or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
•
"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
•
"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
March 11, 2005
More News From The Frontiers Of Crazy
I'm mostly a techno-optimist, particularly where communication is concerned. (The part I'm pessimistic about is getting eaten by nano-bots.) However, I understand the pessimism of those of like my e-colleague Alexis. He may well be right, despite residing in the Great Northern Wastes.
Alexis' point is that technology allows people to live in an echo-chamber of their own construction. As since people are people, this makes it easy for them to go bonkers.
Recently tex of Unfair Witness pointed out an excellent example of this. As anyone interested knows, there was just a gigantic demonstration in Beirut organized by Hezbollah. For obvious reasons, this does not fit a storyline in which our Fearless Leader is marching from triumph to triumph in a middle east that loves US foreign policy with all its heart.
So what could be done about this unacceptable reality? Seemingly nothing. After all, you can't be for democracy but against 500,000 people (or however many) expressing their opinion.
And yet. As tex points out, one astute individual quickly realized that the demonstrators must have been men bused in from Syria! Not actual people from Lebanon AT ALL!!!
This enticing information was quickly seized upon by the hive mind. Thus, in the twinkling of a keyboard, the momentarily-roiled waters became placid again. Residents of the echo chamber now know the Hezbollah demonstrations can be safely ignored... or better still, understood as yet more proof that our Fearless Leader is marching from etc., etc.
All people are vulnerable to this phenomenon, since all people (consciously or not) seek out information that confirms their world view. And people have always used the available technology to indulge in this side of human nature. Still... people have always wanted to fly, too. That doesn't negate the fact that F-16s are a lot more dangerous than hot air balloons.
Posted at March 11, 2005 07:05 AM | TrackBackAh, technology.
Think of it this way. When working with a graphics program, you create the frame for a picture and then you import the picture into the frame. At this point the program asks you a question:
Do you want to change the picture to fit the frame, or do you want to change the frame to fit the picture?
To me, this is the metaphor that describes exactly the means by which all knowledge is imported into the human brain.
Posted by: Alexis at March 11, 2005 07:55 AMthat's a lotta buses!
Posted by: Hugo at March 12, 2005 04:20 PM(1) CNN broadcast- in a segment by Brent Sadler - video from al Jazeera of interviews they had with SYRIANS bused in for the Hizballah rally.
(2) AP now estimates there were only 200,000 at the Hizballah rally.
Half were probably Syrian or Palestinian.
ONE MILLION Syrians have emigrated to Lebanon during the Syrian OCCUPATION; (many live in the Bekaa Valley). Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live in Lebanon, too - most are FORCED/required to live in UN Refugee camps, and NONE have LEBANESE rights.
WAKE UP AND SMELL REALITY!
Posted by: reliapundit at March 12, 2005 05:04 PMCBS NEWS REPORTED THE FOLLOWINBG ON MARCH 8th:
(http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/08/world/main678691.shtml)
"Many of the people were bused in from Syria and parts of Lebanon that are under Syrian control, reports CBS News' Edward Yeranian. "
REPEAT:
"Many of the people were bused in from Syria and parts of Lebanon that are under Syrian control, reports CBS News' Edward Yeranian. "
REPEAT:
"Many of the people were bused in from Syria and parts of Lebanon that are under Syrian control, reports CBS News' Edward Yeranian. "
Do you get it, yet?
Reality is that Hizballah - a TERRORIST organization (officially designated as such by the E.U.) bused in Syrians for their rally.
That is a FACT.
CBS and CNN reported it - along with Al Jazeera.
If you continue to deny this then YOU are the loony one.
Posted by: reliapundit at March 12, 2005 05:20 PMMore News From The Frontiers Of Crazy
I rest my case.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at March 12, 2005 07:56 PMcrazed maniacs? like the reporters from neo-con news outlets cbs, cnn, al jazeera and the AP?
wow; you are whacko!
anyone who defends hizballah is either a fellow-traveller, a dupe, or whacko.
or all three.
you may take your pick.
Posted by: reliapundit at March 12, 2005 09:51 PMCBS News
Isn't that See BS News, part of the LIE-BERAL MSM, home of Rather Biased? My God, what if Instamonger sees this? They'll start calling you re-LIE-A-Pundit.
Posted by: tex at March 12, 2005 10:18 PM
