Elitist Twit

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
30,245
99
48
Alberta
CTV.ca | Michael Ignatieff opens up about son's challenges

"He said his son, Theo, can't read complicated drawings and plans.
"He has a problem, my own son. This impedes his capacity to succeed. He needs a lot of help. My wife and I have put a lot of investment into this to get this right. Every family needs help with that problem."
"

Only somebody with little connection to the real world would see this as a "problem". If most people could read "complicated drawings and plans" they wouldn't be considered complicated. I see the Liberals have, yet again, picked a winner.
 

Dexter Sinister

Unspecified Specialist
Oct 1, 2004
10,168
539
113
Regina, SK
And how is wanting to help your child with what appears to be a cognitive disability of some sort--hard to tell from that article exactly what the issue is--an indication of being disconnected from the real world?
 

Colpy

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 5, 2005
21,887
848
113
71
Saint John, N.B.
Dexter has a point.

What I got a kick out of was the following:

A family memoir written by Ignatieff will be released next April by Penguin Group Canada.
Titled, "True Patriot Love: Four Generations in Search of Canada," the book begins with the story of Ignatieff's great-grandfather who set out in 1872 with Sir Sandford Fleming to map what would become the rail link between Canada's east and west coasts.

So Mikey is the latest of a long line of Ignatiefs that have spent their lives looking for Canada........I guess Mikey was looking in Massachusetts..... :) :) :)
 

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
30,245
99
48
Alberta
And how is wanting to help your child with what appears to be a cognitive disability of some sort

Is having difficulty with calculus considered a cognitive disability? Is being unable to speak three languages a sign of disability? Is having trouble reading "difficult" plans a sign of cognitive disability? Of course not. It means his kid is probably in the normal range. I know how heart-wrenching that is for elitist twits. After-all, I have a sister who sent her kid to a "special school" because he couldn't play the guitar.
 

Dexter Sinister

Unspecified Specialist
Oct 1, 2004
10,168
539
113
Regina, SK
You miss the point entirely. It's far from clear from that article what the issue is, you're assuming you know what it is, and that it isn't really a problem, in order to take a cheap shot at a man whose politics you don't like. Not clear thinking.
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
119
63
I think sometimes people are so busy berating their political opponents, they lose sight of logic.
 

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
30,245
99
48
Alberta
You miss the point entirely. It's far from clear from that article what the issue is, you're assuming you know what it is, and that it isn't really a problem, in order to take a cheap shot at a man whose politics you don't like. Not clear thinking.

I'm assuming that Mike is speaking the truth and that his son has trouble reading complicated drawings. That would make his son normal. Pretty clear thinking to me.
 

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
30,245
99
48
Alberta
I think sometimes people are so busy berating their political opponents, they lose sight of logic.

Nice try but Mike is not my political opponent. From what I've seen and read about the man, I am probably more in line with him politically than any of the other leaders (and I use the term leaders loosely). Anybody can be an elitist twit regardless of political views.
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
119
63
I'm assuming that Mike is speaking the truth and that his son has trouble reading complicated drawings. That would make his son normal. Pretty clear thinking to me.

The article gave no indication of the magnitude of the son's problem, nor was there any comparative data, so your statement that the son is normal is not backed up by any evidence.
 

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
30,245
99
48
Alberta
The article gave no indication of the magnitude of the son's problem, nor was there any comparative data, so your statement that the son is normal is not backed up by any evidence.

The article said the son has problems reading complicated plans. Since most people have problems reading complicated plans, his son is normal. I understand that having a normal child is terribly embarrassing to elitist twits.
 

Colpy

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 5, 2005
21,887
848
113
71
Saint John, N.B.
The article said the son has problems reading complicated plans. Since most people have problems reading complicated plans, his son is normal. I understand that having a normal child is terribly embarrassing to elitist twits.

Although I'm no Liberal lover, I find it hard to believe Iggy would be stupid enough to play on public sympathy because he has a handicapped son.......when the son is normal......

My guess is the kid has some real problems, poorly described by Iggy.

Although sometimes people are simply dumb as a post.....that is not abnormal, in fact it seems to me to be increasingly the norm.......it might seem abnormal to Mr. Harvard Prof., which would prove your point.

wait and see.
 

TenPenny

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 9, 2004
17,467
139
63
Location, Location
You miss the point entirely. It's far from clear from that article what the issue is, you're assuming you know what it is, and that it isn't really a problem, in order to take a cheap shot at a man whose politics you don't like. Not clear thinking.

