS Church is about as important as the Rotary Club, and I really don't care what happens to the Rotary Club. I am more nostalgic about Mormonism, because I was raised in it, but I think the nation is much more important than the rest of these organizations, so more of my obsessions deal with politics these days.

Maybe what I am saying is that all of us here are like those passengers on the deck worrying about petty concerns regarding a fairly inconsequential topic, while the men on the poop deck are the global elite, and they would rather that we spend our energies arguing about Mormonism so that we leave them alone.

[_Morley]

Welcome to the board!

My manners are reprehensible.

I second this, Ludd. Welcome to the board.

[_Blixa]

The analogy's point is undercut by the stereotypes it deals in and its poor understanding of the both the origin and limits of identity politics.

[_Equality]

Welcome to the board, Ludd! How are things at the old NOM board? I used to play in that sandbox back in late 2005, early 2006 before the board changed into a sort of wimpy People's Front of Judea-type gathering place where criticism of the Brethren had to be kept in check and everyone had to pretend to be super nice to each other or risk the wrath of a heavy-handed moderator. Not sure if it is still as inimical to forthright and unapologetic criticism as it was when I got booted a couple years ago, but the thing I love about this board is it's very light moderating touch. Almost nothing is censored. At worst, you might get some comments moved to the telestial forum. Again, welcome! hope you enjoy it here. Care to tell us a little more about yourself, besides your affinity for the writings of a crazed lunatic bomber?

[_Kishkumen]

The analogy's point is undercut by the stereotypes it deals in and its poor understanding of the both the origin and limits of identity politics.

I suppose so, but since the identity politics really aren't the point, and, in fact, the point is to say that they are not the point...

[_Blixa]

The analogy's point is undercut by the stereotypes it deals in and its poor understanding of the both the origin and limits of identity politics.

I suppose so, but since the identity politics really aren't the point, and, in fact, the point is to say that they are not the point...

No kidding, but you'll never understand their limits if you can't grasp what they are to begin with. And anyone using such simplistic representations of multiple (and overlapping!) positions of subordination/discrimination/oppression has already lost the argument he's presumably trying to make.

But that's why some one like Anders Behring Breivik was plagiarizing Kaczynski (as well as nutjobs like Bill Lind).