I've got such a rich history I could probably do a long series of these organized by themes. However, I'll let you all decide where to take this. Please ask me anything.
Barney - AMA
Posts
Total:
64
Contrary to the popular position that RFD rules are too strict, do you agree with me that they'rd ridiculously lax and open to people being able to justify voting either way even on very onesided debates (against the blatant winner)?
I do.have an example or two from.the user Novice but this really isnt about me alone.
Do you think that the political polarization within the US has reached the point where compromise between even the average left-wing person and average right-wing person on key political issues is unimaginable or do you think that it is still possible for the two sides to come together?
Do you think that a "peaceful divorce" could solve the political tensions within the US?
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@RationalMadman
RFDs (response to #2):
I agree the rules are indeed extremely lax.
This may be surprising given that they're like a dozen pages, yet those pages are in large part to guide better voting among people who wish to be better voters.
While it's true those rules enable moderation to remove votes for a variety of reasons, said reasons usually boil down to the voter overlooking something basic and essential.
Speaking generally, an intentionally bad voter can get away with a lot if they dress it up.
Speaking generally, an intentionally bad voter can get away with a lot if they dress it up.
I will add that I don't know what the perfect level of strictness would be. I suppose it would vary with the site population. Some laxness to avoid discouraging potential voters (particularly new ones) is important, but the goal of a larger voter pool to cancel out the occasional bad vote has not been attained.
There is also the problem of resource constraints. Removing a bad yet detailed vote, can require reading the whole debate to understand why a lengthy vote is not relevant to what was actually presented.
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@TheMorningsStar
Political Polarization (response to #3):
I don't think the average people on either side are that tunnel visioned. The problem is the loudest talkers distort it. There was a great comic from Morning Breakfast Cereal on exactly this issue. That said, things are getting bad due to tribal virtue ethics and over enthusiastic application of otherness. Still, I think the average person on each side generally want to same things as each other.
As for the USA splitting up... I think we are too reliant upon each other to attempt that. Further, the American Civil War affirms that the union will not allow states to secede.
To more directly answer the question: Sure it would solve some problems, but it would probably create twice as many, and ones of greater magnitude at that.
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@TheMorningsStar
Do you think that the political polarization within the US has reached the point where compromise between even the average left-wing person and average right-wing person on key political issues is unimaginable or do you think that it is still possible for the two sides to come together?
Well, are you willing to compromise your less passionate values to get what you want the most? Like for me, I oppose higher taxes on the rich because they earned that money. But I’ll gladly tax them more to help pay off the debt if we can cut spending to 2015 levels.
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@Barney
Did you name yourself after the pedo dinosaur that forces kids to sniff his smelly crotch?
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@TheUnderdog
Dinosaurs (response to #7):
No such dinosaur exists as you described. However, congratulations on being the first person to make an imbecilic joke at my new name.
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@Barney
I don't think the average people on either side are that tunnel visioned. The problem is the loudest talkers distort it.
I actually agree with this to an extent, but also feel like the mainstream media is constantly getting further and further away from the center. As most people I feel don't take much time to think deeply about politics and rely on the mainstream media, this drift will, I fear, lead more people to also shift towards the extremes. I don't think we are at the point where each side is too polarized yet, but I do think that if nothing happens that it seems like an inevitability.
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@Barney
Imbecilic joke.
I'm British....But mention the name Barney and I think of only one person...A fictional one at that.
Now Fred, and I think of..................
Yabba Dabba Doooooooooo.
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@Barney
I'm American....But mention the name Barney and I think of only one person...Barney Fife.
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@Barney
Is it true that you are an immigrant to the US who served in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne?
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@TheMorningsStar
Political Polarization (response to #9):
Mainstream media is largely rubbish. This is chiefly the result of perverse incentives.
What we should have with the liberal vs conservative networks, is slanted opinions of the same events. But their pursuit of ratings means they don't want to offend anyone within their core demographic, so they take turns burying their heads in the sand ignoring the news on which they are duty bound to report.
Sadly, middle ground news networks are going to offend fragile sensibilities of crybabies on both sides, so have lower maximal ratings as people self-self away from things they don't want to hear. A Venn Diagram could show it pretty easily. Not to say they could not be successful, but they would have to work a lot harder and find an appeal more powerful and appealing than the metaphorical blanket the others give.
Have you watched Anchorman 2? It's pretty much a mockumentary on what went wrong with the news, when it became about entertainment instead of informing anyone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xvRtZZhURg
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@oromagi
Immigration and Patriotism (response to #13):
Both are correct.
I was born in Canada, and spent the first decade of my life there.
In my twenties I dropped out of college to enlist as a combat medic. I ended up in the 82nd airborne, and served in Iraq. I had actually earned a slot in Ranger School, but a pogue I was forced to go through in his laziness managed to sabotage my security clearance (literally just putting something already completed in the mail box was too much work for a whole month; and he kept lying by claiming it was already done).
To have security clearance in the US military, you cannot be a foreign national. However, military service makes someone eligible to take the citizenship exam.
Funny thing was that during deployment, I got a second vacation due to that security clearance issue. I was required to have top secret security clearance to be on the mission set to which I was critical personnel. My direct superiors got into a little trouble, since I had tried to square it away just before deployment, but they had chosen to prevent me from attending the citizenship exam.
