The message of “move on” from the Biden administration
I’ve long been annoyed by people who tell other people to “move on.” I’m talking about private life, although the exhortation is also used by politicians and has been especially useful for the left in the past.
When Biden scoffed at a question about the desperate people falling from airplane wheel wells in Kabul, he defended himself by pointing out that it had happened four or five days earlier. Critics tended to fasten on his exaggeration of how much time had passed. But to me the far more important thing was that he was implicitly using the “move on; after all, I’ve done so” argument.
Of course, in private life it’s not good to dwell unduly on the past. And sometimes that happens, and should be discouraged. But the passage of a few days is not distant enough, and what’s more if an issue is undiscussed and/or unresolved it can and often will fester no matter how long it’s been. One of the reasons it’s important to face such things even if there’s been a delay is to learn what the accused thinks about what he or she did. After all, a repeat in the present or the future is likely to occur if it’s brushed off. Plus, the person hurt by it or objecting to whatever happened will at the very least fear a repeat if it’s not aired and understood, and that can deeply affect the relationship, too. Why not at least try to clear the air?
I’ve also noticed a very distinct trend: it’s the person being accused of wrongdoing, and perhaps guilty of it, who is the one who insists that everyone “move on” and that such moving on is a virtue. Isn’t it interesting how that reverses things, how it allows the accused wrongdoer to cast off any guilt or any need for redress and to claim a virtue – the superior ability to move on – that the accuser lacks?
Biden and the Democrats would like nothing better than to have Americans move on from Afghanistan in this way. And it’s certainly happened before that the public at large has a short attention span. I don’t know whether it will happen this time, though. Of course, it also depends on how cooperative the MSM will be in covering the story with a pillow, till it stops moving. My guess is that members of the MSM will be very cooperative from now on, because they’ve “moved on,” too. After all, they are implicated as well in whatever happens in Afghanistan, because they were instrumental in getting Biden into the White House.
January 6 was almost eight months ago. The Democrats should really move on.
Biden’s wish to “move on” is a textbook illustration of the discrepancy that the social psychologist Roy Baumeister noted in his book titled Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty (New York: W.H. Freeman, 1997)– between a perpetrator’s perspective on harm inflicted on another and the recipient’s perspective on the hurtful act. People often tend to minimize the destructive impact of what they are doing, or rationalize their behavior, often seeing their action as much less of a big deal than the impact experienced from the victim’s point of view. Those who do harm to others typically feel that the victims threatened or provoked them or deserved what was done to them.
Baumeister suggests that while the victims’ motto is ‘Never forget,’ the perpetrators’ motto is ‘Let bygones be bygones.’ He adds that one reason for the difference between the perpetrator’s perspective and the victim’s is time: the satisfaction that the perpetrator derives from his or her cruel act is relatively fleeting, often lasting only a few minutes or even seconds, whereas the victim’s disability or pain may be lifelong (assuming the victim even survives).
In any case, Baumeister’s book does help to explain why Biden et al. find it so easy to “move on.”
“Move on”, is usually good personal advice. It can help you lead a successful life that learns from the past but refuses to get stuck in that past.
As far as politics goes I think (well hope) the public has a fairly long memory. That’s the only way to effect changes in political behavior. I don’t see the memory of this miserable capitulation going away anytime soon. People now know the press (in general) works for the Democrat party. Just because the traditional media “forgets” about Afghanistan (or is it now the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan?) doesn’t mean the rest of us will too. Especially when we’re likely to get disturbing images on a regular basis.
I’ve also noticed a very distinct trend: it’s the person being accused of wrongdoing, and perhaps guilty of it, who is the one who insists that everyone “move on” and that such moving on is a virtue. Isn’t it interesting how that reverses things, how it allows the accused wrongdoer to cast off any guilt or any need for redress and to claim a virtue – the superior ability to move on – that the accuser lacks?
At the moment we have a general lack of accountability from our leadership. We all know that as a rule our press generally avoids going after powerful Democrats by critizing them or questioning them up and until it becomes untenable (as was the case with Andrew Cuomo). And conversely, they’re overly critical of Republicans, making a big deal out of what could widely be viewed as the most minor of transgressions.
Over time I feel that this has has a distorting effect on both parties. The Democrat party has become riddled with corruption. And while there’s no doubt still some corruption among the high level Republicans, it’s generally nowhere near as severe or as widespread as it is among the Democrats.
So it’s not hard to see how the notion of a Democrat in a position of great power who clearly made a mistake (whether intentional or not) actually having to respond to a question about this mistake may seem put out, even offended. How dare some reporter ask such a thing! Don’t they know how this is supposed to work? It’s the “C’mon, Man!” factor.
