BlogShares.com "a safe market because it is not exactly real either"
So for a class assignment I had to read three other blogs from the above mentioned website. Perusing through the philosophy section I found the top 3 blogs under the inaccurately labeled "philosophy blogs" section. It surprised me to realize that this website uses the ingenious metaphor of the stock market to give a sort of monopoly money value to the blogs it tracks. What I found in its top three ‘valued’ philosophy blogs were disturbingly NOT philosophical or legitimate methods/logic.
The "philosophies" I found were typical anti-liberal or anti-conservative conspiracy theory rhetoric of sorts; whereby I stopped reading the blogs, took a cold shower, and scrubbed myself of the filth of self-important pigs. As I was reading the top 3 blogs, valued at their imagined "stock price" to be worth so much I also found myself recalling a certain stock market instability, that happened oh let's say, the present moment. Seeing a lack both financially and philosophically I can at least help with the latter, as I am still a poor college student and have no financial prowess.
Where was the philosophy? Aristotle got kicked down the school of Athens’s stairs while the DaVinci code was sold with its own special decoder rings so that "you too" can pretend to know how to uncover a conspiracy. (in case you missed it, yes, I am mocking the DaVinci code as a worthy piece of literature, as many real scholars have already done. Intriguing? Yes. well written? No.) I assure you all, if there is a conspiracy to be investigated it is somehow in New Jersey. I just deleted a very long rant that is supposed to go here to not make too long of a digression from the topic, but seriously speaking....
I will make this short and blunt, maybe a bit brutal too but let's not forget that I will be mocking and correcting all forms of stupidity/close mindedness/extremism this way, why not? Others are allowed to make claims and ridiculous conclusions whereby mine are a nihil_ologist's and therefore work, for me, at least right now, and at least on this sleepless night.
Suspect #3: 3rd highest ranked ‘philosophy blog’
Blog Name: The Thinker's Podium
Post Name: “The Religion Report’s Stephen Crittenden suspended by the ABC”
Posted on/by: October 21, 2008 by Bruce
URL: http://thinkerspodium.wordpress.com/
Philosophical Crime/Lacking importance because:
“Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, truth, beauty, justice, validity, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing these questions (such as mysticism or mythology) by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on reasoned argument.” (wikipedia). Some of you may laugh as to how I copy and pasted a Wikipedia entry but I am only trying to highlight why this Blog annoyed me.
Yes, the blog was trying to bring reason and logic to its concerns by arguing that ABC should give transparency to its management. In fact, this might be the most down-to-earth blog of the three I cover. It is following the format of an argument that begs for justice and gives reasons as to how justice has not been served. Unfortunately, it is the content of the blog in question that hinders its message.
The blogger states, “Okay, you religious right types with an axe to grind with the ABC, this is possibly the last time you will hear me saying these things…” at the very beginning of the blog and loses me as a nihil_ologist. It is my job to correct that pointing fingers in the middle of your argument only highlights the “side” from which you are speaking. Bruce points the finger at “religious right types” and therefore places himself in the assumable place as an “anti-religious (or less religious) left type.”
Yet the end of the post highlights a simplistic desire to simply desire transparency in the ABC Management staff. If this was done with better tact and less gusto to pointing the finger and getting liberals all fired up at ‘the others’ then the speaker might have gotten more respect from this analytical thinker. Instead, they come across as certainly having their own axe to grind and therefore continuing the slaughter of good philosophical argument.
Suspect #2: 2nd highest ranked ‘philosophy blog’
Blog Name: Crooked Timber
Post Name: “Let me be the first to welcome our new Socialist International Conspirator Overlords”
Posted on/by: October 21, 2008 by Henry
URL: http://crookedtimber.org/
This specific blog post is what I like to call “A satire of conspiracy theories as to how and why and who said what about who on late night TV about the presidential elections.... or as more poetically may be called "much to do about nothing.”
Yes, I love the banner across the top of the blog that says : “Out of the Crooked Timber of Humanity, no straight thing was ever made” and this blog is its own best example. The cynical mocking of Stock Market’s recent ‘slumps’ is funny once you get past the cutesy references of IHOP as the meeting place of Socialist conspirators and suddenly realize that there is no argument or commentary being made philosophically.
Yes, I laughed and even shared this blog’s comical satire of left-rightist mud slinging and conspiracy bashing. But like a desperate midnight phone sex call I found myself unfulfilled and still paying way too much for a disservice. Why should political satire be considered philosophy? Marx would proclaim that “philosophy finds its weapons in the proletariat and the proletariat finds its weapons in philosophy” to explain how philosophy could be like a weapon literally to tear down capitalist fraud and reconstruct a better working society. Instead, what it done is satire and mockery of the gears of the machine without meaningful destruction of it, or the construction of a new machine.
Put that in your lack of true socialism mouths and smoke it.
Suspect #1: Highest ranked ‘philosophy blog’
Blog Name: Daily Kos
Post Name: “Same Ol' Merry -Go - Round? Not today right?”
Posted on/by: Oct 20, 2008 by Don Mikulecky
URL: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/21/02359/613/604/637073
So I had a sudden change of heart around 6am and decided that this specific blog is not so bad actually (ok it is great and amazing and I am fubar fodder). I am willing and able to change my mind and upon rereading I am convinced of its value to philosophical thought. It does not align itself to any pre-established and self-gratifying belief system, political system, or stereotype and shows great elements of Socratic method that beg the reader to question any and all previous views. The blog is aware of its audience being philosophically inclined but still explains any rough patches that the reader might not fully understand and highlights its own argument where necessary.
I have put my foot in my mouth and proceeded to eat my denim Puma shoes one of only two non-payless shoes I own. I am now half the puma wearer I was a minute ago. So I do encourage the reading of the first place blog because of it’s telling of a merry-go-round mentality in American politics is spot on and dizzying in its own telling.
Your homework: Think of something in your own life that led you in circular logic, that you had trouble trying to escape its problematic way of always returning and complicating things. Picture it. Then ask yourself, is it over yet, or are you still on that sickening ride?
This is The_nihil_ologist reminding you to never give up, but to take a break sometimes too!
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