Comments on: Liars, Hypocrites and Crybabies

By: Backword Dave

Backword Dave — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 10:51:07 +0000

I’ve only just got round to reading it, and I think he’s mistaken in a way no one’s commented on yet. He’s interested in the ‘national mood’ following Diana’s death, but a lot of people (most of the commenters here I suspect, myself, and Francis Wheen at great length in ‘How Mumbo-Jumbo …’) thought it was all BS - there was no ‘national mood’. True Diana’s brother made a speech which moved those who showed up at the funeral, but that’s like saying Hitler inspired those in the Bierkellers, that’s a different thing for ‘everybody’. I don’t think there is such an animal as ‘the British electorate’; if we all think the same thing, why bother with the expense of elections, why not just sample say three of us? Polls *collectively* are of some use; that doesn’t mean that there aren’t junk polls, and that some poll questions are fatuous - human qualities are certainly that. The statements ‘The British public are fooled. David Runciman is not fooled’ are not compatible with ‘David Runciman is a member of the British public’ He should realise that he has gone wrong somewhere. He also seems to be unaware of Brad DeLong and the reality based community. Blair is of the other lot; their time is over.

By: Chris Brooke

Chris Brooke — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 09:22:08 +0000

Thinking of hippos, I can recommend Hippos Go Berserk very highly, especially if you want to read something to a Very Small Child.

By: Dan B

Dan B — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:03:35 +0000

It’s a typo. It’s “rule by the hippos”.

By: Chris Brooke

Chris Brooke — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:34:08 +0000

Is Hypocracy “rule by the hypocrites”, or just a typo?

By: chris y

chris y — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:26:34 +0000

I predict that the forthcoming history of hypocracy in historical thought will be an inordinately long book, but unputdownable.

By: dearieme

dearieme — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 11:35:38 +0000

To first order, he’s just pointing out that the electors get the PM they deserve, the bastards. But very entertaining. I suspect I’d have voted for Gore rather than W had I been American; I really couldn’t vote for a chap who’s a dried-out alcy AND a born-again Xian. (Except when his opponent is John Kerry.)