The Biden administration doesn’t have to do anything the MSM will do it for them.
After a certain point, “Benghazi” was a one-word punchline, presumed to generate mocking laughter.
We’ll see about Afghanistan.
They’re not going to be able to move on. The coming events they have embarked the world upon will not allow them to move on. The disaster has just begun.
“130 Retired Generals, Admirals Demand Resignations From Milley, Austin Over Afghanistan Disaster”
https://www.dailywire.com/news/130-retired-generals-admirals-demand-resignations-from-milley-austin-over-afghanistan-disaster
Up from 87 to 130 in just a few days…
“Tucker: Democrats are doing everything they can to stay in power… They seem content, confident… ?”
https://generaldispatch.whatfinger.com/tucker-democrats-are-doing-everything-they-can-to-stay-in-power-they-seem-content-confident/
Confidence springs from certainty…
“After a certain point, “Benghazi” was a one-word punchline, presumed to generate mocking laughter.”
Never from me. Shortly after that event I did a long post at the Pub at Protein Wisdom and doing the research for it made any laughter not possible, ever.
The above was not addressed to Richard Aubrey but to those who think Benghazi should be a joke.
It’s far to early to make any reliable predictions, but I have a sense much of the public will not just ‘move on’ from this tragedy. For reasons we might never understand, the MSM chose to actually do its job (at least partly) for a couple weeks; a couple crucial weeks. Yes, they are mostly falling in line now, but it’s too late to stifle those powerful images of shame, embarrassment and gross ineptitude.
What this did was force many non-partisan and moderate voters to shed their illusions and rationalizations about Biden. Those of us on the right were perpetually frustrated more people couldn’t see what a senile, narcissistic, corrupt, incompetent twit Biden obviously is. The events of the last few weeks have amply demonstrated all of the above, and done so in many, many mainstream venues. Anyone remotely paying attention can no longer, in good faith deny any of the above.
When used by politicians, “move on” is generally just a tactic to avoid taking responsibility for actions. Taken to it’s logical conclusion, it would mean that all criticisms of Donald Trump’s as president should have been illegitimate by election day 2020 because it was time for us to “move on.” That was not an appropriate standard then, and it is not an appropriate standard for Joe Biden and his handlers now.
“Move On” assumes that the Afghanistan horror is over and done with. But it is just beginning.
Yawrate:
I disagree with the assertion that “move on” is usually good personal advice. It sometimes is, of course. But I find that “move on” – when offered by the person accused of wrongdoing – is often self-serving advice that asks (in some cases demands) that the person who has been harmed or feels harmed forget about it and let them off the hook.
“Move on” is good personal advice when the aggrieved person has tried to talk to the other person, has been rebuffed, and dwells for a long time on the hurt in a way that keeps them from functioning well. And the definition of “a long time” varies. It is not a few days. Sometimes it can take years to “move on.” And people can still feel wronged without being stuck in it. It’s okay to feel wronged and to be justifiably angry, if appropriate, if the person isn’t hampered unduly by it.
On 9-11-21 the TB will post videos of the 24 CA school hostages; filmed at our former Embassy. The TB will want to swap the kids for all the detainees at Gitmo.
There is plenty wrong with Biden, and with the senior military officials..and we need to press hard for changes…but that’s not the deepest part of the problem. The deeper question is how such people could have been put into the positions that they now hold.
Antoine de St-Exupery’s unfinished last book, Citadelle, represents the thoughts of a fictional ruler of a desert kingdom. When he finds one of his sentries asleep, he muses:
“When sleep the sentinels, ’tis the barbarian at the gate who strews their eyes with dreams. Then are they vanquished by the desert, leaving the gates free to turn noiselessly on their well-oiled hinges so that the city may be fecundated when she has become exhausted and needs the barbarian.
Sleeping sentry, you are the enemy’s advance guard. Already you are conquered, for your sleep comes of your belonging to the city no more, and being no longer firmly knotted to the city…And when I see you thus I tremble; for in you the empire, too, is sleeping, dying. You are but a symptom of its mortal sickness, for ill betides when it gives me sentries who fall asleep…
For if you no longer know that here a tree stands, then the roots, trunk, branches, leafage have no common measure. And you can you be faithful when an object for your fidelity is lacking? Well I know you would not sleep were you watching at the bedside of her you love. But that which should have been the object of your love is dispersed into fragments strewn at random, and you know it no more. Unloosed for you is the God-made knot that binds all things together.”
Not only do Biden and his senior staff lack any real belief in America, as St-Ex’s prince suspected his sentry of lack of belief in the Empire…our case is worse. We collectively *chose* someone whose lack of knowledge and judgment and lack of energy…the term ‘sleepy Joe’ is totally apt for him…should have been evident to everyone. I think there are an awful lot of people in this country who really don’t identify with America in any particular way; their other identities are much stronger.
tcrosse; Cornhead:
Actually, I think it assumes that whatever further horror does happen, the American public won’t hear much about it and therefore won’t care.
