![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Declan on December 1, 2005, at 1:38:27
Lewis Lapham wrote in Harpers
'On further acquaintance with the modus operandi of the Bush Administration, I've come to think that the attributions of a competant criminal intelligence misses the point. They give credit where no credit is due, and they fail to account for both the increasingly evident childishness of American culture and the corrollary attitudes of entitlement that over the last thirty years have infected ever larger sectors of the country's equestrian class. President Bush and his friends bear comparison not to Jesse James or Commodore Vanderbilt but to a clique of spoiled trust-fund kids. Certain of their superiority by virtue of their wealth (whether derived from corporate salary, family inheritance, or a sweetheart real estate investment), they fit the profile of wised-up teenagers who don't want to hear it from anybody telling them what to do--which shoes to wear, how to behave in a dance club, when to speak to a caddie or the French ambasador, why it might not be a good idea to wreck the Social Security system, redirect the flow of the Missouri River, or invade Iraq. Smug in their cynicism, proud of their selfisness, pre-Copernican in the sense that they know it is the sun that revolves around them, not they who revolve around the sun, fortune's children interpret corrections as insult, amendments as impetinance--old news, uncool.
The attitude shows plainly in nearly every expression that wanders across the President's schoolboy face--the sly smirk, the cute smile, the petulant frown.'Apologies in advance to those offended, especially Jake and Racer.
Declan
Posted by alexandra_k on December 1, 2005, at 2:39:06
In reply to I thought this was so good, but you might not sooo, posted by Declan on December 1, 2005, at 1:38:27
Posted by Dr. Bob on December 1, 2005, at 21:53:36
In reply to I thought this was so good, but you might not sooo, posted by Declan on December 1, 2005, at 1:38:27
> President Bush and his friends bear comparison not to Jesse James or Commodore Vanderbilt but to a clique of spoiled trust-fund kids.
Please respect the views of others and be sensitive to their feelings. The last time you were blocked it was for 1 week, so this time it's for 2.
If you or others have questions about this or about posting policies in general, or are interested in alternative ways of expressing yourself, please see the FAQ:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#civil
Follow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration. They, as well as replies to the above post, should of course themselves be civil.
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by Gabbix2 on December 2, 2005, at 14:42:52
In reply to I thought this was so good, but you might not sooo, posted by Declan on December 1, 2005, at 1:38:27
>> They give credit where no credit is due, and they fail to account for both the increasingly evident childishness of American culture
It doesn't matter whether the writer was an American or not, Judging a culture by their leader is no more fair, accurate, or palatable when referring to the U.S than it is for any other culture.
That offended me, and I'm not an American.
Posted by 10derHeart on December 2, 2005, at 17:47:55
In reply to Re: I thought this was so good, but you might not sooo » Declan, posted by Gabbix2 on December 2, 2005, at 14:42:52
As is frequent lately, I wanted to comment but couldn't string together any coherent words to express my emotions about the tone and focus of that piece. So, I ended up silent, which didn't sit well, either... :-(
But you found the nail that was irking me and smacked it well on its head!
That was so well put, succinct and correct (IMO), it about took my breath away.
So, I thank you very much for posting that, Gabbi. As an American person, making up a tiny drop of American culture, I feel quite nicely "stood up for." (<< please do not show that "sentence" to any English teachers!! )
More than a few times, your posts have been shining examples of a fairmindedness that transcends nationality, religion and politics.
And that for me, is SO important to be added into the "Babble diversity mix."My admiration and respect grows....:-)
Posted by Gabbix2 on December 2, 2005, at 18:30:18
In reply to Re: I thought this was so good, but you might not » Gabbix2, posted by 10derHeart on December 2, 2005, at 17:47:55
Thank you 10derheart, you made my eyes mist up.
Not that it would make a difference to my feelings about the piece, but I want to also add that *every* American I've met in person and the ones I've gotten to know well through Babble, have been noticeably generous and kind. I mean it, every one.
Posted by Jakeman on December 4, 2005, at 20:28:27
In reply to I thought this was so good, but you might not sooo, posted by Declan on December 1, 2005, at 1:38:27
>
> Apologies in advance to those offended, especially Jake and Racer.
>
> DeclanI agree with the piece. I'm offended that you thought I would be offended! :-)
I'm sorry you got blocked though...
~Jake
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Politics | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.