No one has yet observed that "Mikey" is a funny way to spel "Karen?" But the really strange thing is that the laddie's victims get prosecuted. Over here, actual criminals don't much get prosecuted anymore. (See especially: Bragg, Allen, amongst far too many others.)
A scary stat: in half of neighbourhoods in which burglaries have occurred, police have failed to solve even one of those burglaries. Essentially, burglary is de facto legal in half of those neighbourhoods.
Mr. Gage, I must say, I don't like cycling Mikey. Growing up I got punished for tattling. It was shameful to be a tattle tail.
Isn't Mikey just an adult tattle tail?
In America we do have that attitude and gun culture to enforce it. But where we don't like a tattle tail Mikey, we despise the distracted driver. I must admit they bother me more then the drunk driver.
If what your doing is that important, pull the hell over. The idiots who use their phones and drive are by far the most dangerous. Why, these idiots are sober, and telling you your life means nothing to them.
No, we American's don't like cycling Mikey, but we don't shoot them. The moron on the phone and driving.
Agreed. I know someone who lost their mother to a driver going 60 mph whilst texting on their phone. That person should have spent five to ten years in jail, imo.
But... Mikey seems to bully the fractional offender. And revels in his power trip.
So glad The Vile blocked me on twitter it was one of my proudest blocks.....is this dumb vigilantism the new mid life crisis, I wonder? They all seem to be men of a certain age, raging against the dying of the light ...
Yes! Oh, he really is something. Did you see him make the Huw Edwards thing all about him? Vine was 'so afraid' of getting beaten up by the mob... he sought solace at a Bruce Springsteen concert!
Lol! Yes, I saw that.....me, me, me all the way....that whole kerfuffle was fairly amusing, but also, completely predictable. Of course the Met found no evidence of criminality, it's one of the selection criteria for the Met that you have to be a nonce 🤦♀️
I really liked this piece and nice assessment, insightful. If I wasn't such a poor writer, I'd subscribe immediately - will do so soon but you know how it is being a writer ... One thing touching on this - I find Trilling's Sincerity and Authenticity written decades ago, illuminating. We've built a shaming culture. It really caught fire with Jerry Springer and then morphed into the competitive frenzy of shame on reality TV shows. Then social media took over - everyone wants to shame someone to get a jolt of adrenaline and "I exist". I shame, donc je suis. Trilling saw this coming, the erosion of society's main bond of each person needing to be respected and thus the need to be sincere and authentic at all costs. Society worked on a value system where at all costs, one's authenticity was primary. Now, this center no longer holds and we've shifted into a society that values power, money, status. There's a lot to Trilling's argument - I hope you dig into this, you'd do a good job painting that picture, that change.
Yes. The writing world is emerging from the free-for-all fantasy. The 'newfangled' subscription model worked for literally over a century. All will be well.
I confess, I've read nothing of Trilling's work. After Googling him, I wonder how on earth this happened. He's right up my street. Literary men used to be sociologists, psychologists, and everything else in between.
You're right. I think social media is an evolution of reality TV. Both rely on a messed-up rewards system. I've noticed too real-life now is often a playground for social media/reality TV. Some people spend their real-life conjuring content for their pretend life online.
"Society worked on a value system where at all costs, one's authenticity was primary..."
This reminds me of the thinking behind 'The Lonely Crowd'. We used to be inner-directed, which I presume would reflect a true authenticity. Now, most are other-directed, that is their personality is formed from the outside, which would be a kind of anti-authenticity, I guess.
Anyway, I'm waffling on. The challenge is turning these garbled thoughts into readable English! I've subbed to Naked and Alive. I look forward to your work. Feel free to email me at christopherigage (AT) gmail.com.
Thanks. Will do. Honored. Yes, I love the old generalists - Trilling could step back and see things. I probably have something written up about him on the blog. I like the idea of inside - outside. But truly, previously, there was power, money, position but still we were all in touch with each other through honor, our word, respect, a moral center. We wanted others to see us a "good" - now community is gone and it is every one for themselves. Now, we just take pictures and snitch and moan. Germans call it Schadenfraude. I think the German term spießbürger more apt - somewhat close to a word out of vogue "philistine". “Now and then, it is possible to observe the moral life in process of revising itself.” — Lionel Trilling
The Lonely Crowd suggested the coming other-directed society would have profound problems with lack of leadership, self-knowledge, and a sense of purpose. Well...
Absolutely! Sometimes I feel like I’ve learned more about human nature from literature than from academic books. Also, the honor (honour?) is all mine! I always look forward to your essays and forward them to my family and friends!
"...There’s something about American gun culture which says: mind your own business."
High quality punch line for the essay. The whole American notion of 'liberty' might be summed up, 'live and let live' MYOB. But it becomes the sin of complacency when we let others use politics to get control of us behind our backs.
This guy seems to be under the mistaken impression that he matters. I'll bet he was also scolding people during the Chinese Wuhan Bat Flu thing if they weren't wearing masks or staying two meters apart.
Snitches, stitches, something something...
No one has yet observed that "Mikey" is a funny way to spel "Karen?" But the really strange thing is that the laddie's victims get prosecuted. Over here, actual criminals don't much get prosecuted anymore. (See especially: Bragg, Allen, amongst far too many others.)
A scary stat: in half of neighbourhoods in which burglaries have occurred, police have failed to solve even one of those burglaries. Essentially, burglary is de facto legal in half of those neighbourhoods.
Declining cultures devolve into pettiness.
