To be honest, musically speaking, i couldn't pick Taylor Swift out from anyone else in a a sackful of young blondes, but i've read enough about her musical business sense and values to regard her as a remarkably capable woman. IIMHO, she has only touched a finger to the potential political influence she could wield in the future. That's probably enough right there to set the MAGAites hair on fire. I really don't care how many times the camera moves to Ms Swift in an NFL game, i don't watch or follow football, but it's probably a welcome relief from the field. What REALLY surprised me was that Patrick Ruffini posted something useful. The NFL should have locked her tour down for a SuperBowl half-time show, and would be fools to NOT do so soon.
I love "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" so much. Thanks for the reference to it, Sonny. I forgot about that part of the "Day Man" episode. Now I'm also going to constantly be thinking "who versus?!" all the time. Thanks for that brain worm. Here's one for you: "because of the implication". I think the darkness and misogyny of this scene, combined with the naive pushback makes perfect comedy, and is a perfect encapsulation of this show, and what makes it so genius-ly written. If cancel culture was as bad as it's supposed to be this show wouldn't exist, let alone be so popular.
David Brooks has always been of the idea that we just need to try and see the Republicans point of view, understand and maybe be more like them. Never does he ask the Republicans to try to understand Democrats or why they may think they’re racists. His position that both sides are at fault would also conclude that Trump as president would be the same as Biden as president.
Too many people get stuck in their own “Bubble.” It’s not comfortable to read articles or see media from a different position. However, this is needed to get an idea of reality. I was a competitive figure skater eons ago when all scores were up to the individual judges. Many people whined because the reigning champion always got much higher scores. The reality was the judges were used to being told that that skater was the best. To be the champion one had to be 25% better. Facing reality, makes one work that much harder or decide to do something different. That’s life.
Great perspective on the “doom culture” and its “warring” factions. The fallacy behind all this “culture war” nonsense is the idea that politics is war. Politics is the alternative to war. No one who truly knows war wants war, except the cynical and the criminally insane.
Sorry I have to do this, because it's not about movies, but as to the left's "unfounded belief that racism and sexism is worse than ever," I'm not sure what you're talking about. Surely you don't mean that believing that (1) the GOP getting ready to nominate an open racist for President, (2) who'll appoint racists to serve in his administration, (3) a non-racist contender for the nomination afraid to say slavery caused the Civil War, (3) open racists serving in Congress and state legislators, and (4) hosting opinion shows on TV and radio is "unfounded." The political contributors to the Bulwark seem to think GOP racism is a problem worth taking seriously.
Honestly, I think it's wrong to "both sides" Trump and his opponents because Trump's and the GOP's faults outweigh the lefts' by a huge margin, unless you limit "the left" to a pretty small subset of Democrats, in which case, why bother.
So, are you arguing that racists saying racist things is more alarming than slavery or segregation? Because while I dislike racists saying racist things or supporting bad policies, I would definitely argue that America is better today than at some past time.
No, I'm saying that racists saying and doing racist things, at the tippy-top of GOP politics, is a very serious problem, but not as serious as slavery and segregation. Even so, it's a slight exaggeration - especially if said by a young person who didn't live through slavery or segregation. In that case, racism probably is, literally, the worst in their lifetimes. And it's a shame to be experiencing it in 2024.
I'm mostly pushing back on the implication that there's some congruity between Trump and (possible) exaggeration of current racism on the left. The former is a catastrophe, the latter is an annoyance (to some).
While we might be "light years ahead of 1971" is some aspects-- everyday incidences of racism and a dismantling of SOME of systemic racism-- the fact that a movie that has grossed as much as Barbie was snubbed and the fact that an extraordinarily successful woman (Swift who has very adeptly created HER OWN empire) are being injected into politics and are being torn apart by the still mysonist nature of our culture is a big tell.
Even a woman who has managed to navigate a notoriously male-controlled industry and has autonomy over a very wealthy empire is being subjected to such nonsense is a sign we really have not come that far.
The argument used to be that women were not capable-- well, Swift has proven that hypotheses false. Yet, here we are. So even when women can carve out an empire in their name, it is still at the whim of the old white men who believe their birthrate makes them more valuable.
