Excellent. Wise and true. I’ve been listening to the audiobook of Bertrand Russell’s History of Western Philosophy. It helps understand much of what has befallen our republic. Written during the rise of Fascism, as those leaders opposed to Hitler et al were trying to summon the resolve that would be needed to confront that monster, it reminds me that intelligence, wisdom, and the values necessary to preserve those attributes are so often at odds with the interests of those who only want power and who will claim it for “reasons”. Most of all, it points to the scientific attitude as the hallmark of any philosophy worthy of our embrace. And I agree that the rejection of the scientific attitude — of the wonk, as you so cleverly put it — is the essential and most alarming element throughout this administration, stem to stern.
is it worth pointing out that those leaders who were trying to summon the resolve
failed. and the "hacks" won. at least until Roosevelt and Marshall and Eisenhower came to the rescue, and i suppose i have to mention that Stalin was converted to wonkery at least long enough to win the war.
that said... a couple of trivia questions: is there a relationship between "hacks" as described here and "hacking" in the sense of computer experts up to no good?
second question, both Clinton and and Paul Ryan former Speaker of the House liked to present themselves as "wonks," Clinton helped dismantled New Deal protections against too big to fail banks, and the Speaker, when asked to explain his policy said, "you don't want me to get all wonky on you." which is the classic answer given by fakers and con men (he couldn't explain his policy either because he had never really thought about it or because he knew it was a lie.
This is from Paul Krugman’s Substack a few days ago -it’s right on point to today’s article-“Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.
Let me call this Arendt’s Law: Totalitarian and wannabe totalitarian regimes only hire incompetent hacks.”
What Krugman misses is “intelligence and creativity” are also hallmarks of the winning competitors among the morally repugnant with antisocial personalities. Intelligence and creativity are still delivered to the White House, but they’re contained in sadistic packages.
Lately, I am very frustrated by both democratic leaders and mainstream media. Why don't they write / speak more effectively about appointees like E.J. Antoni. They just go on like everything is normal. Why don't more people read the cross section with its excellent analysis. More people need to understand how far down the path we are to fascism.
To that point, I had to laugh yesterday reading Condé Nast’s list of top New York hotels and spotting Trump International among them. Under this White House, a publishing empire must do for itself as it can.
The Consumer Price Index , easier to hack than the jobs number, also has immediate pocketbook impact on people like me (CPI's foundational application is COLA for Social Security, so: Old People).
Lying about inflation takes money from us Old People.
CPI is also used to create Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS), hitherto the gold standard [sic!!] in inflation hedges in large portfolios.
Lying about inflation also takes money from them One Percenters, which will feel.like a rain of ice-cold stale urine on the jobs loss that them Chicago-is economists say results from messing with financial markets.
Excellent. Wise and true. I’ve been listening to the audiobook of Bertrand Russell’s History of Western Philosophy. It helps understand much of what has befallen our republic. Written during the rise of Fascism, as those leaders opposed to Hitler et al were trying to summon the resolve that would be needed to confront that monster, it reminds me that intelligence, wisdom, and the values necessary to preserve those attributes are so often at odds with the interests of those who only want power and who will claim it for “reasons”. Most of all, it points to the scientific attitude as the hallmark of any philosophy worthy of our embrace. And I agree that the rejection of the scientific attitude — of the wonk, as you so cleverly put it — is the essential and most alarming element throughout this administration, stem to stern.
Neal
is it worth pointing out that those leaders who were trying to summon the resolve
failed. and the "hacks" won. at least until Roosevelt and Marshall and Eisenhower came to the rescue, and i suppose i have to mention that Stalin was converted to wonkery at least long enough to win the war.
that said... a couple of trivia questions: is there a relationship between "hacks" as described here and "hacking" in the sense of computer experts up to no good?
second question, both Clinton and and Paul Ryan former Speaker of the House liked to present themselves as "wonks," Clinton helped dismantled New Deal protections against too big to fail banks, and the Speaker, when asked to explain his policy said, "you don't want me to get all wonky on you." which is the classic answer given by fakers and con men (he couldn't explain his policy either because he had never really thought about it or because he knew it was a lie.
This is from Paul Krugman’s Substack a few days ago -it’s right on point to today’s article-“Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.
Let me call this Arendt’s Law: Totalitarian and wannabe totalitarian regimes only hire incompetent hacks.”
It should be noted that the first part is quoting Arendt, and not Krugman.
What Krugman misses is “intelligence and creativity” are also hallmarks of the winning competitors among the morally repugnant with antisocial personalities. Intelligence and creativity are still delivered to the White House, but they’re contained in sadistic packages.
Never talk about Antoni, hack of hacks, without also including that he is a J6 insurrectionist.
Lately, I am very frustrated by both democratic leaders and mainstream media. Why don't they write / speak more effectively about appointees like E.J. Antoni. They just go on like everything is normal. Why don't more people read the cross section with its excellent analysis. More people need to understand how far down the path we are to fascism.
Mainstream media is firmly in Trump's pocket. Have you not been paying attention since inauguration?
To that point, I had to laugh yesterday reading Condé Nast’s list of top New York hotels and spotting Trump International among them. Under this White House, a publishing empire must do for itself as it can.
Bush's administration was the "reign of the Mayberry Machiavellis." Trump's is more like Stalin's "The Commissar Vanishes."
To which those of us who’ve hackled the Reich will sing Day’s “Whatever Will Be Will Be” as we become the North American Pinochet’s “Desaparecidos.”
Wonk speaking.
The Consumer Price Index , easier to hack than the jobs number, also has immediate pocketbook impact on people like me (CPI's foundational application is COLA for Social Security, so: Old People).
Lying about inflation takes money from us Old People.
CPI is also used to create Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS), hitherto the gold standard [sic!!] in inflation hedges in large portfolios.
Lying about inflation also takes money from them One Percenters, which will feel.like a rain of ice-cold stale urine on the jobs loss that them Chicago-is economists say results from messing with financial markets.
Mess around and find out.
Apologies, but are you referring to the financial elite or outlaw motorcycle clubs?
Or to the forests elite, the descendants of the people who came with the land.
Nah. The usual modern usage. The king-of-the-hill gang.
I must reread my first and still favorite HST, where I learned about his motorcycle-riding pursuers.
Both bankers and (some) bikers carry a childlike disregard for the consequences of their actions, and avoid governance.
Forests warriors make better companions.