A lot of horror occurred after the Vietnam War ended and the North took over, but we didn’t hear all that much about it and we were not directly affected, so most people didn’t care and don’t care to this day. The only direct reminder for Americans was the boat people, and the ones that made it here were rather quickly absorbed and were never much of a problem at all.
Afghanistan and the Afghan refugees may be different. We may have terrorist attacks as a result, for example, although it may be hard to prove they were a result. There also are the Americans left behind, of course. My guess – and it’s only a guess – is that the Taliban may be magnanimous to them in order to allow Biden to be able to say “see, they’re our partners for peace” and then after the Americans leave the Taliban can torture and kill their own people with impunity while the world looks the other way.
PA Cat:
That sounds like a good book.
david foster:
I agree with you that there is something more generally wrong than just Biden and crew. But I’m still not sure that America “chose” Biden. However, that he even could have been nominated and that anyone would have voted for him – and plenty of people did, including most of the people I know – is an indication of grave underlying problems in our entire society.
Neo–
It is a good book– partly because Baumeister chooses his examples of cruelty from a wide range of actions, not just extreme atrocities– so that the points he makes will resonate with almost anyone who’s ever been hurt by another person.
Biden wants us to “move on” from those people falling from the airplanes just several days ago. But as he’s repeatedly demonstrated, he’s not willing to let us – let alone him – move on from the death of his son.
I’m sure that a lot of people will “move on” from the Afghanistan debacle just as well as VN Vets have “moved on” from Hanoi Jane’s actions of 1972.
Not so sure about “good faith” and seeing Biden for what he is. Some of the folks whose eyes are newly de-scaled were not simply mistaken on policy grounds or some such. They had been educated to hate Trump without the slightest reference to policies, except as they could be misrepresented. And they did their thing for the most selfish of purposes; increased self-regard. Where is the good faith?
Whoever runs for the R next will be labeled the”next Trump” and…nothing changes.
roy in nipomo:
I don’t think most vets will move on. But compared to the Vietnam and draft era, the percentage of the population who are vets is smaller.
Neo:
You ignored FB and Twitter. It will get out and it will be horrible.
CNN Int has moved on to the floods in PA and NY. They sure won’t go back to Afghanistan. Abortion is another option.
Cornhead:
I don’t think so, and I’ll tell you why. Oh, it will get out to a certain extent. But it will be an echo chamber where only the right cares. The left will deny it’s happening unless the MSM covers it. Even then they would probably deny it, but some random person on Twitter saying it? I just don’t think it will have much effect. Plus, with help from the Chinese, apparently the Taliban are tracing and locating those who helped the US, through those people’s current use of cellphones and the like to send messages. I think that may have a chilling event on the messages.
However, that changes if it’s Americans being harmed. THAT might get attention that couldn’t be denied, and their families here would be talking about it. But as I already wrote, I think that’s the reason the Taliban may actually leave the Americans there alone and let them leave. They may even let them leave with great fanfare in order to show how kind and gentle they (Taliban) have become, and how worthy they are of getting assistance from us and being our partners in peace.
I have moved on, but to place they may not like.
@david foster:
You are right. You make this point more cogently than I could and more readers here will be inclined to take your word for it.
The wider issue is not that this or that person or party is in power in some Punch and Judy Show in the news. The big issue is that ‘The System’ in the widest possible sense nurtures and promotes a certain kind of incompetent and sometimes malicious type up the greasy pole whilst actively expelling better sorts.
We have quite literally a Cursus Dishonorum.
Almost everything one reads by commentators on the ‘Conservative’ side is just tweaks and worse, Copes. No amount of special pleading about ‘stolen votes’ or ‘media bias’ or ‘the universities’ or Muh Evil Tsar or Fu Manchu is of any real help at all here. These are Features *not* Bugs of the present System of the World (hello, Neal Stephenson fans).
What we are observing is an almost total Systemic Failure of Western Liberal Democracy in general and (obviously) the death throes of the US Constitutional Republic which has been rather something of a Whited Sepulchre for a very long time already. But slowly and then all at once…
And Children, Dear Children… The answer is not More of the Same! There is no magic pill can make a good constitutional republic or liberal democracy which doesn’t go rotten in short order.
