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Samizdata quote of the day

It’s the big fact of American life now, isn’t it? That we are patronized by our inferiors.

– Peggy Noonan, behind the Wall Street Journal paywall, but quoted by Ed Driscoll at Instapundit.

America’s political division now, in one sentence.

18 comments to Samizdata quote of the day

  • Wasn’t this always the case?

  • Runcie Balspune

    Wasn’t this always the case?

    If you are a libertarian, yes.

    Perhaps this should be taken as the standard for government, that it should only do things that almost anybody is unlikely to be better at, like lawmaking, national defence, prosecution and detention of criminals, basically the usual minarchist detail.

    The problem is there are vast sections of the population who honestly and undoubtedly believe those in government “know best”, no matter how many blunders happen.

  • Stonyground

    There is an infuriating radio ad running at the moment promoting the government’s Drink Aware website. In the ad we are lectured about home drinking and what a lot of it we do, and how cutting down a bit would be good for us. To say that this ad is patronising is a huge understatement. One of the benefits of this cutting down is reducing the size of my belly apparently. This is slightly amusing as I have a tum like a washboard, unlike some of our elected representatives who are responsible for promoting this tosh.

  • lucklucky

    Politics replaced Religion in Western cannon. Now people believe in Politics like in the past they believed in Religion.

  • RRS

    For a better understanding of what has been transpiring (and continues):

  • RRS

    For a better understanding of what has transpired (and is continuing):

    http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/Peaceful-Coexistence-09-07-16.PDF

  • RRS

    For those who trouble to read the suggested link, please note the terminologies:

    Civil Rights

    Religious Exemptions

    Government Actors

  • Laird

    A pretty good essay, marred only by an unnecessary (and unpersuasive) detour through some of the sexual abuse allegations recently leveled against Trump. Noonan is too credulous by half on that score. But the rest of the essay is well done; the section quoted here (and the longer version in Instapundit) is spot on; and her phrase “grubbly poseurs” is especially felicitous. Peggy Noonan has always been erratic, but this is one of her better efforts.

  • PersonFromPorlock

    It’s true, though; they are smarter than us, better educated than us, morally superior to us, and more socially responsible than us. We know this is so because they are also more reality-based than us, and they tell us so.

    We, on the other hand, pick our noses in public, throw our empties on the bare patch of ground outside the trailer, move our lips while looking at pictures (and such pictures!) and can’t keep our minds on our minority-hunting if we find a woman alone. We live on chili and beer and think farting contests are high art.

    It is a mystery and a miracle that western civilization has lasted long enough for our betters to evolve and take up the burden of saving us from us.

  • RRS

    @LuckyLucky;

    More likely people do not believe in anything anymore.

  • Itellyounothing

    I dunno, a lot seem to believe government is loving God as long as it’s taste for taxes is kept sated.

  • gongcult

    Patronized by our inferiors-jeez its more like dictated by our inferiors-dont toe the party line and you’te excommunicated from American society!

  • lucklucky

    “More likely people do not believe in anything anymore.”

    Why you say that RRS?
    Most people expect that Politics resolves the world problems. For example what are in the “News”? It is not a technological development, it is not a new advanced engine, new hull form, new chemical product, not new medicine. Things that would incentive people to invest in that fields. We are instead incentivated to invest in Politics. To waste our time in Politics.

    IWhy is that? why people invest so much – for a start their time – in politics? We are here in Samizdata because politics. I know most here are for Negate-Politics not in Pro-Politics, but we are here because Politics is too powerful for many here.

    That power happens because people is made to believe in Politics. Like once believed in Religion.

    Why “News”papers rarely talk about technology? Because a journalists job is making political prosyletism, make people believe that Politics can fixes their lives and fix bad things in the World.
    That is the job of journalist. It is not to inform because if a journalist job was to inform they would be much more curious about the world, technology, materials advancement, optics, i could list hundreds of important things.

    Journalists exist to make people believe that politics is the most important thing in the world-> then people believe Politics can fix their lives -> then many want to go to politics ->that gives increasingly more power to politics => that makes the only politics possible some sort of Socialism variant…

    But i look at my life the most important things for me and that brought most improvement to my life are many technological developments not politics. Many of them never went to the “News”.
    We have to fight for emancipation from politics.

  • We have to fight for emancipation from politics.

    Amen to that. Sing it, Bro, sing it.

  • Stonyground

    From the BBC website:

    “Electric cars could be given priority at traffic lights and exempted from one-way systems, under new proposals.”

    This is the kind of genius thinking that we are dealing with. A one way system with the occasional electric car coming in the opposite direction. Absolute imbeciles.

  • Laird

    And running red lights. You can’t make this stuff up.

  • bobby b

    “A one way system with the occasional electric car coming in the opposite direction. Absolute imbeciles.

    Given the sorts of SJW’s most likely to be found driving electric cars, some might call this brilliant.

  • Paul Marks

    It would be nice if Mr Trump really represented good ordinary Americans who are tired of being patronised by self proclaimed “intellectuals” who are actually filled with false Progressive ideas.

    And the elite are filled will false Progressive ideas.

    But the Trump supporters are not good decent Common Sense filled people – far from it.

    They are people of low cultural behaviour – I watched them for months (via the wonders of modern technology – and not via hostile sources either) and they were not good with their shouts of personal abuse about rival candidates (and their families) and their weird body language and general antics – also they think that all problems can be solved by keeping out imports and that no government spending needs to be cut.

    They can have anything they want – “all your dreams will come true” as Mr Trump said a few minutes ago (oh yes I am still watching them).

    So the elite are patronising – and they are inferior to people of basic understanding and knowledge.

    But the ordinary people (such as the giggling voters of New Hampshire – who thought a big joke to vote for Trump, or the voters in Indiana – who voted on the basis of BASKET BALL they really did) are rather bad as well.

    Not just Dems (as I used to believe) – but people in general.

    Not good – and I hope I am wrong.