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Please Stop Apologizing by Bill Maher (NYT Editorial)

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Well Bill absolutely disagrees with anyone saying that. Currently listening to last weeks show.

He said he didn't understand how he was the "leader/voice" of the Democratic party. For one, he wasn't a democrat. And two, if he was the leader of the Democratic party pot would be legal by now.

But anyhow, who would you say is a better antithesis of Rush?

I think that donation really putt a mark on him. So yeah while Bill is "representative" of liberals, it's not exactly the same way. For one the Republican candidates seem completely afraid of disparaging Rush. Dems..I don't think they would care either way.
There's no equivalent. Just like there's no liberal equivalent of FOX. The space between liberals like Maher or me and the Democratic party is huge, but I think Limbaugh is much more representative of some significant plurality of conservative opinion.

Hmm OK. Because the potential white first ladies in question are so terrible? Seems like a really bad joke.
... you don't have a very good sense of humor, do you?
 
His show isn't about being offended by the right. It's about calling them out for their bullshit.

I can't remember Maher *ever* asking someone from the right who said something offensive to apologize for it. He'll make fun of them or call them an asshole for it, but he never acts offended.

It's all faux outrage. Get the audience clapping, booing, etc.
I like Maher, but he plays up to shit just like every other entertainer.
 

dave is ok

aztek is ok
There's no equivalent. Just like there's no liberal equivalent of FOX. The space between liberals like Maher or me and the Democratic party is huge, but I think Limbaugh is much more representative of some significant plurality of conservative opinion.

If anyone could compete with Rush in terms of influence, it'd be someone like Jon Stewart - but for that comparison to be apt Stewart would have to ditch the 'I'm a comedian' thing and start taking himself way too seriously.
 
If anyone could compete with Rush in terms of influence, it'd be someone like Jon Stewart - but for that comparison to be apt Stewart would have to ditch the 'I'm a comedian' thing and start taking himself way too seriously.

Nobody pisses off Rush more than Van Jones.
 

sangreal

Member
I generally can't stand Maher, but he is right.

Also, DeNiro's joke got a chuckle out of me. How could anyone be offended by it? Do they not remember 2008?
 

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
If I was going to label anyone as the left version if Rush it would be Ed Shultz. Hate that guy so much, and pretty much everyone else on MSNBC, it cab be just as bad as FOX at times, and just pushes the country further apart politically.
 
People in this country live to be offended. The most trivial shit offends people now. Faux outrage over irrelevant happenings. I agree with him. I don't want to live in a politically correct country where people have to apologize for having a controversial opinion or telling a joke. He's right on the money.
 

jmdajr

Member
If I ever have the need to get mad, I just listen to Hannity. And it's not "getting offended" mad.

But hey, I'm not a great american.
 
To an extent I agree and he provides an interesting view point. However, I think it has plenty of holes. For example I do think someone should apologize for calling someone a slut. Just like someone making racist comments should be shot down. I agree people need to be thicker skinned and that a lot of this stuff is obnoxious. However, homophobic and racist comments should be apologized for and those people shouldn't be allowed a platform of which to speak on.
 
Or they see it as a chance to get something.

This tactic isn't that precise, it's used more appear better then the opposition but mainly to muddy the water, don't be shocked when Republican's say that is is worse then the Fluke stuff.

If Democrats would use the strength given by being correct and consistent then this shit would stop, as is they'll cave every time and now a true stain on the Republicans will be said to be mirrored by a faux outrage.
 
a lot of neogaf members should read this article imo

This. Yes. I agree.

We live in a nation where many of us feel we have the right to not be offended. These folks are sorely mistaken. There's nothing wrong with apologizing - a little diplomacy can go a long way - but in instances like these, people go out of their way to find offense. There's no satiating these people. They get what they want out of the mess, which is an argument and a shit-ton of attention.

Read title as "Please stop apologizing for Bill Maher"...
 
To change our behavior for the sake of one man who tells us how shameful we're acting would itself be an apologetic act.

Why should we apologize for who we are? Let's all continue being offended as unapologetically as possible.
 
I Agree. Everyone needs to stop being a bunch of whiny bitches.

Deal with the whiny bitches the same way Maher says he deals with Rush: don't listen to them. Don't take offense at them and try to make them stop acting the way they do, then you're no better than they are.
 
Deal with the whiny bitches the same way Maher says he deals with Rush: don't listen to them. Don't take offense at them and try to make them stop acting the way they do, then you're no better than they are.

That's one way to deal with people that are offended far too easily, but it doesn't remedy the situation.
 

THRILLH0

Banned
a lot of neogaf members should read this article imo

Yup.

