tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1051066037862405976.post2019799993376760857..comments2023-03-24T04:39:27.382-07:00Comments on Daphne and Laura and So Forth: Another Question for the Ages: Why? Why Do They Do This?Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07363041042527815194noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1051066037862405976.post-9030438524410156292009-03-02T14:50:00.000-08:002009-03-02T14:50:00.000-08:00But you may find out what the payback is later on ...But you may find out what the payback is later on this alleged gift. Hope you still have that speed dial to Bruce Campbell and your plug in to vast publishing empires.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07363041042527815194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1051066037862405976.post-67006129284192297342009-03-02T14:48:00.000-08:002009-03-02T14:48:00.000-08:00Cool!Report on how it is, generally speaking. I'm ...Cool!<BR/><BR/>Report on how it is, generally speaking. I'm curious, but I know nothing about the source material.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07363041042527815194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1051066037862405976.post-18936153143689212082009-03-02T13:35:00.000-08:002009-03-02T13:35:00.000-08:00Me and my enormous ego getting me into trouble aga...Me and my enormous ego getting me into trouble again.<BR/><BR/>So, turns out my neighbor is a childhood friend of the director for "The Watchmen", so I scored two seats to an advanced screening tomorrow. I'm psyched. And no unethical backscratching was involved. I think.Tobyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05085429161219052514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1051066037862405976.post-12678279087084030072009-03-02T12:31:00.000-08:002009-03-02T12:31:00.000-08:00I'm also going to assume from your phrasing here t...I'm also going to assume from your phrasing here that you feel the pain of this from personal experience:<BR/><BR/>"It sometimes becomes difficult to see where the line between ethical and unethical backscratching lies"Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07363041042527815194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1051066037862405976.post-65047374040767943102009-03-02T08:57:00.000-08:002009-03-02T08:57:00.000-08:00Yeah, I can definitely see how that would all lend...Yeah, I can definitely see how that would all lend itself toward a sense of entitlement and infallibility. There's probably a dose of Cheney-esque "only *I* can see the big picture and am working for ultimate good! You have to break some eggs," etc. <BR/><BR/>This is another reason why Obama's such a fascinating specimen. He's got the hyper-achievement track record, but by virtue of not being one of the scions (a la Bushes) or the white boot-strappers (Clinton), he didn't have a lot of the privilege. Not the Clinton did, per se, but there's a certain sense of being a default when you're white. If you do something wrong, the white majority can identify with your personal faults, see them as understandable, put themselves in your shoes. Screw up as a minority in a small small field, and it's less about you as an individual and more about your representation of the group. That black guy got bad grades! Damn affirmative action!Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07363041042527815194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1051066037862405976.post-49526814425840631402009-03-02T07:24:00.000-08:002009-03-02T07:24:00.000-08:00I believe the qualities that make for successful p...I believe the qualities that make for successful politicians generally lead them to commit the common faults cited. For example, you need a big ego to withstand the brutality elections inflict upon you, but these egos lead people to do things because they think they are better/smarter/more discreet than other people. Plus, to succeed in getting things passed, approved, etc. you need to play games with your rivals and fellow politicians. It all comes down to "if you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." It sometimes becomes difficult to see where the line between ethical and unethical backscratching lies. Plus the big ego makes you think that you can push that line if needed. As for storytelling, I think this also connects to the ego issue. It's hard for them not to believe they were engaged in more exciting activities than the real story actually indicates. So they tell the story as their ego would like to believe it.Tobyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05085429161219052514noreply@blogger.com