TBD on Ning
Theme and Variations: On Pushing the Envelope
THEME
I get accused of "pushing the envelope" -- here, on TBD, and elsewhere in life. There's merit to the observation. I am constantly testing the limits, constantly challenging the rules. I took a battery of psychological tests a few years ago and the test results said: "Subject has a tendency to challenge or denounce social sanctions to the point where he may lose sight of his own best interests."
Several days ago a TBD member posted the following comment on a blog I had posted about a town in Austria whose name is identical to an obscene word in English. The member said: "If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime. I guess that you should consider your delivery. There are double meanings in that fucking is fucking. In the immortal words of George Carlin 'you can prick your finger but you can't finger your prick.' Quit jerking everybody around and trying to antagonize people."
VARIATIONS
1. A misogynist says: "I don't excuse crimes against women, but some women are asking for it when they get raped. They wear those short skirts, and revealing tops. It's going to send some men over the edge. Some men can't help it. If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime."
2. In the summer of 1978 I attended a Metropolitan Opera performance of the opera Madame Butterfly at the Robin Dell in Philadelphia with my sister. Seated behind me were two older women. One said to the other. "I can't excuse the Holocaust. It was terrible: killing six million Jews. But the Germans had to do something. The Jews were taking over the country. They were taking over the banks, the newspapers, the universities. What were the Germans to do? Hitler had to do something. The Jews were ruining the country." If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime.
3. An Iranian conservative says about the recent Iranian post-election protests: "I don't condone violence by the government against the people. The people protested. They had their say. But the government responded. The Supreme Leader said that the protests had to stop for the good of the country. Yes, it's a shame that people were killed and injured. But if you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime."
4. An Egyptian Muslim says about the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001: "I denounce terrorism and violence. The terrorist attacks in New York were a terrible tragedy. But the U.S. government acts like a bully around the world. They have supported the criminal Zionist regime in Israel for the last 60 years in total disregard of the rights of the Palestinian people, my brothers. The U.S. Government disrespects Muslims. Everyone knows that." If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime.
5. An abortion opponent says: "I don't condone violence, and especially not murder. But when a doctor performs abortions, when he wantonly kills innocent life, he should expect a backlash. Yes, killing of abortion doctors is going to happen. If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime."
I get accused of "pushing the envelope" -- here, on TBD, and elsewhere in life. There's merit to the observation. I am constantly testing the limits, constantly challenging the rules. I took a battery of psychological tests a few years ago and the test results said: "Subject has a tendency to challenge or denounce social sanctions to the point where he may lose sight of his own best interests."
Several days ago a TBD member posted the following comment on a blog I had posted about a town in Austria whose name is identical to an obscene word in English. The member said: "If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime. I guess that you should consider your delivery. There are double meanings in that fucking is fucking. In the immortal words of George Carlin 'you can prick your finger but you can't finger your prick.' Quit jerking everybody around and trying to antagonize people."
VARIATIONS
1. A misogynist says: "I don't excuse crimes against women, but some women are asking for it when they get raped. They wear those short skirts, and revealing tops. It's going to send some men over the edge. Some men can't help it. If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime."
2. In the summer of 1978 I attended a Metropolitan Opera performance of the opera Madame Butterfly at the Robin Dell in Philadelphia with my sister. Seated behind me were two older women. One said to the other. "I can't excuse the Holocaust. It was terrible: killing six million Jews. But the Germans had to do something. The Jews were taking over the country. They were taking over the banks, the newspapers, the universities. What were the Germans to do? Hitler had to do something. The Jews were ruining the country." If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime.
3. An Iranian conservative says about the recent Iranian post-election protests: "I don't condone violence by the government against the people. The people protested. They had their say. But the government responded. The Supreme Leader said that the protests had to stop for the good of the country. Yes, it's a shame that people were killed and injured. But if you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime."
4. An Egyptian Muslim says about the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001: "I denounce terrorism and violence. The terrorist attacks in New York were a terrible tragedy. But the U.S. government acts like a bully around the world. They have supported the criminal Zionist regime in Israel for the last 60 years in total disregard of the rights of the Palestinian people, my brothers. The U.S. Government disrespects Muslims. Everyone knows that." If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime.
5. An abortion opponent says: "I don't condone violence, and especially not murder. But when a doctor performs abortions, when he wantonly kills innocent life, he should expect a backlash. Yes, killing of abortion doctors is going to happen. If you are going to push things to the edge then you should expect to fall off sometime."
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Comment
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Comment by Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana on July 24, 2009 at 2:05pm
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I really don't completely understand what this is all about, but if it's about the name of a wee village near where I was born, and where i often played as a child, and it's about Americans who can't stomach the fact that some things are pronounced and spelt differently in other countries, than I take umbrage, yet again. If I am to be lumped in with those of whom it is deemed to be of an "elementary school" persuasion, then kindly address me directly, and not by inference. What EXACTLY IS going on here?
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Oops, sorry Gary, I have George so much to mind today - and he did such a beautiful job with your profile page, I got your names confused. Mental pause. Getting on in years I fear. Sorry sorry! Let me try that again . . .
" Brilliant rebuttal Gary. I'm with you. Happily standing right on the bloody edge." !!!
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I was born in Salzburg, Austria. Fucking (German pronunciation: [ˈfʊkɪŋ]) is an Austrian village in the municipality of Tarsdorf, in the Innviertel region of western Upper Austria. The village is located 33 kilometres (21 mi) north of Salzburg, and four kilometres (2.5 mi) east of the German border. It's lovely there. My family's country seat is not far from "Fucking".
Anyone want to take ME on because I've just described the Austrian town of Fucking? Bring it on. I'm in that kind of mood today. I'm tired of the censors, the know it alls, the "dissers", the puerile attitudes, the snarks, the relentless snides, and those who attempt to intimidate others with their ignorance, utter lack of sophistication, and arrogance.
Brilliant rebuttal George. I'm with you. Happily standing right on the bloody edge.
And for good measure. I've always been of the mind set that if you're not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space.
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