Comments on: Decisions, decisions: what’s a blogger to write about?

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Thu, 04 May 2017 19:59:24 +0000

Alan F:

Thanks so much for both the generous donation and your generous praise!!

By: Alan F

Alan F — Thu, 04 May 2017 19:11:35 +0000

I just donated $250 to encourage you to just keep on.

I love your choice of topics and how you write about them. Although I am especially interested in the critical issues and your analysis and opinions, I am also very interested in your research and and analysis of almost everything you choose to write about.

May 3rd’s Pre-existing Conditions was about how I had been perceiving the issue and seeing no one else address in the way you did. Correctly, I think. Then, very surprisingly, the Passenger Pigeon’s history is also a topic I learned of just a year ago; your report was very interesting. I even like your writing about ballet.

Even though your non-political posts don’t inspire so many comments, I greatly appreciate them. Now, I recall your Crater Lake post, which really resonated with the mountaineer in me.

I have not commented much lately, but that is not because I am not reading almost every post, with great interest.

By: Big Maq

Big Maq — Thu, 04 May 2017 14:19:16 +0000

“Then there’s the celebrity who said some shocking thing, usually an insult towards someone (often Trump these days). The latest in the grouping is from Stephen Colbert…

What has happened to public discourse?” – Neo

Colbert “fights” because that is what his audience wants, a rather uncanny parallel…
.

“The real problem is that so many on the left and right demand ever-cruder political discourse. …

Angry progressives demand cathartic mockery, and they shall have it one way or another. … Which is not to say that this phenomenon is unique to the Left. …

Spend time with core Trump supporters… They glory in his trolling and relish every single liberal tantrum it prompts….
.

If you want an explanation for why the Colberts of the world say the things they do, there it is in the adulation of the audience. He is their voice. He’s speaking out their rage. He’s not leading them; he’s riding their wave of progressive scorn, anger, and hate. …
.

The problem is that this silent majority is largely irrelevant to the prevailing discourse. Our political and cultural agenda is typically dictated by those who care the most…

In short, the people who truly care move this country, and the people who truly care are truly angry. Their anger is so all-consuming that it often forecloses the possibility of a debate about ideas.“ – David French
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447317/stephen-colbert-donald-trump-jokes-crude-discourse-meets-audience-demand
.

It all circles back to each of us and what we choose.

Do we consume “conservative” talk radio (as one example) that debates the topics of the day / explores in some depth the issues, or do we consume those programs that serve out more anger, blame, with a hefty helping of ad hominem and mockery of the left, and “victimifies” our side?

The people who “care the most” are very probably those who consume this media the most, and set the “terms” of the “public discourse” along with it.

By: Sgt. Mom

Sgt. Mom — Thu, 04 May 2017 12:41:58 +0000

I don’t believe that I have ever watched Colbert – but when I read the transcript of his unfunny, disgusting rant, I admit to being appalled. This is considered acceptable on a late-night main-stream broadcast network program? An extended and degrading riff more suitable for a stand-up monologue at an x-rated after-hours gentleman’s club, in between the strippers?
I want to see Colbert go down. This is not acceptable.

By: Ymar Sakar

Ymar Sakar — Thu, 04 May 2017 12:37:02 +0000

It would make perfect sense that C would be a worshipper of the Queen of Heaven, deduced down to Ishtar and other fallen angels or their hybrids in Jeremiah.

By: Philip

Philip — Thu, 04 May 2017 02:45:31 +0000

Don’t do it, Neo! Fight the power!

By: J.J.

J.J. — Thu, 04 May 2017 02:35:23 +0000

Colbert: “the only thing [Trump’s] mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin’s cock holster.”

There are times when I think we need to bring back dueling. Such a remark in olden days would certainly bring forth a challenge for a duel. Even as recently as 1948 Harry Truman offered to black the eyes of a music critic that panned his daughter’s singing. To be able to insult or degrade another human being without consequences is not a good thing. IMO, “Them’s fightin’ words.”

By: Mac

Mac — Thu, 04 May 2017 01:52:40 +0000

Good heavens. For a couple of days I’d been seeing headlines about a rude comment made by Colbert but was not interested enough to find out what it was. I will admit to being shocked. I watched his show a few times some while back, when it was still fairly new, and didn’t think it was that good, apart from the opening, which I thought was funny. But I had the impression that he was a decent sort. Neo’s Catholic readers are probably aware that he’s a practicing Catholic and has been spoken well of by many who disagree with his politics. This certainly puts him in a different light.

As for the fact that this was said on tv–well, sad to say I don’t find that shocking. Deep in the gutter indeed.

By: parker

parker — Thu, 04 May 2017 00:19:18 +0000

DNW,

I am merely passing along the opinions of our French friends, people from different areas, that we have known for decades. They see a shift ocurring. It may be wishful thinking on their parts, but I trust their wisdom. They live in Paris, La Rochelle, Brest, and the countryside near Agen. They range from the late 50s to mid 80s. Our oldest friend was 8 when the Germans marched into Paris. She has seen many things.

By: Yankee

Yankee — Wed, 03 May 2017 23:24:18 +0000

With that United Airlines incident, there were many bloggers who were absolutely certain that the company’s shareholders would suffer in the long run, as indicated by its stock decline the next day. Yet just today, UAL closed at 74.21, more than 6% above its price in mid-April. That’s a pretty good short-term gain, and now there are no comments about what was a big story just a few weeks ago.

Coincidentally, just a few days ago, an Asian guy walked into the establishment where I am employed and began to urinate all over the floor, until I chased him out of the building. (I am not making this up.) Sometimes there are customers who don’t get the extra-special “service” that they really deserve.