"Sheeple"

[WilliamPitt]

Poll question: "Sheeple"

[PVnRT]

1. What did Orwell have to say about class conflict in 1984?

You know, how about both the High and the Middle despised the Low?

[question everything]

2. Whoever photoshopped this needs to rotate the sheep 180 degrees (nt)

[mike_c]

3. a term can be both condescending and accurate, I'm afraid....

I use the term sheeple precisely because it expresses my condescension toward the uninformed, blindly unquestioning, bleating masses with their heads plugged into cable news infotainment. Sometimes being nice just isn't appropriate. They have other choices, yet they choose ignorance. There are none so blind as the willfully blind.

Hey, the DU spell checker accepted "infotainment!"

[Kadie]

4. It is a term that seems to be catching on.

I have been hearing it more and more.

Have you been to Sheeple.net....
LOL




http://www.sheeple.net/

Sheeple are people that follow blindly and never question their leaders. Their simple Motto is:

"Follow the Asshole in front of you"

[dipsydoodle]

7. In images too

this was the first one I came across :

[The Magistrate]

5. It Is A Poisonous And Foolish Usage, Mr. Pitt

That ubsuits those who employ it for any serious political work. People do not like people who insult them, and regard them with a contemptuous attitude.

[underpants]

6. I wouldn't worry about insulting them

they need to be insulted and shamed.

But there probably is a better term or using "their Dear Leader" to accentuate the point.

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. "Two legs good! Four legs baaaad!"

"All animals are equal. But some are more equal than others."

[Donald Ian Rankin]

9. It's a very revealing word.

It's used to try and imply that the speaker is better informed and more discerning about political matters that the rest of the electorate, and doesn't buy into the widely-held falsehoods.

It's almost always used by people who buy, hook, line and sinker, into other mass-produced and clearly-absurd falsehoods and are more prone to accepting things that confirm their prejudices without questioning them, and rejecting anything that doesn't, than most.

[ponthedge]

17. Very well said.

Thanks for the insight.

Could this be related to the ability to think critically and hold onto that trait whilst becoming part of a larger group?

For example, it seems that most people have a desire to be liked and part of a social contract. Critical thinking is usually required to gain acceptance and understanding within any group where said contract is sought. Once acceptance and approval has been garnered, critical thinking stops and the willingness to follow or accept the thoughts, action, consequences of the group prevents any further critical thinking from taking place. Should critical thinking occur and the outcome run contrary to the group id, the person is then formally dismissed and ridiculed, most often times on blogs as flame posting. Much backpedaling thus ensues and with hope the tarnished reputation is restored and the group gestalt is re-harmonized, perhaps, with a better understanding of the ultimate line of thought that produced the contrarian view.

Most group/societal gestalt, DU included, have multiple thinker/heads that formulate 75-85% of the popular thought. Comments are always welcomed, but contrarian thought is seldom looked upon kindly. However, group dynamics do change over time due to the inherent lack of total control required to maintain an unchanging group.

Whew...if the above does not makes sense to you (it barely does to me)...pass on it and in the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln...'Party On Dude!'...ok, so maybe that isn't an actual quote...but answer me this, were you there? ;-)

And thanks for letting me ramble on...:boring:

[pampango]

10. Ties in to some of the threads about "elitism" at DU.

If a RWer refers to Americans/voters in such a demeaning manor, it confirms that he/she is an elitist who believes they have the right to govern because they are better educated and more informed - "smarter" - than the average person who can't be trusted to govern themselves.

[treestar]

21. It implies no right to govern

It refers to those who just accept the mass media's framing of things with no questioning whatsoever.

Sometimes the average, or the majority, or a plurality, are incompetent to govern themselves, yet they still do. That was so in 2002 and 2004 and is sure explains the mess we are in now.

And it may include the speaker in the broad sense.

There is no reason to be so sensitive. When this country acts idiotic, if affects everyone, the "elite" is included. It is also simply fact that some are smarter than others; it is when the intelligent are ignored and the ignorant exalted that we elect leaders like Dubya. Someone points it out. That is not a bad thing.

[Kelly Rupert]

11. A word that ought only be used to describe those who speak it n/t

[TahitiNut]

12. "The Lord is my Shepherd" ... is that demeaning?

How about "Lamb Of God"?? Gee ... go figure. :shrug:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. "Sheeple" is in the same catagory as "Elitist".

Or, "Soccer-moms", "NASCAR dads", "Working Class", "Blue Collar", "Veterans", "Liberal Jews", "Conservative Christians", or any of the multitude of stereotypes that place people in lockstep groups for the convenience of commentators.

[NeedleCast]

14. Anyone Who Doesn't Agree With Me

My problem from this word stems from the fact that it's often used to describe anyone with an opinion different from the opinion of the user. It's one thing to disagree with someone and debate them on a topic. It's a whole new ballgame when you insult them for their views because they differ from your own.

Plus, it works both ways, so it's not very accurate. Kinda like how both parties fling the word Nazi or Fascist around when describing the other.

[bryant69]

15. It's great if used on the right people, namely people who disagree with me

Let me be very clear - fuck people who disagree with me. IF they disagree with me they must be either woefully ignorant or willful morons. If they are ignorant let them keep quiet while I explain reality to them. If they are morons, you can't keep water in a sieve and you can't keep intelligence in a sheeple.

Now, who wants to hear my opinion on taxation?

Oh and looking at the results, I guess the DU Sheeple are in favor of the term.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[zreosumgame]

16. you say that like...

obnoxious condescending are bad things?

[Vanje]

18. Other: a greivous insult to sheep, totally uncalled for

Not one. NOT ONE single ewe, lamb, wether, hogget or ram EVER voted for this insane Iraq fiasco.
A lot of Americans fell for that Weapons of mass destruction fiction. There was not ONE SHEEP among that sorry number.

Edited for typo. Its not that easy managing a laptop keyboard with little hooves.

[Odin2005]

19. An obnoxious, condescending word.

Calling the average American a dumb sheep just reinforces the "Liberal Elitist" BS spewed by the Pukes.

[bloom]

20. Other

it depends on which people you're talking about.

If you are talking about the people who get their news from the corporate media - ok, then.

If you are talking about people on DU that you disagree with.... I might think differently about the use of the word.

[chaska]

22. "Sheeple" is an insult to sheep. Sheep give us nice wool sweaters. Sheeple aren't nearly so useful.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

23. An Ignorant Way to Refer to Potential Voters

[LSK]

24. tastes like chicken?

I like it regardless.