Salon: "I Was A Right-wing Child Star"

[Book O'Dead]

No comment necessary:

http://www.salon.com/2012/07/08/i_was_a_right_wing_child_star/

[Tim Cornelis]

I remember that kid. Annoying as hell, talking about stuff he clearly had no clue about as if he was an expert. Hyped for no reason as there were thousands of youngsters smarter than him, but he self-published a 90-page book with his pocket money.

No surprise he changed his mind.

[¿Que?]

I remember that kid. Annoying as hell, talking about stuff he clearly had no clue about as if he was an expert. Hyped for no reason as there were thousands of youngsters smarter than him, but he self-published a 90-page book with his pocket money.

No surprise he changed his mind.
I recently saw him on MSNBC. He's still annoying, although he's not saying a bunch of stupid shit anymore.

I particularly like this quote:

“I started getting into philosophy — Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Kant and lots of other German philosophers."
Hmm...I wonder if any of these other German philosophers might not have sported a wooly beard and focused on the historical struggle between contending classes? We can only guess...

[Fennec]

I recently saw him on MSNBC. He's still annoying, although he's not saying a bunch of stupid shit anymore.

I particularly like this quote:

Hmm...I wonder if any of these other German philosophers might not have sported a wooly beard and focused on the historical struggle between contending classes? We can only guess...

He actually writes about Marxism in his book (http://www.amazon.com/Defining-Conservatism-Principles-Bring-Country/dp/B0057DC62U/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341881833&sr=1-1&keywords=define+conservatism) ("Marxian Law and the Synthetic Law on Which It Is Based", "The Marxist's Ideal Citizenry").

[¿Que?]

He actually writes about Marxism in his book (http://www.amazon.com/Defining-Conservatism-Principles-Bring-Country/dp/B0057DC62U/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341881833&sr=1-1&keywords=define+conservatism) ("Marxian Law and the Synthetic Law on Which It Is Based", "The Marxist's Ideal Citizenry").
Yeah, but that was when he was still a conservative. I'd like to hear what he says about Marx now. I'm guessing some sort of wishy washy liberal interpretation, but I'm still curious.

[Robocommie]

I have a cousin who was a child prodigy like him - it's weird because aside from the same first name, I think my cousin might also lean conservative. Although his chosen field is computers.

In any case I have to wonder if there's a tendency for kids with precocious learning abilities to lean towards the right, perhaps because they get thrust into the world at large without lived experience or because these kids who do so well are typically from privileged backgrounds.

[Robocommie]

Yeah, but that was when he was still a conservative. I'd like to hear what he says about Marx now. I'm guessing some sort of wishy washy liberal interpretation, but I'm still curious.

Fuck it. There are 17 year old Marxists who post on this site who can present a certain level of eloquence.

[Omsk]

So he published a book at the age of 13? And what was it about? How little Boby imagines Americuh?

[Zav]

In any case I have to wonder if there's a tendency for kids with precocious learning abilities to lean towards the right, perhaps because they get thrust into the world at large without lived experience or because these kids who do so well are typically from privileged backgrounds.
I suspect the latter is the case, for education is expensive. The bourgeoisie and their offspring can afford the best tutors and private education in the land. The proletarian precocious are mired and stunted in the sorry excuse for public education provided by Capitalism.

I must add however that the young and the conservative both tend to be narcissistic to the point of exclusion of others in their cares.

[Jimmie Higgins]

In any case I have to wonder if there's a tendency for kids with precocious learning abilities to lean towards the right, perhaps because they get thrust into the world at large without lived experience or because these kids who do so well are typically from privileged backgrounds.It probably has more to do with the views of their parents than anything else - but the "privileged background" thing probably is in effect there so I'd guess that most would lean right or lean towards elitist liberalism of the "enlightened people have a responsibility to help the rest of us" sort.

Just as speculation, I'd imagine that people who, from an early age, are treated as prodigies are more susceptible to "if I did it, anyone can - I guess everyone's just lazy" type thinking.

One summer when I lived in LA I got a side-job driving these rich kids from Beverly Hills to their private school in the valley. One kid was still in elementary school and was relativly normal - he didn't talk much just did his own thing. The other kid was in middle school and was totally pretentious for a "tween". He asked to sit in the front and I told him he could listen to any radio show he wanted - he picked a radio call-in show about legal advice. I had expected Brittany Spears or something. Anyway, I asked him what he wanted to do when he grows up and very matter of factly he said he was going to be this specific kind of entertainment lawyer specializing in copyright law or something. He considered everyone else to be stupider than himself and he was all-around a little pretentious bore. Both his parents were big-time entertainment lawyers.

