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We are also experiencing a giant race to the lowest common denominator, fueled by social media. "Everyone lies, so what the hell". The U.S. Government at the v
by papito 7y ago
We are also experiencing a giant race to the lowest common denominator, fueled by social media. "Everyone lies, so what the hell".
The U.S. Government at the very top is infested now with habitual grifters and liars. Young people look at them, and go - it works for them, they are all rich.
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/10/christianne-allen-giuliani-079762 https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/10/christianne-allen-g...
"Rudy's new 20 year-old spokeswoman hasn't finished college, pretended to be related to George Allen, and has given herself many titles that are not accurate. “Nobody can figure out who the eff she is or how she got in there,” a friend of Giuliani told me."
She is twenty.
- aww_dang 7y ago>The U.S. Government at the very top is infested now with habitual grifters and liars. When was this not the case?
- pjc50 7y agoI wouldn't describe either FDR or Eisenhower as grifters. Carter was very big on integrity. Difficult to see Obama as a grifter either, although his honesty has been somewhat compromised by the forever war.
- aww_dang 7y agoA cursory google search revealed as the first result: ''FDR was a gifted and facile liar,'' https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/13/books/manipulative-secretive-and-great.html https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/13/books/manipulative-secret... I would expect much of the same from a glance at any politician. Politics is a field that rewards deception. The perverse incentives of democracy have been illustrated from Plato through to Hans Hermann Hoppe.
- papito 7y agoSure, but it's done with some restraint and fear of consequences. With shame, if you will. The new way is obvious, shameless, blatant, and unapologetic. "We run this bitch, what are YOU going to do about it". No? I grew up in Ukraine in the most corrupt post-Soviet era. Even then corruption was done with finesse. A lush mansion is hidden from the view, and you really need to go looking for it. Not the Steve Mnuchin level of "we are going to take a private jet to Fort Knox, watch the Solar eclipse on top of a pile of gold, and put it on Instagram" kind.
- aww_dang 7y agoIn fairness, previous generations of politicians didn't have Instagram. The history of Pulitzer and yellow journalism reveals an equally vapid culture. From my view it is more of a wink into the camera. A whiff of self-irony and an acknowledgement of the farce. Shamelessly reveling in the spectacle while calling out the closeted prudes as hypocrites. Parodying stilted, cliched performances.
- papito 7y agoThat's a good point, but the increased visibility should act as a deterrent. That's why it's not OK for a President to have a sidepiece anymore, when back in the day it was a matter of course. All of us are more aware of what comes up when someone googles us, that we will be judged based on what's out there. Or perhaps it's just the money. One does not have to be a good citizen if you are loaded. Social contracts and norms are for losers. And, since Trump assembled the richest cabinet in U.S. history, it only makes sense.
- lanternslight 7y ago"you lie" - guess not everyone thought Obama was a Truth teller.