The question I was asked most on our paradigm shifting 7 week live tv election debate tour of the country was, “Are you and damien really friends’, and the desire for so many people to know told me something about the political polarization that scars our political discourse now.
Let me be as clear as I humanly can be.
Damien Grant is wrong about almost every single political, intellectual and philosophical utterance he mash mumbles out his mouth.
It’s RACIST
Not RASHIST you mouth breather.
His position on Israel is so hopelessly compromised intellectually and he is without a doubt a Zionist Apologist scumbag – without a shadow of a doubt.
HOWEVER!
Damien Grant is also an incredible father, incredible husband, talented writer, generous friend, great boss and has an intellectual curiosity that is boundless and joyful.
We argue like cat and bloody dog, but he makes me laugh so hard, and I honestly believe we need to find the common ground between people we disagree with and work to keep those friendships because David’s new hard right racist Government is going to test everyone of us with their malice towards beneficiaries, workers, renters and never ending race baiting bullshit.
We need to find the common ground between us as human beings, as citizens and as neighbours because if this Government were a fable it would a scorpian sitting on a foxes face riding in the jaws of a great white shark.
One of the reasons this crazy wee podcast has managed the media attention it did over the election and its constant high rankings in the podcast charts is because we aren’t afraid to have a debate between intelligent people with diametrically different opinions.
We are one of only 100 countries that are democracies in the world and we need more debate, not less.
Have I mentioned we did all that without NZ on air funding?
Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice going into this pandemic and 2020 election – please donate here.
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Tribalism is a curse. Why people give such unwavering allegiance to political parties is beyond me. They just allow themselves to become blind to other views. I’d like to think that I’d have a meal with most politicians in NZ (even those I disagree with) as they’re just people mostly doing what they think is best for others.
Mostly. Despite their claims to the contrary some are just addicted to the “baubles of office”.
It becomes “my team is great and you team is bad” when sometimes both teams just suck. The USA involves itself in too many countries affairs, and Vladimir Putin is still a murderous prick. It’s appalling what Israel is doing in Gaza and Hamas are still wankers. Elon Musk is a dishonest dick but he is pushing some great technology. The list goes on.
Accept that most media companies have a certain political leaning, but don’t dismiss them. Watch them all. In amongst the obvious opinion pieces there is often a lot of solid reporting. You may not like it but that doesn’t mean its wrong.
Have a good Christmas Bomber. I think your views are insane at times (Winston Peters for PM? Really?), but I appreciate that you are open with them and that people can express their views here.
@ JB from E
“Tribalism is a curse. Why people give such unwavering allegiance to political parties is beyond me. ”
Let me enlighten you then. The reason why we unwittingly give such unwavering allegiance to political parties ( In our case, there’s only one which is roger douglas’s neo-liberalism which might be more accurately described as a kind of fiscal autocratic fascism.) is because [they] deploy against us a raft of psychologically manipulative mechanisms to have us do that which we might not do if we hadn’t abandoned our hearts and minds to advertising exec ghosts hiding within the mainstream media shadows. Take rnz for example.
A first step to enlightenment might be to understand that stepping forward to being enlightened is the only beginning to be undertaken.
In short, and I’m not that short, is that one can never really trust anyone who’s trying to sell you something. Whether it’s a car, a cat, a coach, a Crown, a country, a city, a concept, a stunted little cunt with the smell of your money overpowering the stench that must surely had been coming off his moustache.
The dilemma that democracies such as ours must face is that while we must be free, we must also be united and unity ain’t good for the building of billionaires.
I kind of think these days so much of it comes down to social media sending us content that reinforces our view, so when Trump beats Clinton people lose their minds saying “how can this happen?” – not realising that there was a whole world outside of their twitter and facebook feeds that they were never exposed to.
But you really just re-inforce my point – why the tribalism when at their core most politicians are all the same and you don’t owe them anything
Well said JB from E.
‘at risk of repeating myself here but ya know I’m gonna!’
Ad nauseam…yawwwwn!
Chrissie present. If you don’t like it think tl:dr and give it to mad Uncle Walter.
Ben Folds Five – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMIlCn5-mms
Tribalism is a curse – followed by reasons! Can be countered by examples of other curses we are saddled with from our incredibly inventive minds – individualism, capitalism, communism – actually isms galore. Our problem is our minds and our intelligence not being thorough enough in deciding what boundaries to put on our enthusiasms for the style we embrace. We need internal Gandalfs holding a staff and saying ‘This far, but further you shall not pass’.
But let’s have committed togetherness, a meeting of minds, ways and means, and worthy outcomes and necessary defences with occasional sorties. Find enough people with enough ethics, enough goodwill to all, enough rationality, enough vision to enable the range of human behaviour and where enough should be signalled, and enough willingness to work and play together without going OTT, and enough forgiveness and enough wariness to protect us against psychopaths, and enough acceptance of the importance of good, happy parents knowing and being helped enough to bring up their children, strong, and happy, fair, skilled in their trades and occupations and interests, creative, and fun-loving and hard working and community committed from their individual selves.
