Know it all Fathers
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My dad thinks he knows how the government should be run.
Not only that, but if one would get into an arguement with this man, it would take tops, TOPS, 5 minutes into the arguement before the other person would explode in rage at his sarcasm and narcissistic views.
The other day, his girlfriend said something I thought was so incredibly retarded, I had to comment on it. she saw a preview for a news show that was covering a Barack Obama speech, and she just said, very casually, "I think Barack Obama's a racist."
I looked at her for about 5 minutes, then asked why she would possibly think that, when he has said nothing, NOTHING to give that impression. She shrugged and said, "I dunno, he just rubs me the wrong way, if he were a republican I'd be fine."
Yay for ignorance. So basically, to recap, she just told me, "I will not like Barack Obama until he becomes a Republican." I informed her this sounded very ignorant. She then gasped and asked if I was a Democrat, like that would be the end of the world or something. I said, "No, I'm independent, I have republican and democratic views on many things." MY dad comes in and scoffs at me, "Well tha's because the news has gotten you brainwashed." I aksed him what he meant and he looked at me dead in the eye and said, "If you knew what I knew, you'd know to be a republican. Democrats are always wrong, about everything." I asked how, he said, "They want us all to be communists, for one. My taxes should NOT go to help some poor lazy ass forty year old with six kids he's not supporting. If I want to help someone out, it should be MY decision." I then shrugged and went, "Well, given that only 10% of Americans can AFFORD to help other americans out with money troubles, don't you think it would be fair to spread that wealth to those that are simply less fortunate?" He shakes his head, "Of course not, I earned every penny I made, they didn't, it's pretty simple." Now, I KNOW arguing with my father will result into bad things happenning to me, so I just resigned and asked him, "Alright, what would you do if you were president." He snorted, "First off, if I were in CHARGE you mean, no more of this president, congress and supreme court bullshit. It's all crap, they should run the government like they do small businesses, a small board of people who KNOW what they're doing, STILL ELECTED of course." I nodded, "Alright, so if you were on this board, then what?" He just lays back, puffs on a cigar and points it at me, "First off, the only trax we're gonna have is a flat tax, because that's the most fair tax, and it will save billions on what we spend calculating the taxes we take from people's income every day." Now, he makes over 300k a year, so the fact that he's rich, MIGHT have something to do wit hthis opinion, but whatever, I'm not going to mention this, because then he'll just go off on how "I WORKED MY WAY UP IN THE WORLD! I started off with nothing and NOW look what I have? Not even a college degree and I have my own business!" And blah, blah blah. So I just shrugged again, "Alright, then what after the flat tyax?" He just shrugged, "The rest should work itself out as it should, once we stop worrying about this tax business, stop worrying about wars, and get run by people with ACTUAL leadership skills, the country will be fine, but until then we'll just keep getting run into the ground."
He has many opinions about many things in the government. I...just don't know what to say to this man anymore...i need help...give me some things i can say to him that he can't argue back, "Oh where'd you hear that? The media? Figures." or some bullshit like that.
Not only that, but if one would get into an arguement with this man, it would take tops, TOPS, 5 minutes into the arguement before the other person would explode in rage at his sarcasm and narcissistic views.
The other day, his girlfriend said something I thought was so incredibly retarded, I had to comment on it. she saw a preview for a news show that was covering a Barack Obama speech, and she just said, very casually, "I think Barack Obama's a racist."
I looked at her for about 5 minutes, then asked why she would possibly think that, when he has said nothing, NOTHING to give that impression. She shrugged and said, "I dunno, he just rubs me the wrong way, if he were a republican I'd be fine."
Yay for ignorance. So basically, to recap, she just told me, "I will not like Barack Obama until he becomes a Republican." I informed her this sounded very ignorant. She then gasped and asked if I was a Democrat, like that would be the end of the world or something. I said, "No, I'm independent, I have republican and democratic views on many things." MY dad comes in and scoffs at me, "Well tha's because the news has gotten you brainwashed." I aksed him what he meant and he looked at me dead in the eye and said, "If you knew what I knew, you'd know to be a republican. Democrats are always wrong, about everything." I asked how, he said, "They want us all to be communists, for one. My taxes should NOT go to help some poor lazy ass forty year old with six kids he's not supporting. If I want to help someone out, it should be MY decision." I then shrugged and went, "Well, given that only 10% of Americans can AFFORD to help other americans out with money troubles, don't you think it would be fair to spread that wealth to those that are simply less fortunate?" He shakes his head, "Of course not, I earned every penny I made, they didn't, it's pretty simple." Now, I KNOW arguing with my father will result into bad things happenning to me, so I just resigned and asked him, "Alright, what would you do if you were president." He snorted, "First off, if I were in CHARGE you mean, no more of this president, congress and supreme court bullshit. It's all crap, they should run the government like they do small businesses, a small board of people who KNOW what they're doing, STILL ELECTED of course." I nodded, "Alright, so if you were on this board, then what?" He just lays back, puffs on a cigar and points it at me, "First off, the only trax we're gonna have is a flat tax, because that's the most fair tax, and it will save billions on what we spend calculating the taxes we take from people's income every day." Now, he makes over 300k a year, so the fact that he's rich, MIGHT have something to do wit hthis opinion, but whatever, I'm not going to mention this, because then he'll just go off on how "I WORKED MY WAY UP IN THE WORLD! I started off with nothing and NOW look what I have? Not even a college degree and I have my own business!" And blah, blah blah. So I just shrugged again, "Alright, then what after the flat tyax?" He just shrugged, "The rest should work itself out as it should, once we stop worrying about this tax business, stop worrying about wars, and get run by people with ACTUAL leadership skills, the country will be fine, but until then we'll just keep getting run into the ground."
