Is Theresa May really going to spend the next six weeks repeating the terms 'strong

[Ash]

The less say, the better, I think. In a civilised country, people ought to have better things to think about than who runs the country.

Like who runs their football team?

[redgunamo]

Like who runs their football team?

Yes, precisely. That's of far more real import.

[Monty92]

I think the essential thing I am disagreeing with is your misanthropy. Look, there's nothing wrong with you aspiring to a higher level of political engagement, where engagement is defined in terms of an intelligent, balanced, nuanced, informed* analysis. I would like that too but I don't tip back the other way and decry everyone as stupid because the level of engagement is not as high as it might be.

The thing is, I know plenty of people who consider themselves smart and informed, but who I often disagree with when it comes to political outlook, largely because their primary source of information* is The Guardian.

* A problem for me is a lack of balance and breadth in the range of views discussed in the most highly-consumed media sources.

You can't disagree with misanthropy. It may simply be that my sensibilities are offended by stupidity more than yours.

I don't believe that you genuinely feel that most people are not stupid. We both engage in the real world every day and we will both have developed reliable techniques for discerning the levels of intelligence of people that we meet. Sometimes we will underestimate or overestimate, but generally our instincts will not be far off the mark.

It is blindingly obvious that most people do not place importance on the critical thinking required to be a truly intelligent person (beyond IQ and General Intelligence) and instead focus their attentions on other things, some of which are of great value both to themselves and others and some that are not.

[Monty92]

Although, bemoaning the absence of debate is a good way to avoid showing youself up by actually engaging in one.

Is this about me not elucidating on why Wenger's still the man for the job?

[World's End Stella]

Where you are wrong is assuming that believing this (as I do and as I believe you do, if you are being honest) does not necessarily mean we think democracy itself is a bad idea. It could simply mean that we believe democracy is great (albeit flawed) in spite of the fact that most of the people charged with deciding who controls it at any given time are stupid.

If that is your genuine belief then you should vote. Stupid.

[Monty92]

If that is your genuine belief then you should vote. Stupid.

I know I should. But I'm just one person and my vote alone would be inconsequential, so my guilt is limited.

[SWv2]

If that is your genuine belief then you should vote. Stupid.

Wes old boy.

I have just received an out of office message telling me that you "will be on holiday until January 5th, 2015 however should be online occassionally over the Christmas holidays."

Sort it out mate.

[World's End Stella]

I know I should. But I'm just one person and my vote alone would be inconsequential, so my guilt is limited.

That view is almost as limited as your justifications for Wenger remaining as Arsenal manager next year. It takes only the smallest amount of analysis to rip that argument apart.

[World's End Stella]

Wes old boy.

I have just received an out of office message telling me that you "will be on holiday until January 5th, 2015 however should be online occassionally over the Christmas holidays."

Sort it out mate.

It gets worse. My internal email reply says that I am out of office from Feb 26 to Feb 28 instead of April. I have asked my secretary to sort it out but have limited expectations.

[redgunamo]

Is this about me not elucidating on why Wenger's still the man for the job?

You've tirelessly made your case on that, I thought, and your view won the day?