War Brutality (Warning Disturbing photographs)

[Jonathan]

I wish you all well.

I wish them well, too. I think there are some good people in the moderator positions at OO along with the bad (or maybe some of the good ones have now replaced some of the bad). The place does seem to be getting better all the time, but it still has some cultish attitudes and double standards that it should move beyond.

J

[9thdoctor]

It would be an interesting experiment to post the great pretender thread on OO with 2 or 3 OL people to present the case.

In the last day I’ve had a private exchange with an OO moderator who, after reviewing the Peikoff: The Great Pretender thread politely let me know it would not be ok to call Peikoff "a liar" on OO. He sought me out, btw, having read this exchange on OL. He cites the following from the forum rules:

Participants agree to avoid making rude or insulting comments about Ayn Rand, her philosophy of Objectivism, the Ayn Rand Institute, the representatives and supporters of the Institute, or the adherents of the philosophy.

However, he does end with “It is a good question I think and certainly of value to understand what makes or doesn't make Peikoff an intellectual heir”, so maybe the issue can be phrased in such a way as to pass muster, while still getting the camel’s nose into the tent.

I’m thinking of referencing the Obama birth certificate story, since it's fresh and it was public pressure that finally got results.

[9thdoctor]

I think there are some good people in the moderator positions at OO along with the bad (or maybe some of the good ones have now replaced some of the bad). The place does seem to be getting better all the time, but it still has some cultish attitudes and double standards that it should move beyond.

I’m now on “preview mode”, in other words moderation, that sure didn’t take long. Here’s the offending thread, though you won’t see the offending posts, they’ve been deleted. I pointed out that at least a couple posts by me and Jonathan had been deleted, that clearly pointed criticism of Ed Cline’s writing was not allowed on the site, ending with “So don the kid gloves and try to rely more on subtext, folks.” I got an email from “softwareNerd” informing me of my status, though without any explanation beyond quoting the above sentence.

[caroljane]

I think there are some good people in the moderator positions at OO along with the bad (or maybe some of the good ones have now replaced some of the bad). The place does seem to be getting better all the time, but it still has some cultish attitudes and double standards that it should move beyond.

I’m now on “preview mode”, in other words moderation, that sure didn’t take long. Here’s the offending thread, though you won’t see the offending posts, they’ve been deleted. I pointed out that at least a couple posts by me and Jonathan had been deleted, that clearly pointed criticism of Ed Cline’s writing was not allowed on the site, ending with “So don the kid gloves and try to rely more on subtext, folks.” I got an email from “softwareNerd” informing me of my status, though without any explanation beyond quoting the above sentence.

Who's Ed Cline? Is his writing good, or anyway if you don't think so why wouldn't you be allowed to say so? This seems weird - it's not like you were criticizing Rand or even Peikoff.

[9thdoctor]

Who's Ed Cline? Is his writing good, or anyway if you don't think so why wouldn't you be allowed to say so? This seems weird - it's not like you were criticizing Rand or even Peikoff.

Judge for yourself.

http://www.capitalismmagazine.com/arts/movies/6168-amadeus%3A-a-pinnacle-of-cultural-corruption.html

Don't miss my replies in the comment section.

An interesting point is that I've been moderated for pointing out that my posts (and Jonathan's) have been deleted. So not only do they censor, they censor discussion of the practice. Keeping up appearances? Who do they think they're fooling?

[caroljane]

Who's Ed Cline? Is his writing good, or anyway if you don't think so why wouldn't you be allowed to say so? This seems weird - it's not like you were criticizing Rand or even Peikoff.

Judge for yourself.

http://www.capitalismmagazine.com/arts/movies/6168-amadeus%3A-a-pinnacle-of-cultural-corruption.html

Don't miss my replies in the comment section.

An interesting point is that I've been moderated for pointing out that my posts (and Jonathan's) have been deleted. So not only do they censor, they censor discussion of the practice. Keeping up appearances? Who do they think they're fooling?

Well, that was interesting all right. I can't even answer my own question though, about Cline's writing - he doesn't really write, he just rails. Whatever subject matter he's railing about, it just overwhelms his structure and I found it desperately annoying and really had to force myself to keep reading. He likes to load everything onto a simile, like the handcart, and push it down the tracks-- we get it, Ed, we know where the stuff in a handcart ends up.

About the "interesting image" he thought of as good movie poster -- there, my reaction to seeing the thing was so similar to Jonathan's that maybe I do have some art instinct after all! I thought, Ayn Rand's face? Gazing away from some tracks, like a fed-up railway supervisor who knows the navvies are going to cock up the job. Her familiar compelling stare suggests, "Look what I have to put up with." Well, maybe that is Cline's point, given what an outrage upon her he thinks the movie is.

I've just remembered that Cline is the man that one of the BOW winners thought should have written the screenplay. This person was very indignant that Cline was not approached, due too the fact that Aglialoro is a "Kelleyite moron." Maybe Cline, like every other AS fan in the world, knows that it is indeed he who should have been entrusted with the sacred task, and would have done it right, and it's plain old sour grapes.

Anyway, this is the guy on whose behalf Oonline is censoring you and Jonathan - a writer scorned, himself censored and silenced by the evillest silencer of all: being ignored!

Those poor moderators. I can't believe they think they're fooling anybody - they're just trying to to follow, or maybe figure out, whatever the Rules of Appearance are over there. It's incomprehensible, it's ridiculous, it's..it's just postmodern, is what it is.

Edited May 24, 2011 by daunce lynam

[caroljane]

Incidentally, isn't it too bad that O'politics prevented D. Harriman from having a go at the screenplay? I hear he did a good job of rewriting Rand's personal journals. And having achieved such eminence as a scientist and philosopher, he'd be ready for the next big career move.

[Rich Engle]

Who's Ed Cline? Is his writing good, or anyway if you don't think so why wouldn't you be allowed to say so? This seems weird - it's not like you were criticizing Rand or even Peikoff.

Judge for yourself.

http://www.capitalis...corruption.html

Don't miss my replies in the comment section.

An interesting point is that I've been moderated for pointing out that my posts (and Jonathan's) have been deleted. So not only do they censor, they censor discussion of the practice. Keeping up appearances? Who do they think they're fooling?

dingus-dong'ems

rde

Thinks He Got the Genus and Species Correct!

Edited May 24, 2011 by Rich Engle