NationStates Jolt Archive


Doublethink in real life

Kardova
15-04-2005, 23:53
Doublethink, for those of you who haven't read 1984, is when a person has two contradicting beliefs, yet believe in both. Hypocracy, basically.

Feminism. Wait, don't shoot! I shall explain. I believe that women deserve just as much money and rights as men, but it is the hostile warlike feminists that scares me to death. It seems feminists like to set quotas, making every single profession having an equal number from both sexes. I believe this is odd, because that gives people the signal that women need help to get certain positions in society (By the way, I can't wait to see a female president of the USA). For example many countries have lesser physical requirements for women than men. Should a female officer not be able to run as fast as a male? It might be necessary in a life or death situation. Women can and should do it by themselves. Of course, the warmongering extremists claim that the vicious talibanic men tries to oppress the women. I have heard suggestions that there should be quotas on corporation boards. Should I be legally forced to employ women just because of their sex? I believe skills are supposed to be what you compare, not the sex. At the same time they claim that there should be equality and that women should reach positions of power because of their sex. Hmmmm...

Religious people. They believe in heaven and hell, correct? Still they care for money and status, even though they won't bring any to the afterlife. If people believe in eternal damnation they should spend every moment making sure that they will not go to hell. An eternity is a very long time. At the same time they want to have a good life on earth but also have a good afterlife. Why would some religious people kill and commit what is supposed to be incredible sins? They should all be nice people that struggles to gain a place in heaven. Doublethink? They want earthly fortune and status, yet they believe it will not matter after their death. Compare 40 years of high status and wealth to eternal damnation. What would you pick, if you do believe in eternal damnation? I sure as hell would pick the eternity. Fortunately I am atheist, so I stick with the money. Screw damnation!

People worshipping liberty and civil rights. Some people hold the belief that civil rights are almost of divine status, yet at the same time they want to safe guard them by restrictions. US PATRIOT Act? Eugene Debs told men to refuse the draft and was locked up for sedition. At the same time believing that restrictions are necessary under some circumstances and that the rights are important. The US is not the only country that is democratic, yet restricting civil liberties. However, few countries claim their freedom so fervently and at the same time restricts the freedom of others. I believe that the restrictions are necessary to some extent, but preaching liberty and at the same time restricting it is odd.

The enviroment. Almost everyone claims that they want to save the enviroment, yet there seem to be many who just say they want it while they act as they don't care at all. Some recycle, drive less, etc. The increasing gas prices might make people drive less, though I fear that they will be complaining for some time before just accepting that gas will be slightly more expensive. Money conquers the enviroment. People don't care, we'll all be dead before the serious troubles surface. It will be our descendants who will be forced to act. Doublethink? I'd say so. At the same time knowing that something must be done, but leaving it to others. This might just show how damned selfish we are, more than hypocracy.

Please, try to keep this as a serious non-flaming discussion. I'd like if some other people would like to post other interesting "doublethink"-scenarios. Again, don't flame. Please.
Khudros
16-04-2005, 12:11
I've been hearing a lot of doublethink lately, mostly from the White House:

-The only way to make sure the world isn't threatened by war is to go to war!

-Be a true American Patriot and support Saudi Oil!

-The best way to safeguard our freedoms is to curtail human rights! Way to go Patriot Act!

-If we really want to teach Osama a lesson, we should forget he ever existed!

-The best way to safeguard American ports is not to! Trust me on that one...
Fattistan
16-04-2005, 12:50
Khudros, angry as you may be about these things,

(A) All the lefties are. Its nothing new, we've heard it a million times.

(B) The right doesn't care anyway, and most importantly,

(C) You are not honoring the request to keep this an honest flame-free debate... Though I suppose what I am doing right now could be called flaming too.

As for Doublethink, having read and loved 1984, I have never to my recollection encountered “pure” doublethink as it is portrayed in the book. I think it may be impossible for any major sect of our society to collectively think in this manner, demonstrating both our semi-success at avoiding the society of 1984 as well as Mr. Orwell's total and complete vision of an alternate future, completely different the one in which he lived. I believe the examples given by the first two posters to all be partial doublethink at best, that is, they all have at least some logical argument that can be made for them, no matter how many can be made against them. True doublethink would require a self contradiction so complete that there would be no way to construct a logical argument in favor of it without an illogical language system... newspeak.
Bananniland
16-04-2005, 13:11
As a feminist myself, I want to clarify that feminists do not all believe the same things. I personally agree with your statements about quota, as do many other feminists I know.

I'm also a pacifist, so I promise not to shoot you. ;-)
Ekland
16-04-2005, 14:30
As a feminist myself, I want to clarify that feminists do not all believe the same things. I personally agree with your statements about quota, as do many other feminists I know.

I'm also a pacifist, so I promise not to shoot you. ;-)

Errr, neither does ANY other particular classification of opinion...
San haiti
16-04-2005, 14:36
best to make a thread about 1 issue at a time really. 5 issues at one=thread turns into a flame fest 5 times quicker.