He has many opinions about many things in the government. I...just don't know what to say to this man anymore...i need help...give me some things i can say to him that he can't argue back, "Oh where'd you hear that? The media? Figures." or some bullshit like that.
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Too bad but I'm afraid there's more where that came from. You remind me just how much of an intellectual my father actually is, despite being an asshole. He actually cares about how the country is runned, then tries his best to stick it to the man and take his pretty little change. Still, cut the old dog some slack. If you think about it, he's a veteran at life, and sometimes that can really take the fight outta your system over time. Besides, it also takes a lot of educational stimulation to get the brain cells whirling, and I'm sure you had more of that than he did back in his days, so forgive him for being obtuse eh?
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I somehow agree with some of what he seems to be saying seriously. The girlfriend though, seems to be a different case altogether. But your dad seems to be under heavy stress, so it might be good for him to have such a girl
I guess it would be hard for you to understand where he is coming from as well easily because you lived different lives. I mean he seems to have started from nothing.
Politics and business are different though, eventhough they have similarities.
Anyway, welcome back lundi its been a while.
I guess it would be hard for you to understand where he is coming from as well easily because you lived different lives. I mean he seems to have started from nothing.
Politics and business are different though, eventhough they have similarities.
Anyway, welcome back lundi its been a while.
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Nashrakh
Little White Butterflies Staff
BigLundi wrote...
"If you knew what I knew, you'd know to be a republican. Democrats are always wrong, about everything." Basically stopped reading after this (not really but you get my point), I already knows where this is going...
Seriously, people who say something akin to this obviously don't have a clue what they're talking about. This or they have a huge bias, which isn't really much of a deal in a political discussion (I guess everyone has their own stance), but denouncing basically everything your political opponent says without making an effort to explain why is just dumb.
Dude is obviously a hardliner, you can't argue with those.
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jmason
Curious and Wondering
Bamboos, when they grow at a certain mature age, are physically hard to bend unless you exert serious effort into it. But there's a high possibility that they'll break and snap under the bending pressure.
In my opinion, it's the same with fathers above 50. You have views, and he has views. Not too many sons share the very same viewpoints as their old pops. And you both came and grew from different generations, so it's a given he views some points that you may disagree with. Especially since fathers tend to have this attitude of "I've seen this, I've done that" and go spouting off things as if they had the right to do so from the authority of life experience.
From what I can read from your post, your dad will be very hard to please, much less bend to conform with your opinion... basically your father doesn't see you as somebody he can take advice from of as of now. Well... you can try bending him to see your points, but it will take effort from you as well.
In my opinion, it's the same with fathers above 50. You have views, and he has views. Not too many sons share the very same viewpoints as their old pops. And you both came and grew from different generations, so it's a given he views some points that you may disagree with. Especially since fathers tend to have this attitude of "I've seen this, I've done that" and go spouting off things as if they had the right to do so from the authority of life experience.
From what I can read from your post, your dad will be very hard to please, much less bend to conform with your opinion... basically your father doesn't see you as somebody he can take advice from of as of now. Well... you can try bending him to see your points, but it will take effort from you as well.
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jmason wrote...
In my opinion, it's the same with fathers above 50. You have views, and he has views. Not too many sons share the very same viewpoints as their old pops.
Well, some days ago i was talking with the father of one of my best friends (he is about 50) and even we dont have exactly the same point of view, was a good conversation.
I dont know about american politic, but in every country (like spain where i am) is the same problem with other words.
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Renovartio wrote...
Isnt that how adults think? In general in their minds they are law and are always right...No, you are an adult right? RIGHT? is that how you think?
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Ignore him, fathers like those will always believe they are superior to their descendants. I learned from experience, except my Dad is makes less than 40k a year and is a total retard. Trust me, I have refuted my father with the most logical arguments and he wouldn't admit he's wrong. You're a grown adult(I presume), it's best you move on and let another man have his views on a subject after living his lot.