[Mass Grave Aesthetics]

" ...I announced I wasn’t a conservative anymore — and the proverbial crap hit the fan. Since then, I have been treated by the political right with all the maturity of schoolyard bullies. The Daily Caller, for instance, wrote three articles about my shift, topping it off with an opinion piece in which they stated that I deserved criticism because I wear “thick-rimmed glasses” and I like Ludwig Wittgenstein."

:laugh: this is absurd... what´s wrong with people... from where do all those idiots spring from...etc.

I mostly just feel for the guy for never having dated Mila Kunis though.:wub:

[Omsk]

Did this ex-conservative write any articles that are online? If he did, can anyone link them?

[Jimmie Higgins]

Did this ex-conservative write any articles that are online? If he did, can anyone link them?If you click the Salon link and from there click the link to the interview the kid did that caused all the right-wing backlash against him... there's another link to the video of him at CPAC. I guess I should have just given you the link, but I am already on this page and it would require clicking on things and opening new windows and then cutting and pasting and oh I'm tired just thinking about it... :lol:

[Tim Cornelis]

So he published a book at the age of 13? And what was it about? How little Boby imagines Americuh?

Quote from the book:


"Now that we have finished our discussion of old school conservatism and the constitution, let's move on to the next major aspect of the conservative belief system: the life issue. The life issue is near and dear to all conservatives. Does not life keep all of us alive? If it wasn't for life would we not surely be dead? Conservatives believe that life is something that everyone should have."

[Omsk]

And why is he special? There are a bunch of more-informed, more intelligent young people on this little forum, let alone a city, or a state.

Arghg this is complete idiocy, why did i even watch the video..

[Tim Cornelis]

And why is he special? There are a bunch of more-informed, more intelligent young people on this little forum, let alone a city, or a state.

Arghg this is complete idiocy, why did i even watch the video..

Because he used his pocket money to self-publish a booklet, unlike those more intelligent youths who(m?) exist by the thousands.

[Robocommie]

It probably has more to do with the views of their parents than anything else - but the "privileged background" thing probably is in effect there so I'd guess that most would lean right or lean towards elitist liberalism of the "enlightened people have a responsibility to help the rest of us" sort.

Just as speculation, I'd imagine that people who, from an early age, are treated as prodigies are more susceptible to "if I did it, anyone can - I guess everyone's just lazy" type thinking.

There's probably a lot to that latter point - there's something about not experiencing something first hand that makes it a lot harder to sympathize with, and that includes struggling with education or with money.

I had an argument with a couple of libertarian/conservative people I knew from high school who really seemed convinced of the idea that those who don't do well or struggle later in life were those kids in high school who drank and partied it up instead of studying hard and doing well.



One summer when I lived in LA I got a side-job driving these rich kids from Beverly Hills to their private school in the valley. One kid was still in elementary school and was relativly normal - he didn't talk much just did his own thing. The other kid was in middle school and was totally pretentious for a "tween". He asked to sit in the front and I told him he could listen to any radio show he wanted - he picked a radio call-in show about legal advice. I had expected Brittany Spears or something. Anyway, I asked him what he wanted to do when he grows up and very matter of factly he said he was going to be this specific kind of entertainment lawyer specializing in copyright law or something. He considered everyone else to be stupider than himself and he was all-around a little pretentious bore. Both his parents were big-time entertainment lawyers.Jesus, what a rich fantasy life that kid had - can you imagine wanting to be something so fucking banal as a copyright lawyer when you were a kid? I remember when I was in junior high I either wanted to be an Admiral in the Navy or a fucking samurai warrior. :lol:

I think there's a real element of adolescent awkwardness there though. It seems banal, and it is, but I guess some kids choose to make it through that weird teenage phase by acting as grown up as possible. In a lot of ways it's just as silly as kids who want to be Navy Seals or pro football players.

Like seriously, watch this kid's original speech, the one at CPAC, and tell me he's not awkward as hell in his own weird Reaganite way. And that poor kid, really. Everyone acts like a dumbass when they're in their awkward teenage phase, but not everyone has their shit broadcast on C-SPAN!

[Omsk]

This gets my special "most idiotic and at the same time boring thing of the year."..

