Specious Arguments

If I were still teaching, this passing conversation I had with a neighbour would be a great example to use in class.

I was walking down the stairs, and a neighbour was coming up.  Said hi to him, as one does.  "How's it going?" I asked, not really wanting a dialogue.  He stopped.  Now that's  a bad sign.  I know he likes to talk....  Oh well, I made my bed, so I guess I had to sleep in it.

I can't repeat the whole conversation.  For one thing, I didn't record the thing, so I don't have a transcript.  And another, it would take five days of blog entry to encompass all that.  But here's some highlights.

"You know this situation in the Ukraine," he started.  "I follow these geo-political things," he continued, as though it somehow affords him some kind of authority in the matter.  "Russia is Russia," he explained.  Whatever that means.  "Biggest country in the world, and 150 million people.  4,000 nukes."

I'd be real impressed if I were born yesterday, but okay.  Then he muttered something else (He's from Quebec, so most of the time I have no clue what he's talking about.  In Quebec they don't speak French French, and they don't speak actual English either.  Well, you know how I feel about Quebec.  Conquered people, so shut the fuck up).  Anyway, I "think" the idea is that the world should just accept that Russia will take Ukraine and leave it at that.

"Their Foreign Minister," he went on, "is very smart.  Knows his stuff.  When a reporter asked a question in French, he replied in fluent French!"  Okay, so the guy speaks French, is that supposed to give him some magical power?  Does the fact that he speaks French mean something?  Well, yeah, it means he speaks French.  So, pardon my French, who the fuck cares?

"And their Finance Minister," the neighbour found his groove now, "has a PhD from Oxford."

Excuse me, what the fuck does that have to do with Ukraine?  Or anything, for that matter?  I don't have any statistics, but I am sure there are many Oxford PhDs out there, and I'm sure a fair number of them are morons too.  Just like I'm sure there's a fair number of smart people from Quebec.

And then suddenly, he changed the subject to the truckers protesting in the city.  "If the trucks don't work, we will have no food," he said.  Does it matter that fewer than 10% of truckers are actually affected, and every single trucking group has come up and denounced the protest?  "This government is stupid," he said (or something to that effect).

"I know what his father was like, too," he continued.  Okay, now, any Canadian who knows anything about government knows Justin Trudeau's father, he being one of the longest serving Prime Ministers, and the one who brought the Constitution back to the country.  And the one who faced down the fucking Quebec terrorists called the FLQ (who kidnapped a British official and put bombs in public places).  See some Frenchies never forget THAT.  How dare a PM, who was from Quebec, impose martial law on the province.  So what if it's under domestic terrorist attack!  Anyway, so I guess you know where I stand.

But back to our conversation (actually more like a monologue).  "I know about his father," he reminded me.  Well, here's the thing, any Canadian over the age of say, 45, would have been around when he was Prime Minister.  So knowing about Pierre Trudeau is like saying I've watched hockey.  Duh!

"Yeah, so do I," I finally said.  "I even voted for him.  And for Justin as well!"

He looked surprised.  Was he surprised I actually know Canadian politics?  Or surprised that I voted Liberal in every single fucking election?

In for the kill.  I continued,  "And I think NATO should send troops to Ukraine.  And the US should freeze Russian assets.  Yeah they are a big country with lots of bombs.  They also have an economy smaller than Canada's.  But that's just my opinion."  I chuckled, and said, "and you know, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one."

I will let you think about why I said this conversation would have been a great example for class.  How best to avoid stupid logic, aka, specious arguments.  If any one of you teaches, feel free to adopt this example.  No copyright.  Haha.

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On an unrelated note, I have decided to drop the ethnic class.  As one of my readers (thanks, Mr. Tightend) said, "the prof is an idiot."  I agree.  Let's not waste time with him.

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Well. it's an absolutely balmy day with a forecast of -15 at noon.  Perfect day for a nice walk.  I hope the truck protestors froze to death last night when it hit -30.  Good riddance.