How Ignorance, Fear And Incompetence Translate

(Updated below) (Update II) (Update III)

I have previously written on how incompetence and lies rule like ignorance and fear in the politics of our times - especially since such things are aided, abetted and inflated by an equally incompetent MSM.

Interestingly, recent developments have occured which illustrate glaring textbook-examples of how ignorance, fear and incompetence translate into the framing of political messages, opinions and ideologies, as well as in the shaping and conduct of present (and future) governmental policies. Let us examine three of such recent examples, shall we?

Item 1: It is becoming increasingly evident that the Leader/Commander Guy and his neocons are actually preparing for some kind of military intervention against Iran - and soon at that. After all, incompetents are unconditional adherents to the idea that war is the solution for everything (because it is so expedient), and war is, bottom line, just another government program. Still doubting this? Then how about the confirmation that the CIA is running Black Ops against Iran, in addition to false intelligence being cooked to justify an Iran War ... just as in the case of the Iraq War? Or, how about making plans for a near-indefinite stay in Iraq, with the idea that the ravaged country be used as a staging area to attack Iran? A good thing, then, that two US aicraft carriers are already on stand-by in the Persian Gulf, eh?

Furthermore, when you are the Constitutional Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. military, why run the risk of bearing all the responsibility for your incompetence? Solution: appoint yourself a War Tzar, who will probably award numerous lucrative no-bid contracts to mercenary companies and intelligence private firms - with zero public accountability given, and none required. Result: Presidential ass covered.

(Sounds to me like this is the way of the future in the waging of war ... but I digress)

Conclusion: Incompetents are not only ruled by intellectual sloth-driven fear, ignorance and expediency, but they remain quite stubbornly consistent in their incompetence - including in the shaping of the policies of tomorrow.

Which brings me to the following axiom: no one cheer and support incompetents more than ... other incompetents. Allow me to make my case with the next two items ...

Item 2: Dixit the wit and wisdom of Senator Joseph "Joe" I. Lieberman (CT-Ind.) on the fine morning of 06/10/2007: "I think we’ve got to be prepared to take aggressive military action against the Iranians to stop them from killing Americans in Iraq (...) This could be achieved mostly with air attacks (...) I’m not talking about a massive ground invasion of Iran (...) They can’t believe that they have immunity for training and equipping people to come in and kill Americans. We cannot let them get away with it".

To be honest, I have grown to expect such singular, intellectual sloth-driven incompetent reasoning that waging war will solve all problems (in the same consistent manner that all incompetents do), from the "good" Senator. Indeed, Senator Lieberman has quite a track record of supporting aerial attacks, invasions and other such "vigorous" interventions - his staunch and continuous (but deluded) support for the Iraq War and occupation, as well as his calm approval of the indiscriminate (read: savage) bombardment of Lebanon by Israel last year, constitute "noble" testaments to this effect. Besides, Senator Lieberman has been harpering for an aerial strike (or confrontation) against Iran for quite some time (some instances here, here, here and here). Consequently, we should not be surprised that he uses "old" false (or non-existent) intelligence and fact-less claims, in an obvious attempt to bolster the rattling of his saber - it is, after all, what other notorious incompetents like him have also been doing with regards to Iran.

Conclusion: Senator Lieberman is a paragon of incompetence driven by ignorance, fear and expediency - consequently, he will assemble with, and staunchly support, other incompetents like him (this is also why he happens to be one of the "fathers" of the Department of Homeland Security, or why he agrees with Alberto Gonzales that the Geneva Conventions are quaint, among so many other examples).

Item 3: Then, you have this guy, that one, or this one, or that woman, and that guy, this one, or this one, ... and so many others - the list, in addition to being nearly endless, is rife with individuals who are united in their intellectual sloth-driven incompetence, ignorance, fear, hubris and mendacity. And of course, all of them promulgate, support (or defend) the same ideological, two-dimensional, fear-ridden, primitive view and (non)understanding of the world.

And so we come to my overall point with this preceding entry: in the end, when all is said and done, it is because of our own afflictions with intellectual sloth, ignorance, fear and the search of instant gratification that such incompetents are not only given power, but allowed to abuse power while they provide us with distractions.

(Paris Hilton, anyone?)

As I am fond of saying: mea culpa, mea culpa, vox populi.

We have the power to change things ... if we are willing to put in the effort and determination required for such a colossal endeavor. So in closing, allow me to part with these words that I have written before:

"(...) let it be known ad nauseam: living in a democracy is a right and a responsibility.

And yes, this responsibility requires effort. But which is better: having your back bent by the effort required to keep on living in a democratic society, or letting leave for complacency and find yourself one day with a back bent under a totalitarian regime (however benevolent it may be)? We must not wait until it is too late to remember that one who uses fear and seeks to control information is one who would see himself as our master.

(...) It is therefore up to us to be vigilant if we are to preserve our democratic values and institutions ... just like it will be up to us to bear the shame of having forsaken them because of intellectual sloth, ignorance, selfishness and the search for instant gratification."

'Nuff said.


Update: 06/11/2007 - The Senate's "no-confidence" vote for U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales did not pass. Guess who stood among those who voted against it?

That's right: incompetents will always support/defend other incompetents.

I rest my case ...


Update II: 06/12/2007 - Other people are begining to wonder if good old Joe's not actually coordinating his talking points with the White House. All I can answer to these questions is: duh! Incompetents always help each other - Q.E.D. (again).

Oh - and wonders of wonders - there is now even increased buzzing about a war with Iran! Looks like I was right ... contrary to what some said about my "alarmism".

And last, but not least: one more shining example of intellectual sloth-driven ignorance and incompetence (hold your applause, folks).

(Oh, heck - here's another one for you good folks - from the Incompetent-in-Chief himself, at that!)


Update III: 06/12/2007 - Who else but this guy should be awarded the gold medal-of-the-week in intellectual sloth-driven ignorance and incompetence? Indeed. Congratulations!

However, the platinum medal (better than gold) for sheer ignorance, incompetence and recklessness goes to this organization. This is insane ...


(Cross-posted as a DKos Diary, at Diatribune, at Suzie-Q, and as a PB Diary)