Button pushing issues: what are yours?
 

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Yep. The hypocrisy of the views generally espoused by the conservatives in the U.S. makes my blood boil. War/violence/killing civilians and other soldiers along with our own? Okay! Making scientific, benefits the world kind of use of discarded biological material? Horrifying!

The other hypocrises of our society:
War and killing and violence on TV is fine; A brief boob glimpse is horrifying and will scar our children forever!

Abortions and birth control are evil! Don't give them any sex ed either, it'll rot their brains and they'll have even MORE sex!

Let's have a "war on terror", but do it really badly, and then leave others to rot if it's inconvenient!

What are the hypocrises in our society that are bugging the shit out of you?

People with no real clue about the issues deeper than what might show up in People Magazine having strong opinions about about said issues annoys the crap out of me.

well, you've certainly hit on a great one here!! actually, i think this is the one on top of my mind right now. that and all the politicians that want to do whatever they must to stay in office. and all the people that say they want term limits but then vote for the same incumbent over and over again.

arrogant personages with narrow-minded thoughts who attempt to belittle longstanding members...

Mindless unfounded ranting and then claiming it's all in good humor.

And people who make that "schluck" noise while eating yogurt. That makes me want to shoot people.

Now, now, now, folks, let's play nice... I wasn't intending this to be an attack on particular people, only venting what are hypocrises for ME.

Today's gripe against the world:
Politicians that claim to care about my town, but do little to nothing to actually help beyond giving out some pretty quotes.

People that whine and cry about burning coal, or gas, or nuclear fuel to generate electricity, then drive home to their nice air conditioned houses and watch themselves on the news on their 300 inch televisions!

You want to whine, get off the tit!

Wow, I am so guilty of that. Hm.

EDIT: Although I do have A/C etc., my job and life require that I live in the city. Living in the city requires living in an apartment, and the one that I have obtained is on the 3rd floor, requiring air circulation and cooling in order to survive in a level of comfort to which we have all become accustomed.

HOWEVER, My main complaint is that there is not enough research and drive to get us "off the tit" fast enough so that we can live comfortably and not continue to burn fossil fuel.

My gripe was quite real. One of the negative effects of the information age is it makes people feel like experts on everything, when they have no backround on the subject matter. This allows them to be led quite easily and become hopping mad about issues they really don't have a clue on. While we find this most often with politics, it can be with any issue based on how its covered. Lets take the 'shark attack' summer of 2001. Every other story in the news was about a shark attack somewhere in the US. Sharks were showing up in national polls as a major issue to deal with. Well the funny thing was we had more shark attacks in 2000 but they weren't covered. So we had people worried and scared about the shark menace, and I'm sure some of them were hopping mad that the government wasn't doing its part to curb the shark overlord invasion, but it was actually less of an issue than years past.

As a side note, you can expect to see shark attack increases in Hawaii as the native tiger sharks are recovering from being over fished and hunted in the 1970's. It should be cute to see how that is covered.

The way of perception of layers of problems. One person sees the surface and says "This IS the bottom of it!" While being outraged that nothing is being done to fix it. Then someone comes along that's one layer below them and cries "NO! You FOOL. THIS is the bottom of it." They all complain loudly, each thinking they see the murk at the bottom of the lake. They only end up building a house in their perceived bottom of murk and drowning in a house that's too proud to fall.

If you get my drift.

People talking about hypocrisy as if it were the worst thing in the world. Hypocrisy means you're half-right. Hypocrisy is an improvement over being consistently wrong.

People labeling any combination of views that they don't immediately understand - and don't bother to try understanding - as hypocrisy. Dismissing any possibility of nuance. Too often, alleged hypocrisy on the part of the accused is merely a lack of imagination on the part of the accuser.

People who seem to think that "hypocrite!" can take the place of an argument against a particular position. It only proves inconsistency, if it even does that. It can't pinpoint the correct solution. When it comes to individual issues, hypocrisy is irrelevant.

Growing up as a pre-teen/teenager, my parents always threatened to break my legs if they ever caught me smoking. They were both 2 pack-a-day smokers. They probably saved me a ton of health problems, but it was still hypocritical and always bothered me growing up.

One of my pet peeves is willfull ignorance. I understand that some people simply don't have the ability or resources to educate themselves and I have no problem with them. It's the ones who are ignorant only out of laziness that drive me nuts.

