April 01, 2005

Ben Stein invokes Godwin's Law- Godwin's Law, for the uninitiated, is the act of comparing people who disagree with you to Hitler and/or the Nazis, and is generally considered bad form, even on the internets (unless of course your opponents are literally participating in genocide).

And if that wasn't enough, we were treated to the new Mel Gibson Theory on the same day.

posted by smallish bear 19 years ago
  • Godwin's a nazi.
  • Oi, Ben, Ben, Ben. Another lefty from the sixties gone right wing. He did it earlier than most, and with more panache. But I never really thought of him as a true believer, more like a whore for money and publicity, writing speeches for Nixon with an ironic wink and a nod to tell us that he's just doing it for the cash. I was on Win Ben Stein's money as a contestant, and even as we didn't have too much time to chat, we relayed our mutual interest in zen buddhism. He "seemed" like a cool, open minded guy. And then this crap. Ah well...
  • I am so sure that Ben Stein has approved of all the other times "thugs in black robes" executed a person.
  • Oooo.... Squid on Win Ben Stein's Money! Any video clips? Did you win?
  • Another lefty from the sixties gone right wing You mean Nixon speechwriter Ben Stein? (I didn't know this, but he went to high school with Carl Bernstein, Connie Chung, Goldie Hawn, and Sylvester Stallone.)
  • of course he has clips! make wit da moovies, squid man!
  • If she does travel into the next dimension... What's Mel ranting on about now? Don't ya just love it when fellas like Stein get all morally outraged?
  • Shame with the talking points. Usually Ben's a little bit more cogent. Heh. It would be fun to "protest" him/his letter by either sending him tons of email saying "Bueller... Bueller..." Or to chant it outside his house... Probably pointless, but at least it would be funny (to me).
  • Actually, I thought that the Op-Ed seemed weirdly un-Steinlike. I would have thought the guy would be more libertarian-leaning free marketer who would eschew such gross intervention in a private family matter, but it seems like he drank the wingnut kool-aid here. Oh, and Squid: We want moooooovieeeees!
  • Good call smallish b. I've noticed 'Ol Ben has been prattling more so in recent years. If anything, the Schiavo case has been like a can of PB blaster freeing all those loose nuts [next thing you know Mel Gibson will be declared the next pope]
  • <pedant> Godwin's Law is not the act of doing anything. It is, instead, this tendency: As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one. </pedant> (See Wiki.)
  • Working on it right now. Link will be up shortly.
  • Yay! You know, I think I remember seeing you.
  • What adolphetc said.
  • People who shout "Godwin!" should be rounded up and shot
  • We must listen to him He has money That means he's right Money good Mmm goooood Must not think Must make moooooney
  • Squidranch, please oh please tell me you won the two cheerleaders...
  • Nah, it would have been nice. Me in a cheerleader sandwich.
  • squid, that was awesome, thanks for sharing! You scared Ben Stein by being too smart! Awesome. :D
  • ))), Squid! Thanks for squiddy goodness despite the lack of cheerleader/squid sandwiches.
  • Mr. Squid, I too, would like to shake your tentacle. Re: This FPP: Ben Stein may be smart enough to barely beat the SR, but this article shows what a true putz he has become otherwise.
  • People who shout "Godwin!" are nazis.
  • Irrelevant second-fiddle entertainer has sheep-like half-baked opinions? That's unprecedented!
  • Not knowing or particularly giving a fuck who this person is (other than as a prop to squid's gameshow-based world takeover plan), I was nonetheless baffled by the way he makes key points about - a) judges being unelected, which is bad, and b) judges paying attention to opinion polls, which is bad - within a few paragraphs. It reads somewhat like the odd logic of a psychotic, where strange patterns of symbolism and evocation replace notions of consistency or causality. Knobjockey.
  • Mr. Squid, I too, would like to shake your tentacle. every time I read this comment, I think it says "I would like to shake your testicle." Thanks for sharing the video, squidranch. I too used to have a fairly benign opinion of Ben Stein, but after this silly brainfart of an op-ed, not anymore...
  • every time I read this comment, I think it says "I would like to shake your testicle. Oops! Thanks ambrosia. Of course, I meant testicle
  • Jeez, I haven't had the ol' testicles shaken in a coons age. I'll have to take them down from that jar on the shelf and dust them off.
  • OK You're gonna force me to do this: MonkeyFilter: "I would like to shake your testicle."
  • I'm with fuyugare here. Irrelevant psuedo-celebrities all hopped on godjuice and desperate to keep their names in the media should be restrained and have food and water withheld from them until they die. As for Mel Gibson, I can't imagine anyone with an intellectual capacity greater than a chicken's would heed his words on anything. Dear Mel: your movies are crap, you are a terrible actor, and no-one cares what your opinion is. Thanks in advance for fucking off.
  • won't anyone shake my testicles?
  • when shiavo bloviated all over the news I stuck to two points: 1) I have no opinion on the matter. 2) I don't think this breaks down neatly into right and left. But I sure didn't imagine that Nat Hentoff would prove no. 2 so dorkily.
  • ** Desperately fighting the urge to say *I'll* shake ya testicles, squid**
  • Oh, I guess I don't have to resist :) Hi squids!
  • I'll give Mel this much - back when his schtick was new it was fairly entertaining. The Road Warrior and the original Lethal Weapon were both fine examples of their genre, I thought. Of course, he was following in the footsteps of Charles Bronson so he didn't really have to work too hard, but he did the suicidal-cop-with-nothing-left-to-lose-with-mad-karate-skillz pretty well. Then it got old.
  • As someone who's made so much money promoting the idea that violent psychotics are good people, Mel Gibson has a bloody cheek complaining about the state of society. And calling Stein's piece an essay is overdone. It reads like a poorly thought out blog entry.
  • Gently now, meredithea, gently...
  • Oh! Of course, squid... wouldn't dream of it otherwise.
  • Ah, go on Meredithea, grab them puppies and make his chimes ring.
  • I don't think Mel Gibson is a bad actor. Look at the roles he's played: Mad Max (all three) - His character is insane/crazy. Lethal Weapon (all four) - His character is insane/crazy. Conspiracy Theory - His character is insane/crazy. Man without a face - His character is insane/crazy. Braveheart - His character is insane/crazy. Payback - His character is insane/crazy. Ransom - His character is insane/crazy. What Women Want - His character is insane/crazy. I'm not even sure he's an actor. He just gets paid for what he does naturally: being insane.
  • Nah, I'll be nice :) He hasn't done anything to deserve a bell ringing, and plus, he said above that it's been a while since anyone said "Hi!" in this fashion so I'd hate to frighten anyone involved! I choose to be benevolent until provoked or requested otherwise.
  • Grow your hair long, and everyone calls you emo. Shave your head, and they line up to ring your bells. I know which group has the more fun.
  • Well, which is it?
  • When I see "Shamina Latrine", I hear Leo Kottke singing "Corina, Corina". OK, wrong thread.