Althouse: The difference between women...

April 3, 2010

The difference between women...

... and girls.

40 comments:

Scott said...: ...is that women see Barry O. as a sex object, and girls don't?; 4/3/10, 6:27 AM
traditionalguy said...: This little one knows what she is around...it is an image being acted out by a performer who has no soul.; 4/3/10, 7:06 AM
Palladian said...: You know what's even more interesting and puzzling? The difference between schoolgirls and schoolboys! The Daily Mail can't seem to figure that one out (check the web page title against the headline...)

I wonder how long the media will be able to coast along with these 'adoring throngs sent into paroxysms of gibbering ecstasy by President Jesu' stories. Poor little girl, immune to the power and the glory of the O. Or maybe she's just depressed knowing that the reedy tool beaming in front of her is busy throwing shackles of endless debt and deprivation over her future.; 4/3/10, 7:08 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Ha. Good catch, Palladian.

***

I'm fascinated by the contrast between the generations. You've got to imagine what that little girl has had to put up with from her mother gushing over the President. I love the way the girl's expression makes the women's adoration of the President seem ridiculous.

***

Also the man in back getting in on the ecstasy is so embarrassingly icky.; 4/3/10, 7:21 AM
Unknown said...: It wasn't just that girl - seems like a lot of people are not real enthused with chance to see "the one". Note that at the Portland Metro Expo Center website, all the halls have a capacity of more than 2700 - with most running upwards of 4500 (http://www.expocenter.org/index.htm). I am guessing that was not a capacity crowd like he drew when he was campaigning. Same story as when he was at the Partiot Center in Virginia.; 4/3/10, 7:22 AM
campy said...: "The Emperor is naked!"; 4/3/10, 7:23 AM
TWM said...: Begin the countdown to when one of your lefty readers says kids didn't like going to Bush events either.; 4/3/10, 7:31 AM
Unknown said...: 0h please.

we have another example of ann reading in to a picture what she wants to see.

as anyone with kids knows, they can be mopy about *anything.* she may have just been acting out, and was scolded by her mom...she could be not feeling well for some other reason ...

who knows.; 4/3/10, 7:35 AM
Palladian said...: "we have another example of ann reading in to a picture what she wants to see."

Yeah no one else does that! Silly Ann!; 4/3/10, 7:40 AM
traditionalguy said...: Palladian...Maybe she hasn't recieved her stimulus package yet. Or she maybe a literalist that can't stand listening to NPR myths either.; 4/3/10, 7:43 AM
Unknown said...: well to proclaim, from one picture, the difference between women and girls in their response to Obama is about over-reaching, eh Palladian ? there are clearly plenty of pics w/ kids very excited to meet Obama. we've all seen them.; 4/3/10, 7:46 AM
Shanna said...: Kids know what is boring. Did this poor girl get dragged into waiting overnight to see him? She probably needed a nap.; 4/3/10, 8:08 AM
Anonymous said...: Poor Obama! No matter how many arenas in how many cities he goes to in his vain search for one that doesn't have an adoring throng in it, they just won't stop following him around.

Any articles on HuffPo yet claiming the teabagging tyke spit on him?; 4/3/10, 8:34 AM
DADvocate said...: I've always found it revolting when adults worship or idolize another person. It's a sign of shallowness and infantilism. (Perhaps this little girl will regress when she gets older.)

What can one make of the desire of adults to be rescued by someone when they're not drowning? Psychologically, these people follow closely to those at Jonestown and other cults of personality worship.; 4/3/10, 8:36 AM
Anonymous said...: Incidentally, it took six helicopters to move His Nibs from place to place while he was up here. I don't recall Bush ever using more than one.; 4/3/10, 8:38 AM
Susan said...: Woman in picture #3 needs a beret.; 4/3/10, 9:24 AM
Ash said...: I've finally figured out the basic difference between Libs and Conservatives.

Conservatives have a sense of humor and appreciate sarcasm.

Thanks Danielle!

Sure, the girl is probably mopey because she feels duped by her mom who promised someone even cooler than Nick Jonas. But really, you can't appreciate the implications of the shot?

Really?; 4/3/10, 9:43 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Maybe the "difference" relates to the ability to pay bills, consider the issues, vote and (ahem) run for office.

But you rubes resolved that predicament by running an adolescent by the name of Sarah Palin.

I'd say this post is in the running for dumbest "analysis" ever.

"A child shall lead you!"; 4/3/10, 9:53 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: "Conservatives have a sense of humor and appreciate sarcasm."

That they can only apply, apparently, in ways that are as meaningless as they are manipulative.

I liked my own sarcastic reference to Waterworld and teenage politicians from Alaska better, Em.; 4/3/10, 9:56 AM
Scott said...: "I'd say this post is in the running for dumbest "analysis" ever."

And yet Tedio keeps coming back like a fly to dogshit.; 4/3/10, 10:03 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: "...a man who still searches, a woman who still hopes, and a small child who carries the secret to a new beginning..."; 4/3/10, 10:05 AM
Robert J. said...: Portland, Massachusetts?; 4/3/10, 10:09 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: It's more like my own form of gawking, Broccoli Brain. I mean, I can't say I get off on watching tragedy unfold, or celebrity downfalls, or whatever. But I do enjoy watching how far people will take a ridiculous idea in a desperate attempt to further a useless cynicism. Especially when I can show you a Hollywood film that did the same thing - with a child as "the messenger" and everything!