Another is the line "That's just the way I feel" It's usually found at the end of a disagreement. The person who offers up this meaningless tripe uses it as a back door to escape facing up to their inablity to think rationally. As if humans were incapable of controling of their own emotions.

Fucking ninjas. Can't stand 'em. Always killing and assassinating.

Ninjas are wacky. They're more afraid of you than you are of them.

Hey, as long as you don't feed them then it should be ok. At least thats what my mom always told me.

Mine is when people talk about mental illness as if it is a figment of our imaginations (no pun intended). Ignorance in any case really boils my blood. Espeically those who make simple remarks as if they were fact and really don't know anything about it; just spouting facts for the sake of it. Someone told me today where a stretch of 70 km roadway began and he wasn't even close. He didn't know anything about it... just hazarded a guess but said it for the sake of saying it.

A condescending tone or scolding manner will often light me up like a firecracker. Although I continue to try to rein that in, it has been useful on occasion. Just ask my now very polite and respectful dentist.

This is mine. This will get me fumin' faster than anything.

We all know that 87.45% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Bad parents.

I'm very protective of my family and friends. Most especially females. Want to see pure evil hatred and malice? Fuck with one of my female friends. Zero to hellfire in under 2 seconds.

Being accused of saying/doing something I didn't say/do. Really fires me up. My character and integrity are very important to me. When people toss accusations, character can be tarnished and integrity can be questioned. This pissed me off like you can't believe.

Stupid people who refuse to admit they might be wrong about something.

ninjas?

among my buttons would be people who are unnecessarily mean or pretentious, and when a group of people breaks into a psychological penis measuring contest.

I was more thinking ninjas.

I try not to let political issues bother me and actually enjoy intelligent debate. What bugs is when people start to make political issues personal issues.

That doesn't mean I don't feel very strongly about certain issues and I can see how certainly subjects are personal to people. In fact someone's political views can be very personal because they stem from that person's general outlook and personal beliefs. What I can't stand is when a certain political point of view brings on personal attacks from others.

This is why I hate the personal attacks on President Bush. Attack him for his politics all you want, but attacking someone because they are not the most polished speaker in the world and sometimes stumble on words or pronounciations is childish.

Frogza: this is one of the few times where I'll use a line like "That's just my belief" or "can't we just agree to disagree" when a debate has turned into a pissing match. That being said, I have a hard time understanding why you dislike the "that's just the way I feel" line. I understand that people can use it as a cop out, but sometimes it is simply just the case. Some people feel that abortion is wrong, other's don't. You can throw facts around as much as you want, but on certain subjects people just have a gut feeling/belief.

I do agree though, when someone tosses it out just as an excuse because they don't know all the facts then it is annoying. :)

That attitude is not a problem for me. I guess it bugs me when people use it as an excuse not to think. It comes of an instant uninformed opinion on something, then the person clings to their emotional crutch and refuses to even consider anything else. They then defend their willfull ignorance and lack of rational thought by saying "That's just the way I feel"

Gut feelings, morals, beliefs and faith are, to me, very important. I'm sorry if I came across as saying that I am against those things. Our gut feelings become stronger when coupled with some thought.

Hypocrisy doesn't mean that you're "half-right" and I don't think that it is an improvement over being consistently wrong.
I agree. I think that "hypocrisy" gets thrown around a lot. There are appropriate applications of the term, especially in character debates. However, it's often not applicable, and even when it is, it may not be relevant to the issue at hand.

Political discussions that devolve into personal attacks are annoying. I agree.
I don't think that applies to the POTUS though. Attacking President Bush because he is not a polished speaker is a legitimate critique of his performance in his job. Part of his role as POTUS is speaking for the USA. If you think that the way that he speaks reflects poorly on the USA, then it is reasonable to critique his speech.

Some of my gripes:
Children that don't behave in public.
Parents that don't monitor their children in public.
Adults that don't behave in public.
Adults that use derogatory terms for children, terms that wouldn't be acceptable if they were applied to any other segment of the population.
Generally, people with disdain for parents and children.
People that assume that everyone should have children to be truly happy.
People who say "The world is such a horrible place, how could you choose to bring a child into it?" I want to respond, "If the world is so horrible, why don't you kill yourself and make more room for the rest of us."
People that use "But what about the children" to restrict the freedom of others, freedoms that may not even affect children.

