Reply #17: Hysteria Is Often Quite Useful, Sir [View All]

[The Magistrate]

Masses of people are moved by emotion, and that is powerful emotional tool. It is the firection people are moved to that concerns me, not the means that gets them going. People are far more reliably moved to action against something than for it, and so anger and hate are the common tools of competent political work. The object is not strike poses of moral purity; it is to get people to do particular things.

And your reluctance to answer a simple, clear question continues to interest me. You have suggested that you do not share my view that it is of importance to secure the victory of Democratic Party candidates: is that the case? Your views on hate and hysteria are beside the point of that question, and so an answer along the lines "not if done by X means" will really not do....