Seriously, people who say something akin to this obviously don't have a clue what they're talking about. This or they have a huge bias, which isn't really much of a deal in a political discussion (I guess everyone has their own stance), but denouncing basically everything your political opponent says without making an effort to explain why is just dumb.
Dude is obviously a hardliner, you can't argue with those.
Exactly, you can't argue with the stubborn.
Nashrakh wrote...
Seriously, people who say something akin to this obviously don't have a clue what they're talking about. This or they have a huge bias, which isn't really much of a deal in a political discussion (I guess everyone has their own stance), but denouncing basically everything your political opponent says without making an effort to explain why is just dumb.
Dude is obviously a hardliner, you can't argue with those.
Exactly, you can't argue with the stubborn.
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neko-chan wrote...
Renovartio wrote...
Isnt that how adults think? In general in their minds they are law and are always right...No, you are an adult right? RIGHT? is that how you think?
Caught him!
But seriously, I always stood up for myself against my dad, so I was kicked out my house when I was 17.
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Brittany
Director of Production
I don't think you should be all that hard on your father. Like banker said, you can't bend an old tree.
In any case, your father does have -some- point. America is a country where people believe they can start from nothing and work themselves up to the top. That's why people come to the United States for new beginnings.
This is one thing I do agree with your father:
He makes 300 grand a year, which puts him in a higher tax bracket than other levels of income. Media has put a ugly name over business owners and people who make a high income as if they're thieves and they're hogging all the money to themselves.
People want higher taxes on people who make a larger income as if they should be punished for making a good income.
Just because someone is wealthy, doesn't make them the "Super Rich."
I think personally as a country with independent people, society and media is trying really hard to make us all dependent on each other and pay for each others responsibilities.
In any case, your father does have -some- point. America is a country where people believe they can start from nothing and work themselves up to the top. That's why people come to the United States for new beginnings.
This is one thing I do agree with your father:
He makes 300 grand a year, which puts him in a higher tax bracket than other levels of income. Media has put a ugly name over business owners and people who make a high income as if they're thieves and they're hogging all the money to themselves.
People want higher taxes on people who make a larger income as if they should be punished for making a good income.
Just because someone is wealthy, doesn't make them the "Super Rich."
I think personally as a country with independent people, society and media is trying really hard to make us all dependent on each other and pay for each others responsibilities.
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Ziggy wrote...
I don't think you should be all that hard on your father. Like banker said, you can't bend an old tree. In any case, your father does have -some- point. America is a country where people believe they can start from nothing and work themselves up to the top. That's why people come to the United States for new beginnings.
This is one thing I do agree with your father:
He makes 300 grand a year, which puts him in a higher tax bracket than other levels of income. Media has put a ugly name over business owners and people who make a high income as if they're thieves and they're hogging all the money to themselves.
People want higher taxes on people who make a larger income as if they should be punished for making a good income.
Just because someone is wealthy, doesn't make them the "Super Rich."
I think personally as a country with independent people, society and media is trying really hard to make us all dependent on each other and pay for each others responsibilities.
^What he/she said
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Kind of Important
A ray of Tsunlight.
Stop taking it so hard. You just gotta know when to shut them out. I have a bonus of having two fathers (As in step dad, dad, not gay guys) who are both brilliant as hell, but are stubborn as hell too. I have experience with this kind of thing, just nod your head, say yes, and get the fuck outta there. Done deal.
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Unfortunately, your country is full of people like your father. (Not trying to sound concieted up herein Canada)There is a reason that you guys dont have universal health care yet. (And now those new ads just make me explode) As for advice, i could give you some really good arguments with quotations from many people, but i really, REALLY dont think it will change your father's opinion, but if it does, tell us ok? (Reading your story makes me feel really good about my father being really open about politics)
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Kind of Important
A ray of Tsunlight.
And the fact that we have slightly less than ten times as many people in our country is why we don't have universal health care. But let's not get in to that, this isn't about politics (per se)
Anywho, as I said before, just avoid that subject, consider it a damn minefield, and stay away.
Anywho, as I said before, just avoid that subject, consider it a damn minefield, and stay away.
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I agree with this not being politics, but the point stands, people like that canot be convinced...
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Kind of Important
A ray of Tsunlight.
Kona-chan wrote...
Thank god my mom left my father. I can't stand that fucking bastard....I wish I could see mine more often, but then again I know not the circumstances of what happened with you and yours, so I'll stay out, as it's not my buisness. I guess I got lucky with a damn good guy as a dad, and an equally good guy as a step-dad. Course, my mom is totally against anything ever involving my dad, and that makes sense as she divorced him. None of my buisness, yet again.