I know how enamored you guys have become of glitz, glam, and immaturity. That is, when you're not simultaneously hating yourselves for it.

Observations like this are the gem that I squeeze out of the "dogshit"* that constitutes the ideas I survey here.

*Your word not mine.; 4/3/10, 10:11 AM
Ash said...: "I liked my own sarcastic reference to Waterworld and teenage politicians from Alaska better, Em."

And I can totally appreciate that Ritmo.

I'm a fairly recent reader of Ms. Althouse, but I've been around long enough to recognize the ones who never appreciate what she has to say - my question - why waste the time returning? For that one bight shining moment when the rest of us finally, blessedly, think clearly?

I guess that is more of a rhetorical question voiced out of frustration.

It's a funny picture. One at which even my most ardent Obama supporter friends would chuckle.

I think this country might be getting wound a little too tight. Have a Coke and a smile.; 4/3/10, 10:27 AM
Unknown said...: Although Palladian's point also occurred to me when I saw the picture, maybe the little girl just realizes that her mother has sold her future down the river (or to the Red Chinese, take your pick) because The Zero gave her a frenzy-induced orgasm.

Supposedly, women had them all the time after an evening of 'Sieg Heil' at the party rallies back in the Reich.; 4/3/10, 10:41 AM
Anonymous said...: "I love the way the girl's expression makes the women's adoration of the President seem ridiculous."

Seem? It is ridiculous.; 4/3/10, 10:43 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/3/10, 10:54 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Thanks for your apprecation, Em.

I'm a fairly recent reader of Ms. Althouse, but I've been around long enough to recognize the ones who never appreciate what she has to say - my question - why waste the time returning?

It's a good question. To be honest, I probably spend more time here than on a lot of sites. The answer probably lies in a combination of things... Perhaps my strongest reason is that for someone with views as strong as hers, Althouse doesn't seem to appreciate the purpose of dissent in ultimately shaping overall opinion, despite inviting it through her nurturing of a very vocally partisan following.

And that gets us to the issue of a chummy and sardonic, regular commentariat - which I don't view as a necessarily bad thing. I suppose it's a good thing. Many of them are clever enough for me to appreciate, even if they don't appreciate the shortcomings of wit consistently applied too narrowly.

Finally, Althouse studied art, and the aesthetic direction here is a fine thing in itself - as long as one is honest about the ways in which it can misused for manipulative purposes as much as it can be to "illuminate", if that's even the right word.

So I suppose there is a combination of attraction and repulsion that defines my participation here. On one hand, I've accepted that honest debate between people who disagree with each other (even if just initially) is not really well appreciated here. And that's something that I really value. So, failing that, I've accepted that I can find the pithy observations that I make of all the hypocrisy on display here as humorous as a plurality of the commentariat find their and Althouse's own comments when they pontificate on "the left" and the majority currently aligned with it.

In any event, thanks for the Cosby-esque (a la Eddie Murphy) advice.; 4/3/10, 10:57 AM
William T. Sherman said...: In other news officials of the Massachusetts Democratic Party are combing government databases looking for dirt on the little girl, and two reporters for the NY Times were seen going through her garbage.; 4/3/10, 11:35 AM
Scott said...: Have you finished masturbating, Tedio?; 4/3/10, 11:58 AM
MamaM said...: Pithy: Precisely meaningful; forceful and brief.

Disingenuous: Not straightforward or candid; insincere or calculating.

There needs to be a term describing trolls who turn moby on themselves.

Ritmo presenting himself as pithy is one example.

Jeremy presenting himself as sympathetic to the bullied is another

Titus presenting himself as a sensitive gay man, while lampooning is a third.; 4/3/10, 11:59 AM
Scott said...: @William T. No doubt!; 4/3/10, 11:59 AM
Scott said...: @MamaM: Trenchant. I like that. :); 4/3/10, 12:01 PM
Ash said...: Ritmo,

I've tried my hand at open political debate on my very tiny slice of the bloggy pie - ususally with pretty decent opposing discussions. Sadly, these discussions would inevitably come to a screeching hault as someone would drop a condescending, personal comment and run.

Then I would just be pissed all day, so I've given it up for the most part.

I have yet to find a political site who doesn't have their share of ugliness. Maybe it's time for me to give it up.

Cheers!; 4/3/10, 12:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Hey, isn't that Chihiro from Spirited Away?; 4/3/10, 12:13 PM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: All my comments from 9:53 to 10:05 were pithy by Althousian standards.; 4/3/10, 1:29 PM
Kirk Parker said...: Susan, brilliant catch!; 4/4/10, 12:52 AM
MDIJim said...: You smart people can figure out what it all means. One thing for sure, though, the UK reporter might have been telling the truth about geography. A lot of folks in "the real Maine" believe that the Portland area is an extension of Massachusetts. In fact, one of our esteemed legislators has introduced a bill to divide the state into "Maine" and a southern part around Portland to be called, "North Massachusetts." History buffs may recall that, just as Massachusetts was an unhappy colony ruled by England until 1776, Maine was, until 1820, an unhappy colony ruled by Massachusetts.; 4/4/10, 6:03 AM
kentuckyliz said...: Ritmo, I didn't realize until now that you have a lithp.; 4/4/10, 1:20 PM
Kirk Parker said...: "Ritmo, I didn't realize until now that you have a lithp"

Hey K-Liz--are you married? ;-); 4/4/10, 11:09 PM