२९ मे, २०२१

Scott Adams and Glenn Greenwald punch down at Just Jess.

Just Jess is a woman on Twitter with less than 10,000 followers, but she said something that got a reaction:
So... turns out the new friend I went on vacation with doesn't believe there was an insurrection. So... vacation over 4 days early. Friendship way over. Mind blown.

I can't tell what this "new friend" did. Did she think there was no breach of the Capitol at all or was she getting semantic about the word "insurrection"? 

Anyway... I thought it was interesting that both Scott Adams and Glenn Greenwald reacted.

Adams's reaction is pithy and funny, but he's using a tight definition of "insurrection" that exaggerates the extremism of Just Jess. He tweets:

Never go on vacation with someone who believes you can conquer a superpower by occupying a room in the Capitol.

I admire the humor technique of switching the perspective to that of the new friend. She shouldn't want to be stuck in close quarters with Jess. 

By the way, isn't it always a bad idea to go on a vacation with a new friend — at least if you're going to be stuck in a car or a hotel room with this person for many long hours? You don't know whether you'll bug each other or be any good at navigating around arguments.

Greenwald is not so funny. He barrels straight into the official humor format of the internet, sarcasm — heavy, obvious sarcasm:

Immediately terminate all friendships with anyone who sees the world differently than you see it -- especially politics. Much healthier that way never to have your views questioned or challenged by anyone near you.

What if you had to go on a cross-country road trip with one of these 3 — Glenn, Scott, or Jess? Well, I think the first choice is quite clear, but I'll hold back my response for now and give you a chance to vote:

You must drive cross-country with Glenn Greenwald, Scott Adams, or Just Jess. Assume they're all good drivers. Who do you pick?
 
pollcode.com free polls

1 टिप्पणी:

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

Cliff writes:

I’d like to explain my vote for Scott and Jess given that almost everyone else did not choose Jess.

I like Glenn’s libertarian views but I think he would become insufferable soon after departure.

Jess would be much worse of a companion but I think she’d leave soon after departure once she heard my political views, allowing me to travel in peace alone.


Ha ha. I voted the same as you. I don't usually vote in my polls but I felt like voting in this one, and I say in the post that I'll reveal my answer. I thought Scott Adams was the obvious first choice — and the poll results support my view. Second choice is harder. I know almost nothing about Jess, but I put her second because I thought it might be awful to be confined in a small space for a long time with Glenn Greenwald!

Jess is probably like a lot of the people I know here in Madison, so I'm used to trying to avoid friction with such a person. Don't talk about politics and notice the cues that she's disapproving of where you might be going in the conversation and just shut up about that. Find something else to talk about. Keep it light.