QOTD

Nov. 18th, 2009 09:57 am
athelind: (Default)
[personal profile] athelind

-- Somewhere in heaven, PT Barnum looks down on Sarah Palin and sheds a single proud tear.

-- John Rogers, co-creator of Leverage

Date: 2009-11-18 06:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] paka.livejournal.com
I swear I don't understand the Sarah Palin phenomenon. We already had "a devoutly Christian just-plain-folks politician (completely owned by major oil interests)" running the country.

And we all saw how well Dubya's regime worked out.

On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that if there'd been somehow a choice between McCain and Dubya, this last Presidential election, the guys who voted for McCain would have voted for Dubya instead. So maybe it's not such a mystery after all. There's a Japanese folk saying, "Medicine can't cure idiots."

Date: 2009-11-18 08:30 pm (UTC)

Date: 2009-11-18 11:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hafoc.livejournal.com
I understand the Palin phenomenon completely. For the True Believer the only thing that matters is the ideology. Or idiotology? Because it doesn't matter whether the ideology could actually work; it SHOULD work, because it is philosophically correct, and if it hasn't worked in the past it only means we haven't run head first into the brick wall hard enough and often enough yet. If we keep doing it, we're bound to punch through!

And it doesn't matter whether the person espousing those ideals is an idiot. God, or Rush Limbaugh, or God who IS Rush Limbaugh, will pass a miracle to save the True Believers, as long as their heart is pure. Or if necessary we can selectively filter our perceptions to turn the failures of W into successes.

Of course anyone who is willing to actually think and modify their positions is flip-flopping at best, a traitor at worst.

Hypothetical God help us, we have descended to the point where we equate pig-headed ignorant stubbornness with Having Principles, and a pragmatic concern for programs that work with refusing to take a stand on the issues. As if a program that doesn't work could possibly advance the principles that inspired it.

In that atmosphere, Palin makes perfect sense.

Date: 2009-11-18 09:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pseudomanitou.livejournal.com
Oh gods, it's hilarious.

Palin's book is one big blame and complaint track -- but in the intro, she writes, "I don't like complainers." She credits herself for several projects that failed horribly. She calls herself a 'uniter' for proposing a energy policy that would satisfy ecological and business concerns -- neglecting to mention her energy policy went no where because both environment and economic lobbies called it ludicrous. The 'most helpful' ranked review for her book on Amazon.com was complete sarcasm written by satirical blogger, Jesus General. The book was claimed a masterpiece before it was written, and a 'best seller' before it was available for sale. Meanwhile, the publishers are mostly giving the books away.

Seriously though -- if we gave the Palin political disaster a serious sociological study, we might be able to find some sort of cure for what is destroying democracy in America.

Date: 2009-11-18 10:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] r-caton.livejournal.com
I thought she got demolished when she was on the veep trail?

Date: 2009-11-18 11:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hafoc.livejournal.com
Well, as a writer (or I think I am), I recognize that she has a great advantage once she gets away from that live TV camera and into the pages of her own book. In that venue she gets to change what she and her enemies said into what she WISHES they had all said. It's hard to lose an argument in those conditions.

Date: 2009-11-19 02:59 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pseudomanitou.livejournal.com
...yes -- and the rumor is that she didn't quit her office in Alaska, but was forced out.

And yet -- she is still popular against all evidence that she is an idiot. So why is that? Do idiots love each other or something? There's value into studying this.

Date: 2009-11-19 01:30 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cpxbrex.livejournal.com
It is hilarious, in a black humor sort of way. What I find most interesting is that there's a strong correlation between her supporters and, well, functional illiteracy, hehe. I seriously wonder how many of the people who have ordered the book will ever read it.

Date: 2009-11-19 02:59 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pseudomanitou.livejournal.com
...or can read it :P

Date: 2009-12-17 01:50 pm (UTC)

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