Saturday 9 March 2013

When words fail

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I have found that I simply cannot discuss many things that happen nowadays - beyond describing them.

So, if I am pointing-out to somebody the latest, hourly, example of beyond-belief politically correct insanity - I mean sheer indefensible lunacy of the kind that happens everywhere and all the time - then anything more I say beyond the basic description actually detracts from the strength of the statement.

It seems that at some levels of extremity, the attempt to explain craziness serves to dilute the craziness.

Don't get drawn-in!

Say nothing, hold your face impassive - or shake the head, roll the eyes - but don't try to explain why craziness is crazy.

If you are talking to a sane person there is no need; and if you are talking to an insane person, it won't work.

Any attempt to explain to a madman why they are mad will lead them to infer that their madness is debatable.

Some things are beyond rational debate - and many such things are now mainstream public discourse.

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5 comments:

The Crow said...

You got that right :)
I find exactly the same thing, all the time. I merely report the latest madness and leave it at that, with little or no comment on whatever I may feel about it.
Anyway: whatever I may feel about it really isn't very important. While knowing that, is.

Anonymous said...

Jesus refused to argue with his attackers many times and in the end was silent.

Gayle said...

How I've dealt with the utter madness, which truly is reaching mind-boggling levels: Besides struggling to devote more of my time, mind and daily effort to Everlasting Truth (which of course necessitates the dis-engagement from earthly attachments - not easy, at all), I've found some comfort reading "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and The Madness of Crowds". The unenlightened human is a herd animal; perhaps one of the functions, if you will, of spirituality is to lead us away from the stampedes ;-)

Bruce Charlton said...

@Gayle - Looking through the subjects in this book, it seems more like a list of the authors prejudices than of definite 'delusions'.

a woman said...

Astute observation. It's my experience as well, but unlike you, I get some kind of emotional release by softly saying, with feigned surprise, "Ooooh, I didn't realize you're one of those anti-science people. Sorry."


They look mortified, and just as they open their mouths to say, "What do you mean by THAT?" I've already turned on my heels.

The added "sorry" at the end is absolutely necessary, for it serves to point out that I believe that I've just offended their devoutly held religious beliefs.

I've had a lot of fun with it.