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Let them continue to wrap themselves in their blankets of smugness I say. So convinced are they of their absolute "rightness" of their ideals, they simply cannot comprehend that others don't share their views. As a result, they will continue to simply dismiss their most vocal opponents as small-minded astroturf. The result? Scott Brown.
The SouthPark episode came from seeing people's reaction to seeing someone driving a Prius Hybrid. They saw this smug attitude and wrote the funniest bit of satire about the whole thing. What makes it even worse is the reason why other hybrid cars weren't sell as well as the Prius is because they don't look like a hybrid. With the Prius, it's obvious it's a hybrid. Until the Honda Insight, all other hybrids were traditional sedans converted into a hybrid. People were driving Prius cars to be SEEN driving a Prius car and acting like their poop don't stink.
My neighbor drives a Prius. She's not all holier than thou about it but she does make her viewpoint known whenever she can, which is her right. We got a big snow recently and she got herself lodged in a snowbank making a corner on to our street. It was fortunate for her I happened along and was able to pull her out of the snowbank with my 550 horsepower supercharged Range Rover Sport.
As to why liberal/progressives etc are condescending? It's pretty simple. They're close minded. They've decided what's right for them is right for everyone and anyone that disagrees is stupid, a rube, a redneck, an uneducated dolt or some other such nonsense. They are wedded to a rigid and intolerant worldview that brooks no deviation. This is also why they revere dictators like Chavez, Castro, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini etc. Like all followers they need strong leaders to direct them, their actions and provide them their beliefs. They're essentially weak of mind and spirit thus they make willing and eager followers.
If I were to buy a hybrid today it would either be a Ford Focus or a Honda Civic. My car is paid for and still runs well so I'll do the right conservation thing and keep on driving what I have. A car isn't like a suit or a dress that you throw out when you get tired of it.
My neighbor drives a Prius. She's not all holier than thou about it but she does make her viewpoint known whenever she can, which is her right. We got a big snow recently and she got herself lodged in a snowbank making a corner on to our street. It was fortunate for her I happened along and was able to pull her out of the snowbank with my 550 horsepower supercharged Range Rover Sport.
As to why liberal/progressives etc are condescending? It's pretty simple. They're close minded. They've decided what's right for them is right for everyone and anyone that disagrees is stupid, a rube, a redneck, an uneducated dolt or some other such nonsense.
you are a better person than me.. I would've pulled up, rolled down my window and said "so, how's that prius treating ya? Those low resistance tires don't do too well on slick streets." and then farted and breathed through my nose real hard (more South Park references that the uppity peeps won't get) before taking off laughing hard enough to make sure she heard it.
Smugness is more people knowing they are right irregardless of the facts, happy in that they are part of the right team, and are so because of some intrinsic benefit they have that is outside of the argument itself. Smug is know better simply because one is more moral, or better educated, or more religious then the other that is not part of the debate itself. Then have no compromise or change in beliefs if anything about them are wrong.
You must believe in your side of the argument to even engage in it. However, having things like "Facts" or "History" isn't really being smug, or know it all, or being an elite intellectual; it's having a firm factual base on which to debate from. Unlike vague claims that cannot be substantiated. Such as "It's socialism", or "Jesus would back what I say", or "It's an evil plot".
As to the article itself, I have yet to see some one argue a point that they are guilty of themselves to such a degree. He bases an argument so general that he is in the right based on what political affiliation he endorses on anyone who he labels as liberal, or anyone who doesn't agree with his stance. Based on perceived negative policies he neither cites or provides backing for from 1950 to current. Then makes blanket statements referencing incited slander from pundits, random blogs/opinion, and reaction from ad hominem attacks (from the group he places himself in) as ideologies and policy (instead of real policies, bills, and tenets) is beyond smugness and cherry picking.
Why are the conservatives being so condescending of Prius drivers here? Guess what, you're not some smarter, superior person just because you have a Ford F-350 SuperDuty Pick-up. Stop acting like you're all that and you're so great because you've escaped "the brainwashing" of driving more fuel efficient cars. I think trucks are great, but they're not for everyone. I would really like a hybrid personally, but I realize they're not for everyone. I do realize that liberals can definitely condescending, but that has resulted in a reciprocal condescension from Conservatives. Please read some of the posts from conservatives in this thread. Case in point.
No, this was making fun of a specific vehicle and the people that drive them. I know it's not right to stereotype, but sometimes the stereotype and real life are one in the same. I know not ALL prius drivers are uppity ups, but I also have yet to meet one that didn't provide justification for why they bought it. Another reason to make fun of the prius is because it's such an ugly vehicle and not really much of a car. Car & Driver magazine (I think) did an article on the 2010 model a few months ago and the best thing they could say about it was it had big windows so you could easily see all the real cars driving by. That is the prius in a nutshell too. Sure, I'd love to get 50 MPG and only fill up once per month, but everything has its limit and the prius blows that out of the water for me.
As far as the smug thing, nice dissertation, but you obviously completely missed the episode and the point..
Logic determines that reducing ones use of natural resources, recycling wherever possible, and reducing generation of waste is a prudent choice, both from and economic and ecological point of view. This is not new thinking here. Many countries have been involved in recycling for 40 years. Cutting down on energy usage is a priority for me because I don't want to waste money. All a big truck means to me is that I'm going to be wasting a lot of money on gas. Call it smug if you will, I will call it common sense.
The heck with the Prius. I ride a bike or walk even when it snows. So there!
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