4 ms·

I don't know why people hold the Nobel Prizes in such esteem. It's like people complaining that Radiohead doesn't win enough at the Grammies, or that people let

by unalone 17y ago

I don't know why people hold the Nobel Prizes in such esteem. It's like people complaining that Radiohead doesn't win enough at the Grammies, or that people let Slumdog Millionaire win the Best Picture Oscar. Prizes aren't some objective reflection of how good a person is. The Nobel Prize has long been controversial. Why do people still treat it like a prize where its failures are worth criticizing? In this case, I understand the motivation behind the prize. Politically, with the Nobel Prize behind him Obama gains a lot of capital. People will be less willing to argue with him, bad press against him quiets down, and he's freer to do what he wants without the insane hostility he faces today. I'd like to think this prize will help lead to the eviction of the Republican Party even more quickly than it was already.

gaius 17y ago
Politically, with the Nobel Prize behind him Obama gains a lot of capital. Not really. I just had a look on the BBC's comments page and the overwhelming reaction is ridicule. Similarly my Facebook newsfeed is full of people wondering WTF.
- unalone 17y ago
  It's been less than a day since this was announced. You cannot judge the effectiveness of a certain political move that quickly. We'll see the repercussions of this award over weeks and months.
ujjwalg 17y ago
I think it just might be for the opposite reasons. Everyone in my circle likes Obama and voted for Obama but this is that moment in which everyone is "WTF". This might be to make him lose credibility. Just my conspiracy theory.
lrm242 17y ago
> People will be less willing to argue with him, bad press against him quiets down, and he's freer to do what he wants without the insane hostility he faces today. So, basically you think the Nobel Peace Prize gives Obama the right to achieve his entire political agenda without any form of opposition? Right.... > I'd like to think this prize will help lead to the eviction of the Republican Party even more quickly than it was already. Oh, I understand now. Thanks for sharing.
- unalone 17y ago
  > So, basically you think the Nobel Peace Prize gives Obama the right to achieve his entire political agenda without any form of opposition? Right.... No, but it gives him a certain authority. When the right is going batshit insane like it is now, I'd like anything to help counter that we can get. > Oh, I understand now. Thanks for sharing. If you don't think the Republican Party needs to dissolve and make way for a newer concept of conservatism, you haven't been paying attention to the last decade.
  - lrm242 17y ago
    > No, but it gives him a certain authority. When the right is going batshit insane like it is now, I'd like anything to help counter that we can get. Unfortunately, it only grants the premonition of authority, to be used as a tool by his supporters to push his agenda. Rightly so, but don't confuse this anything more than a political tool. > If you don't think the Republican Party needs to dissolve and make way for a newer concept of conservatism, you haven't been paying attention to the last decade. Are you the person behind those bumper stickers? The ones that say, "If you aren't completely appalled, yada yada"? Please don't assume that your level of disagreement with a particular party must be shared by everyone else.
    - unalone 17y ago
      > Rightly so, but don't confuse this anything more than a political tool. That's what I was suggesting: They're doing this because of politics, because they think it will help. I don't hold faith in Nobel Prizes myself, but I agree with their decision if it works. > Please don't assume that your level of disagreement with a particular party must be shared by everyone else. The Republican party is wretched upon even a cursory glance. This is the party that attempted to make Palin, the corrupt book-burning governor, vice president of the country. The party that fought universal health care by claiming that Obama wanted death panels deciding who dies. The party whose leaders have said publicly that Obama might not be a U.S. citizen, that Obama is anti-American, that perhaps a military revolt every now and then is a good thing. The party that sided with Joe Wilson for shouting "You lie!" after Obama said something that was entirely true. The party that is against same-sex marriage because it will destroy the sanctity of marriage, that thinks the United States is a Christian nation, that preaches conservatism while throwing money into foreign wars. I want a real conservative party and a real liberal party. As it stands, the Democrats are spineless and corrupt, and the Republicans are worse: They are disgusting liars protected only by the faulty media system we've got going. The Republican Party hurts America, and the sooner they're gone the better.

by unalone 17y ago

gaius 17y ago

Politically, with the Nobel Prize behind him Obama gains a lot of capital. Not really. I just had a look on the BBC's comments page and the overwhelming reaction is ridicule. Similarly my Facebook newsfeed is full of people wondering WTF.

unalone 17y ago
It's been less than a day since this was announced. You cannot judge the effectiveness of a certain political move that quickly. We'll see the repercussions of this award over weeks and months.

ujjwalg 17y ago

I think it just might be for the opposite reasons. Everyone in my circle likes Obama and voted for Obama but this is that moment in which everyone is "WTF". This might be to make him lose credibility. Just my conspiracy theory.

lrm242 17y ago

> People will be less willing to argue with him, bad press against him quiets down, and he's freer to do what he wants without the insane hostility he faces today. So, basically you think the Nobel Peace Prize gives Obama the right to achieve his entire political agenda without any form of opposition? Right.... > I'd like to think this prize will help lead to the eviction of the Republican Party even more quickly than it was already. Oh, I understand now. Thanks for sharing.

unalone 17y ago
> So, basically you think the Nobel Peace Prize gives Obama the right to achieve his entire political agenda without any form of opposition? Right.... No, but it gives him a certain authority. When the right is going batshit insane like it is now, I'd like anything to help counter that we can get. > Oh, I understand now. Thanks for sharing. If you don't think the Republican Party needs to dissolve and make way for a newer concept of conservatism, you haven't been paying attention to the last decade.
- lrm242 17y ago
  > No, but it gives him a certain authority. When the right is going batshit insane like it is now, I'd like anything to help counter that we can get. Unfortunately, it only grants the premonition of authority, to be used as a tool by his supporters to push his agenda. Rightly so, but don't confuse this anything more than a political tool. > If you don't think the Republican Party needs to dissolve and make way for a newer concept of conservatism, you haven't been paying attention to the last decade. Are you the person behind those bumper stickers? The ones that say, "If you aren't completely appalled, yada yada"? Please don't assume that your level of disagreement with a particular party must be shared by everyone else.
  - unalone 17y ago
    > Rightly so, but don't confuse this anything more than a political tool. That's what I was suggesting: They're doing this because of politics, because they think it will help. I don't hold faith in Nobel Prizes myself, but I agree with their decision if it works. > Please don't assume that your level of disagreement with a particular party must be shared by everyone else. The Republican party is wretched upon even a cursory glance. This is the party that attempted to make Palin, the corrupt book-burning governor, vice president of the country. The party that fought universal health care by claiming that Obama wanted death panels deciding who dies. The party whose leaders have said publicly that Obama might not be a U.S. citizen, that Obama is anti-American, that perhaps a military revolt every now and then is a good thing. The party that sided with Joe Wilson for shouting "You lie!" after Obama said something that was entirely true. The party that is against same-sex marriage because it will destroy the sanctity of marriage, that thinks the United States is a Christian nation, that preaches conservatism while throwing money into foreign wars. I want a real conservative party and a real liberal party. As it stands, the Democrats are spineless and corrupt, and the Republicans are worse: They are disgusting liars protected only by the faulty media system we've got going. The Republican Party hurts America, and the sooner they're gone the better.