I saw a snippet of an interview with Howard Stern by Stone Phillips. It included a part where his wife admitted that he has hurt her by some of the private things he's said, especially when he talked about her miscarriage. When questioned about this he admitted to having absolutely no remorse for anything he's ever said, including that, and said with pride that he didn't understand or care that she was upset.
I pity anyone who admires such a person. Being bold and stretching the boundaries of social order is one thing, choosing to be cruel to the people closest to you so that you can be famous and make a lot of money is just plain evil.
Those with Asperger's can come off as cold and cruel but not everyone, and it's not always lack of empathy or because they are amoral. Rather, it's usually because they aren't making the connection that their behavior is hurtful or, when they do learn about how hurtful bluntness can be, their processing time is so slow that they have difficulty altering their behavior in time to not be hurtful. I say usually, because I'm sure there are those with Asperger's who don't care if they are cruel.
Stern has admitted to having a form "Narcissistic Personality Disorder", and I believe that fits him perfectly. What's sad is that people enjoy and want to emulate the most extreme manifestation of this destructive social disorder.
The interview took place while they were still married... I remember them saying 'his now ex-wife' and I thought: "no wonder..."
I'm a Glenn Beck fan myself (AKA:sick twisted freak). He's someone who I think breaks the rules, speaks his mind and is blunt an honest in a GOOD way.
Max, What makes you think that, do you ever listen yourself? I've been listening for over a year and I don't remember anything racist, bigoted, homophobic or sexist. He does use a pretty sarcastic and blunt sense of humor to make his points. But anytime I've heard a critic call him one of those things, they use a clip where they take him out of context.
And while he's conservative, he is not just preaching right wing republican politics. Just this past week he was ranting about how Bush should not have done anything in the Libby case. Also he has brought on many Muslim's who are against terrorism and has given them a voice where the general media refuses to show their POV... He's also against open borders that let illegals pour in and has been vocal about border patrols who are getting shafted for doing their jobs.
He brings to light things that other people overlook, both the bad and the good.
Just today he had Denis Leary on his TV show talking among other things about a foundation he started for Firefighters in NYC - all of the talk they did after 9/11 about making NYC ready for another attack meant nothing - they closed down departments and the firefighters, Ambulances and police STILL can't communicate. Leary's foundation is building a training center for the firefighters out of donation money because the city is doing nothing... they mentioned something about tributes to the firefighters that were promised were never put up. The reason I say he is not afraid to say things that others won't say is that I have not heard the regular media talk about these things.
Just did a search and found this on his site.
FEELING GOOD ABOUT HERSELF
Howard got Mark Young, a professor at the University of Southern California, on the line to talk about a narcissism test that he administered to everyone on the show. After Howard defined “narcissism” as a feeling of being better than everyone, Mark revealed Robin was the biggest narcissist on the show, scoring a 34 while the national average was 15.2. Mark then noted 19.2 was the typical score for female celebrities before saying the test was broken into seven categories, and Robin exhibited a “very high score” of feeling in charge. Mark went on to give the following scores as well:
• Benjy a 26
• Richard a 24
• John Hein a 22
• Artie a 17
• Howard a 15
• Sal and Ralph a 12
• Fred and Gary an 11
Although Robin insisted she wasn’t the biggest narcissist, Howard pointed out she was the one who introduced Mark to the show, and he felt she did that because she figured he would’ve taken the honor. Howard next said he loved Robin, but also noticed she liked being around people who “worshipped” her. Howard then attributed his lack of narcissism to his nine years in therapy before insisting he answered the test truthfully and didn’t give any responses he knew would lower his score.
I guess wherever I had read that said he claimed to be a narcissist either had it wrong or he was joking or something.
Either way, I think the official definition describes some of his behavior... particularly the part I've bolded below
From wikipedia:
Narcissism is a set of character traits concerned with self-admiration, self-centeredness and self-regard.
Everyone has some narcissistic traits. However, narcissism can also manifest in an extreme pathological form in some personality disorders such as Narcissistic Personality Disorder wherein the patient overestimates his abilities and has an excessive need for admiration and affirmation. This may be present to such a degree that it severely damages the person's ability to live a productive or happy life because the traits manifest as severe selfishness and disregard for the needs and feelings of others.
