Political Theatre category archive
“It Must Be True. A Friend Shared It on Fakebook.” 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Craig Harper explores why we fall for fake news and what we can do to avoid doing so. A snippet:
Follow the link for a few suggestions as to not fall down the many rabbit holes that surround us, especially on “social” media.
Misnomer 0
At The Philadephia Inquirer, Kevin Dowling, scion of a conservative Main Line father, makes a compelling case that news reporters, editorialists, and pundits who refer to today’s Republican Party as “conservative” don’t know that that word has meant historically.
Afterthought:
I lived on the Main Line for three years, but I lived in Narberth, which railroaders dubbed “Hungrytown,” because “all the hungry railroaders lived there.”
It was a wonderful town, and I truly enjoyed my time there.
All the News that Fits, Russian Impulses Dept. 0
Emma and her crew attempt to unpack Tucker Carlson’s steamer truck of lies.
Misdirection Play, “It’s Just Politics” Dept. 0
At AL.com, Frances Coleman urges persons to reject the notion that holding seditionists accountable is somehow “just politics.” Here’s a bit; follow the link for the rest.
It wasn’t fake. People were killed. And the rioters who stormed the Capitol were intent on killing leaders of the opposing party as well as the vice president.
It’s terrifying.
An acquaintance of mine, a really charming and smart fellow, suggests that “the other side” riots, too. The mayhem they create is condoned by media outlets like CNN and MSNBC, he adds.
But if any other group attempted to storm the U.S. Capitol, I somehow missed it.
Gutting Out the Vote 0
A caller to Thom describes her personal experience with an attempt to take away her right to vote.
“But It’s the Only Possible Explanation” 0
University of Pennsylvania professor Donovan Schaefer analyzes the appeal of conspiracy theories. He notes that they have existed for centuries, but that this appears to be their golden age (which I would attribute to the internet and “social” media and persons who believe what they read on a computer screen simply because it’s on a computer screen, but that’s just me). Here’s a bit from his piece (emphasis added):
But what if the whole world were like that? In essence, that’s the illusion of conspiracy theory. All the answers are there, and everything fits with everything else. The big players are sinister and devious – but not as smart as you.
Courting Disaster 0
Michael in Norfolk is concerned about a court run amok, and rightly so.
Originalist Sin 0
At Above the Law, Joe Patrice warns that we are about to see cancel culture, originalist style.
My old Philly DL friend Noz predicts that it will be an “end to democracy as we know it in the U.S.”
(Were I Noz’s editor, I would have suggested that he strike “as we know it” from that sentence.)
