The other day global warming came up in conversation and my friend laid out the reasons why he was skeptical, why we’re probably witnessing just a normal temperature cycle, how Al Gore exaggerates, etc etc. Afterwards I told him, “Dude, don’t you see? The global warming skeptic used to be the fashionable position of smart people. The wheels have spun and the anti-skeptic is back on top.”
He smiled solemnly, ever aware of the need to stay one step ahead of the vicious hype cycle, agreed global warming skepticism has jumped the shark, and resolved to join the fight to save our planet.
I’m hoping I’m sensing a little sarcasm in your post, but if not, just a little background on Gore’s “exaggerations” (scroll down past the rant about Olbermann):
http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh080708.shtml
The short version: Just like the malarkey about “invented the Internet,” which Gore never actually said, most of the outlandish lies he was supposed to have said were ginned up the media. The dude is known as a serial exaggerator only because the mainstream press corps implanted the storyline in our head, taking the bait from the Republicans, who announced they wanted to use mockery as a weapon just as it had been used against Dan Quayle. (People don’t remember this. But they remember Al Gore being an exaggerator.)
BONUS TRIVIA: John Kerry never said, “Who among us does not love NASCAR,” though that didn’t stop The New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd from printing it in the paper of record.
Enjoying your blog, and all best,
Marc
Okay, I just need to speak up on this:
“Jumping the shark” doesn’t mean what you think it does. According to WP it “denotes that point in a TV show or movie series’ history where the plot veers off into ridiculous story lines or out-of-the-ordinary characterizations…” I think you’re using it to mean something has gone out of vogue, but that’s not what it means.
Similarly, r/t your July 1 post ‘Is “Just Get Started” Bad Advice?’ — please know that ‘whether writing girds your loins’ does NOT mean ‘whether writing floats your boat’ or similar. To gird one’s loins means to physically or (now) psychologically prepare for battle, and derives from the practice of donning an armored ‘girdle’ to protect the middle of one’s body.
Trying to help — using these expressions wrongly makes it look like you’re trying too hard.
I usually use the analogy that if this was a few hundred years ago they’d probably think the world is flat too.
“Not always this nit-picky” my ass. Here is a question for Debbie Downer; Why couldn’t you have just e-mailed Ben your criticism and leave the comments to those who have something to contribute to the thought? Ben’s posted his e-mail address on his website (casnocha.com) and his Facebook.
Back to the post…
I try to keep an optimistic view toward the electorate, particularly as we are in the middle of a presidential election. This is made difficult however when it seems so many are swayed by the biases presented by the popular media outlets and the “hype cycle”.
Marc – yes, sarcasm. 🙂
Nit-Pick – The Jump the Shark phrase has actually evolved beyond its origin (TV shows). David Brooks, for example, used it in a column to refer to Obama’s optimism appeal.