Big Talk

***

yet another slight variant on a previous post (absolutely, positively, the final variant): 

my current way of looking at the current political conflict:

1. the pro-democracy coalition versus the magan coalition 

acronym for MAGAN: Men Against Goodness And Normalcy

The acronym is a reference to the 1987 version of Dragnet:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092925/quotes/?item=qt0307327

The pro-democracy coalition wants a system where everybody counts, and everybody has to account. The magan coalition does not need to have a coherent agenda, and can merely take credit for anything good, and avoid blame for anything bad. It also merely needs to point out that the pro-democracy people are hypocrites, who made a mess of things when they were in charge. 

The magan coalition, like the pro-democracy coalition, is diverse, but 2 things they tend to believe:

1. They believe they have been too nice, too kind, too soft, too empathetic, and they believe that their goodness and generosity has been taken advantage of.

2. They believe they are justified in breaking norms in order to get what they want: norms of etiquette and civility; norms of ethics and the golden rule; norms of due process and the rule of law; norms against racism, and for consent; norms of truth-telling and honest accounting; perhaps most importantly, the post World War II norms against kratocracy, and in favor of a rules based order.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Might_makes_right

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_international_order

How does magan politics get a foothold? Perhaps it starts with skepticism: skepticism of equality, skepticism of fairness, skepticism of halfhearted, semi-sincere attempts to force equality and fairness on an unequal, unfair world. Under very bad or very bored conditions, the skepticism can perhaps become resentment: positive dislike of liberals, leftists, democrats, equality or even fairness. Under even worse or even more bored conditions, the resentment can perhaps become nihilism, a trolling, taunting, terrifying commitment to the bit: no self-evident truths; no created equal; no unalienable rights; no lives matter. 

The more respectable members of the magan coalition do not approve of resentment or nihilism, but they do tend to agree that the liberals and leftists in their life have become too uppity, too self-righteous, too arrogant, and have not earned the right to criticize them. Therefore, liberals and leftists need to be encouraged to keep eating the mournful oatmeal, and reflect on the possibility that they are not as good, or as smart, as they think they are. Also, that any attempts at reform will almost certainly backfire, and only make things worse.

https://lakewobegon.fandom.com/wiki/Mournful_Oatmeal/2001-03-10 

Politicians like Trump and Netanyahu are, perhaps, useful placeholder politicians, useful to prevent the liberals and leftists from getting their own way, partly out of strategy, partly out of spite.

Trump is best thought of as an attempt to use chaos as a ladder, dizzying twists and turns at the beginning, dreary gaslighting by the end. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/gameofthrones/comments/1e05hj/s3e06_spoilers_can_someone_explain_littlefingers/ 

The besetting sin of the pro-democracy coalition is gas-guzzling hypocrisy, flashing the peace sign while saying "my bad, my bad". The besetting sin of the magan coalition is gaslighting nihilism, peddling pogroms, pyramid schemes, patriarchy and a police state, while saying "stop resisting! stop resisting!". 

pogroms - unlimited revenge

pyramid schemes - unlimited wealth

patriarchy - unlimited deference inside the home

police state - unlimited deference outside the home

One other trait of magan politics which contributes to the gaslighting effect is the cry-bullying, the attempt to combine ruthless cruelty with shameless chutzpah. On the one hand, they want to cackle about "toxic empathy" or "weaponized compassion". On the other hand, they are genuinely offended and even bewildered by the idea that there should be consequences for their cackling. Hey, what are you doing? Why so serious? Can't you take a joke? 

What is required of us, perhaps, is not to point the finger, nor to wag the finger, nor to give the finger, nor to shake our fist, nor to shrug our shoulders, nor even to flash the peace sign, but simply, to roll up our sleeves. 

What preventive measures can be taken against magan politics? I do think pro-democracy people should be willing to engage with their critics, even embittered and resentful critics, critics who enjoy dissecting their manners, morals, intellect, general physique, and method of eating asparagus. But they should not be willing to throw their own people under the bus. They should not be willing to bad-mouth their own values and principles, either in an attempt to look cool, or because some consultant has convinced them that "vice-signaling" is good politics. 

Perhaps most difficult, pro-democracy people must start to develop an awareness of when rude criticism and skepticism has developed into nihilism, and trolling. I don't believe nihilists and trolls should be pilloried, dehumanized, used as a scapegoat for all of our own problems. But it is necessary to set limits, and to not allow bad-faith trolling to endlessly lead you down the garden path. 