No amount of tweaks will fix this. Radical surgery is necessary. Personally I don’t think much can be done without more collapse occurring first. I’m not quite an Accelerationist, but there’s no going back. Only forward. And people do need to get their heads around the concept that we got to Here from There. There is a causal arrow heading from Constitution to the current #@$^show. Or you need to give Lincoln and Jaffa more credit and then a strong case for Damnatio Memoriae 🙂 Or both and more… I don’t want to be accused of cheap rhetorical tricks 😛
I don’t know the answer. Nobody does. And there’s no really good answer. Only better ones.. But until people start asking the right questions and stop trying to plug the Titanic with silly putty, things will get worse.
Zaphod:
I agree with David Foster, but many people on the right have for many years been going far beyond thinking about “tweaks.” There is a huge problem, or several, shot through our entire society – and by “entire” I don’t just mean the US, but the west. It’s affected every cultural institution and has made it very difficult if not impossible for us to have the inner convictions necessary to fight evil.
For example, you and I disagree on the details of what to do about it or even perhaps what the problem consists of exactly, but I doubt we disagree on the magnitude, breadth, and scope of the problem.
The St-Ex passage I quoted was influenced, I think, by two primary factors…first, the work of the great Muslim historian Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406), who wrote about the cyclical nature of societies, and second, his own observations and experiences in the French defeat of 1940–a campaign in which he had served as a reconnaissance pilot. I strongly recommend his book ‘Flight to Arras’, which centers on that campaign.
I discussed some of the social and political factors, as well as the military factors, behind the French 1940 defeat here:
https://chicagoboyz.net/archives/59775.html
There is unpleasant resonance with our current situation in America today.
Haven’t our wounded soldiers suffered enough?
https://twitter.com/kathrynw5/status/1433580706282803209
“What difference at this point does it make?”
The Democrats, after refusing funding and support for South Vietnam, when it fell cried, along with press, “No recriminations!”
Progressive spiritual folks will pull the “move on” trick by quoting the following Zen parable then *beam* with self-satisfaction:
________________________________
Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling. Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.
“Come on, girl” said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.
Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. He was fuming. Then he no longer could restrain himself. “We monks don’t go near females,” he told Tanzan, “especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?”
“I left the girl there,” said Tanzan. “Are you still carrying her?”
https://www.elephantjournal.com/2014/03/zen-parable-are-you-still-carrying-her-jordan-myska-allen/
________________________________
I wish I could roll my eyes as well as George Clooney.
–“Clooney Eye Roll”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlFFKOIre-g
@ David Foster > “The deeper question is how such people could have been put into the positions that they now hold.”
After Obama’s first election, there was a quote flying around the internet, allegedly from Czech president Václav Klaus, that said this: “The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency.”
It’s now been repurposed to name Joe Biden.
The fact-checking industry* doesn’t give it any credence, and they may be right (so many of those quotes that are too good to check are frauds), but by the Left’s own standards, fake can also be accurate. I think that is the case with this observation, and it explains how we got the Biden administration and its fools and/or knaves.
How accurate? This interview is not a fake.
I’ve paraphrased the interchange, but you can listen to what was said here (25:25):
https://youtu.be/5SDLBqIubCs?t=1525
Interviewer: A writer asked “Has Obama roused the people to reclaim their liberties?” and
Thomas Sowell thinks not; that there are points of no return and 2012 is one of them, because Obama has to be stopped.
He wasn’t.
* https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/04/12/fact-check-fake-quote-biden-credited-czechs-years-old/4844583001/
MoveOn.org
I rest my case.
AesopFan:
Here’s a real Michelle Obama quote I’ve never forgotten:
_______________________________________
That before we can work on the problems, we have to fix our souls – our souls are broken in this nation.
…
Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.
–Michelle Obama, 02/18/2008
_______________________________________
It’s not hard to see how this quote, however seemingly high-minded, leads to the Great Leader and Nuremberg rallies.
What I find interesting about the Biden era is that we have skipped all the inspiring visionary parts and gone straight to authoritarianism fueled by a tawdry hate.
As I recall Michelle Obama took a lower-profile in the campaign after that speech.
I’m definitely ready to move on. The next step, I think, is impeachment. Then, next summer when we have seen what a disaster Kamala is, another one. If we just get moving on, we can shed ourselves of these cancers by next Christmas.
Dems are a primitive Shame Culture, not a modern Guilt Culture, a point I suggested about 12y ago to the “erstwhile” Dr. Sanity.
Move on becomes the obvious response, because, hey, if no one SEES the shame, it doesn’t exist… “Move on, pay no attention to our massive and relentless failures…”
https://drsanity.blogspot.com/2009/03/democratic-party-as-shame-culture.html?m=1
}}} David: We collectively *chose* someone whose lack of knowledge and judgment and lack of energy
I question the accuracy of that assertion.
I am not certain it is inaccurate, and suspect we may never know. But I would not be at all surprised to be informed that an actual coup d’etat has taken place…