Stoopid Stuff

Flip-Flopper

Alright, I'm a little confused here.  I always thought that one of the hallmarks of wisdom was the ability to reconsider conclusions in light of new information.  I mean, isn't that pretty much the foundation of the scientific method?  Continuously evaluate beliefs and opinions as new information becomes available?  So now the Bush administration is trying to paint Kerry as a "Flip-Flopper".  This is, apparently, a new political slur, that means essentially that you have changed you opinion or position.  One thing's for sure, you have to admire their logical consistancy, even if it is at its most fundamental level illogical.  They are attempting to make a virtue out of stubbornly sticking to conclusions and courses of action even long after facts have proven them to be ill-formed, incomplete or even downright stoopid.  And by that measure, anyone who chooses to re-evaluate their position and alter it to reflect data that wasn't originally available is somehow weak, or lacking in determination.  I have to say, I see it quite differently.  Someone who blindly sticks to a specific course of action that is now demonstrably WRONG and somehow wants to take the position this makes them a strong or wise leader is clearly deficient in the critical thinking department.  So the next time you hear Bush or Cheney repeating again and again that the entire plan is to "Stay the Course" think about what they're really saying.  And for that matter, the next time they accuse Kerry of "Flip-Flopping", consider the possibility that this may be more complementary than they perhaps intended.

posted by mikey @ 11:38 AM