I recall from many years ago, Jon Ronson describing Alex Jones and one of Jones’ acolytes practicing “trying to sound smart” just before they infiltrated Bohemian Grove.
Alex and Mike began rehearsing preppy conversations.
‘But seriously,’ said Alex, adopting a recondite tone of voice, the two men rambling delicately along the corridor, ‘as fast as microprocessors are beginning to move …it’s getting down to a molecular level …the question is, what level will the actual basics of science stop us from making these systems smaller? It’s the entire nanotechnology revolution that I find most dynamic…’
I could see that Mike’s hands were shaking, making his polo shirt quiver.
‘I agree,’ he murmured, unsurely.
They looked over to me for approval.
‘I’m not sure about “I agree,”’ I said.
‘I don’t think we should practice talking,’ snapped Mike. ‘What comes up comes up. It’s got to be natural when we do it.’
‘No,’ said Alex. ‘We’re going to go over it and over it until we get it right.’
‘Okay,’ said Mike.
They resumed wandering along the corridor.
‘But I really want to know your opinion of nanotechnology,’ said Alex. ‘You’ve been studying it so closely. You’ve already got these transistors down to the size of molecules. What I want to know is when will the science, just the basic laws, stop our progress in the miniaturisation process. Doctor?’
Mike smiled wisely but he said nothing.
‘What do you think?’ said Alex to me.
‘Are you sure you don’t look too preppy?’ I said.
‘I need a prop to stop my hands from shaking,’ said Mike.
‘Mineral water,’ said Alex. ‘They drink mineral water.’
It’s basically the same issue as current AI algorithms. You need to have sufficient training data in order to sound knowledgeable enough to fool some people. And even then, experts or sometimes just legitimately smart people can still sniff it out
But people, unlike machines, and especially undisciplined grifters get distracted or bored or whatever and don’t actually study the training material and can’t even rise to that level.
Apropos of nothing in particular … here’s a quote from John Stuart Mill:
It is better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, are of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question. The other party to the comparison knows both sides.
Questions of propriety aside, the extended metaphors posted by the cold one say a lot more about himself than about the pit subject. If that mind were a house, I would not set foot in it. I would not even go to the street that it’s on.
Since comparing the creature to a plastic garage doll is on the table, I predict no offense in insulting Habba by comparing that vile entity to the similarly outrageous Boebert.
And vice versa.
But, I denounce the notion that denying any elevated status such as personhood to someone like Habba or her cohort is objectionable. The creature has done so to herself by her words of self-description, her words and actions in court, and the company she keeps.
Moreover, “Wer ein echter Mensch ist, bestimme Ich.” Hyperbolic statements are not in any way inappropriate for this thread.
Or, just call her “garage Barbie” and be done with it.
And following on from this, at first glance I thought this was another story about Habba’s antics, but it’s actually a later story about Trump himself doing exactly the same thing, getting warned by the judge, nearly getting himself ejected from the courtroom, and is lucky he didn’t get charged with contempt.
The jury by now must totally love this guy, and his lawyer, almost as much as the judge does!
Those who consider her “pretty” are making incredibly superficial judgments. In all seriousness, in real life I find it hard (indeed well-nigh impossible) to disentangle a person’s physical appearance and perceived attractiveness from what I know of their character. I don’t think such an observation typifies either misogyny or misandry. Speaking as a heterosexual male, I find Alina Habba to be utterly repulsive. Her glaring stupidity, lack of any semblance of ethics, and outrageous contempt for everyone around her totally defines who she is.
I agree with this 100%. I’ve thought about it, too. Take MTG. I guess she’s no beauty queen, but I would say reasonably attractive. If she were a real sweetheart, kind to the poor and marginalized, generous and courteous, her attractiveness would increase exponentially. As it is, her image repulses me.
I don’t necessarily disagree with you, but I think it’s relevant to quote this bit from your earlier response:
They (trump & Habba) are not incompetent; the scorekeeper is mistakenly scoring the wrong game.
First of all, Trump can readily be dismissed without any real argument as an ignorant and incompetent sociopath and a failure at every venture he’s ever been involved in. Habba may, in fact, be playing to the MAGA audience just as you say. But if so, that seems like a fatal indictment of the US justice system as just a show trial that presents their wannabe dictator as a persecuted hero, and elevates him even further in the esteem of his fawning sycophants.
My premise is that even now, in the flawed and benighted nation that the US has become, justice more or less still prevails most of the time, absolute dictators and show trials do not yet exist, and that lawyers who are contemptuous of judges and the justice system they represent are in violation of their professional ethics. In this context Habba is a disservice to her client. If she wants to be a Trump campaign manager she should withdraw from legal representation and apply for the actual job. Trying to do both at the same time is grossly unethical and, in my opinion, grounds for disbarment.
I said it on another thread, but will grant myself grace to repeat it here:
The basic strategy of Trump’s legal team – because neither the facts nor the law are on their side – seems analogous to how Ted Nugent addressed the Vietnam draft:
In a 1970s High Times article, American singer-songwriter and future conservative activist Ted Nugent stated that he took crystal meth, and urinated and defecated in his pants before his physical, in order to avoid being drafted into the Vietnam War.
I think it’s all about tipping over the chess board … in spectacular fashion.
Agree completely she should be disbarred for her conduct. As you say, she is making a mockery of the process. Which is not consistent with the duties and responsibilities of an “officer of the court”.
The issue is what ought the judge do today (or Monday really) about that conduct? Jail them both for contempt with a 365 day cooling off period before further review of their behavior? That’s a banana republic response as well.
The system has to be big enough to overlook these pinpricks now and yet strong enough to stomp on the perpetrators later. Pour encourager les autres.
I know the name thing is probably over and done, and I apologize if I missed this upthread, and maybe it’s too obvious and I have the sense of humor of a 5-year-old but…
Yes, “pretty” is an inherently superficial judgement based purely on someone’s looks. It’s also subjective, so it doesn’t really mean a goddamned thing. That’s why I’d prefer to use it in her nickname. I’m not calling her attractive or even much of anything. The outside surface does not immediately make milk curdle and children cry, so she’s pretty. She’s lucky she has that one advantage, because she doesn’t seem to have any others.
As an analogy: A Delorean is a very pretty car. At the same time, it’s a terrible sports car and I’d never own one. It’s lucky it was pretty enough to be used in a movie once.
