tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post3634734121066124046..comments2023-12-20T04:18:41.617-06:00Comments on The Hunting of the Snark: Dead Horse, Dead RiderSusan of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-17357327987727399402012-06-18T17:43:58.467-05:002012-06-18T17:43:58.467-05:00Every time you turn around, *real* leaders have NE...Every time you turn around, *real* leaders have NEVER been rich: Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, MLK Jr. <br /><br />They have NEVER asked to be followed or demanded obedience of their followers: they simply acted their conscience as individuals.<br /><br />They never even had sycophants like Brooks asking people to follow them: those who agreed with Gandhi simply showed up.<br /><br />They never held prominent public position. And when they did, they did not do well: see Mandela, Nelson.<br /><br />And the NEVER, EVER used the authority their followers conferred on them to demand obedience.<br /><br />See, that is what I think Brooks misses: if you have to demand reverence, you are not worthy of it. <br /><br />But used as I am to his fellating of those he counts as his 'betters', I am astonished by the depths he would go to to convince himself that he is a deeply moral man.cynichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02438583188725326668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-82810069190001093822012-06-18T11:14:53.077-05:002012-06-18T11:14:53.077-05:00He can state with a straight face that not everyon...<i>He can state with a straight face that not everyone deserves respect, not everyone is equal.</i><br />Hey, I can do that as well. I can for example say that Jonah Goldberg doesn't deserve any respect at all and is not worth to lick Susan's /insert footwear item/. Except I don't try to justify this by quoting a holy book or tradition, nor do I try to make it into a law or at least a moral imperative.<br /><br /><i>I thought "All men are created equal" was a kind of foundational ideal of the US</i><br />Yes it is, except what they meant was "rich white men", so Bobo's got the spirit of the quote nailed.bulbulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14505565281151328789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-24358564424529209632012-06-17T08:05:45.485-05:002012-06-17T08:05:45.485-05:00I have never in my life come closer to thinking a ...I have never in my life come closer to thinking a citizen ought to be prosecuted for treason because of a written text as I did after that Brooks piece.<br /><br />In my foreign ignorance, I thought "All men are created equal" was a kind of foundational ideal of the US, not an expression of opposition to "just authority".Lurking Canadiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-738189709446505512012-06-16T11:29:04.409-05:002012-06-16T11:29:04.409-05:00Very nice but could have used more gratuitous insu...Very nice but could have used more gratuitous insults.Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-85531042810752079372012-06-16T09:20:51.598-05:002012-06-16T09:20:51.598-05:00Brooks' next column - on the Republicans visio...Brooks' next column - on the Republicans vision - was even worse. Freddie deBoer at Balloon Juice did a truly Susan-like demolition of it.<br /><br />http://www.balloon-juice.com/2012/06/16/it-was-brooks-that-broke-me/Downpuppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10312490198813632190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-34709036345210924202012-06-16T02:27:08.762-05:002012-06-16T02:27:08.762-05:00That column can't be skewered enough, and I...That column can't be skewered enough, and I'm glad you added your take. Because Brooks is always defending plutocracy, the aristocracy, the Republican Party, and conservatism – and because the GOP has gone further right – it seems that Brooks has gone further right as well (in terms of the actual arguments he makes). What used to be subtext in past columns is now explicitly in the text. His commitment is to hackdom on behalf of aristocrats, and that has never changed, but it's a harder sell now. Too many people remember who caused the economic meltdown in 2008, and can smell the bullshit when Brooks blames the victims and lectures them to obey the scoundrels.Batocchiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-71665179007999502402012-06-16T01:18:56.785-05:002012-06-16T01:18:56.785-05:00i loved. the horse, and the chimp. i miss them.
...i loved. the horse, and the chimp. i miss them.<br /><br />now that i'm waxing blogger nostalgic, i'll take this moment to let everyone know that in about 3 weeks skippy international will be celebrating 10 years of contiguous blogging.skippyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14962670107823271639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-62261716223469061002012-06-15T20:02:20.892-05:002012-06-15T20:02:20.892-05:00Media Whores Online? Ah yes. I miss Smirking Chimp...Media Whores Online? Ah yes. I miss Smirking Chimp 1.0, and my beloved Thomas Friedman Breakdown Watch.<br /><br />I surveyed The Atlantic so you don't have to - <a href="http://downpuppy.blogspot.com/2012/06/snooze-alarm-at-atlantic.html" rel="nofollow">so you don't have to.</a><br /><br /> That place has gotten seriously dull.Downpuppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10312490198813632190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-81459282201269324832012-06-15T19:19:41.488-05:002012-06-15T19:19:41.488-05:00Now and then I remember how much I miss "the ...Now and then I remember how much I miss "the site that set out to bring the media to its knees -- only to find out they were already there."Ghost of Joe Liebling's Dognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-40711111608941476162012-06-15T18:04:38.832-05:002012-06-15T18:04:38.832-05:00It’s hard in this frame of mind to define and cele...<i>It’s hard in this frame of mind to define and celebrate greatness, to hold up others who are immeasurably superior to ourselves.</i><br /><br />Yes, if there's one thing we lack, it's a sufficiently vigorous culture of celebrity. Successful people and powerful people just aren't recognized enough in our benightedly egalitarian nation. <br /><br />THIS, to me, is the money quote, i.e., the most obviously false and therefore shamelessly mendacious line in the whole mess. Zombie R.M. is right: it's the worst Brooks column ever, in a lengthy history of awful, awful columns.Mr.Wonderfulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-88880624450354686492012-06-15T17:22:48.809-05:002012-06-15T17:22:48.809-05:00For once, I am on the side of the skwirlz.
