DKW 86 7,419 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Hyperbole Definition: hy·per·bo·leexaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. synonyms: exaggeration, overstatement, excess, overkill, rhetoric I was chatting online the other day with a very liberal radio talkshow host friend of mine. If you have been on the forum long enough you will know who he is, if not message me and i will discuss it with you. Now we have known each other for close to 40 years, so he will chat openly to me about some things his "Radio Personality/Character" cant say out loud without offending his listeners. I questioned him about some of the over the top things he says on his show and in fb posts. because i know he really does not believe everything he says on FB and on air. It was in that vein when he straight forwardly shared with me this idea of his that i find just repugnant as hell. He stated that it was his "right to use 'hyperbole' to incite the listeners." I am not paraphrasing that much, if at all. That one assertion by him really got me thinking about how others, if not almost all, in the media use hyperbole to poison the discussions we need to have. Do we have to hurl crapola to make a point these days? Can we not be rational when discussing our ideas? Once we hurl hyperbole around, we cannot stop the spiral. Someone will use hyperbole to make to a point or to damage another's point. What we get is essentially MAD for both sides. One sides gets hurt and responds in kind. Rinse & Repeat. Hyperbole has brought us other bad habits as well. We will label someone with a smear or sometimes a demeaning name for their use of hyperbole, meanwhile we continue to use it ourselves. This sets us up to be smeared or labeled ourselves by others in response to our smearing and labeling them. We have at least learned to deflate the initial hyperbole with a ridiculous name that does seem to work. then that name or smear becomes often worse than the original hyperbole ever was. In some instances the chain of events goes something like this: Original Hyperbole: "All those Muslims want us dead, how could they have killed so many people on 9-11? Responsive Hyperbole: "It wasnt a bunch of poor Muslims attacking us, the TRUTH is Bush Administration was in on the 9-11 attack. It was a govt conspiracy!" Label #1: "You are a crazy Truther Kook." But now, anyone that even tangentially mentions anything that does not agree 100% along the lines of the Bush Administration about 9-11 will now be labeled a 'Truther Kook.' So, if you just disagree with any part of the narrative, then you are a conspiracy minded, black helicopter watching, tin foil hat wearing..TRUTHER!!!!! Once you get a narrative so invested in a smear, you hate to not use it as often as possible. I know that is just one example, but i am getting weary of all the crazy stuff going back and forth and i am admitting that i have participated as much as anyone. I guess i am just getting older, but i am of the opinion these days that i would rather have a less heated discussion on real issues than a drool on the keyboard inspiring scream-fest. Folks, we need mature adult discussions and less of the GOTCHA sound bite journalism. If i disagree with you on a point, that doesnt mean i disagree with you on everything in your entire life. Indeed i may agree with you on the overall debate topic but just dont buy everything you are selling that goes along with all that. Example: I can not stand to even hear Hannity's voice anymore. 4-5 years ago i might listen to him going home from work, but i would NEVER Listen to him now. Occasionally Hannity might blind squirrel into a good idea, like supporting families of warriors. I would agree with him on that idea. I dont have to reject that idea just because i detest Hannity now. I like Matt Taibbi a whole bunch on what he writes sometimes. I really enjoy his very detailed stories on how the Post 2008 Wall Street Crash was mishandled by everyone. No one went to jail etc. But when he starts defending the horrible journalism done in the UVA Rape case, well, i cant stand that. If he thinks that what RS did to UVA and the frat boys is even forgivable, i have to wonder what MT's definition of integrity means. I guess i am ranting that i am promising all here that i will try my best to stop the stereotyping and hyperbolizing these forums. I just love the discourse, even discourse that has proved me wrong. I dont necessarily have to agree with all of TexasTiger's points to realize that he has made me think over the last 12 years and that has made me a better man. THAT is what i hope the purpose of this forum is all about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexava 6,973 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Hyperbole Definition: hy·per·bo·leexaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. synonyms: exaggeration, overstatement, excess, overkill, rhetoric I was chatting online the other day with a very liberal radio talkshow host friend of mine. If you have been on the forum long enough you will know who he is, if not message me and i will discuss it with you. Now we have known each other for close to 40 years, so he will chat openly to me about some things his "Radio Personality/Character" cant say out loud without offending his listeners. I questioned him about some of the over the top things he says on his show and in fb posts. because i know he really does not believe everything he says on FB and on air. It was in that vein when he straight forwardly shared with me this idea of his that i find just repugnant as hell. He stated that it was his "right to use 'hyperbole' to incite the listeners." I am not paraphrasing that much, if at all. That one assertion by him really got me thinking about how others, if not almost all, in the media use hyperbole to poison the discussions we need to have. Do we have to hurl crapola to make a point these days? Can we not be rational when discussing our ideas? Once we hurl hyperbole around, we cannot stop the spiral. Someone will use hyperbole to make to make a point or to damage another's point. What we get is essentially MAD for both sides. One sides gets hurt and responds in kind. Rinse & Repeat. Hyperbole has brought us other bad habits as well. We will label someone with a smear or sometimes a demeaning name for their use of hyperbole, meanwhile we continue to use it