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Quote by Guillermo Jimenez

“The Mystery of Futile Debate: Why do we engage endlessly in futile political debates? We can argue politics forever, with nary a hint of progress. The likelihood of anyone changing his or her mind as the result of a political argument is negligible, but we debate anyway. Whether on street corners or on "Meet the Press," political discussions go on and on, and are only rarely resolved by polite compromise. It would be astonishing if a presidential candidate were to decide, mid-debate, that the other candidate was right: CANDIDATE: You know, Senator, I never looked at it that way before, but you're actually completely right! Since it's such an important point, I guess I'll just concede the whole election to you right now -- you are definitely the better candidate. Congratulations! If a candidate actually did say something like that, he or she would soon face overpowering citizen anger** -- at having violated the unspoken rule that debates are supposed to be futile. ** Not to mention, a free one-way ticket to a psychiatric institution.”

Quote by Guillermo Jimenez

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Guillermo Jimenez

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“Our political opinions emanate from deep cultural and biological sources...This explains why we get so emotional about politics and why political compromise is generally impossible. When someone criticizes our politics, they attack our very being. Political debate is futile because it is based on the naive premise that we can be convinced by the logical arguments of our enemies to change our inner selves.”

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“Al dirigente comunista Angelo Tasca, ribadisce: «Lottare a fondo contro il fascismo? D’accordo. Ma in nome di che? Noi vogliamo lottare contro il fascismo in nome della libertà, voi della dittatura. C’è tra noi un dissidio di principio, insuperabile. Appunto perché vogliamo lottare contro il fascismo non possiamo confondere la nostra posizione colla vostra. La vostra fa il giuoco del fascismo. Siete disposti a dichiarare che rinunciate alla dittatura, che siete contro tutte le dittature? Se sì, possiamo senz’altro fare la lista comune; se no, ciascuno deve andare per la propria strada».”

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