I agree; from the article, I wasn't clear what the issue is at all.

That said, I hate the use of the word 'elitist'. Every time I read someone using the word 'elitist', I assume the writer has an inferiority complex.
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
63
RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
Although I'm no Liberal lover, I find it hard to believe Iggy would be stupid enough to play on public sympathy because he has a handicapped son.......when the son is normal......

My guess is the kid has some real problems, poorly described by Iggy.

Although sometimes people are simply dumb as a post.....that is not abnormal, in fact it seems to me to be increasingly the norm.......it might seem abnormal to Mr. Harvard Prof., which would prove your point.

wait and see.

For christ sake Colpy Iggy is a politician he would sacrifice his only begotten for power, in fact his revelations have probably done just that. He would suck the eyeballs out of a dead horse for the podium. Grow up will ya.:smile:
 

tracy

House Member
Nov 10, 2005
3,500
48
48
California
The thing that annoys me about this is when did elite become an insult? Why would't you want your political representatives to be elite? They should be the smartest, best people you can find.

When average Joe becomes the leader, you get George W Bush and look how great that one has worked out.
 

bobnoorduyn

Council Member
Nov 26, 2008
2,262
28
48
Mountain Veiw County
The thing that annoys me about this is when did elite become an insult? Why would't you want your political representatives to be elite? They should be the smartest, best people you can find.

When average Joe becomes the leader, you get George W Bush and look how great that one has worked out.

The elite have a nasty habit of looking down on us plebeans, we are not smart enough to be in charge of our own destiny and must be ruled by the elite class, this is in fact a very European, primarily French notion. There is a reason we have a House of Commons, (though we don't also have a House of Lords), that is a British import that allows us to have some control over our own destiny, though much of the lustre has faded from the institution.

We have had some of the smartest people lord over us, Trudeau was very smart, and elite, and would let the proletariat know it at any given time. (He is just a handy example).

As for Joe average, Dubya hardly fits that bill, 3rd generation rich and influential, whose grampa started his fortune by hiding money for the NAZI's.
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
63
RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
The thing that annoys me about this is when did elite become an insult? Why would't you want your political representatives to be elite? They should be the smartest, best people you can find.

When average Joe becomes the leader, you get George W Bush and look how great that one has worked out.

So that means you're not democratic and are in effect an elitist. The average Joe numbers in the billions, the knowlege and ability inherant in that mass far outweighs the intelligence of that elite, every time. The trick of the elite is to control that combined power to it's own benifit and not that of the common. George Bush is a product of the Elite, surely you don't believe otherwise.;-)
 
Last edited:

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
63
RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
The elite have a nasty habit of looking down on us plebeans, we are not smart enough to be in charge of our own destiny and must be ruled by the elite class, this is in fact a very European, primarily French notion. There is a reason we have a House of Commons, (though we don't also have a House of Lords), that is a British import that allows us to have some control over our own destiny, though much of the lustre has faded from the institution.

We have had some of the smartest people lord over us, Trudeau was very smart, and elite, and would let the proletariat know it at any given time. (He is just a handy example).

As for Joe average, Dubya hardly fits that bill, 3rd generation rich and influential, whose grampa started his fortune by hiding money for the NAZI's.

I agree. Trudeau however elite was still not thee elite who for obvious reasons have afforded themselves the ultimate elite perk of invisability. He's a handy example of an intelligent man trapped between two stones. He had chains, like anyone in the public eye. He tested the limits of his chain publicly enough but snarling and barking isn't the same as tearing a leg off trespassers.IMHO
 

tracy

House Member
Nov 10, 2005
3,500
48
48
California
So that means you're not democratic and are in effect an elitist. The average Joe numbers in the billions, the knowlege and ability inherant in that mass far outweighs the intelligence of that elite, every time. The trick of the elite is to control that combined power to it's own benifit and not that of the common. George Bush is a product of the Elite, surely you don't believe otherwise.;-)

How is choosing to vote for the best person I could find undemocratic? The knowledge of the billions of average Joes doesn't matter when you can only vote for one person. If I have to choose between one average person and one whose knowledge and achievements would make them elite, I'm going for the elite one hands down.

Elite isn't just a word for a privileged minority or the socioeconomically superior. It also means the best, the most talented, the smartest, the most skilled, etc. Elite should be something people strive to be. George W Bush came from a rich family, none of his life achievements would have qualified him to be called elite before he was elected president.