More Critical Thinking, Please! Less Dogma, Please!

[BurtWorm]

This is to request that posters make more of an effort to think before they post, to refrain from trying to "win points" for most correct position, to understand where the person who pushed a button in you is coming from. I'm not exempting myself, of course. But I have noticed an epidemic of posts taking quotes out of context and building strawmen around them, which is not serving to advance the discussion but only to mire it down.

Let's take as an example the posts attacking Clark for his position on the war in Iraq. Can we try as a group to make more of an effort to think about the validity or truth of his statements rather than their ideological correctness? Can we please make an effort to stop looking for evidence to justify our prejudices one way or another. Can we please try to be more aware of our prejudices?

I recommend as an example of sterling critical thinking Bob Somerby's dailyhowler.com. Spend some time in the archives and see how he decontructs the faulty logic driving so much of American journalism. Then try not to fall into the logic-free traps Somerby skewers on an almost daily basis.

[Brucey]

1. Yes, we should try, but don't forget that

ranting and finding cohorts are valuable services of DU. So, give a little slack; but, you're right, in the end we have to try to be factual, honest, and logical.

[BurtWorm]

2. True. I'm not asking for a ban on rants and irrationality

Just a little less of that and a little more critical thinking. You said it well. We should try to be factual, honest and logical.

[Tyler Durden]

3. I think you are puttin on MY bull's eye shirt...

...and after the flaming I got calling for Party Solidarity, you are welcome.

[BurtWorm]

4. I'm not speaking to you!

;)

Actually, putting the word "thinking" in the title is like putting the sign of the leper on it. They seem to be staying away in droves.

[Iverson]

5. message from Mr. Gumby

My brain hurts!

[BurtWorm]

7. Don't I know it, luv.

[Blue-Jay]

6. My karma ran over my dogma.

[kodi]

8. on this site? good luck, the lunatics are runnng the asylum.

the old liberal "ready, fire, aim" modus operendi is alive and well here.

venting is great fun, good both for the complexion and bowels, but it does not win elections. hard headed thinking and planning does.

and of course, for that statement i will probably be accused of being a "capitalist roader pragmatist" who hates humanity and bites the heads off infants or oh gads, worse, a lieberman supporter!

but you know what, that is the way a democracy is supposed to work, and if one can not hold their own in debate, get out of the hall.

BTW it was only one infant's head, and i was a bit hungry.

[Abbalon]

9. Heheheeee

"the old liberal "ready, fire, aim" modus operendi is alive and well here."

BurtWorm just asked us not to do that.