Tribalism rules OK. But must be both well-knit and able to interact with others and hold to agreed values, primary, being to enable bounded freedoms based on individuals considering others in a positive way and enabling them while they do the same. The traffic light system and road rules being a working example.
@JB from E. Yes, agreed, tribalism is a strange beast. A kind of ideological allegiance, fuelled by beliefs, misbeliefs, evidence and counter evidence, truths, half truths and downright lies. And that’s only half of it. One political arena where this charade is played out is in the House, courtesy of Channel 31. Tribalism in full view.
Thank you for allowing free speech on TDB Bomber.
It allows those on the right to explain why those on the left are wrong!
Lol, just teasing….catchya in 2024!
Now that Willy s no longer broadcast Minister, u should get NZ on air funding. In fact replace seven sharp with u Podcast.
Thank you @ Martyn Bradbury for your TDB creation to enable me and many others I’m sure to have the pressure releases we need to function.
I hope you have a great Christmas. A fun and joyous affair with lots of hugs and expensive gifts. A roast Turkey stuffed with diamonds. An LSD infused ice cream. You’d look great in a Bentley Arnage. A holiday in French Polynesia before the hoi polloi are shipped in.
Bon Jovi, and soldier on!
A Christmas list.
Russell Brand. A must-watch to be truthful.
https://youtu.be/2PQxdG9ypi4?feature=shared
Netflix
‘Leave the World Behind.’
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81314956
I haven’t seen this yet but it looks bloody good.
‘1670’
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81553471
All The Presidents Men. An oldie but a goodie
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=243547
Stillwater.
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81198448
Don’t look Up
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81252357
Last Stop Larrimah
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81716863
Bardo
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81249430
The Killer
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=80234448
El Condo
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81590652
Vice
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81203755
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=80200267
The Rat Catcher
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81711970
The Swan
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81711971
The Power of The Dog. Is ugly, dull, plodding, boring. Don’t bother. But here it is anyway.
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81127997
Reacher.
Far, far, far better than you might have imagined.
https://www.flicks.co.nz/tv/reacher-season-1/
And finally, for all you rich fucks who got that way because you have no conscience and likely enjoyed the pain and suffering you inflicted on the innocent and vulnerable on the way.
American Psycho
https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=60000861
Visited my temple, the loo, so can be a little more moderated — Brand is a nutwig.
Kick him to touch. Don’t be as endlessly syncretist as my 4 conspiracy theorist siblings. I admit when I’m wrong (sometimes) — eg I tell Left Blog hosts what they should do too much.
Enjoy the ‘calm before the storm’ Bomber.
My ban at the Standard ends on the 6th, so Ill be back over there then. Though Ill probably end up getting banned, and coming back.
If you post there what you post here, yes you will be banned!
The Standard are a self reinforcing cult who ban any original thought but in your case it’s because you’re a fucking idiot millsy.
Merry Christmas all!
Keep the light banter up and follow the meme to ‘Keep calm and carry on’ with a touch of sweet chilli sauce on top for spice and flavour. But don’t mess with the traditional stuff – it’s mint sauce with lamb, whipped cream on the pavlova with sliced kiwifruit or perhaps raspberries. And if you’re vegetarian there are endless things to try, but lettuce salad, tomatoes, beetroot and perhaps condensed milk dressing would be the dish to carry on with.
At least I don’t want LGBT’s strung up with piano wire.
And THAT comment will happily get you banned at TS, but I imagine you only post stuff like that on here, on your best behavior over there?
If so…. very hypocritical of you!
‘at risk of repeating myself here but ya know I’m gonna!’
Ad nauseam…yawwwwn!
“My ban at the Standard ends on the 6th, so Ill be back over there then. Though Ill probably end up getting banned, and coming back.”
Not sure why you’d bovver but I guess it’s worthwhile making the attempot.
I got told to “take a break” after posting a direct quote from Parekura Horomia. Can’t even remember who it was – Ad, Advantage, Incognito – it matters not.
It was regarding the pilot’s request for me to assist in getting my staff from the Colonial Office to shift seats in order to rebalance one of those Metroliner Pencil planes on a flight from Gizzy to Wellington.
Parekura thought it was as funny as a fart, as did we.
Ad, or Advantage or Incognito, or the World’s bestest ITC professional, or whoever the fuck it was were obviously ‘OFFENDED’ on Parekura’s behalf.
It’s only recently I’ve bovvered to go back and read TS contributions. Good that it’s there, and hopefully they’ll climb down off their considerably, considerably better than thou’s intellectual high horses before too long
OWT, if TS was a business it would have gone out of business a few years ago.
I agree with your ‘better than thou’ attitude, worst ones are Weka and Mickey Savage…..but ohhh dear Iprent seems to fucking hate EVERYONE who posts on ‘his’ blog. I get the impression if he could, he would happily walk away from it such is his seeming distain for almost all most posters.