The recent blitzkrieg of "OMG check out this racist/sexist/homophobic ad" threads has really been a chore to wade through.

Pro-tip for life: the mete mention of race in any context is not an auto-racism flag.
 

Skel1ingt0n

I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
I can't stand Bill Mahr. At all. But I agree 100% with his point.
 
So how many of you think that Limbaugh's slut-shaming of Sandra Fluke and the whole contraception thing should not have been a big deal? Because that's what Maher's talking about.

If any of you criticized Limbaugh for that or spoke out against him, you don't agree with this article.
 

jmdajr

Member
So how many of you think that Limbaugh's slut-shaming of Sandra Fluke and the whole contraception thing should not have been a big deal? Because that's what Maher's talking about.

If any of you criticized Limbaugh for that or spoke out against him, you don't agree with this article.

Well there should be difference between getting mad for just about anything and someone taking things too far. But where is that line?
 

wenis

Registered for GAF on September 11, 2001.
How much shit did Bill Clinton ever apologize for? I wish Obama had thicker skin. Maybe next term.

If he gets the next term I want him to just go all out. At the end of every speech he holds the mike and drops it on the stage. Then storms out with 20 guards tailing him.
 
Maher has a point. Manufactured outrage and controversy are as meaningless as the apologies that inevitably follow. Just one big cycle of bullshit.
 
D

Deleted member 13876

Unconfirmed Member
Am I the only one who thought the villain from the Muppets movie looked like Bill Maher?
 
That comment got a legitimate lol from me.

Canada jokes are always funny.

I really don't get how they are funny. People that always find them funny remind me of infants that always giggle whenever keys are jiggled in front of them.

Though considering they aren't infants maybe a more appropriate comparison would be a dog? Like... they are trained to laugh at the mere mention of Canada in a jokey context. Like Pavlov's dog.
 

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
so wait, is the outrage over trayvon martin too much also then? or is that justified because [insert reason here]
You're really missing the point here. Maher was talking about faked or at least hyperbolic rage for political gains. It can easily be generalized to non-political situations ... but the point still remains.

How is the Trayvon Martin situation at all faked outrage? It is very obviously warranted. Someone was killed, with all evidence pointing to it being racially motivated, and there wasn't even an arrest. Can you really not see the difference?





LOL. He'd have no show if that happened. How insincere.
That's not really true. His show is weekly and runs on seasons. It's not like it's a daily show he needs to fill with tons of fluff. Given the relative infrequency of his show, there typically is plenty of things throughout the world to have valid rage about.
 
A couple of posts here have touched on the right point, that Maher's request is too broad.

I don't really give a shit about people apologizing, mostly because 99% of the time it's disingenuous--an honest apology takes real remorse and reflection unrelated to the consequences, something that may happen over time but certainly not in an immediate PR scramble a day or three after the incident. So yes, "stop apologizing" (unless you really mean it).

But his plea to "just ignore things you don't like" assumes that words have literally zero effect at all if you don't listen to them. Except that words can often perpetuate stereotypes, fallacies, and hatred that do affect people, whether they choose to listen to them or not.
 
I really don't get how they are funny. People that always find them funny remind me of infants that always giggle whenever keys are jiggled in front of them.

Though considering they aren't infants maybe a more appropriate comparison would be a dog? Like... they are trained to laugh at the mere mention of Canada in a jokey context. Like Pavlov's dog.

lol....Canada.

Edit:

I'm sorry
 

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
But his plea to "just ignore things you don't like" assumes that words have literally zero effect at all if you don't listen to them. Except that words can often perpetuate stereotypes, fallacies, and hatred that do affect people, whether they choose to listen to them or not.
But those situations would engender warranted outrage ... which is not what he's taking about.

You're taking that point out of context.
 

Lambtron

Unconfirmed Member
Bill Maher is a thick headed idiot, and I completely disagree with this article. It's pretty easy to say this shit when you're a rich white dude.

As far as people thinking people are "too easily offended," it's really none of your business what offends or doesn't offend people. If you want them to stop being "whiny bitches" the best solution is to look at how you're being an asshole and stop being one.
 
One thing I thought was hilarious about Gingrich asking Obama to apologize for De Niro's comments(which is retarded in itself) is that he lambasted Obama for apologizing for the military burning Qurans. Gingrich is a fucking joke in his beliefs, as are most republicans.

Clever observation. Yeah . . . no apology for committing blasphemy (in their eyes) but Gingrich expects an apology for something that he full well knows is a joke (and not a bad joke).


BTW, I thought the right hated 'political correctness'?
 

g23

European pre-madonna
That whole thing the OP quoted sounds like it came straight outta Bill's New Rules segment
 
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