Tuesday, October 13, 2009

"... morons and Luddites"

I don't normally read NewsWeek. I've nothing against it, it's just that I don't read the few periodicals I get already - adding another seems pointless.
But, today I was at my Mom's - and she is a subscriber. I stole hers.

I just might start paying attention to this guy: Daniel Lyons. From his column, An SOS for Science:
Two weeks ago I spent time with some of the top scientists in the field of alternative energy, including John Holdren, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, a.k.a. our national "science czar." We were attending a conference in Washington, D.C., that drew CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, as well as entrepreneurs and investors. I came away convinced that the United States, which for decades has been the world leader in science and technology, will soon be eclipsed by China and other countries. Alternative energy is the next tidal wave in tech innovation. If we miss it, we will not only weaken our economy and harm our national security—we will turn ourselves into a second-rate nation. And as I sat there listening to the experts speak, all I could think was, we're doomed.

It's not because our scientists aren't brilliant. They are. But look at what they're up against: a noisy babble of morons and Luddites, the "Drill, baby, drill" crowd, the birthers, and tea-party kooks who have done their best to derail health-care reform and will do the same to any kind of energy policy.

[emphasis added]
Morons and Luddites! - YES: that's right on all counts. An accurate description of the opposition, including just the right connotative ridicule!

Plus! - "a noisy babble": perfect!!!

This is the appropriate tone to adopt when "debating" the so-called loyal opposition: Informed snark!

Why aren't our esteemed Dems adopting this tone?
Beats the hell out of me.

Nerdy aside:
The Luddites were a social movement of British textile artisans in the early nineteenth century who protested—often by destroying mechanized looms—against the changes produced by the Industrial Revolution, which they felt were leaving them without work and changing their entire way of life.
[Wikipedia entry, Luddite]
Luddites: folks who provocatively, pointlessly, and destructively rail against progress.
Does any of this sound familiar?

In the best of all possible worlds I'll remember to use the construction,
a noisy babble of morons and Luddites
as frequently as possible in all future rants.

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