FFS, Martyn say something about TS, let alone BR. Reality matters, our whole thing. They’re not brothers.
You speak the truth regularly, quite excellently often. We’ve been pushed into your ‘ghetto’.
There I am again telling the blog owner what to do.
Future proofing infrastructure the right way…
*Cancel current infrastructure contracts.
*Use savings to dole out taxcuts
*Increase rates.
Citizens use taxcuts to pay for rates to pay for canceled infrastructure.
Rinse and repeat…
Brilliant your Black is better than jet which is a semi-precious gemstone. Come up with more virtuous circle ideas like that and you will become truly precious, now particularly special as jet is a plant-based mineraloid, so right up with the trend.
And you never know when these bits of useless information will actually come in handy!
Although very alike in appearance how they are formed is very different. Jet is fossilised wood that has formed under very specific conditions and coal is a sedimentary rock that contains fossilised plants.5 Jun 2021
How To Tell the Difference Between Coal and Jet
Whitby Jet Store https://whitbyjetstore.co.uk › blogs › news › how-to-tell-…
Recommended readings over the break @ Bomber, AND your BFF and a number of others:
“Techno Feudalism – what killed Capitalism” by Yanis Varoufakis.
An exerpt:
“The time had come to stop hiding behind my little finger and to flesh out a blueprint for a convincing alternative system – one that combines collective ownership of the means of production, PERSONAL FREEDOM [my emphasis for the Damiens of this world], room for innovative thinking [for the gNactoiu pretenders], and technological prgress, and yes [!!!!] authentic democracy”
For many, (including the Chapstick PM) it’ll be tl;dr. If so, just read the Appenices and notes
Had a check on internet library for Yanis Varoufakis – Nelson has a number of interesting ones.
* Another now : dispatches from an alternative present 2020
* Talking to my daughter about the economy : a brief history of capitalism 2017
* Is capitalism broken? 2020/2029
* And the weak suffer what they must? :Europe, austerity and…threat to global stability 2016
* Adults in the room : my battle with Europe’s deep establishment 2017
But it may be time not to read these – perhaps just enjoy a break being human with family or friends or people with whom you feel shared happiness and enjoyment.
Defendant Damien is probably just following orders.
, are we not heading for a capitalist totalitarian STATE,.as the finance minister channels Thatcher. Our New prime minister, just a face front, for his success, yet he is just a picture always, knowing told to say in the primary, question, slack jawed when the supplemet question fucks him up. WHAT really is the fuck of these, clapping in the house for bringing back nighty days trail for workers, heaps of slash up north, got a job for yous welfare dole bludgers, clean the slash, or we will slash your benefit.
The only acceptable fighting is with your brothers. Why I’m surprised at the rejection of me on Left Blogs. Folks with no brothers, apparently.
I understand your relationship. My actual bruvs are either dim or uneducated. The bruv who got his degree at 18 died at 21.
You’ve got your work cut out with Damien. A culture. Explains my sibs’ anti-covid anti-reality beliefs.
Damien enters the laughable shite these days. Sure he knows better than … reality.
Reality is everything now. Why this govt is vile.
Thanks Martyn and Damien. Your election debates showed the rich diversity of talent participating in New Zealands democracy. It’s a pity we can’t pick all the rational people willing to work together for the good of the country and dump all the dickheads working for self interest. Anyway… whatever your particular flavour… it’s all fucked… lol
https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episodes
Ya just KNEW it wouldn’t be Martyn’s last word 😉
Merry Christmas all. I’m looking forward to roast turkey, kumera, potatoes, honeyed yams, cranberry jelly and all, followed by pavlova with garden fresh berries, with a bumper crop of fresh peaches in the New Year. Have fun & stay free.
The great thing about the Working Group is the contest of ideas from each side. You may not agree with the opinions of either the left or the right expressed, but it is wonderful to hear them debated, something that doesn’t seem to happen in other forums and definitely not in MSM. The surprising thing is that on many issues the two sides aren’t that far apart.
My pick of your best guests this year for input have been Matt McCarten from the left and Chris Penk from the right.
Keep up the great work Bomber and Damien, I can’t wait for next year’s first episode.
May not be your last word Martyn after the worst politician in NZ, Boy Plunder has anything to do with it…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/transport-minister-simeon-brown-puts-brakes-on-cycling-and-walking-initiatives-in-new-zealand-transport-authority-waka-kotahi-shake-up/IPRGSNQWJNCWDN2IVQ4J7O62XQ/
It appears they have a Kindy toddler in charge of transport as he’s now proudly promoting diesel utes.
” Have I mentioned we did all that without NZ on air funding? ”
Yeah Bomber splendid job with the election debates , the weekly working group and of course TDB.
Rest up comrade and have a happy Xmas.
Be ready for 2024 its gonna be a hell of a ride.
All the best Bomber and the readers
Thanks for all you do and contribute.
Your site gives us much to think about and express.
I have enjoyed reading the variety of comments too.
Go well for 2024!