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George Carlin: Life Is Worth Losing

What is the moral difference between cuttin' off one guy's head, or two, or three, or...

George Carlin: Human beings will do anything, anything. I am convinced. That's why when all those beheadings started in Iraq, it didn't bother me. A lot of people here were horrified, "Whaaaa, beheadings! Beheadings!" What, are you fucking surprised? Just one more form of extreme human behavior. Besides, who cares about some mercenary civilian contractor from Oklahoma who gets his head cut off? Fuck 'em. Hey Jack, you don't want to get your head cut off? Stay the fuck in Oklahoma. They ain't cuttin' off heads in Oklahoma, far as I know. But I do know this: you strap on a gun and go struttin' around some other man's country, you'd better be ready for some action, Jack. People are touchy about that sort of thing. And let me ask you this... this is a moral question, not rhetorical, I'm looking for the answer: what is the moral difference between cuttin' off one guy's head, or two, or three, or five, or ten - and dropping a big bomb on a hospital and killing a whole bunch of sick kids? Has anybody in authority given you an explanation of the difference? Now, in case you're wondering why I have a certain interest, or fascination let's call it, with torture and beheadings and all of those things I have mentioned, is because each of these items reminds me in life over and over again what beasts we human beings really are. When you get right down to it, human beings are nothing more than ordinary jungle beasts. Savages. No different from the Cro Magnon people who lived twenty five thousand years ago. No different. Our DNA hasn't changed substantially in a hundred thousand years. We're still operating out of the lower brain. The reptilian brain. Fight or flight. Kill or be killed. We like to think we've evolved and advanced because we can build a computer, fly an airplane, travel underwater, we can write a sonnet, paint a painting, compose an opera. But you know something? We're barely out of the jungle on this planet. Barely out of the fucking jungle. What we are, is semi-civilized beasts, with baseball caps and automatic weapons

Full Transcript

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Only a human being would think
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to fuck someone who just died
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We got to be the most interesting critters
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on the planet
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And then we wonder why a UFO
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doesn't just land and say hello
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You know the best thing about necrophilia
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You don't have to bring flowers
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Yeah usually they're already there
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Isn't that nice
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It's nice
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It's convenient
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Human beings will do anything
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Anything
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I am convinced
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That's why when all those beheadings started in Iraq
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it didn't bother me
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I took it right in stride
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A lot of people here were horrified
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Oh beheadings beheadings
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What are you fucking surprised
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It's just one more form of extreme human behavior
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Besides Who cares about some
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mercenary civilian contractor from Oklahoma
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who gets his head cut off
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Fuck him
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Fuck him
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Hey Jack you don't want to get your head cut off
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Stay the fuck in Oklahoma
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Stay the fuck in Oklahoma
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They ain't cutting off heads in Oklahoma
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As far as I know
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But I do know this
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You strap on a gun
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and go strutting around some other man's country
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you better be ready for some action Jack
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You better be ready for some action
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People are touchy about that sort of thing
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And let me ask you this
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while I have you good clean Americans here
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This is a moral question not rhetorical
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I'm looking for the answer
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What is the moral difference
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between cutting off one guy's head
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or two or three or five or ten
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and dropping a big bomb on a hospital
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and killing a whole bunch of sick kids
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Has anybody in authority
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given you an explanation of the difference
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I have not gotten an email on this
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No one will talk to me
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I haven't gotten a postcard
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not a fucking instant message nothin'
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Now in case you're wondering
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why I have a certain interest and fascination
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Let's call it
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With torture and beheadings
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and all of these things I've mentioned
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is because each of these items
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reminds me in life
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Every time one of them occurs
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it reminds me over and over again
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what beasts we human beings really are you know
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When you get right down to it
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when you get right down to it
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human beings are nothing more
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than ordinary jungle beasts
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Savages
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No different from the Cro Magnon people
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who lived 25 000 years ago
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in the Plasticine Forest
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eating grubs off of rotten logs
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No different
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Our DNA hasn't changed substantially
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in 100 000 years
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We're still operating out of the lower brain
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The reptilian brain
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Fight or flight
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Kill or be killed
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Now We like to think we've evolved and advanced
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because we can build a computer
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fly an airplane
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travel underwater
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We can write a sonnet
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Paint a painting
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compose an opera
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But you know something
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We're barely out of the jungle on this planet
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Barely out of the fucking jungle
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What we are is semi civilized beasts
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with baseball caps and automatic weapons
Duration
191 seconds
Views
315
Timestamp in Movie
00:23:15
Uploaded
May 24, 2024
Production
Cable Stuff Productions,HBO

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Movie Summary

George Carlin continues making people laugh with his 13th HBO stand-up special.