Why are there so many threads about Israel/Lebanon/Gaza?

[gumboot]

:confused:

Every second thread seems to be about them. Does anyone know why? Even threads that aren't about the conflict quickly turn into conflict.

My theory: (not supported by evidence, before you ask)

People like the conflicts of Israel Vs Neighbours because they are so murky, and have so much history, any stance becomes like a well supplied fortress - you can withstand a siege indefinately. Thus avoiding the unwholesome possibility that one's stance might be wrong. For any given view, there are a hundred contemporary and historical examples within the conflict itself that totally refute it. And for each of those hundred examples, a hundred more that refute THAT. And so forth.

Thoughts?

-Andrew

[David Swidler]

No, they just love to talk about me.

I could do without the attention, though.

[a_unique_person]

You could always as the people who start them.

[gumboot]

You could always as the people who start them.


I am. ;)

-Andrew

[FireGarden]

I've been a member here since when?
How many threads did you see me starting about Israel last year?

Why did I start now? I should think my motivation is quite obvious. I care about the situation and I am appalled by the support Israel has received for turning a border skirmish into all-out war. Twice!

Heck, I've even changed my sig and avatar for the first time in years of being a member here.

[TriangleMan]

Every second thread seems to be about them. Does anyone know why? Even threads that aren't about the conflict quickly turn into conflict.

Beacuse Iraq is, like, soooooooooo 2005, y'know. :D

[Leif Roar]

Partly, the Israel/Lebanon and, to a lesser degree, Israel/Palestine are current events, so they have a high profile in the news. Perhaps more importantly, there seems to be a fair amount of personal antipathy between some of the participants on this forum who hold different opinions on these issues, resulting both in these discussions becoming high volume / low content affairs, and of this subject quickly being dragged into unrelated topics.

[gumboot]

Partly, the Israel/Lebanon and, to a lesser degree, Israel/Palestine are current events, so they have a high profile in the news. Perhaps more importantly, there seems to be a fair amount of personal antipathy between some of the participants on this forum who hold different opinions on these issues, resulting both in these discussions becoming high volume / low content affairs, and of this subject quickly being dragged into unrelated topics.


I was just thinking that. I think you are probably right. :)

There does seem to be a rather large number of people taking part who have quite personal ties to the conflict.

-Andrew

[Rob Lister]

Because of one-sided attitudes LIKE THIS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ForoJXPaeyg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elittlegreenfootballs%2Ecom %2Fweblog%2F)

[TragicMonkey]

The other big topic that generates lots of threads and angst is Gun Control.

[andyandy]

more threads on david hasslehoff is the solution....:)

[Mycroft]

I think it's pretty self-explanatory that this is teh big thing in the news right now and that it's an issue that polarizes people.

[Luciana]

And where are all the threads about the recent failure of the Doha round? I only saw one and it didn't last long (I didn't post in it either, so it's self-criticism here also). Those negotiations will surely have more impact in the lives of millions/billions than anything that happens between Lebanon and Israel.

[Regnad Kcin]

"Why are there so many threads about Israel/Lebanon/Gaza?"

Including this one!

[bob_kark]

The other big topic that generates lots of threads and angst is Gun Control.
And Alligators.

ETA: What other topic is in the news as fequently?

[webfusion]

OK. Nobody started a topic about the Kana incident -- so, I'm starting that one ----
http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?p=1806147#post1806147

[Raphael]

Hah, this thread would be on page 10 by now if someone had mentioned Bigfoot.

[TragicMonkey]

And Alligators.

ETA: What other topic is in the news as fequently?

Lance Bass. OMG! He's gay!!!
Jessica and Nick divorced!!! OMG!!!
Mel Gibson drunk driving arrest!!! OMG!!!!
Exclusive interview with Laci Peterson's cousin's roommate's best friend's former cat's owner, with special photographic tour of the pottery where she works!!!!

(Sorry. I'm one of three guys where I work, so the break room is full of women's magazines and that's all there is to read at lunch. So I'm learning way more than I needed to about Helpful Household Hints, Diet Secrets, and Love Lives Of The Stars. The How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed articles are particularly amusing, being 100% wrong about everything.)

[Raphael]

The How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed articles are particularly amusing, being 100% wrong about everything.)

Darn. I knew she shouldn't read those.

[Regnad Kcin]

...The How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed articles are particularly amusing, being 100% wrong about everything.People don't know?! And need a magazine article to tell them?!

[TragicMonkey]

People don't know?! And need a magazine article to tell them?!

Hell, yes. People are shockingly ignorant of sex. For all that we hear the complaints that "sex is everywhere" and that the media is all to blame, the truth is that the media does bombard us--with the suggestion of sex. To try to titillate people so they'll buy things. But the actual practices of sex, the mechanics of it, the tips and tricks, the details...those aren't taught at home, or in school, or on television, or the movies. Which is why we have a whole society of horny people who can be utter sluts and yet still be terribly bad lays.