People who mistake the term "bitchslapping" for anything approaching serious.

People who just harp on one side of a debate regardless of what new evidence and events have occurred. No side is ever completely in the right.

People who spend all their time making excuses, rather than spending that time making improvements.

Hey, if you had ever experienced a "bitchslapping", you would know that they can be quite serious. :)

Except for my side, of course.

No reason to apologize, thanks for the clarification. We're actually in agreement on this subject.

Just shows the world isn't perfect. There is no right when you go left :)

It's possible that I overgeneralized with that first assertion, but the idea is this: when your professed beliefs and your behavior don't match, you're either saying the right thing or doing the right thing. Why wouldn't that be an improvement over doing AND saying the wrong thing?

But yeah, come to think of it, there could definitely be exceptions to this idea. Do you have any in mind?

Even in character debates, I'm not sure I'd agree that it's a useful type of argument. If someone preaches against drunk driving and then gets a DUI, the problem is not the hypocrisy, the problem is the DUI. You could say that the hypocrisy is useful in getting the hypocrite to change his behavior, and that would be an uncommon example of hypocrisy's relevancy. But it'd also be an example of hypocrisy's usefulness.

1) People who hit their kids or spouse If there is one thing that bothers me above all else, it's someone turning on those that they should protect. What mannor of horrible person does it take to raise a hand to those who you love and who love you back? Several times I've seen this in public, and this is one of the only situations that I will actively become involved in. Yes, it's none of my business, but if I see a man hit his son across the face I will stop him. Maybe I've read too many comic books, but there are somethings that simply cannot be tolerated.
2) Apathetic drivers People who think that driving is something that you can do while putting on makeup, yelling at the kids, talking on a cell phone, and changing the radio station are bound to be a danger to themselves, their passengers, and the people around them. If you're too busy to signal a turn or lane change, then you're too busy to drive. Get off the road until you can get your priorities in order. That gooes for you, too, police officers.
3) Made-for TV movies on the Sci Fi channel Talk about a waste of valuable currency and airtime. The sci fi channel hosts some of the best programming on TV (Battlestar Galactica, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Eureka, Farscape, etc.), and yet they also produce the worst. Why not simply invest in reruns of Lost?
4) Cannibals How can you eat another person?!

A little barbecue sauce, rosemary, and an oven set on 350 for a few hours until golden brown should do it.:D

Wait a minute....you were asking for a recipe right?:rolleyes:


...hehe couldn't resist.

-tenchi

people who pretend they are more concerned then they are.

people who spread rumours with the intention of hurting you (and this seems to happen to everyone, even when your fifty, in the workplace)

people who go out of their way to make you feel negitive.

people who say "ewwwww" when they eat food. If you don't like it, don't eat it. Fuck, that pisses me off.

people who listen as a way of knowing when they can talk next. Ie: my grandmother *shudders*.

That stuff's so bad, it's good. My wife and I place bets on where they were shot. "I say it was made in Bulgaria." "No, looks like Romania, maybe the Czech Republic." End credits: "BULGARIA! I WIN! DINGDINGDING!"

My personal issues of the day:

1) Commercials or movies that show that it's cool for a girl to hit or slap a guy when he's been a jerk. Can you say -- STUPID? Or have they never visited a battered women's home?

2) People who spend most of their time shooting down solutions to problems, while never presenting a thought-out one of their own.

3) Tobacco companies working hard to hook teenagers on cigarettes. I just found out why: study just came out that said that, past 21 years of age or so, it's very difficult to get hooked on cigarettes if you're just starting. And don't you think that the tobacco companies have know that for 40 years?

This is a great one. Very funny! Sci Fi channel does have some great programming. It took me a year to get my wife to watch the Battlestar pilot, but now she's more interested in it than I am.

SciFi definitely has some awful made for TV movies - giant bugs, giant sharks, natural disasters. They are awful. Lifetime is the same way, but without the good original programming. My barber shop - 3 old hispanic army barber vets- watch lifetime all day long. How can they watch such crap? I digress...

THIS is my pet peeve of the day. If I'm working my tush off trying to figure out solutions to things, it would be helpful to have a little input other than "no" or "I don't like it" or worrying about crap that doesn't have any involvement!
ARRRGGH.

You hit on one of my biggest problems at work. People who fight to become leaders or even fight so they have something to say, when really nothing they say is critical or even about the issue, they just don't want to abdicate (sp?). I don't know. It always bugs me when a leader steps out that someone takes it upon themself to destroy them, rather then encourage. People annoy me.

