I often wonder why people would support the Bush war-mongering policies. Are they just fucking idiots? But maybe there is a more nuanced explanation. From Joseph Duemer...

Ad captandum: I finally figured out what it is about the warbloggers--like this one, who is typical: they are sentimentalists. The problem with sentimentality is that it obscures reality in a haze of ill-defined & manipulative feeling. And the Rottweiler's sentimentality is no less sentimental because it is violent & vulgar. [cf warblogger watch]
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Jonathon Delacour's elaboration...

A metaphysical brothel for emotions

I spent a dispiriting twenty minutes reading the 73 comments. What struck me most forcefully was that Joseph Duemer's opponents, who argued in favor of an invasion of Iraq (with or without UN sanction) failed to comprehend the meaning of sentimentality, even after Joseph carefully defined it for them:

Sentimentality is the substitution of emotion for intelligence; sentimentality requires of the reader assent to heightened feelings not legitimated by the matter at hand; sentimentality seeks to manipulate the reader's emotional response by calls to conventional wisdom or attitudes; sentimentality seeks approval by reference to the vast warm blanket of majority opinion; sentimentality never, ever risks the disapproval of any member of its intended audience. [read more]

Joseph and Jonathon's explanation of sentimentality hits the nail on the head. I keep seeing scary parallels to Germany in the thirties and what is happening in this country today. This is certainly one of them.

I also admire Joseph and Jonathan for even reading that warblogger shit, much less trying to carry on a dialogue (or pissing contest as Joseph describes it) with them. I can't do it. It just upsets me too much. Trying to carry on a rational discussion implies the application of intelligence. That's not what we are dealing with here — it's just thoughtless emotion. I'd call them ignorant fucks but ignorance can be cured. They're just stupid fucks. See? I need to calm down...I'm getting carried away...breathe deeply...time to take my medication again.