Um, wow, I'm really getting good at derails. Sorry. I'm a stream-of-consciousness thinker, so sometimes a waterfall occurs.

[Mephisto]

Thanks for starting the new thread Webfusion, I was hoping someone other than the usual suspects would start one.

I'd still like a go at gumboot's question though. I've always pointed to the middle east as a perfect example of why religion and government usually fail the common man. It's also a perfect example of how an unbalanced military strength is detrimental to a low-tech indigeneous culture. The Israeli's do indeed deserve a homeland, but no more nor less than the people who had (for generations) settled there since they were gone. It's a problem that won't be solved until one culture can completely wipe out another. Smarter men than anyone here have tried for decades to solve the problem yet, as you point out, there is always another excuse, another justification, another blood payback.

Many religious people also believe that Armageddon will start in the middle east, and if you couple that with the fundie Christian belief that Jesus cannot return until Israel falls and couple THAT with aggressive and violent politics on behalf of fanatical governments it become a circus of magnanimous proportions.

I personally believe that the U.S. involvement stems either from Paul Newman's character in the movie Exodus or from the nostalgic notion that a people could carve out a country of their own while driving the indigenous population to near extinction. The cowboy mentality is obviously alive and well these days.

[Mephisto]

Beacuse Iraq is, like, soooooooooo 2005, y'know. :D

:)

[Mephisto]

Lance Bass. OMG! He's gay!!!
Jessica and Nick divorced!!! OMG!!!
Mel Gibson drunk driving arrest!!! OMG!!!!
Exclusive interview with Laci Peterson's cousin's roommate's best friend's former cat's owner, with special photographic tour of the pottery where she works!!!!

(Sorry. I'm one of three guys where I work, so the break room is full of women's magazines and that's all there is to read at lunch. So I'm learning way more than I needed to about Helpful Household Hints, Diet Secrets, and Love Lives Of The Stars. The How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed articles are particularly amusing, being 100% wrong about everything.)

This has got to be the coolest derail I've ever seen. I often laugh at some of the programs or magazines my wife reads. She gets angry because I call her favorite show (What Not To Wear), Dress Just Like Me. ;)

[HeavyAaron]

This has got to be the coolest derail I've ever seen. I often laugh at some of the programs or magazines my wife reads. She gets angry because I call her favorite show (What Not To Wear), Dress Just Like Me. ;)

I feel for you. It's in my wife's top 5 list as well. I'll have to try your spin on it with her and see how far it gets me.

Aaron

[DanishDynamite]

:confused:

Every second thread seems to be about them. Does anyone know why? Even threads that aren't about the conflict quickly turn into conflict.

My theory: (not supported by evidence, before you ask)

People like the conflicts of Israel Vs Neighbours because they are so murky, and have so much history, any stance becomes like a well supplied fortress - you can withstand a siege indefinately. Thus avoiding the unwholesome possibility that one's stance might be wrong. For any given view, there are a hundred contemporary and historical examples within the conflict itself that totally refute it. And for each of those hundred examples, a hundred more that refute THAT. And so forth.

Thoughts?

-Andrew
Well, the short answer is that there must be an inordinate amount of regular posters here who for some reason are interested in this boring little conflict.

The long answer is that the daily tallies of deaths in this little forever war have once again reached the front pages of American newspapers. And I suspect many posters here only read American newspapers. They thus have little else to talk about. :)

[Silly Green Monkey]

Maybe it's because so many people have misconceptions, and anal people like me want to correct them so badly it hurts....like for example, Jews actually were indigenous to the area now known as Palestine and Israel....

[DanishDynamite]

Maybe it's because so many people have misconceptions, and anal people like me want to correct them so badly it hurts....like for example, Jews actually were indigenous to the area now known as Palestine and Israel....
I appreciate your view, SGM. I used to feel this way too. In fact I felt this way just hours ago.

But I'm now sick of the constant irritant that this conflict is to the rest of the world, that I have changed my mind significantly. I now simply want an end to it.

[Eos of the Eons]

Because of one-sided attitudes LIKE THIS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ForoJXPaeyg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elittlegreenfootballs%2Ecom %2Fweblog%2F)

I just read some of the comments. I'm speechless:

Israel has only been around for 60 years and the U.S. for 250 years. Before that, the world was one peaceful place.

Do they teach their kids that in their schools? WTF? I mean, the Great Wall of China was built for fun??

Oh, I think THAT one was being sarcastic :D :D

[Just thinking]

Because of one-sided attitudes LIKE THIS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ForoJXPaeyg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elittlegreenfootballs%2Ecom %2Fweblog%2F)

Boy, I'd pay money to see that clip on Aljazeera.

[a_unique_person]

Because of one-sided attitudes LIKE THIS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ForoJXPaeyg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elittlegreenfootballs%2Ecom %2Fweblog%2F)

Or one sided places like this http://littlegreenfootballs.com

Their take on Floyd being busted for drugs is a classic. It's because he's an innocent american, and the French hate him. That gives you a clue to the general rigour of argument there.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21820_Landis_Says_Hes_Clean#comments