Sorry, but that's a gross exaggeration, saying Swift is at the mercy of old white men and her career is being torn apart by misogynist culture? She's more popular and powerful than ever! She may be Biden's best hope of defeating Trump in November!
Also, since when are Oscars awarded based on how much a film grosses?
And that's a gross mischaracterization of what I wrote. I didn't say Swift's career or standing in the industry is being torn apart, she is being used as a political pawn of sorts by people who need to make up ridiculous conspiracy theories.
The fact that she is being subjected to such ridiculous notions is what I meant by "torn apart." She is being subjected to this nonsense despite the fact that she is incredibly successful- point being, even women who stand on their own and have carved out their own space, cannot escape the attempts to knock a woman down a notch.
Sure, she’s being subjected to political nonsense, but I think the fact that she’s a woman is the least of the reasons she’s being subjected to it, more important are: 1. She’s very famous, 2. She’s endorsed Biden in the past, 3. She’s dating someone who endorses Covid vaccinations and is also famous. These make her a perceived threat to right wing loonies. Sure, it’s idiotic, but these people are seeing conspiracies everywhere now. The NFL is massively popular and this is giving her a lot of exposure to people who previously may not have really listened to or known her music, which scares the crap out of the loonies.
I don’t think she’s too concerned or worried about it, outside of the fact that some crazy person might threaten violence against her, but I’m sure she’s had to deal with that kind of thing already being that she’s been massively popular for some time now.
I would agree that legally we are ahead of 1971, but I don't know about attitudinally. The backlash to Obama was depressing, and the George Floyd murder was a grim reminder that Blacks absolutely experience a different justice system, especially on the ground floors.
"The unfounded belief that racism and sexism is worse than ever on the left" is nonsensical to me. Worse than during the Civil War? Worse than the 1960s? No serious person believes this.
What we do believe is that systemic racism and sexism exist in this country, today. To turn that into a both-sides argument isn't just sloppy thinking, it's offensive.
To be honest, musically speaking, i couldn't pick Taylor Swift out from anyone else in a a sackful of young blondes, but i've read enough about her musical business sense and values to regard her as a remarkably capable woman. IIMHO, she has only touched a finger to the potential political influence she could wield in the future. That's probably enough right there to set the MAGAites hair on fire. I really don't care how many times the camera moves to Ms Swift in an NFL game, i don't watch or follow football, but it's probably a welcome relief from the field. What REALLY surprised me was that Patrick Ruffini posted something useful. The NFL should have locked her tour down for a SuperBowl half-time show, and would be fools to NOT do so soon.
Interesting that the Taylor Swift poll was taken in July of last year. What was bubbling at the time?
Best I’ve read today!
I love "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" so much. Thanks for the reference to it, Sonny. I forgot about that part of the "Day Man" episode. Now I'm also going to constantly be thinking "who versus?!" all the time. Thanks for that brain worm. Here's one for you: "because of the implication". I think the darkness and misogyny of this scene, combined with the naive pushback makes perfect comedy, and is a perfect encapsulation of this show, and what makes it so genius-ly written. If cancel culture was as bad as it's supposed to be this show wouldn't exist, let alone be so popular.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgUvwcU6P7I
David Brooks has always been of the idea that we just need to try and see the Republicans point of view, understand and maybe be more like them. Never does he ask the Republicans to try to understand Democrats or why they may think they’re racists. His position that both sides are at fault would also conclude that Trump as president would be the same as Biden as president.
Too many people get stuck in their own “Bubble.” It’s not comfortable to read articles or see media from a different position. However, this is needed to get an idea of reality. I was a competitive figure skater eons ago when all scores were up to the individual judges. Many people whined because the reigning champion always got much higher scores. The reality was the judges were used to being told that that skater was the best. To be the champion one had to be 25% better. Facing reality, makes one work that much harder or decide to do something different. That’s life.
Great perspective on the “doom culture” and its “warring” factions. The fallacy behind all this “culture war” nonsense is the idea that politics is war. Politics is the alternative to war. No one who truly knows war wants war, except the cynical and the criminally insane.
