Friday, December 05, 2008

"The Audacity of Patience"

Michael Bérubé is right: Mark Schmitt has written a really smart piece.

Posted by bjkeefe at 3:08 PM
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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Since I've been minding my own business, I have no clue about what your friend Berube is talking about. Would you be so kind to explain? Why does he think that Obama has betrayed the progressives? He isn't even president yet...

Or is Berube's blog one of those humor non-sensical ones that can only be understood with a codebook?

Or should I just skip all these?

Come on, Brendan, give me your advice!

Thanks.

6:46 PM, December 05, 2008
bjkeefe said...

He's being heavily ironic/sardonic/sarcastic. As a general rule, when you see someone, especially a lefty blogger, write something like "before deciding that it has betrayed Every. Progressive. Principle. Ever.", that's a big clue that they're mocking someone else's hysteria.

Unless it's a lefty blogger writing "Worst. President. Ever.", of course. That's serious.

I wouldn't say you need a codebook to understand Bérubé, but as with most writers who mix in jokes or tongue-in-cheek remarks with their serious thoughts, familiarity does help. I mean this both in terms of getting used to his tone and being aware of off-hand references he makes to topics he's touched on before, or topics he expects his readers to know about, and which he therefore doesn't feel the need to elaborate upon or supply links for.

7:01 PM, December 05, 2008
bjkeefe said...

Perhaps belaboring the obvious, but just to be sure you understand: For a short while, there was some hysteria among some lefties about some of Obama's choices for Cabinet positions and other roles. That seemed to die down pretty quickly, but there are a few unrepentant pearl-clutchers and other assorted nimrods who are convinced that Obama must do everything the way they want, or he's utterly failed.

And, for a second example of the sort of humor that Bérubé was employing, see Atrios, as quoted here.

7:11 PM, December 05, 2008
Anonymous said...

Speaking of humor, did you ever read Spy Magazine?

3:57 AM, December 06, 2008
bjkeefe said...

No, I don't think I ever did more than glance through an issue that I saw lying on someone else's coffee table. I didn't specifically avoid it -- it just never came to my attention.

Is it online these days?

4:13 AM, December 06, 2008
bjkeefe said...

Sorry, should have looked here first.

4:15 AM, December 06, 2008
Anonymous said...

Brendan,

Thank you for the explanation. My sense of humor is in "suspended animation". I'm in overload, literally.

I should just enjoy simple aspects of life and stop trying to understand the impossible. At least until I recover...

I'm glad you guys have a grip.

Talk to you when the light bulbs work. I hope.

3:39 PM, December 06, 2008
bjkeefe said...

You're welcome. Sorry to hear about the suspended state. I hope rejuvenation comes quickly.

3:45 PM, December 06, 2008
Anonymous said...

"I hope rejuvenation comes quickly."

Rejuvenation? Boy! You are even more optimistic than me! Or I used to...

I'm thinking in terms of plain survival (and recovery).

8:33 PM, December 06, 2008
Anonymous said...

Twin,

I never read Spy magazine. But I think I'll write a few dozen articles about that in the future. The series will have the title: "A thousand ways of failing your mission..."

How do you like it?

8:36 PM, December 06, 2008

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