Author Topic: In the New Yorker...  (Read 1922179 times)

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2610 on: January 08, 2021, 06:38:54 pm »
I'm sure it will be a keeper!
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Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2611 on: January 08, 2021, 08:43:35 pm »
I wish somebody more politically astute than me would write about the ironic trajectory of Trump's political career. He didn't care much about politics per se -- his main goal was to be famous, great, admired, etc. Like he was always making up for that Emmy he's still mad he didn't win! And if he'd ended things on a high note, like where he was in October -- still revered or at least meekly obeyed by his party and his scary base, there'd be plenty of people who'd still consider him the worst president ever but plenty of people who would still worship him. He'd have accomplished his goals and been well regarded, at least by his own definition.

Now, instead, he's going out in disgrace, indignity, infamy. Which is why his knowing the nuclear codes is so scary. It's one way he can still get attention.




Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2612 on: January 09, 2021, 02:58:22 pm »
Now, instead, he's going out in disgrace, indignity, infamy. Which is why his knowing the nuclear codes is so scary. It's one way he can still get attention.

His base (and that word is an adjective as well as a noun) will see him as a martyr to the Dark State, or whatever. They will continue to worship him. Anybody arrested for Wednesday's insurrection will be deemed a hero. Any fall-out--arrests, convictions, and so forth--will be taken as a provocation. And these people have weapons. I find this much scarier than his having the nuclear codes.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2613 on: January 09, 2021, 09:40:14 pm »
His base (and that word is an adjective as well as a noun) will see him as a martyr to the Dark State, or whatever. They will continue to worship him. Anybody arrested for Wednesday's insurrection will be deemed a hero. Any fall-out--arrests, convictions, and so forth--will be taken as a provocation. And these people have weapons. I find this much scarier than his having the nuclear codes.

Good point. I figured after he lost that we'd probably see violence by Trump supporters of some kind. But nothing like Wednesday's mob. They seemed to take the idea of civil war quite seriously.


Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2614 on: January 09, 2021, 09:54:30 pm »
Good point. I figured after he lost that we'd probably see violence by Trump supporters of some kind. But nothing like Wednesday's mob. They seemed to take the idea of civil war quite seriously.

So do I.  :(

It was reported on NBC network news this evening that video demonstrates that at least some of these people had all sorts of tactical military equipment, not just guns (which is no surprise) but also armor and things like that.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2615 on: January 10, 2021, 01:13:45 pm »
I've gone back and read some of the articles and essays that were published after the 2016 election, and it's astonishing how prescient they were.  :'(
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Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2616 on: January 10, 2021, 01:41:33 pm »
I've gone back and read some of the articles and essays that were published after the 2016 election, and it's astonishing how prescient they were.  :'(

Like what?


Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2617 on: January 10, 2021, 01:45:47 pm »
Like, for instance, this article in The Nation, on "What Would de Tocqueville Think of the 2016 Election?"

https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/what-would-have-alexis-de-tocqueville-have-made-of-the-2016-us-presidential-election/
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2618 on: January 14, 2021, 12:26:42 pm »
This week's issue, with the flag at half mast, is kind of disturbing. The reporters did a good job of interviewing the insurrectionists. Never have I seen the F-word used so many times in an issue. I'm thinking about going back and reading more of the previous issue with all the comics.
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Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #2619 on: January 14, 2021, 05:23:38 pm »
Never have I seen the F-word used so many times in an issue.

 :o  What would Mr. Shaw say?!