Mr. Gage, I must say, I don't like cycling Mikey. Growing up I got punished for tattling. It was shameful to be a tattle tail.
Isn't Mikey just an adult tattle tail?
In America we do have that attitude and gun culture to enforce it. But where we don't like a tattle tail Mikey, we despise the distracted driver. I must admit they bother me more then the drunk driver.
If what your doing is that important, pull the hell over. The idiots who use their phones and drive are by far the most dangerous. Why, these idiots are sober, and telling you your life means nothing to them.
No, we American's don't like cycling Mikey, but we don't shoot them. The moron on the phone and driving.
That is up for debate.
Agreed. I know someone who lost their mother to a driver going 60 mph whilst texting on their phone. That person should have spent five to ten years in jail, imo.
But... Mikey seems to bully the fractional offender. And revels in his power trip.
Most tattle tails do.
So glad The Vile blocked me on twitter it was one of my proudest blocks.....is this dumb vigilantism the new mid life crisis, I wonder? They all seem to be men of a certain age, raging against the dying of the light ...
Yes! Oh, he really is something. Did you see him make the Huw Edwards thing all about him? Vine was 'so afraid' of getting beaten up by the mob... he sought solace at a Bruce Springsteen concert!
Lol! Yes, I saw that.....me, me, me all the way....that whole kerfuffle was fairly amusing, but also, completely predictable. Of course the Met found no evidence of criminality, it's one of the selection criteria for the Met that you have to be a nonce 🤦♀️
Is This for real? These do-gooders are Too much. I think they’ve all lost their minds.
Sadly so...
I really liked this piece and nice assessment, insightful. If I wasn't such a poor writer, I'd subscribe immediately - will do so soon but you know how it is being a writer ... One thing touching on this - I find Trilling's Sincerity and Authenticity written decades ago, illuminating. We've built a shaming culture. It really caught fire with Jerry Springer and then morphed into the competitive frenzy of shame on reality TV shows. Then social media took over - everyone wants to shame someone to get a jolt of adrenaline and "I exist". I shame, donc je suis. Trilling saw this coming, the erosion of society's main bond of each person needing to be respected and thus the need to be sincere and authentic at all costs. Society worked on a value system where at all costs, one's authenticity was primary. Now, this center no longer holds and we've shifted into a society that values power, money, status. There's a lot to Trilling's argument - I hope you dig into this, you'd do a good job painting that picture, that change.
Thank you, Professor.
Yes. The writing world is emerging from the free-for-all fantasy. The 'newfangled' subscription model worked for literally over a century. All will be well.
I confess, I've read nothing of Trilling's work. After Googling him, I wonder how on earth this happened. He's right up my street. Literary men used to be sociologists, psychologists, and everything else in between.
You're right. I think social media is an evolution of reality TV. Both rely on a messed-up rewards system. I've noticed too real-life now is often a playground for social media/reality TV. Some people spend their real-life conjuring content for their pretend life online.
"Society worked on a value system where at all costs, one's authenticity was primary..."
This reminds me of the thinking behind 'The Lonely Crowd'. We used to be inner-directed, which I presume would reflect a true authenticity. Now, most are other-directed, that is their personality is formed from the outside, which would be a kind of anti-authenticity, I guess.
Anyway, I'm waffling on. The challenge is turning these garbled thoughts into readable English! I've subbed to Naked and Alive. I look forward to your work. Feel free to email me at christopherigage (AT) gmail.com.
Thanks. Will do. Honored. Yes, I love the old generalists - Trilling could step back and see things. I probably have something written up about him on the blog. I like the idea of inside - outside. But truly, previously, there was power, money, position but still we were all in touch with each other through honor, our word, respect, a moral center. We wanted others to see us a "good" - now community is gone and it is every one for themselves. Now, we just take pictures and snitch and moan. Germans call it Schadenfraude. I think the German term spießbürger more apt - somewhat close to a word out of vogue "philistine". “Now and then, it is possible to observe the moral life in process of revising itself.” — Lionel Trilling
The Lonely Crowd suggested the coming other-directed society would have profound problems with lack of leadership, self-knowledge, and a sense of purpose. Well...
"They can abuse, deplore, and lash out. They know nobody will say anything as long as they dip-dye their anger in a vat of compassion." so good!
"For the sake of society/god/the planet/THE CHILDREN!!, obey me," said every petty tyrant, church lady and hall monitor of the soul ever.
The conflating of what is illegal and what is fair is common as muck.
Not to get too armchair-therapist, but such people must be severely frustrated.
As an actual therapist, I concur with your assessment!
I'm honoured! Literature and psychology used to be considered kith and kin...
Absolutely! Sometimes I feel like I’ve learned more about human nature from literature than from academic books. Also, the honor (honour?) is all mine! I always look forward to your essays and forward them to my family and friends!
I'm honoured with the 'U'. Dostoevsky would have made a good psychiatrist...
"...There’s something about American gun culture which says: mind your own business."
High quality punch line for the essay. The whole American notion of 'liberty' might be summed up, 'live and let live' MYOB. But it becomes the sin of complacency when we let others use politics to get control of us behind our backs.
I'm old enough to remember when 'live and let live' worked both ways.
He's more tattle tale than vigilante.
If he was grassing on drunk or reckless drivers, say, I'd see his point.
This guy seems to be under the mistaken impression that he matters. I'll bet he was also scolding people during the Chinese Wuhan Bat Flu thing if they weren't wearing masks or staying two meters apart.
To notify me of my less-than-two-metre distance, one guy tapped me on my shoulder.
People are weird.