In the fantasy world that media like E! Entertainment likes to present, these people ARE incredibly important and beautiful. Award shows are the pinnacle of existence, where these god-like transcended people come together to celebrate and worship eachother and their fashion designers. The Red Carpet is the last place that mere mortals can interview them before they ascend into the Award Show.

And then Ricky Gervais steps in and reminds us that these are just people, and probably people that are a bit bored and drunk after sitting through speeches for 2 hours in a dress that's uncomfortable.

@chilaxe to point #1, I would agree, I would like a society where rationalists would have a larger influence on society, but I'm not sold on the idea that we have an effective way to discern the rational, moral and wise from everyone else. Even if we did, I'm not comfortable with the idea of giving such hypothetical supermen some sort of inviolable authority over mere mortals like myself -- the kind of power that would flow from a strict libertarian view of property rights and contract enforcement.

To point #2, I agree that humans should not only merely have "at least some responsibility for their actions," but a tremendous amount of responsibility for their actions. I think the point Rawls is making is that whether you become rich or poor depends on so many arbitrary factors that you can't really make a claim that you morally deserve your precise economic status, because very little about how much you make for a living has to do with choices you actually make yourself.

I'd also add that it's not like failure in a market economy is some sort of moral failing that justifies the punishment of poverty. Yes, it's important to have feedback in the system for failure, but I think once you start stripping away basic necessities like food, shelter, clothing, medical care -- things it would be considered unconscionable to deprive prisoners of -- you're crossing into a territory where you've lost sight of people's fundamental human rights.

>> ^dannym3141:

This guy is such an obnoxious arse. This video leads me to believe that he's just a drama llama. He loves drama.
"And me?..................... (dramatic pause)............... i did................what i had to do!!! ..............................................."
("LAUD ME NOT FOR I AM A MERE MORTAL WHO STOOD TO BE COUNTED. DO NOT PRAISE ME, DO NOT WORSHIP ME, I ONLY DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY!!!!!!!!!!")
He does something that is probably a decent move for free speech, and then ruins it all with 10 minutes of self-backslapping and solo-high-fiving.
Serious negative respect for this frood.


Yeah, his initial videos were entertaining, but he has indeed become far too wrapped up in his own self importance. I haven't upvoted his last couple of videos for that very reason, he's not really being part of the solution at all.

And who the f*ck does he think he is to be giving out scores to others... get stuffed.

'I did what I had to do'... um... made a couple of videos from the safety of anonymity, well done sir... well done.

Sad. From where I stand, as a christian, these kinds of people do infinitely more damage than any critics like Hitchens and Dawkins could ever dream of. They are also infinitely more offensive to me, and I wish more people would publicly stand up and denounce this kind of thing.

If you are sick, then go and get help from a doctor. By all means pray as well, but do both. Refusing to go to the doctor because you prayed is like starving to death in a house full of food while you pray for help with your hunger. And as was said up thread, if you so deeply believe God is planning a miracle, how do you expect a mere mortal doctor to stop him? Surely if the leg is amputated you can still pray for it to be restored. Sorry, but being hysterical and illogical over your daughter's illness is NOT the same as having a grounded faith.

This guy is such an obnoxious arse. This video leads me to believe that he's just a drama llama. He loves drama.

"And me?..................... (dramatic pause)............... i did................what i had to do!!! ..............................................."

("LAUD ME NOT FOR I AM A MERE MORTAL WHO STOOD TO BE COUNTED. DO NOT PRAISE ME, DO NOT WORSHIP ME, I ONLY DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY!!!!!!!!!!")

He does something that is probably a decent move for free speech, and then ruins it all with 10 minutes of self-backslapping and solo-high-fiving.

Serious negative respect for this frood.

>> ^Throbbin:
^Well I dunno about you folks, but I could do it.

haha these guys are mere mortal men though.

the true meaning(s) of christmas... Jesus kills? Jesus rules with an iron shotgun? Santa is a mere mortal and bleeds like the rest of us? Rudolph is near-sighted?

Why would he be a douchebag?
This guy is definitely Neo, he knows he bend the rules we mere mortals have to follow.

Let's add an interesting variable:

The bible is a collection of false stories created by mere mortals, and used as a tool to control pockets of humanity. How does that factor into this amazing equation? Who's the "anitichrist" now?

Gotta go, this pastor wants to touch my penis.

"mere mortals, who want to learn and love forever."
yes.

^That was a really dumb statement, "thinker". If Jesus is God, he doesn't need to exactly follow the rules for mere mortals.

Anyway, this video is crap. This is somebody who doesn't believe and has no interest in considering the arguments of those who do. If you are going to even have a chance in changing somebody's opinion, you must address their interpretations. The part about the sacrament is the most obvious here.

I'd like to see somebody with a little more depth of research do a video like this. Here we have a pre-made straw-man for the religious to knock over.

dude! it's friggin' prince! THE prince.

thom yorkie is a mere mortal.

like a prince say, do.

^ It would be precisely that to someone who can't question certain things because that's "God's Territory".

IE: Your first class of "Intelligent Design 101":
Teacher: "Welcome students. The diversity and complexity of all life on the planet is due to a benevolent and far superior intelligence than one we mere mortals posses. Some call him God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Try not to question why things are a certain way, just know and love that God made them so just for us. Class dismissed, see you next year."

A Google search brought up the politics channel while searching for some lectures to listen to in bed. I realised it was the internet turned up to 11 with really clever and funny commenters so I commenced lurkage for months.

I joined for one reason, downvote! muwhahaha! My quest for power beyond mere mortals! However I cant do it, since I'm responsible, guilt-prone and cowardly, actually downvoting requires such soul searching and induces such mental trauma that I cant bear it, in case it makes people angry or sad. I couldnt live with bumming people out on my conscience

I've been a bit of an invalid last couple of months so laying in bed watching videosift has been highlight of my day. I always thought of siftbot as someone like Cy-borg from Joes Garage, an appliance with some far out perversions but I'm sure thats just me.

>> ^SlipperyPete:
I thought comedy central vids were being discontinued here since they only work in US and A?


Comedy Central is no longer an approved host, meaning one that us mere mortals can utilize. Farhad, being a diamond, can post anything that offers embed code.