Political Theatre category archive
By the Book, Reprise 0
Colin Marshall, writing at Open Culture, argues that we may be nearing the point of bringing to life a book by George Orwell. Unlike Mark Hermann, though, he doesn’t point to Animal Farm.
He argues that AI may help lead us into the world envisioned in 1984.
Republican Thought Police 0
Farron explains how the Trump maladministration is starting to come after persons who say things it doesn’t like, even when said things said are well within the bounds of legal free speech.
Read the news report that Farron discusses.
Reconcilable Differences? 0
At the Psychology Today website, Pamela B. Rutledge argues that dis coarse discourse is starting resemble the dynamics of a failing marriage. She notes that
- Character attacks, not policy debates, are now the primary mode of political communication.
- Contempt in public discourse trains people to see opponents as “others” who are less worthy and less human.
Methinks her article is well worth a read.
Dis Coarse Discourse 0
Via The Charlotte Observer, Lorraine Ali tries to make sense of Donald Trump’s “social” media posts the senseless. A snippet:
Unlike the fictional Kurtz or the real Churchill, Trump has no military experience. He avoided the Vietnam War draft with four student deferments and one medical deferment for bone spurs. An area where he is experienced? Baiting foes. Antagonizing enemies, genuine or imagined, is a Trump specialty, be it from the Oval Office, on the campaign trail, or in the before times, as a reality TV personality.
Clouds of Witless 0
Mary Trump marvels at the stupid.
Twits on Twitter X Offenders,
Republican Thought Police Dept.
0
If the truth hurts, why, just make it go away.
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
Joe Conason looks at the defeat of Viktor Orban in the recent election in Hungary and hears a rhyme:
Follow the link for context.
____________________
*Mark Twain.
All the News that Fits 0
Ring of Fire’s Josh G. explains how, in this New Gilded Age, right-wing monopolists are taking over and manipulating local broadcast news so as to advance their own political ends.
Me, I gave up on broadcast news years ago, when I realized I can read more in ten minutes that a news broadcast can tell me in 30.
Recommended Listening 0
Kimberley A. Johnson’s interview with the Knitting Cult Lady. From the description:
Born into the Children of God cult and trafficked as a child, Daniela escaped to the U.S. at 15, put herself through school to become a U.S. Army intelligence officer who deployed twice to Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division, and now studies Organizational Psychology at Harvard Extension School, researching group behavior, extremism, leadership demagoguery, and cults.
Methinks it sheds some light on dis coarse discourse, as one our two major political parties seems to have turned into a cult of poisonality.
(Yeah, I know the release date was a month ago. I’m behind on my podcasts.)
Establishmentarians 0
LZ Granderson has a couple of questions for persons who would use public schools–and therefore public moneys–to proselytize:
And why place public school teachers, many of whom are not Christians themselves, in a position in which they may have to explain that religion’s doctrine?
Follow the link for his answers.
Sic Nunquam Tyrannis 0
Michael in Norfolk finds a straw at which to grasp. A nugget:
Republican Family Values 0
Ring of Fire’s Josh G. discusses Katie Miller’s call for more teen pregnancies. (No, I am not making that up.)
Aside:
When I was in high school (mumble) years ago, I had a classmate who got pregnant.
The school make her drop out.
They did not make the father drop out.
Just sayin’.