-
Posts
1431 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Reputation
2803 Surly 10%Recent Profile Visitors
The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.
-
I do think it went viral because it resonated with people, but also because it's fairly well-written (not from an evidence-gathering standpoint; from a prose standpoint). It's like why JD Vance is effective. He makes shitty points sound polished. As for what to do about it? We're really in a pickle because the biggest problem, IMO, is not poor messaging/lack of messaging (although that's definitely a problem). It's that the people who need to see it will not see it because of the media environment and algorithms. An example: after Trump posted about the Reiners' death, I was curious as to whether or not that news had gotten around right-wing media. So far, I haven't been able to find an article on Fox News (the main site, not affiliates) mentioning Trump's post. Here's the article and headline I did find: GOP leaders call Reiner family slayings a 'tragedy' as director's son detained in homicide probe Progressives have to be able to pierce the media bubble. Our current Boomer leadership isn't capable of this because they can't conceive of how to do it. I think it starts with podcasts and influencers, once we get people in charge who understand social media. Not to re-litigate this issue, but for example, Kamala should've gone on Joe Rogan - it probably wouldn't have won her the election, but it would've shown her trying to reach these guys where they're at. I will beat this drum till the day I die: it doesn't matter how great the messaging is if no one hears it.
-
To set my POV, I'm an elder millenial (b. 1981) white woman with a journalism degree who has exclusively worked in big tech marketing and PR my entire career. I understand what Bozo is getting at re: addressing why so many younger men are disillusioned with progressive politics and that we need to better address it if we want to win them over from the MAGA side. This article, however, is a poor avenue for a good discussion around this because the author is a whiny ass bitch. For much of this article, I kept thinking "no shit, that's something every generation of non-white, non-male has felt at some point. It's not poignant just because now YOU personally are feeling this pain." Some of it made me laugh out loud at the lack of self-awareness. Allow me to provide examples: I also have two boys - Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Straight white males. What do I say when they ask about their hopes and dreams? Something along the lines of: "The world isn't fair, but in the vast majority of scenarios you already have a leg up being straight white boys. You do have to work hard, and you might get passed up sometimes for objectively unfair reasons. You might lose when you deserve to win. This happens to most people and is not unique to you or your circumstances. When it happens to you - and it will - you will not improve things by getting angry and spiraling and creating viral TikToks about it. All that gets you is surrounded by more anger and hatred. Look for ways to effect change without wallowing in your hurt. Talk to people in real life and not just online." I don't know what to say to guys like Jacob Savage. I'm sorry that attempts to reverse hundreds of years of discrimination against others have resulted in you feeling like sometimes you got passed over for jobs because of who you are?
- 200 replies
-
- 14
-
-
-
-
My brother is an addict. Started smoking anything he could light on fire in middle school, then started selling it out of his bedroom window. After I moved away to college, he got into harder stuff and stole money from my parents' money market account to buy drugs. They kicked him out and he eventually made his way to Austin. He got a DUI in Travis County in 2007. We weren't speaking much then, so when I got a call from jail at 7 am I was more than surprised. After we hung up I made some calls and got him released without bail since he was a first-time offender. I guess there's still a lot of paperwork that has to happen, and one has to be given time to sober up, because at noon the same day he called back from jail. Started telling me the same exact story I'd heard 5 hours earlier. I cut him off, told him he was a fucking asshole, and that I was not going to pick him up. I called his roommate who went and got him. He did alcohol counseling and stopped drinking. Still smokes weed like a chimney but as far as I know, it's the only thing he smokes. We got a lot closer after that, mainly due to his outreach to me (we have no other siblings). He still makes shit financial choices but has had a steady job for a long time and an apartment near us. He takes care of our dog when we're out of town and he would murder anyone who messed with that dog. He'd also murder anyone who messed with me, or my family. When I had to have emergency surgery last year, he was the first to call about visiting me at the hospital. Lately things have been shakier than usual. His electricity almost got cut off and he almost got evicted until my parents intervened. He doesn't ask me for money or for a place to stay because he knows I'd say no, but if his dog needs food or if he needs to borrow a carpet cleaner or whatever, I'm ok with that. A few months ago he mentioned that he started drinking again. Not much, he says. But I know how it goes. We come from a family of alcoholics. I guess all this is to say, I can see how someone can try and fail to help an addict they love. Not to be cliche, but even addicts contain multitudes. The Reiners, I'm sure, held out hope until the last minute. When it's your kid, I imagine it's another order of magnitude of difficulty. What a tragedy.
- 161 replies
-
- 16
-
-
-
Clint is Henry's grandpa. Henry's dad was Butch. Yes, the cycle is mentioned in the book. Hank Grogan isn't in the book, but there's an offhand reference to Bev having a friend named Ronnie Grogan. I think TV show Ronnie is just an Easter egg for fans of the book.
-
Movies that stuck to or significantly deviated from the book
austingirl replied to Superhero's topic in Movies and TV
I read it a long time ago, in college, during my Languages of Middle Earth class. Which was a real class that I took. For fun. -
Movies that stuck to or significantly deviated from the book
austingirl replied to Superhero's topic in Movies and TV
LOTR is one of the few movies where I liked the movies better than the books (and I generally liked the books). Tolkien needed a stronger editor. A lot of the prose in that series could've been cut to make the flow better, without sacrificing story. -
This is exactly - and I mean, EXACTLY - the unironic POV of 99% of my hometown. Indian and all.
-
If I had fuck you money, you'd never see me again.
- 479 replies
-
- 11
-
-
-
Pluribus - Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn
austingirl replied to gofuckyourself's topic in Movies and TV
What I've been wondering lately is, who's the queen? Every hive has one, so who (or what) is directing all of their actions? What greater end does their acquiescence serve? -
Do they think executive orders = genie wishes?
-
-
It is GLORIOUS in Austin today. Went on a 1.5 hour walk/hike and it was lovely. Fuck hot-ass November weather.
-
Totally agree, with one note - I think they are using a timeline based on the later It movies, not the book. I was confused by this, too, and that's the only thing that makes sense. In the recent movies, they're kids are in the 1980s, not the 50s, so the series taking place in the 60s lines up.
-
Eternity- Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner
austingirl replied to UpperWestside's topic in Movies and TV
Thanks for the rec! I will definitely check it out - it does look great.
Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... COOKIE MONSTER!