People who think they own the truth

People who think they are owed respect when they give you none

People who don't even know you but at the slightest opportunity of conflict will say the rudest words to you that you have ever heard from anyone

People who make chewing and slurping noises when they eat

People who cough or hack in theatre performances

People who talk or eat popcorn loudly with their mouth open in movies

People who talk to the person next to them so loudly you'd think the other person was a mile away

People who invade your personal space like it's absolutely normal to do so

People with rude and misbehaving kids who can't stand up to their children and get them to behave

People who are so arrogant that while talking to you on the phone will have the nerve to say nasty things to someone else who is with them, while you are listening (this has happened to me and I was in total shock)

So....generally people in lots of different contexts annoy me! Funny that...heh

Oh, oh, you hit on two of my absolute most irritating things!

If I don't know you, and like you, back off!

Get a handle on those little yard monkeys. The rest of us should not have to be subjected to your inability to control your own spawn!

/wanders off ranting and raving/

You have some really good ones in there- but what do you mean by this?

I liked that one in particular, actually. I took it as referring to people who not only think they are always right, but they also act as if every truth is their own. Hmmm...this is hard to explain. Let's say we are having a conversation about Mozart and his life. (Hypothetically) I am a historian, specializing in the life of Mozart, and you are a layman. Obviously I would not only be more knowledgeable on the subject, but I would behave and speak as if the information were more mine than anyone elses, not only because I knew the information but because I've earned the extensive knowledge through years of studying and devotion. Now imagine that I have that same attitude towards factoids about Mozart without being an historian. I speak of his life with an arrogance and elitism that isn't merrited. Woulnd't that piss you off? It sure would piss me off.

It's funny you picked up on that one analog.

It's kind of what you said willravel. Originally though, it's my poor translation of the portuguese expression "Acha que é o dono da verdade".

It means someone who not only always has to be right, they always think the ARE right, and usually don't back down and admit to being wrong, while also being very adamant about it - and looking absolutely ridiculous and also infuriating you in the process. Someone who always has to have the last word...they may even interrupt you mid-flow to disagree with you (so basically not having listened to a word you said), and proceed to contradict everything you're saying while also claiming to be the utmost authority on said subject.



I have known a few people like this and it's the sort of person where you may get into an open discussion about any topic (and I mean you could be talking about the consistency of boogers) and in the end you realise how stupid you've been, because by then you've admitted that they have some valid points and they have not conceded any to you, even if you also have something interesting to say. Like when you know you're not saying anything crazy but they make you feel really dumb? Like that.

I think one of the biggest button pushers for me is the people (particularly ill informed parents) who think the Internet is the most dangerous thing and if they let their children use MySpace/LJ/other blogging/social networking site, their child inevitably will be raped or murdered, and since their opinion in such, they want to ruin such services for everyone else by banning them.

The biggest button that I can think of, is listening to sooooo many people in the US bitch about current administration (regardless of WHEN it is, i.e. Bush OR Clinton OR Bush sr. OR Regan) and yet don't do anything about it. If you don't like what is going on, DO something about it! I HATE when people don't vote because they say "it won't make a difference."

When the creditors come calling, asking you to pay up. Then they advise that you take out a loan to pay the dept. So they answer the problem of dept with more dept?! It's no wonder the average person's dept is near their yearly income.

Douche bag drivers. People who try to guttersneak me or weave in front even though i havn't left enough space for even a Vespa to fit.

Bad drivers make me want to fish-tail them, take there drivers liscense, and burn it right in front of them. I'm still a pacifist though.
On a lighter note...
Hypocracy
Inane fear (not really sure why)
Self proclaimed experts
People who cannot change
"Acha que é o dono da verdade" :D (hope you don't mind if I steal that one little tipper)
Greed
Obvious lying

Liars are annoying, since I don't want to have to wonder if their lying to me or not. I just assume that they're alway lying, and stop contacting them all together.

Greed ain't so bad, since it can be confused for ambition.

My truely, biggest pet peeve of all, is people with no sense of humor. Take note, that humans are the only spieces on Earth that have humor. So, besides other things, it's what seperates us from the animals :D

That and racism. I think my store manager hates mexicans. Got to get her fired or demoted before I leave that place...