Now that the Republican National Convention is underway, it's getting harder and harder for me to keep from going off about the ever-increasing stupidity coming out of Cleveland! I was doing okay until this morning when Donald Trump's campaign manager was saying that Melania's speech was 100% her work...yeah, she had a team of speechwriters, but she did it all by herself! And everybody uses the same words, so does that mean everybody plagiarized Michele Obama's speech, too? (I swear, I was ready for him to say Michele Obama actually plagiarized Melania's speech!) Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else is having the same problem?

EW, I think its time to remove politics from this site. I come here to get away from all the bullshit on all sides.

I get both of your frustration here on this. I won't watch either convention on TV. This whole election cycle is nothing but a raging dumpster fire. Just when you think that you've discovered the actual, scientific limit of bull$hit and f--kery, there's more. I think what makes this even more frustrating for me personally is that this summer, I'm taking an ethics course and a sociology course and everything I see flies in the face of both.

Originally posted by Becky Rock EW, I think its time to remove politics from this site. I come here to get away from all the bullshit on all sides.

If only it was so easy to get away from! It's seeped into almost everything!

*hugs* EW. I feel your pain. I'm a pretty political person but I try not to bring it here so I can still have my happy place. If you need someone to rant to, though, you can rant to me in PM. I don't mind.

Originally posted by msannomalley I get both of your frustration here on this. I won't watch either convention on TV. This whole election cycle is nothing but a raging dumpster fire. Just when you think that you've discovered the actual, scientific limit of bull$hit and f--kery, there's more. I think what makes this even more frustrating for me personally is that this summer, I'm taking an ethics course and a sociology course and everything I see flies in the face of both.

Yeah I'm not watching either convention, either. I don't normally so I don't see why I should start now! I imagine that you're getting a TON of bad examples to use in your ethics class.

<- Keeping out of it!

Originally posted by ChrisW *hugs* EW. I feel your pain. I'm a pretty political person but I try not to bring it here so I can still have my happy place. If you need someone to rant to, though, you can rant to me in PM. I don't mind.

Thanks for the offer, but.... If it wasn't this, it would have been some other excuse to throw a tantrum. There are some people who have done nothing but shit on me ever since I joined the group; I've been patient, tried to ease things with a lighthearted comment. But I'm not sure I can take much more of that.

Originally posted by ChrisW

Originally posted by msannomalley I get both of your frustration here on this. I won't watch either convention on TV. This whole election cycle is nothing but a raging dumpster fire. Just when you think that you've discovered the actual, scientific limit of bull$hit and f--kery, there's more. I think what makes this even more frustrating for me personally is that this summer, I'm taking an ethics course and a sociology course and everything I see flies in the face of both.

Yeah I'm not watching either convention, either. I don't normally so I don't see why I should start now! I imagine that you're getting a TON of bad examples to use in your ethics class.

The class covers the philosophical side of ethics, mostly things like moral theories (like utilitarianism/consequentialist theories vs. natural law theory/non consequentialist theories) because those help you in figuring out where someone else is coming from when they are taking a side on a moral issue. It also helps you understand what the actual issue is at the heart of the debate (the question being posed), so you can tell when other people try to distract from the real issue. As far as moral theories go, they center around the question of is it right because it contributes to the greater good or is it right because it's your duty to do it, regardless of the outcome? It's really difficult for me to listen to the arguments on either side when their use of faulty logic and logical fallacies is so blatant. it's also difficult for me to listen to what passes off as debate because nobody seems interested in trying to understand. It's a very interesting class. I learned a lot. Anyway, I'm sure this delegate from my home state speaks for all of us and our frustrations when he did a facepalm on live TV. https://vine.co/v/5ZTDDMqVPua

But... if there is any good to come from this election year, it's that it's been a lot easier for me to avoid Facebook and Twitter. I get so much more done during the day!

EW: *hugs*

Originally posted by msannomalley The class covers the philosophical side of ethics, mostly things like moral theories (like utilitarianism/consequentialist theories vs. natural law theory/non consequentialist theories) because those help you in figuring out where someone else is coming from when they are taking a side on a moral issue. It also helps you understand what the actual issue is at the heart of the debate (the question being posed), so you can tell when other people try to distract from the real issue. As far as moral theories go, they center around the question of is it right because it contributes to the greater good or is it right because it's your duty to do it, regardless of the outcome? It's really difficult for me to listen to the arguments on either side when their use of faulty logic and logical fallacies is so blatant. it's also difficult for me to listen to what passes off as debate because nobody seems interested in trying to understand.

Sounds like that class should be mandatory in high school or jr high.

Originally posted by ChrisW Sounds like that class should be mandatory in high school or jr high.

I totally agree. This and sociology.

They were when my older brothers were in HS (late 60's early 70's), but I didn't have it available in late 70's early 80's. They did have a civics class my son took, so maybe it depends where you are at.

Originally posted by Becky Rock They were when my older brothers were in HS (late 60's early 70's), but I didn't have it available in late 70's early 80's. They did have a civics class my son took, so maybe it depends where you are at.

I took a sociology class my senior year of high school, but it wasn't required. I'm minoring in sociology, which is why I'm taking them now in college.

We also had a civics class. From national events/discussions I'm starting to wonder if that was a rarity. One of my favorite electives in university was Science in Technology and Society or something like that. We read everything from On Walden Pond to Brave New World and discussed ethics, etc. and how tech affects society and vice versa.