Sorry I have to do this, because it's not about movies, but as to the left's "unfounded belief that racism and sexism is worse than ever," I'm not sure what you're talking about. Surely you don't mean that believing that (1) the GOP getting ready to nominate an open racist for President, (2) who'll appoint racists to serve in his administration, (3) a non-racist contender for the nomination afraid to say slavery caused the Civil War, (3) open racists serving in Congress and state legislators, and (4) hosting opinion shows on TV and radio is "unfounded." The political contributors to the Bulwark seem to think GOP racism is a problem worth taking seriously.
Honestly, I think it's wrong to "both sides" Trump and his opponents because Trump's and the GOP's faults outweigh the lefts' by a huge margin, unless you limit "the left" to a pretty small subset of Democrats, in which case, why bother.
I agree.
So, are you arguing that racists saying racist things is more alarming than slavery or segregation? Because while I dislike racists saying racist things or supporting bad policies, I would definitely argue that America is better today than at some past time.
No, I'm saying that racists saying and doing racist things, at the tippy-top of GOP politics, is a very serious problem, but not as serious as slavery and segregation. Even so, it's a slight exaggeration - especially if said by a young person who didn't live through slavery or segregation. In that case, racism probably is, literally, the worst in their lifetimes. And it's a shame to be experiencing it in 2024.
I'm mostly pushing back on the implication that there's some congruity between Trump and (possible) exaggeration of current racism on the left. The former is a catastrophe, the latter is an annoyance (to some).
While we might be "light years ahead of 1971" is some aspects-- everyday incidences of racism and a dismantling of SOME of systemic racism-- the fact that a movie that has grossed as much as Barbie was snubbed and the fact that an extraordinarily successful woman (Swift who has very adeptly created HER OWN empire) are being injected into politics and are being torn apart by the still mysonist nature of our culture is a big tell.
Even a woman who has managed to navigate a notoriously male-controlled industry and has autonomy over a very wealthy empire is being subjected to such nonsense is a sign we really have not come that far.
The argument used to be that women were not capable-- well, Swift has proven that hypotheses false. Yet, here we are. So even when women can carve out an empire in their name, it is still at the whim of the old white men who believe their birthrate makes them more valuable.
Sorry, but that's a gross exaggeration, saying Swift is at the mercy of old white men and her career is being torn apart by misogynist culture? She's more popular and powerful than ever! She may be Biden's best hope of defeating Trump in November!
Also, since when are Oscars awarded based on how much a film grosses?
And that's a gross mischaracterization of what I wrote. I didn't say Swift's career or standing in the industry is being torn apart, she is being used as a political pawn of sorts by people who need to make up ridiculous conspiracy theories.
The fact that she is being subjected to such ridiculous notions is what I meant by "torn apart." She is being subjected to this nonsense despite the fact that she is incredibly successful- point being, even women who stand on their own and have carved out their own space, cannot escape the attempts to knock a woman down a notch.
Sure, she’s being subjected to political nonsense, but I think the fact that she’s a woman is the least of the reasons she’s being subjected to it, more important are: 1. She’s very famous, 2. She’s endorsed Biden in the past, 3. She’s dating someone who endorses Covid vaccinations and is also famous. These make her a perceived threat to right wing loonies. Sure, it’s idiotic, but these people are seeing conspiracies everywhere now. The NFL is massively popular and this is giving her a lot of exposure to people who previously may not have really listened to or known her music, which scares the crap out of the loonies.
I don’t think she’s too concerned or worried about it, outside of the fact that some crazy person might threaten violence against her, but I’m sure she’s had to deal with that kind of thing already being that she’s been massively popular for some time now.
I was in the first class of students integrated in my city. I’m not excusing racist behavior, but by any measure we are light years ahead of 1971.
I would agree that legally we are ahead of 1971, but I don't know about attitudinally. The backlash to Obama was depressing, and the George Floyd murder was a grim reminder that Blacks absolutely experience a different justice system, especially on the ground floors.
Agreed.
"The unfounded belief that racism and sexism is worse than ever on the left" is nonsensical to me. Worse than during the Civil War? Worse than the 1960s? No serious person believes this.
What we do believe is that systemic racism and sexism exist in this country, today. To turn that into a both-sides argument isn't just sloppy thinking, it's offensive.
100%