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In Dan Simmons' novel "Hyperion," one of the characters describes a government agency that both builds monuments and provides medical care to children. When fac
by bko 2y ago
In Dan Simmons' novel "Hyperion," one of the characters describes a government agency that both builds monuments and provides medical care to children. When faced with budget cuts, they reduce the medical care while continuing to build monuments, because monuments are visible evidence of their work while the absence of medical care only shows up in statistics.
The administrators are the school at this point, why would they choose to cut there?
- ptero 2y agoI recently saw a term for this -- "hostage puppy", which I think is an excellent description. I think [1] is the original source for the definition. [1] https://x.com/perrymetzger/status/1887896797575520673 https://x.com/perrymetzger/status/1887896797575520673
- soared 2y agoOof the US team I work for is beholden to a foreign HQ that runs the hostage puppy play, great term.
- drfuchs 2y agoHere's a literal "hostage puppy" that was quite the rage in 1973 (though National Lampoon didn't use that phrase): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Lampoon_%28magazine%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Lampoon_%28magazine%2...
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- ModernMech 2y agoThe literal worst thing Penn could do for students at this point is to take more on they aren't sure they will be able to support through their Ph.D. They are protecting and looking our for the students they have by not accepting more.
- skeeter2020 2y agothis is the same reason wealthy donors want a building with their name on it, but don't want to fund the janitors who will keep it clean.