The sq...For once, I am on the side of the skwirlz.<br /><br />The squirrels will be softening the perimeter in advance of the zombie hordes.zombie rotten mcdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10601960953323752278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-42746216348807501772012-06-15T16:18:41.451-05:002012-06-15T16:18:41.451-05:00It has large spaces for entertaining...squirrels.
...It has large spaces for entertaining...squirrels.<br />~ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®©https://www.blogger.com/profile/06252371815131259831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-23705235615320108062012-06-15T15:45:47.392-05:002012-06-15T15:45:47.392-05:00Bobo has a big house,
But it's very poorly de...<i>Bobo has a big house,<br /></i><br />But it's very poorly designed.zombie rotten mcdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10601960953323752278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-9144956711966731702012-06-15T15:36:11.418-05:002012-06-15T15:36:11.418-05:00Or Victorian row houses!Or Victorian row houses!Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-1368170934513651982012-06-15T15:35:26.821-05:002012-06-15T15:35:26.821-05:00The right shows very little "respect" fo...The right shows very little "respect" for scientific authorities, particularly Climate Specialists. Or doctors & scientists who say birth control pills & Plan B are NOT abortifacients. Or teachers, or the Social Security Administration. <br /><br />It isn't respect-for-authority Books wants, it's total, fawning, subservience to Power & Wealth. Just look how well its worked for <i>him</i>! If everyone licked spittle like Brooks does, we'd all have 5 million dollar mansions.Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03176801494652946278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-78578113866952854012012-06-15T15:10:45.366-05:002012-06-15T15:10:45.366-05:00Therefore he must be right and we must be wrong. I...Therefore he must be right and we must be wrong. It's the American way.Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-47632071779850201992012-06-15T15:07:52.324-05:002012-06-15T15:07:52.324-05:00Bobo has a big house, and we don't.
~Bobo has a big house, and we don't.<br />~ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®©https://www.blogger.com/profile/06252371815131259831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-32668842567291979232012-06-15T14:59:01.238-05:002012-06-15T14:59:01.238-05:00And now Bobo will rush to scold Neil Munro for his...And now Bobo will rush to scold Neil Munro for his disrespect....Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-58502409347062376532012-06-15T14:10:47.243-05:002012-06-15T14:10:47.243-05:00Well, lessee...Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-Contra, En...Well, lessee...Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-Contra, Enron, Long Term Capital Management, Iraq II, Afghanistan....among others... <br /><br />"Immeasurably superior?" "Those who are extraordinary?" Gee, Dave, settin' the bar kinda low, aren't you?<br /><br />Well, of course you would. You had a hand in a good many of those "elite triumphs" yourself. I mean, as someone who is "immeasurably superior" to littlepeople, ya want recognition for all those noble acts, right? And our deference and gratitude too? Seriously?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-61160904171177519882012-06-15T13:32:10.208-05:002012-06-15T13:32:10.208-05:00To have good leaders you have to have good followe...<i>To have good leaders you have to have good followers — <br /></i><br />No. No, you don't. A friend of mine had a better sound bite: "If you don't need a leader, you probably are one." Leaders are defined by leading, by example. Not by wealth.<br /><br /><i>able to recognize just authority, admire it, be grateful for it and emulate it. Those skills are required for good monument building, too.</i><br /><br />No. No they are not.<br /><br />The 'just authority' thing is also quite plainly a dogwhistle to allow the whole thing to ultimately rest at the feet of the White Man's God.<br /><br />This thing is like the worst Bobo column in a career of writing awful things. Bobo Quintessence. It is being widely mocked and beaten with shovels, but really really deserves it. And perhaps David Brooks does too.zombie rotten mcdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10601960953323752278noreply@blogger.com