[Tim Finnegan]

Does not life keep all of us alive? If it wasn't for life would we not surely be dead? Conservatives believe that life is something that everyone should have.
And yet it is leftists who are stereotyped as adoring pompous faux-profundities... :laugh:

[m1omfg]

People around me forced me into competitions when I was a child, forced me to learn bullshit all the time, and kept telling me how special I was because some stupid child psychologist told my parents I have an IQ of 138 and interpreted my curiousity about nature and science as a symptom of being a "genius". They ended up ruining my childhood and brought me to the side of the radical left, because I was disgusted by all the talk how I am supposed to be better than 90 percent of people even through adults around me pretty much used me and humiliated me for every minor failiure.

In short, stop your fucking theories about how "precoscious kids" are evil rightwingers.

[Robocommie]

People around me forced me into competitions when I was a child, forced me to learn bullshit all the time, and kept telling me how special I was because some stupid child psychologist told my parents I have an IQ of 138 and interpreted my curiousity about nature and science as a symptom of being a "genius". They ended up ruining my childhood and brought me to the side of the radical left, because I was disgusted by all the talk how I am supposed to be better than 90 percent of people even through adults around me pretty much used me and humiliated me for every minor failiure.

In short, stop your fucking theories about how "precoscious kids" are evil rightwingers.

Bro, I'm sorry your childhood sucked, but you're completely distorting what I and others have been saying.

[L.A.P.]

I hate these types of kids, and I have to be grouped together with these fucktards. A lot of socially awkward above-average petty bourgeois kids have this crazy idea that they have a hard time socializing because they're better than everyone else. I gain a lot of enjoyment out of making their worlds fall apart and making them feel small. The one thing that makes me feel more arrogant than anything else is when I run into one of these "geniuses" in an AP class and show them the shit they're full of.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

It's funny watching the conservative reaction to this. They are pissed about this, at least the ones that cared in the first place. It's also incredibly dumbfounding seeing people use kids as political pawns, but the right does this all the time right? Like when they find a conservative actor and put him on a pedestal to worship even though they foam out the mouth when talking of "Holywood". Or when they need to say something sexist or racist they'll get a woman/minority to say it. They love doing this shit, glad to see it hit them right back in the face.

[#FF0000]

haha i remember being in the gifted program in my school. everyone in it took boatloads of drugs.

i remember we would treat the kids in honors classes but who were not in gifted like uppity peasants.

most of my friends were in regular ol' classes. like i was, actually.

[Jimmie Higgins]

People around me forced me into competitions when I was a child, forced me to learn bullshit all the time, and kept telling me how special I was because some stupid child psychologist told my parents I have an IQ of 138 and interpreted my curiousity about nature and science as a symptom of being a "genius". They ended up ruining my childhood and brought me to the side of the radical left, because I was disgusted by all the talk how I am supposed to be better than 90 percent of people even through adults around me pretty much used me and humiliated me for every minor failiure.

In short, stop your fucking theories about how "precoscious kids" are evil rightwingers.I was actually trying to cut against this idea. I think as far as politics go, the kids are much more likely to adopt the attitudes of their parents or a lot of their classmates (who in turn probably get their ideas mostly from their parents). Obviously as the example in the OP shows, this is not a permanent thing and one of my comrades I most admire for their historical knowledge was a "precocious" kid who grew up in a right-wing homophobic Hindu-nationalist family in a Southern US State... and is now an awesome dedicated revolutionary and an asset to our cause.

But, anecdotally, I think people who grow up with such pressures and praises MAY be more susceptible to elitist arguments. Even regular undergrads in Universities have this attitude more than most people attending State or Community schools. It's not "inherent" it's because from orientation-on they are telling you that you are "the elite" and you "have a responsibility because of your (intellectual) gifts" etc.

I think, stepping back, the larger issue with these attitudes and how they are systemically re-enforced is through all track-systems in many public schools. "Precocious kids" are placed in "advanced" tracks from an early age and then all they need to do is to "keep up" and get decent grades to stay in a college-prep track. But kids who don't make it in at a young age, can get good grades in classes, but it doesn't matter if they hadn't been tracked in, if their parents didn't make a case for them to be included, if they don't test well on standardized tests. Because this is often decided at an early age, it requires either early parent-involvement in child-education, access to resources and culture, possibly after school training or tutoring - while excluding kids who have chaotic home-lives that make concentration at school hard or don't have time and space and support doing homework, don't go to schools with good programs etc. So "tracking" in effect is a way to have seperate and unequal education within the same school. It may not be explicitly race or class based but because of the conditions of this society, it basically does become a 2nd class education for the rural and urban poor.