ourselves. This sets us up to be smeared or labeled ourselves by others in response to our smearing and labeling them. We have at least learned to deflate the initial hyperbole with a ridiculous name that does seem to work. then that name or smear becomes often worse than the original hyperbole ever was. In some instances the chain of events goes something like this: Original Hyperbole: "All those Muslims want us dead, how could they have killed so many people on 9-11? Responsive Hyperbole: "It wasnt a bunch of poor Muslims attacking us, the TRUTH is Bush Administration was in on the 9-11 attack. It was a govt conspiracy!" Label #1: "You are crazy. You are a crazy Truther Kook." But now, anyone that even tangentially mentions anything that does not agree 100% along the lines of the Bush Administration about 9-11 will now be labeled a 'Truther Kook.' So, if you just disagree with any part of the narrative, then you are a conspiracy minded, black helicopter watching, tin foil hat wearing..TRUTHER!!!!! Once you get a narrative so invested in a smear, you hate to not use it as often as possible. I know that is just one example, but i am getting weary of all the crazy stuff going back and forth and i am admitting that i have participated as much as anyone. I guess i am just getting older, but i am of the opinion these days that i would rather have a less heated discussion on real issues than a drool on the keyboard inspiring scream-fest. Folks, we need mature adult discussions and less of the GOTCHA sound bite journalism. If i disagree with you on a point, that doesnt mean i disagree with you on everything in your entire life. Indeed i may agree with you on the overall debate topic but just dont buy everything you are selling that goes along with all that. Example: I can not stand to even hear Hannity's voice anymore. 4-5 years ago i might listen to him going home from work, but i would NEVER Listen to him now. occasionally hannity might blind squirrel into a good idea. I would agree with him on that idea. I dont have to reject that idea just because i detest Hannity now. I like Matt Taibbi a whole bunch on what he writes sometimes. I really enjoy his very detailed stories on how the Post 2008 Wall Street Crash was mishandled by everyone. No one went to jail etc. But when he starts defending the horrible journalism done in the UVA Rape case, well, i cant stand that. If he thinks that what RS did to UVA and the frat boys is even forgivable, i have to wonder what MT's definition of integrity means. I guess i am ranting that i am promising all here that i will try my best to stop the stereotyping and hyperbolizing these forums. I just love the discourse, even discourse that has proved me wrong. I dont necessarily have to agree with all of TexasTiger's points to realize that he has made me think over the last 12 years and that has made me a better man. THAT is what i hope the purpose of this forum is all about. We all need to guard against hyperbole. It is sad your friend admits he don't believe all his on air rhetoric. I hope Dale Jackson is the same way, if not he is a sad individual. A lot of us paint with too broad of a brush sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKW 86 7,419 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 We all need to guard against hyperbole. It is sad your friend admits he don't believe all his on air rhetoric. I hope Dale Jackson is the same way, if not he is a sad individual. A lot of us paint with too broad of a brush sometimes. Alex, his listeners believe the crap so strongly it would end his show if he admitted it on air. You cannot be anything less than a True Believer to the real partisans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexava 6,973 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 We all need to guard against hyperbole. It is sad your friend admits he don't believe all his on air rhetoric. I hope Dale Jackson is the same way, if not he is a sad individual. A lot of us paint with too broad of a brush sometimes. Alex, his listeners believe the crap so strongly it would end his show if he admitted it on air. You cannot be anything less than a True Believer to the real partisans. I understand, i think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quietfan 233 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Well said, DKW. While hyperbole may be protected speech under the 1st Amendment, that does not mean it is productive speech. Name calling, exaggeration, and stereotyping do little to further a rational debate. Actually, in my mind, such tactics weaken one's argument. I tend to see those who resort to such tactics as desperate to defend their point in the face of insufficient evidence and/or objective reasoning. I suppose you could say it's a less extreme version of the notion that anyone who lets mere words incite them to violence is admitting that they have no rational non-violent response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homersapien 11,362 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 We have posters on this forum for whom hyperbole is standard operating procedure. I really don't see much use in talking about it in general terms. If you want to make a difference, point it out when it occurs. However, I have done that and it's like water off a duck's back. I think some people on this forum actually think in hyperbolic ways. I don't really need to name names do I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKW 86 7,419 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 We have posters on this forum for whom hyperbole is standard operating procedure. I really don't see much use in talking about it in general terms. If you want to make a difference, point it out when it occurs. However, I have done that and it's like water off a duck's back. I think some people on this forum actually think in hyperbolic ways. I don't really need to name names do I? Well, Call me the De-Hannitizer. I am sick of it. It is a sad habit that we all need to get rid of, me first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubfaninga 16 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 DKW, I tip my hat to ya. I look forward to reading your posts. Just a reminder, sarcasm is written in my DNA. "I was born that way" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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