One thing that still stings to this day, was after deployment when I tried to vote, they tried to order me to not vote due to some epically bizarre sense of nationalism they suffered.
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@Barney
Why did you change your name to Barney?
Also I saw on your profile you said you were born a slave? What do you mean by that?
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@thett3
Name Change (response to #16):
In short:
It felt right.
At length:
It's been well over a year since I had a real formal debate, with the last I remember turned into tutoring sessions.
The longer I'm retired from debating, the less I feel like quite the same person on this site; to which I've been pondering changing my username for quite awhile. At first I thought the desire might pass, and then I just did not have anything specific to which I wished to change my username.
When Barney popped into my head, I tried to dismiss it, but it just wouldn't go away. When I started giving it serious consideration, it just felt right.
I'll freely admit that the name Barney brings a couple fictional characters to mind. I certainly would not want to resemble either of them in their entirety (such as disrespecting women or breaking into songs), but a smart snazzy dresser and a purple clad educator; those are things to which I strongly relate... In terms of style, I probably own too many suits (if such is even possible), and indeed my favorite color is purple. In terms of mental faculties, I can safely say without giving into narcissism that I am a genius (even if I am not infrequently thick headed), and in my role on this site I am routinely trying to lift people up to become better debaters.
Who I was before, was about beating people in debates. It was sometimes a good test of myself, but it was also quite egocentric. Now, I mostly wish to help people unlock their excellence.
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@thett3
Slavery (also in response to #16):
I mean I was born into slavey. Modern slavery is more rare, but it sadly still happens.
My parents had two perfect boys whom they viewed as the future of the white race, and the rest of us were bred as a cheap work force.
At least in Canada, one of the tactics Neo-Nazis and pro-lifers use to get away with this is fake private schools.
My oldest two brothers of course got a real education. For the rest of us, if we were caught with books it meant we had too much time on our hands so more work; when there was not work for the movement available, it was time to paint the house again.
I ended up teaching myself literacy when I was 14 or 15, and escaped when I was 18 with help from one of my older sisters who had previously gotten away.
Shortly before I escaped, I had a conversation with my mother because I didn't understand peoples obsession with having children, and specifically did not have a desire to have any of my own. She basically broke down in a panic because if I didn't have children, then there wouldn't be enough white people on the planet for my oldest brother's kids to make more white babies with.
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@Barney
Wow I’m sorry to hear that. Certainly one of the crazier backstories I’ve heard of. You seem well adjusted all things considered
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@Barney
amazing story and thank you for your service
Well your family sounds fun.
How many people have you punched in the face over the course of your life?
What degrees do you have?
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@badger
Violence (response to #21):
My stance on this may seem contradictory...
I think violence should be used far less often than it is. It should almost never be the intended course of action.
That said, I have not punched nearly enough people in the face or otherwise. I'm pretty sure the total number only comes to four or five, and three of those were when I was a kid. Of those two were Neo-Nazis (my brothers), one was defending myself from sexual assault in army, and I mildly regret the remaining two.
I have also been in a few long distance firefights in Iraq. I know I did not shoot anyone, since I did not engage in indiscriminate spray and pray (sadly, that's all too common in the military)... Instead even when doing suppressive fire, I aimed my shots.
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@badger
Education (response to #22):
Let's see...
I have one G.E.D., three associates degrees, a Bachelor of Business Administration, a Master's of Science, and a post-Master's business analytics certificate.
I also had an EMT-B certificate (yet trained to at least an EMT-P level) but it's expired. I could not stay in the medical field after the army.
University was the first place I ever felt happy or at home. I kind of want to go back and get my doctorate, but I need more work experience first.
You seem like a cool guy tbh. I wouldn't mind if these dudes asked you more questions.
My questions are always gonna be the dumb taking advantage of the AMA sort of questions like... how many sexual partners?
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@zedvictor4
@FLRW
Barney Rubble never left much of an impression on me. I guess he seemed polite but dumb? I will say that in my juvenile years I preferred the design of Betty over Wilma; as much as Wilma has better references other media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeDkGnyDv9o
Barney Fife was before my time. I did watch a few clips just now, and he is indeed hilarious.
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@thett3
Slavery (response to #19):
Thanks man. I think I'm pretty well adjusted these days. That said, I went through several phases of being an effing mess.
Ultimately I latched onto a long term goal of who I wanted to mold myself into, and slowly set about doing just that. Without any positive male role models in my life, Disney princes became who I wanted to become (obviously minus the magic bloodlines and other inheritance).
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@oromagi
You're welcome.
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@badger
Sexual Partners (response to #25):
My head got banged up in Iraq, so I honestly don't know the number.
I do know what I've turned down more people than I've said yes to, and I've never pulled lame tactics on my partners (I guess I just don't want them to feel dirty and regret it the next day). Sex can be a wonderful part of a relationship, but for me it isn't a requirement.
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@Barney
I guess I just don't want them to feel dirty and regret it the next day
I tell girls this all the time, so I don't know what you're up to. It's funny to see you write it though. I always wonder about other guys' game. My whole power of persuasion goes into sex.
My head got banged up in Iraq, so I honestly don't know the number.
This also reads euphemistic.