One of the great essays of our time, certainly, is Aleksandar Hemon's piece on his friend Zoka's descent into political madness. I do not think Hemon's essay had the answers. But it certainly had the question. 

https://lithub.com/fascism-is-not-an-idea-to-be-debated-its-a-set-of-actions-to-fight/ 

But enough about the magan! We have been talking too much about them. We need to find time to talk about better things. 

Victory for the pro-democracy coalition requires: 

1. An exciting pro-democracy agenda, which gives people energy, inspiration, enthusiasm, and incentives to organize.

2. Assuaging people's anxieties about liberal or leftist overreach.

3. Assuaging people's anxieties about the dangers of calling out injustice, and the dangers of actively seeking alternatives to injustice.

4. Perhaps, a certain . . . je ne sais quoi. 

What do I mean by liberal or left? Liberal means having a value for freedom. Left means having a value for equality. A member of the liberal-left is someone who has a value for both freedom and equality. 

***

Little Talk

***

How Much Waking Up Does A Man Require?

My current answer:

1. wake up

2. stare out the window a bit

3. un-tether the phone, and check whether the sky has fallen

4. stare out the window some more

5. get up, stand up, people get ready

6. re-tether the phone, turn on the laptop

7. check e-mails and errands

8. log off!

9. ???

10. profit!

***

Next post: June 29, 2026

Big Talk

 

***

 

yet another slight variant on a previous post (hopefully, the final variant): 

my current way of looking at the current political conflict:

1. the pro-democracy coalition versus the paneful std coalition 

acronym for PANEFUL STD: People Are Not Equal! Fie Upon Liberals! Sod These Democrats!

The pro-democracy coalition wants a system where everybody counts, and everybody has to account. The paneful std coalition does not need to have a coherent agenda, and can merely take credit for anything good, and avoid blame for anything bad. It also merely needs to point out that the pro-democracy people are hypocrites, who made a mess of things when they were in charge. 

The paneful std coalition, like the pro-democracy coalition, is diverse, but perhaps paneful std politics starts with skepticism: skepticism of equality, skepticism of fairness, skepticism of halfhearted, semi-sincere attempts to force equality and fairness on an unequal, unfair world. Under very bad or very bored conditions, the skepticism can perhaps become resentment: positive dislike of liberals, leftists, democrats, equality or even fairness. Under even worse or even more bored conditions, the resentment can perhaps become nihilism, a trolling, taunting, terrifying commitment to the bit: no self-evident truths; no created equal; no unalienable rights; no lives matter. 

The more respectable members of the paneful std coalition do not approve of resentment or nihilism, but they do tend to agree that the liberals and leftists in their life have become too uppity, too self-righteous, too arrogant, and have not earned the right to criticize them. Therefore, liberals and leftists need to be encouraged to keep eating the mournful oatmeal, and reflect on the errors of their ways. 

https://lakewobegon.fandom.com/wiki/Mournful_Oatmeal/2001-03-10

Politicians like Trump and Netanyahu are, perhaps, useful placeholder politicians, useful to prevent the liberals and leftists from getting their own way, partly out of strategy, partly out of spite. 

Trump, perhaps, is best thought of as a paneful std: slightly fun at the beginning, gets old very, very quickly. 

What prophylactic measures can be taken against paneful std politics? I do think pro-democracy people should be willing to engage with their critics, even embittered and resentful critics, critics who take pleasure in dissecting their manners, morals, intellect, general physique, and method of eating asparagus. But they should not be willing to throw their own people under the bus. They should not be willing to bad-mouth their own values and principles, either in an attempt to look cool, or because some consultant has convinced them that "vice-signaling" is good politics. 

Perhaps most difficult, pro-democracy people must start to develop an awareness of when rude criticism and skepticism has developed into nihilism, and trolling. I don't believe nihilists and trolls should be pilloried, dehumanized, used as a scapegoat for all of our own problems. But it is necessary to set limits, and to not allow bad-faith trolling to endlessly lead you down the garden path. 

But enough about the paneful stds! We have been talking too much about them. We need to find time to talk about better things. 

Victory for the pro-democracy coalition requires: 

1. An exciting pro-democracy agenda, which gives people energy, inspiration, enthusiasm, and incentives to organize.

2. Assuaging people's anxieties about liberal or leftist overreach.

3. Assuaging people's anxieties about the dangers of calling out injustice, and the dangers of actively seeking alternatives to injustice.

