Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
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In response to multiculturalists who believe Muslim culture is "just different" and not inferior. Clip from "Victory Begins At Home", HBO Special from 2003
Mar 8, 2010 8:07 PM
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
So funny that you guys like it :)
When I saw this I punched a hole in my computer screen. Hate the guy with a passion!
When I saw this I punched a hole in my computer screen. Hate the guy with a passion!
By: wadadde
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
I gave this clip ***** earlier today. I won't say it's classic, but it has its moments. Got to look a bit through this Maher guy. He's really haughty. Thinks he's great, which he sometimes is, but his arrogance prevents him from being as good as, say, Carlin. Maher is, politically speaking, pretty much brainwashed. Pity.
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
Oh yeah, I love the arrogance actually. His comedic approach of political issues, however, is very south park-esque (he perverts sensible reasoning to get laughs). That would be totally fine if he was just joking, but he's not. He's very much like Christopher Hitchens in that he's somewhat of a hero of the left/atheists with the putrid stench of barbarism surrounding him. With Hitchens it's his neo-conservatism, with Maher it's his unapologetic zionism and what I would characterise as borderline nihilism.
All is fair in love and comedy, but that doesn't prevent me from being distinctly repulsed by the guy.
All is fair in love and comedy, but that doesn't prevent me from being distinctly repulsed by the guy.
By: wadadde
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
And who are the Rights heroes? Grown men with imaginary friends? Glenn Beck and that stipid blonde twat on Fox? I'll take Bill anyday over the uneducated and superstitious.
By: Helpcall
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
Maher isn't all that educated. He and I just happen to share an inability to accept a specific set of absurd notions. So what.. There's no reason to choose a friend from a line-up of blonde and brown haired douche bags, if what really matters to you is the color of their eyes.
Hitchens, at least, has a brain.
Hitchens, at least, has a brain.
By: wadadde
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
What's the difference between zionism and neo-conservatism again?
By: y0j1m80
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
they are just completely different, but in practice they often result in similar kinds of actions...
By: wadadde
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
I wish I could hate Bill Maher.
But I find myself agreeing with him too often.
But I find myself agreeing with him too often.
By: Shiggety
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
Same here. He always seems to come across as an arrogant douche bag, but most of his points are well made.
By: chronomitch
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
So he's making good points in this video?? Want me to wast 10 minutes analyzing his logic for you? Or did you just mean that he says things you like to hear, because if that's what you mean then I can certainly agree with you. I've seen his shows before and they're usually pretty amusing. So what? He's still got this dirty side to him.. You don't care. Well, I do when he starts validating the ill treatment (systemic torture really) of 'POWs' because their culture is inferior or because they "lost". The way he presents arabs is right out of the rasist handbook. One can only find this amusing if one is ignorant to a shocking dergee or if one just doesn't give a shit. When a radio host refers to a female basketball team as "nappy headed hoes" he's thrown into the ravine, but demonize people of an entire region and you're a fucking hoot. "We're better". Give me a fucking break. You'll be better than you are now when you finally stop raping these people's countries directly and indirectly after 60 years. Imperial dumbasses. I can make any argument I want and do it flawlessly if my audience is a bunch of nitwits. No offence. It's just the truth.
By: wadadde
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
Most of what he's saying is truish, but his "yay gulags" and "democracy = trinkets" bullshit makes him look like an idjut.
"Free speech: better. Free elections: better. Free appliances with large purchases: better."
Cheese-filled sausages: better. Teletubbies: better. Lethal injection: better (than public beheadings).
"Free speech: better. Free elections: better. Free appliances with large purchases: better."
Cheese-filled sausages: better. Teletubbies: better. Lethal injection: better (than public beheadings).
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
Well let's say that most of what he says is really truish (I disagree). The next step is then to ask how his individual points combine to make a larger point. If I remember correctly he starts off by saying that our extremists are better because bs bs.. What does that tell us about Islam? Is it wise to judge a 'culture' solely by it's worst offenders? Or is it just easier to smear a people that way? Easier than to recognize that values don't mean shit if you're not going to live by them. Is hypocrisy a western value. Is apathy a western value? Is proxy military oppression and is never ending proxy war a western value? Or does the comparison between the west and 'their' 'culture' only seem palpatable if you pick an choose which aspects you're going to take into the arena of ideas. It's nonsense. ALL of it. I could go into the other points, but what's the point of seriously analysing something which starts as moronicly as it ends?!
By: wadadde
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
I take his main point to be that religion is a destructive influence on society, and religion tends to be a much more potent influence in current Islamic societies than in current Christian societies.
I agree with him that it's better to live among people who laugh at religious nutters. Too bad most Americans don't really laugh at the Pope and Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. Americans are much bigger dipshits than he portrays.
I agree with him that it's better to live among people who laugh at religious nutters. Too bad most Americans don't really laugh at the Pope and Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. Americans are much bigger dipshits than he portrays.
