I hate the term "Bleeding Heart"

[rageaholic]

But not as much as I hate those who throw this insult around whenever someone wants to come up with a progressive, more humane solution to a problem.  even when that solution is actually more rational

Case in point, the prison situation.  It seems that anyone who is concerned about the conditions of prisoners will get dismissed as a bleeding heart at some point.  This of course, is ignoring these facts

-A lot of the people who are in prison are in there for non violent or even victimless crimes to begin with. 
-Incarcerating all these people will just cost more for everyone in the long run.
-They will likely turn back to a life of even worse crime, creating potentially more victims. 

These are all logical reasons to be critical of the penal system.  But the hardass types will usually ignore such logic because I guess they think showing compassion is for sissies.  They'll bring up the following arguments.

-"Prison ain't supposed to be fun" (yeah, well it shouldn't be cruel and unusual either)
-"They put themselves there" (no, the state did)
-"You want to support the right of rapists and murderers?" (No, I want to support the right of the average Joe's who get unfairly punished for minor drug offenses and other mistakes).

What makes me so sick is that these hardasses who hate "bleeding hearts" for being "irrational and emotional" are using their own fucking emotional arguments.  Especially when the bring up the crimes of the worst serial killers, acting as if that is your average prisoner.  I just don't get these people.  They look down on the "bleeding hearts" or progressives for wanting to be more humane, yet have no logical arguments of their own.  And even if they did, what's wrong with wanting to try to be humane and progressive?  Why is that such a scary idea for them? 

[mellenORL]

Because they actually do mistake kindness for weakness. And some of them own stock in private contract prison companies.

[Patches]

Preference for avoiding Type I errors vs. Type II errors.  It's pretty much what differentiates liberals from conservatives on almost every social issue.

Liberals work to avoid people receiving undeserved negative consequences, even if it means some people can game the system.
Conservatives work to avoid people receiving undeserved positive consequences, even if it means blanketly punishing everyone.  They will find some reason to justify bad things happening to you.

[Witchyjoshy]

And even if they did, what's wrong with wanting to try to be humane and progressive?  Why is that such a scary idea for them? 

They would have to admit that criminals are people.  That's what's scary about it.

[Ultimate Paragon]

Preference for avoiding Type I errors vs. Type II errors.  It's pretty much what differentiates liberals from conservatives on almost every social issue.

Liberals work to avoid people receiving undeserved negative consequences, even if it means some people can game the system.
Conservatives work to avoid people receiving undeserved positive consequences, even if it means blanketly punishing everyone.  They will find some reason to justify bad things happening to you.

I'd like to think that, as a radical centrist, I avoid falling into those kinds of traps.

[rageaholic]

Conservatives work to avoid people receiving undeserved positive consequences, even if it means blanketly punishing everyone.  They will find some reason to justify bad things happening to you.

That's probably why so many apologists, whether it's rape, abuse, racism or any other horrible thing, tend to favor conservative views.  They can justify people being screwed that way. 

[Sigmaleph]

Preference for avoiding Type I errors vs. Type II errors.  It's pretty much what differentiates liberals from conservatives on almost every social issue.

Liberals work to avoid people receiving undeserved negative consequences, even if it means some people can game the system.
Conservatives work to avoid people receiving undeserved positive consequences, even if it means blanketly punishing everyone.  They will find some reason to justify bad things happening to you.

I'd like to think that, as a radical centrist, I avoid falling into those kinds of traps.

Thus demonstrating the fallacy of the golden mean and the Lake Wobegon effect.

And I know this sounds like I'm being an ass towards you specifically, but I don't mean to be. Everyone* with a human brain is vulnerable to stupid mistakes in reasoning, regardless of political affiliation. And primary among those is thinking you're not vulnerable to stupid mistakes in reasoning.


*And I do mean everyone. Yes, you too. And yes, me too.

[Barbarella]

One should embrace the term "Bleeding Heart". Better to have a heart of blood than a heart of stone.

[R. U. Sirius]

What's the Lake Wobegon effect?

[mellenORL]

The Lake Wobegon effect[edit]

Main article: Illusory superiority

The Lake Wobegon effect, a natural human tendency to overestimate one's capabilities, is named after the town. The characterization of the fictional location, where "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average," has been used to describe a real and pervasive human tendency to overestimate one’s achievements and capabilities in relation to others. The Lake Wobegon effect, where all or nearly all of a group claim to be above average, has been observed[12] among drivers,[13] CEOs, hedge fund managers, presidents, coaches, radio show hosts, late night comedians, stock market analysts, college students, parents, state education officials, and Wikipedia editors among others.[citation needed]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wobegon

To all of you who've not heard an episode of Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion", reading the Wiki about Lake Wobegon should be a treat. Tis subtle humor.

[R. U. Sirius]

I'm reminded of something I read somewhere..."The one thing that unites everyone, regardless of age, gender, religion or nationality, is that we ALL think we're above-average drivers."