4. Perhaps, a certain . . . je ne sais quoi. 

What do I mean by liberal or left? Liberal means having a value for freedom. Left means having a value for equality. A member of the liberal-left is someone who has a value for both freedom and equality. 

***

my other way of looking at the current political conflict: 

1. Tony Gwynn politics versus Iron Throne politics

Tony Gwynn politics: friendly, neighborhood politics, rooted in artistry, craftsmanship, community and good cheer. 

Iron Throne politics: cutthroat, plutocratic politics, rooted in chaos, confusion, corruption and cringe.

By "cringe" I mean cringing courtier servility, not embarrassment or shame.

acronym for TONY GWYNN: Taking On Neighborly Yokes, Getting on With Your Neighbors & Newcomers. 

By "neighborly yokes", I mean willingly taking on the burdens of being a good neighbor, a good citizen, a good friend.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_11:30 

acronym for IRON THRONE: Irrational Resentment Of Neighbors, Taking Horrible Revenge On Neighbors & Enemies. 

Most people believe they are justified in taking horrible revenge on enemies. At least, they want to keep their options open. That, of course, is how they get you. 

The fundamental difference is that Tony Gwynn politics is about getting on with your neighbors, Iron Throne politics is about curating your neighbors, deciding which of your neighbors, if any, goes well with the wallpaper and the furniture. 

https://www.fadedpage.com/books/20140910/html.php#c48

 "48. My Neighbour

A man must not choose his neighbour: he must take the neighbour that God sends him. . . . The neighbour is just the man who is next to you at the moment, the man with whom any business has brought you into contact."

*** 

Little Talk 

*** 

How Much Diet Does A Man Require? 

My current answer:

1A. light breakfast + brunch

1B. sumptuous breakfast + light lunch

2A. high tea + light supper

2B. light tea + slap up supper

3. One thing I am trying to do at the moment is to fast between 1:30 and 5:30. Not strict fasting, merely not planning to eat, if not hungry. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFd0DlMotHI 

***

Next post: May 29, 2026

Big Talk

 

***

 

yet another slight variant on a previous post (hopefully, the final variant):

 

my current way of looking at the current political conflict:

1. the pro-democracy coalition versus the syrup coalition

 

acronym for the SYRUP coalition: Serves You Right, Uppity Pinkos!

 

The pro-democracy coalition wants a system where everybody counts, and everybody has to account. The syrup coalition does not need to have a coherent agenda, and can merely take credit for anything good, and avoid blame for anything bad. It also merely needs to point out that the pro-democracy people are hypocrites, who made a mess of things when they were in charge.

The syrup coalition, like the pro-democracy coalition, is diverse, but they do tend to agree that the pinkos in their life have become too uppity, too self-righteous, too arrogant, and have not earned the right to criticize them. Therefore, they need to be encouraged to keep eating the mournful oatmeal, and reflect on the errors of their ways. 

https://lakewobegon.fandom.com/wiki/Mournful_Oatmeal/2001-03-10

Politicians like Trump and Netanyahu are, perhaps, useful placeholder politicians, useful to prevent the pinkos from getting their own way, partly out of spite, partly out of strategy.

But enough about the bitter, rancid, resentful syrup! We have been talking too much about them. We need to find time to talk about better things.

How should left-liberal pinkos defend themselves against the appalling charge of uppityness? One slightly po-faced way of doing it, perhaps, is something like, "Taking revenge on liberals and leftists is negative. Human beings do better when we have positive goals." But perhaps there are better ways. 

Victory for the pro-democracy coalition requires: 

1. An exciting pro-democracy agenda, which gives people energy, inspiration, enthusiasm, and incentives to organize.

2. Assuaging people's anxieties about liberal or leftist overreach.

3. Assuaging people's anxieties about the dangers of calling out injustice, and the dangers of actively seeking alternatives to injustice.

4. Perhaps, a certain . . . je ne sais quoi.

 

What do I mean by liberal or left? Liberal means having a value for freedom. Left means having a value for equality. A member of the liberal-left is someone who has a value for both freedom and equality.

 

 

***

 

Little Talk

 

*** 

 

How Much Waking Up Does A Man Require?

My current answer:

 

1. wake up

2. stare out the window a bit

3. un-tether the phone, and check whether the sky has fallen

4. listen to some audio

5. stare out the window some more

6. get up, stand up, people get ready

7. re-tether the phone, turn on the laptop

8. listen to some more audio

9. check e-mails and errands

10. log off!

11. ???

12. profit!

 

 

***

 

Next post: April 29, 2026