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
If you dont have the stomach for it, go watch wrestling instead. He makes an important point. We are all sick of this politically correct pussy footing around. He adds a necessary balance to otherwise over the over sensitive crap that we have to deal with whenever other cultures or peoles are involved. Sometimes you need to hear "to hell with them" if for no other reason than to offset all the PC whining.
And dont forget, his goal is entertainment as well as commentary. He is also a comedian, and all comedy has to do with exaggeration.
And dont forget, his goal is entertainment as well as commentary. He is also a comedian, and all comedy has to do with exaggeration.
By: Helpcall
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
"You'll be better than you are now when you finally stop raping these people's countries directly and indirectly after 60 years."
Same thing the Caliphate was trying until 1529. So now, because the Muslims are losing, its evil imperialism.
Same thing the Caliphate was trying until 1529. So now, because the Muslims are losing, its evil imperialism.
By: Voidwar
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
Same thing the Europeans were trying to do until CLEAR UP TO THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY.
So now, because the white people have lost their colonies, what the Chinese are doing with Tibet and Xianjing is evil imperialism.
Figures.
So now, because the white people have lost their colonies, what the Chinese are doing with Tibet and Xianjing is evil imperialism.
Figures.
By: Deh_Dude
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
You do realize that he's doing stand-up comedy here and he's not to be taken literally, right?
As to all of our (meaning the US's) wars, imperialism, etc - yes, you're right. However, many people in the US didn't support those wars, including Bill Maher, if I'm not mistaken. Just because our country has problems doesn't magically make another culture or country immune to criticism. After all, two wrongs do not make a right. Injustice and inhumanity are bad regardless of where they take place.
As for the racism comment, it isn't. There's a difference between saying arabs themselves are inferior and saying their culture is inferior. I think it's fairly clear which of these things Bill Maher is saying here. Again, remember that this is a stand-up routine.
Now, as to his main point that our western culture is better than that found in many places in the Middle East, such as Saudia Arabia, I have to agree with Maher here. As imperfect as society/government/culture in the US is, the simple fact is that people here have far more freedom and rights than those living in many other countries around the world. Just look at Iran. Those who decry the government in public or online are arrested. As shitty as the US's past administration was (and still is) in regard to the Patriot Act, at least they didn't round up dissidents and throw them in Guantanamo Bay.
As to all of our (meaning the US's) wars, imperialism, etc - yes, you're right. However, many people in the US didn't support those wars, including Bill Maher, if I'm not mistaken. Just because our country has problems doesn't magically make another culture or country immune to criticism. After all, two wrongs do not make a right. Injustice and inhumanity are bad regardless of where they take place.
As for the racism comment, it isn't. There's a difference between saying arabs themselves are inferior and saying their culture is inferior. I think it's fairly clear which of these things Bill Maher is saying here. Again, remember that this is a stand-up routine.
Now, as to his main point that our western culture is better than that found in many places in the Middle East, such as Saudia Arabia, I have to agree with Maher here. As imperfect as society/government/culture in the US is, the simple fact is that people here have far more freedom and rights than those living in many other countries around the world. Just look at Iran. Those who decry the government in public or online are arrested. As shitty as the US's past administration was (and still is) in regard to the Patriot Act, at least they didn't round up dissidents and throw them in Guantanamo Bay.
By: chronomitch
Re: Bill Maher Superiority of Western Values
Every country in the Middle East is different and many of these are multi-cultural societies with varying ideas and norms. This is an 'us against them' argument he's making. He doesn't know 'them' so he should shut the fuck up.
You say that you're not responsible for your imperialist culture. Do you honestly think that muslims (ordinary people) are in control of their non-democratic, often US-supported puppet regimes. My point is that muslims are not by nature anti-democratic, anti-capitalist, anti-free speech,... It's a false dichotomy. It's a reflection of stupidity and hatred to rant like that. I dunno, it's just wrong in so many ways that I can't even name them all.
Oh yes, American culture is better because it doesn't murder, torture and silence it's own, but rather does all those things to others for nothing but total dominance, monetary gain for its corporations and the idea of total security for Americans only. I'm sorry, this just doesn't cut it............
You're right, while he certainly is the equivalent of a racist (my opinion), his little speech isn't stricly speaking racist. It's hard for me to find a word that does discribe it accurately.
You say that you're not responsible for your imperialist culture. Do you honestly think that muslims (ordinary people) are in control of their non-democratic, often US-supported puppet regimes. My point is that muslims are not by nature anti-democratic, anti-capitalist, anti-free speech,... It's a false dichotomy. It's a reflection of stupidity and hatred to rant like that. I dunno, it's just wrong in so many ways that I can't even name them all.
Oh yes, American culture is better because it doesn't murder, torture and silence it's own, but rather does all those things to others for nothing but total dominance, monetary gain for its corporations and the idea of total security for Americans only. I'm sorry, this just doesn't cut it............
You're right, while he certainly is the equivalent of a racist (my opinion), his little speech isn't stricly speaking racist. It's hard for me to find a word that does discribe it accurately.
By: wadadde
