edwards, what was he thinking?Follow

Is cheating on someone's spouse (personally repugnant to me ethically) even relevant to the sort of character of a person who would make a good governer and protector of the united states?

I'm not saying of course that people WOULD vote for john edwards for this: I understand that affairs cause irreparable harm to the emotions and lives of the parties involved, but are they relevant at all to the question of: "Is this moral foible relevant in a minor way, in a major way, or not at all to whether someone should (not could get elected) be the president."

I can think of NOT A SINGLE instance in recent memory where a person has told me that s/he "trusts" politicians (in fact popular opinion from what I hear is that not trusting politicians is the more sensible choice) I still do not see why this is a big deal? It's like 10/10 q:"Do you trust politicians? a:"@#%^ no!"

Hell people might even need (or secretly want) a president that is capable of breaking bonds and treaties and promises just for their policy to have any chance of enacting material change, under the premise of security. You might need an untrustworthy and ruthless little tyrant ruling your country in the guise of democracy in the interests of efficacy. One wants there to be some absolute governmental ruthlessness and backstabing in the interests of getting the job done; we just don't want to see it, is all. Only when these things leak out washington like sperm out of monica's lips may we allow ourselves to be shocked, SHOCKED I say?


What the @#%^ did I just become a republican? Must think for few minutes

Edited, Aug 10th 2008 4:30am by Pensive

I think the thing that annoys the Dems most about this is that he was willing to run for the candidacy even with this huge skeleton in his closet. It was the fact that it was an unknown and could have destroyed us during the year that this election is supposed to be tipped in our favor anyway.

Although the parallels with McCain are striking, at least in McNasty's case he didn't deny it (much.) It's all been out there, the drama is old, and since the facts are mostly before us we can judge accordingly. The Repugs knew about it and nominated him anyway (because they seriously thought they were gonna be running against Clinton and McCain would have beaten her quite handily.)

This whole Edwards headache is just beginning, and if he had been the nominee it would have been the beginning of the end.

I don't expect my politicians to be perfect, but I consider fidelity to be the highest moral value I hold, so I DO think a lot less of Edwards because of this. I didn't really like him that much to begin with; I always felt he was a used car salesman faker, but he's given me no reason to like him at all now.

Which ones? Puritania?

I consider the calm way in which I don't kill strangers to be the pinnacle of my morality.

I assume you hold fidelity in such high regard because you're nobody until somebody loves you, right? Frankly codependents such as yourself make me ill.

Don't know. Dont really care. No one cares about you as much as you do.

Well, you opened the door, fUCkslap.

The U.S. is puritanical compared to most countries, or at least most we'd consider allies.

Really, I'm all for sluttiness, but be an ethical **** and be honest about not being monogamous with your partner[s], otherwise you are just too push of a p*ssy to be honest with everyone about what you want. I don't think monogamy is really a virtue. I do think being honest with the people closest to you about basic stuff is.

As far as Edwards go, i don't know why anyone is surprised. Anyone who becomes powerful has a big ego and don't think the rules apply to them--otherwise, they'd never be inspired to do things like think they can run the country. I wish that people's puritanical beliefs about sexuality wouldn't keep getting in the way for people politically. We need the best qualified politicians,not a bunch of moralistic bastards who have spent their life toeing the line.

I think it is unfair, for example, that Edwards and his wife couldn't have an open relationship and get away with that politically.

Edited, Aug 10th 2008 9:25pm by Annabella

It has nothing to do with codependency; it has everything to do with the fact that someone made a vow before whatever higher power they believe in, and adultery is breaking that vow.

Don't want to be in a monogomous relationship? Don't get married.

(My fiance and I have a look but don't touch policy. He gets all the **** he wants, and he doesn't complain about my romance novels. Fair is fair.)

Just a guess, but I figure Edwards was thinking, "how do I get me some o' that?"

And then he dazzled her with that hair.

Gotcha and I, despite what I am about to write, agree with this statement.


I knew you would probably comment on that, and rightfully so, because I could not find the words to express myself properly and did not wish to write five pages on the topic. So, would you like me to rephrase that in a clearer way? I will be happy to.



Assuming you are being sarcastic. This is bullsh*t. There's a correct and sensible way to be a hedon and it's called read @#%^ing Epicuris (which incidentally informs much of the utilitarian tradition). You must stifle a great many of your impulses in life that lead to pleasure because much pleasure only ever leads to eventual pain. We don't eat entire chocolate cakes because we will probably either puke or take a painful sh*t the next day which is larger than Montana; rather, we eat a single peice of cake and embrace the eudaimonesce bliss of being full and content.



False

Morality is a word, often fraudulent, misunderstood, arbitrarily defined, and almost meaningless. However, the ethical system through which I inform my critique of your earlier comments is untility, and having sex wantonly is not a good idea under well...

Epicuristic Hedonism
Most Act Utility
Rule Utility
Categorical Impulsion
Divine Command
Secular Ethics

Certainly, the degree to which one "wantons" in the sexual infidelity can make exceptions in whether or not one is inethical. By and large, however, cheaters @#%^ing suck.


***

[quote-Anna]I do think being honest with the people closest to you about basic stuff is.[/quote]

Yes and for those of us who do happen to value monagamy as more pleasurable than simply physically (and I am not snidely deriding those who find it pleasurable purely physically here; I am really being sincere) I would be extremely grateful for a lady to have the balls to tell me if she wants someone else. Honesty.

Good enough for you BT?

Edited, Aug 10th 2008 10:46pm by Pensive

First off, I don't eat cake because that sh*t makes you fat and fatties don't get laid. I'm honestly not certain I want to keep at this painful discussion with you, dude. I mean, cake? Honestly? I was talking about intercourse and you thought we should talk about cake?

Look, I already said I don't rape people very often; I restrain myself significantly to accomplish this. However, if some chick with great tits and an *** that makes me want to curl up in its cleavage and hibernate wants to have some consensual extra-marital intercourse with me I am all for it. I don't advocate sticking your **** in every available negative space, because ain't nothin' on Earth that black and white, bro.



I'm sorry someone hurt you so badly they turned you into...this.



Sure, that's good enough for me. You find monogamy pleasurable because you derive so much self-worth from being loved, and being told and showed so. That's cool, but it's sort of pathetic, too. I mean, when you equate monogamy with honesty and integrity and you thus assign its virtue, I think you're really fUcking up the whole thing. Monogamy is cool because it's unique. It's cool because you can covet your special little corner of the human experience and no one else does it the same and that makes it fUcking rad. Honesty is its own virtue, so dig honesty for honesty's sake, but don't hang that weight on monogamy, too, and don't pretend that all cheaters are liars. Some of them are just really horny a lot of the time.

Well, I'm off to the bar with the sole intent of nailing a married chick. Wish me luck!


Edited, Aug 10th 2008 8:01pm by Barkingturtle