So you admit, you don't listen to him, you just read about him from his critics? That's probably part of the reason you believe the critics.
The site is, as I suspected, lifting politically incorrect statements purposefully taken out of context to obscure the points he was trying to make... in other words, that site makes it look like some of the statements should be taken at face value rather than as sarcasm that makes fun of people who are racist and/or being extremely un-PC to make a point.
We are trained to hear Politically Incorrect statements and be freaked out about them but when you think you already disagree with a point someone is making it makes it hard to see the point - in the case of this site you link to, they don't even get into the point he's making and of course they leave out all the other much less extreme things he says which would prove he's not a bigot etc. that you would hear if you listened to him with out the editing and snippet making.
Everything is "taken out of context" -- when you quote from a book, you quote. You don't hand someone the whole book. If you were quoting him to defend him, you would also be taking it out of context. If you're saying that Media Matters is trying to distort his presentation, then you don't know Media Matters very well.
I don't know them very well, but I do know that people quote what proves their subjective points of view. Those who are being fair will put it into context when they do it, but the unscrupulous purposefully leave out the context ESPECIALLY if it disproves their points of view or weakens it any.
For instance:
I don't understand why people defend their racist, sexist, homophobic heroes by claiming they are not racist, sexist and homophobic. You don't approve of racism, sexism and homophobia? Then stop idolizing a racist, sexist homophobe. If, on the other hand, it's his racism, sexism and homophobia you enjoy and approve of, why not be proud of it? His values are what they are. Agree with them or don't.
You don't know me at all, you don't know why I like Glenn, and yet you are making pretty harsh statements about me. I'm not comfortable with the harsh things he's said on that page, but I often agree with the points he's making in the larger context, which I believe are his core values.
Example: I share the underlying value that people should be honest and principled and stand by what they believe without wavering. Glenn is pointing out that many people prostitute what they say they believe in just so they can make money or be more famous or win votes.
Glenn could have said it better than in that quote that was lifted, and guess what. He DID say it better - but that part was conveniently left out.
On the link to that story from your page it quotes Glenn as saying that Cindy was not actually a prostitute but that she was a 'tragedy pimp' - which is another harsh way of describing another disturbing trend; when people use their personal tragedies to promote propaganda not only because they are driven by it, but because nobody can disagree with with someone who is suffering or has suffered, or is related to someone who has suffered etc.
I have heard Glenn say that he feel's terrible for Cindy's loss and that he thought many on her side of the cause were using her as a figurehead - because she can't be touched... and he thinks that is wrong of them; but she lets it happen.
So it isn't what he called her that I admire, it's what you don't see on your critic page that I think is worth pointing out. You shouldn't be afraid to disagree with someone just because they have a hardship and you shouldn't use your hardship as a reason to protect yourself from criticism and debate. And you DEFINITELY shouldn't use people who have had a tragedy to promote your agenda.
And I think that is probably a value that you could agree with if you weren't so blindsided by his harsh choice of un-PC words.
**********
Now, having just explained that, if you were to tell someone about me would you would quote me saying I like Glenn Beck and that proves I idolize racists, sexists homophobes, or would you include some context of what it is I like about Glenn?
Do you understand my point about the quoting on that page you linked to now?
Do you listen to Keith Olbermann? He's not sexist, racist or homophobic. Yet he's way ahead of the "mainstream media" on telling the truth about what's really happening. I'm sure you don't (or wouldn't) but you may want to think about why you don't.
Not regularly I don't... I don't have cable. I have seen some of his stuff on line and can't remember specifically thinking that what he was saying was brilliant truth or not, but he certainly came across as strongly outspoken and not afraid to say really outrageous things.
Maybe you could provide me a link with what you consider as some of his 'telling the truth about what's really happening' and I can let you know what I think of it.
>> Example: I share the underlying value that people should be honest and principled and stand by what they believe without wavering.
And what if "what they believe" is sexist, racist and homophobic? Is unwavering bigotry a virtue?
>> many people prostitute what they say they believe in just so they can make money or be more famous.
Beck knowingly lies and distorts his so-called "news" and presents his opinions -- and the opinions dictated to him -- as facts. And because he is feeding the neo-con agenda, he is well taken care of by the corporate interests -- so he's making more money and becoming more famous...
