| R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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@[BitterLake:43816] You're correct, it was not an ad hominem. My bad for misidentifying it. It was actually the Appeal to the Stone fallacy. The rest of what I have said follows suit. Use of logical fallacies speaks to a lack of rational argument. I don't understand what your questions have to do with any of this. Authoritarianism is never a valid gateway to Libertarianism. There are presently no democratic socialist countries in existence - just social democracies (which are further to the right). But democratic socialism is a perfectly viable governmental system, and would not inspire more than token annoyance from the Western world in this era. Democratic socialism would be a rational step toward pure communism. Totalitarianism is the opposite - tyranny always breeds more tyranny. Totalitarian societies don't become more free without becoming democratic first. And of course, a necessity for any free society of persons is a free press. Freedom can be socialist or capitalist. If people are in control of their own destinies, whether they work toward them through willing collectivism or competition, it's all Libertarian. |
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| R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe Lyrics | 1 year ago |
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@[BitterLake:43747] Sorry, I do not care if you disagree with my characterization of the USSR's political position. Your fallback on ad hominem speaks to the fact that you don't have a rational argument to make on it anyhow. It does not further your argument - only makes you look over-emotional and 'mean. |
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| R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe Lyrics | 4 years ago |
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leige, it's not misleading at all. I pointed out quite clearly that the station encouraged people to rise up and take over their government to secure their freedom. The 'communism' of the Soviet Union wasn't communism at all, but Totalitarian Socialism with the explicit goal of becoming communist 'eventually.' There would have been no war, cold or otherwise, if they were REAL communists. Not that anyone in politics has ever made the distinction, of course. But Radio Free Europe did all of the things I stated. It was not ONLY anti-Communist propaganda. I suppose we shouldn't refer to it in past-tense. Yes, it is funded by the US Government. And it still exists. :) https://www.rferl.org/ |
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| Siouxsie and the Banshees – Cities In Dust Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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This is about the eruption of Vesuvias, and the destruction of Pompei. Siousxie visited an arcaeological site there. "We found you hiding we found you lying Choking on the dirt and sand Your former glories and all the stories Dragged and washed with eager hands" A body, uncovered by archaeologists, and artifacts excavated and cleaned. Who could not be affected by such a sight? |
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| R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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Radio Free Europe does indeed broadcast news to countries that lack a free press, or have an undeveloped press. One of its original purposes was to provide news and an outlet for refugees, and knowing this makes this song make more sense. "Calling all in transit" - "Straight off the boat, where to go?" "keep me out of country" Much of it sounds like broken English, like something Babelfish might spit out...or something a refugee with poor English might say. "Instead of pushing palaces to fall" - Radio Free Europe was created to encourage the people in these countries to rise up and take over their government in order to secure their freedom. It is the 'defying media', and it defies the media of the countries it is broadcast to. The song wasn't meant to have a clear meaning, and it's very open-ended, but it is clearly talking about the actual Radio Free Europe. |
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| R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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Radio Free Europe does indeed broadcast news to countries that lack a free press, or have an undeveloped press. One of its original purposes was to provide news and an outlet for refugees, and knowing this makes this song make more sense. "Calling all in transit" - "Straight off the boat, where to go?" "keep me out of country" Much of it sounds like broken English, like something Babelfish might spit out...or something a refugee with poor English might say. "Instead of pushing palaces to fall" - Radio Free Europe was created to encourage the people in these countries to rise up and take over their government in order to secure their freedom. It is the 'defying media', and it defies the media of the countries it is broadcast to. The song wasn't meant to have a clear meaning, and it's very open-ended, but it is clearly talking about the actual Radio Free Europe. |
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