Independence

[Jim_ME]

Maybe the responder forgot to leave a SailFar Sticker...?

[Captain Smollett]

LOL...Thanks, Jim.  Grog for that.

That hit the spot...I was in a bit of a funk over something that happened on another forum this morning.  A smile and a chuckle were both very, very welcome.

:)

[Jim_ME]

Thanks, John. Glad that you were also amused by it. ;D  Grog to you, too.

[Jim_ME]

I posted this photo here in the humor section, thinking that it was amusing in its irony and self contradiction.

To me, there is something both funny and true about seeing someone take fierce independence, which sailors and perhaps especially small boat sailors see as a badge of honor--and rightly so, I believe--to such an extreme.  Anarchists on the water are just pirates, and pirates are kinda cool.

Yet perhaps placed in a more serious discussion thread where different perspectives are being expressed, it may take on a different meaning and seem to advocate for one side of the discussion. I didn't intend that. I don't think anyone did, but it may be more prone to misinterpretation there...

I think that many of the values that this site was founded on: small boat, keep it simple, frugal cruising on a limited income and budget, the freedom that we experience from sailing, are both philosophical and to some extent political (in a general way).

I do think that general discussions about liberty, our rights, the constitution, and even quotes from founding fathers or other historical figures, that underlie these rights, responsibilities, and ethics; regulations, and current events, as they relate to cruising, in my opinion, should be fine.

If a thread starts to break down along the current partisan politics, media owners, pundits, and political figures; economic and tax policies, foreign policy, hot-button social issues, etc. then I can see that this can easily go beyond a respectful sharing of perspectives and become divisive and polarizing--and lose their relevance to cruising. I do think that it is then fair to ask that these be taken to personal messages or other sites that are primarily about these issues.

That is a distinction that I personally would make between different types of politics.

[Jim_ME]

I've been thinking that what the SailFar Forum really needs is a new section where we can all talk about politics. Yeah? ;D

At first I thought maybe somewhere in The Bilge Section, but then realized that of course this would not be nearly low enough. So maybe a new section, like...The Porta-Potti.

As a bonus we could also have MSD threads there? ...but then, being included with politics may be unfair and defamatory to poop?

[rorik]

I've always liked Ambrose Bierce for his turn of phrase....


"Politics, noun. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage." ?Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

?Ocean: A body of water occupying two-thirds of a world made for man - who has no gills.?
― Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary