December 22, 2013
Aren't We Lucky?
The popular leader of a comedy troupe that looks like a zombie version of ZZ Top has made a somewhat edgy and vulgar comment that has the ministry of acceptable discourse all in a tizzy. The fellow has been fired. There are thoughts i generally agree with on this matter of great importance here, here, here, here and from the always interesting Camille Paglia here. This is at once silly, disturbing and perhaps even a bit heartening...
You see, so quiet is the domestic and international stage that it is the only news story worth talking about.
Hell, in a less Panglossian world, top stories might suggest that the website that the US government is forcing you to sign up on and turn your most precious info over to is pretty much devoid of any safeguards to keep your bank accounts and other data free.
Or this graphic might make sense...
...and headlines might tout the whole terrible mess collapsing and wrecking the medical industry even worse.
This would be doubly alarming if there were headlines implying that the Christmas shopping season was something of a bust, for that would add to implications that the economy might be heading to something less than cheerful.
We could live in a world where we were made aware of news stories discussing the quality of the United States's citizenry begin thusly..
We could live in a world where we were informed that the new nation of South Sudan which gave us so much hope a few years ago for the end of the genocidal bloodbath in that part of the world... is beginning it's disintegration....with US helicopters being fired upon.
Top headlines might remind us that China is pretty much taking over Africa.
.
..or perhaps not since it's old news unlike the odd spectacle of China celerating their first moon rover's sucsessful landing with a picture of Europe being nailed by what appears to be a >100 megaton nuke.
Or ones that say India has removed our embassies security.
We might see a focus by news organizations on how United States academics are boycotting Israeli universities and professors in a move that has more than a faint whiff of anti-Semitism.
We could live in a world where one could blunder into headlines like " World War Three? "
...or where the headlines inform us that influenza researchers are alarmed at experiments by crazy mad scientists into making super-flu.
Fortunately we live in a world where the top story is that a Duckhunter has been fired by a TV network.
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You see, so quiet is the domestic and international stage that it is the only news story worth talking about.
Hell, in a less Panglossian world, top stories might suggest that the website that the US government is forcing you to sign up on and turn your most precious info over to is pretty much devoid of any safeguards to keep your bank accounts and other data free.
Or this graphic might make sense...
Via Moe Lane, who also provides context.
...and headlines might tout the whole terrible mess collapsing and wrecking the medical industry even worse.
This would be doubly alarming if there were headlines implying that the Christmas shopping season was something of a bust, for that would add to implications that the economy might be heading to something less than cheerful.
We could live in a world where we were made aware of news stories discussing the quality of the United States's citizenry begin thusly..
...and that would be an awful world to live in because while overly broad and alarmist, it would jive with some of my own observations of my fellow students in College.
Amy (not her real name) sat in my office and wiped her streaming tears on her sleeve, refusing the scratchy tissues I’d offered. "I’m thinking about just applying for a Ph.D. program after I graduate because I have no idea what I want to do.†Amy had mild depression growing up, and it worsened during freshman year of college when she moved from her parents’ house to her dorm. It became increasingly difficult to balance school, socializing, laundry, and a part-time job. She finally had to dump the part-time job, was still unable to do laundry, and often stayed up until 2 a.m. trying to complete homework because she didn’t know how to manage her time without her parents keeping track of her schedule.I suggested finding a job after graduation, even if it’s only temporary. She cried harder at this idea. "So, becoming an adult is just really scary for you?†I asked. "Yes,†she sniffled. Amy is 30 years old.
We could live in a world where we were informed that the new nation of South Sudan which gave us so much hope a few years ago for the end of the genocidal bloodbath in that part of the world... is beginning it's disintegration....with US helicopters being fired upon.
Top headlines might remind us that China is pretty much taking over Africa.
...or perhaps not since it's old news unlike the odd spectacle of China celerating their first moon rover's sucsessful landing with a picture of Europe being nailed by what appears to be a >100 megaton nuke.
Or ones that say India has removed our embassies security.
We might see a focus by news organizations on how United States academics are boycotting Israeli universities and professors in a move that has more than a faint whiff of anti-Semitism.
We could live in a world where one could blunder into headlines like " World War Three? "
...or where the headlines inform us that influenza researchers are alarmed at experiments by crazy mad scientists into making super-flu.
Fortunately we live in a world where the top story is that a Duckhunter has been fired by a TV network.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
02:59 PM
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Fortunately we live in a world where the top story is that a Duckhunter has been fired by a TV network.
I for one approve of this.
I for one approve of this.
Posted by: Wonderduck at Sun Dec 22 19:07:52 2013 (Izt1u)
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There was no "edgy and vulgar" comment. The interviewer asked: "what do you consider a sin", and the dude replied with a fairly standard list, for a bible-thumper. It's like Bush's WMD that were #16 in the Colin Powell's List Of Reasons To Remove Saddam. Suddenly it's the only one anyone know about because MSM decreed so.
Posted by: Pete Zaitcev at Mon Dec 23 14:45:29 2013 (RqRa5)
3
I stand by it. His attempt to explain why straight men might find the topic icky did stray into vulgarity. Also, any speech in a national venue that does not treat said topic with fawning adoration is pretty edgy nowadays, as his firing demonstrates.
("Edgy" meaning skirting at or just over the edge of cultural acceptability.)
OTOH, as for the networks cherry picking his words and rearanging them to make the statement maximally 'ungood'...well yeah. You get no argument from me.
Your comparison to Bush's many reasons for removing Saddam is pretty close to the mark. I was particularly offended that his closing quote on the matter was so thoroughly excised from the reports that I didn't even read it until Sunday night
("Edgy" meaning skirting at or just over the edge of cultural acceptability.)
OTOH, as for the networks cherry picking his words and rearanging them to make the statement maximally 'ungood'...well yeah. You get no argument from me.
Your comparison to Bush's many reasons for removing Saddam is pretty close to the mark. I was particularly offended that his closing quote on the matter was so thoroughly excised from the reports that I didn't even read it until Sunday night
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at Mon Dec 23 16:11:44 2013 (DnAJl)
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