>> disturbing trend; when people use their personal tragedies to promote propaganda not only because they are driven by it, but because nobody can disagree with with someone who is suffering or has suffered
Do you mean the way the neocons --with talking robots like Beck -- have used the tragedy of 9/11 to promote an illegal war, kill tens of thousands of people and divert billions from the US Treasury? And hide behind the tragedy so that if anyone tries to tell the truth they are called "prostitutes" and "traitors"?
Where is your sense of proportion, 7oclock? What danger does Cindy Sheehan present? The fabric of deception and propaganda that is shredding Democracy and bleeding the USA dry is not woven from stories of 9/11 widows ( Beck says he hates their guts) and grieving mothers (Beck calls them prostitutes.) That may seem courageous to you but it seems vile to me.
Propaganda is Beck's business -- shouting down reason and saturating public discourse with hateful, reactionary propaganda. Discussion and understanding of public policy is not served when people get their facts and opinions from a vivious clown like Beck.
Olbermann tells the truth about the people who
run this country. He doesn't just attack the mothers of dead soldiers.
Try this:
http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/archive...56978.aspx
Gee, you said that?
Really?
And people are not obeying you?
I can't imagine. It's almost as if you were not supreme commander of the universe.
Ziyaret, if you want to control what people talk about, start you own forum. No one is being prevented from discussing Howard Stern. The thread has diverged and you've had a screaming narcissistic meltdown. Neither is an unprecedented occurrence.
Just a reminder folks: This thread is about HOWARD STERN, Not Glenn Beck!
If you want to argue about Glenn then start a new damn thread.
It's a pointless discussion anyway. Max has made up her mind and will probably hate me for things I don't think or believe...
Max, thanks for ignoring all my explanation of context and projecting your own hateful (and wrong) context onto my post. It has allowed me to realize discussions of politics with you is pointless and saved me a lot of time and trouble trying in the future.
"Max has made up her mind"
When it comes to Glenn Beck, yes, Max has made up his mind. So if by "discussion of politics" you mean convincing me that Beck is harmless and essentially right in what he thinks, I agree that would probably be pointless.
And of course I don't hate you at all. I just think you are quite taken by Beck's engaging, bombastic style and don't recognize/consider what his core values are.
You ignored my points and to me that is a sign that any kind of discussion is pointless. When someone is so fixated on their hatred of the other side they rarely want to focus on a discussion of issues.
I'm glad you don't hate me.
And the bear costume looks like it has eyelashes, so I assumed female. sorry.
"fixated on hatred of the other side"?
That sounds a lot like "If you don't agree with Glenn Beck, you hate America!"
I don't have to ask where you learned that.
*L* How ironic that your fixation on your hatred of the right has just caused you to miss my point and do it again in your accusation of what you think I really mean.
Of course you can disagree with Glenn and love America... I have a good friend who hates Glenn's style and I myself don't agree with Glenn on everything.
But as I said, this is pointless... I'm done.
Political correctness is ostensibly being "sensitive" and not offending any 'group'. In fact, it turns out to be nothing more than white bourgeois McCarthyism. PCness is a set of beliefs and ideas that people adopt in order to gain social approval(i.e.: to make themselves seem like a good person). Since the bourgeoisie are hyper-competative and in fact dont believe in civility-they simply dont use physical violence and have their own set of unwritten, unspoken rules for how they catfight with each other; PCness has become a social game that such persons use to outdo each other. They gloat about how they're so "sensitive to persecuted minority groups"(which most of them really no NOTHING about since they most interact among other white, urban middle class folks)but moreover they try to 1Up others by calling them a [i[biggot[/i] and deliberately get offended over trivial things just to start another catfight. For instance, the now infamous "I hate Sluts" thread was un-PC because according to their rules men are NEVER allowed to criticize womens behaviours(even if they are VOLUNTARY). My disregard for this rule was why Max the Bear called me a "bigot" to try to invalidate me(since he identifies with women even though he is NOT one). PCness rests on the shaky foundation of Post-Modernism: the school of thought which deems all truth to be relative so that Reality by consensus becomes a valid argument.
Criticizing the behaviours of certain women(thing which they certain DO have control over) does not equate to misogyny. In fact, since you are obviously NOT a woman it had NOTHING to do with you pesonally in the 1st place. You choose to start a catfight since you didnt like what I had to say.