Applause as Obedience Training
April 18, 2020
THEY told you to clap. Clap, dog, clap. Applaud as your lives are stolen from you. O happy prisoner, you can still clap while under house arrest.
Say, I will never clap for you.
— Comments —
Anne writes:
This man’s commentary is occasionally vulgar, but he certainly understands the tone of this poorly conceived ad campaign.
Laura writes:
Are you sure you watched the video I posted?
The voice is that of a woman. And there is no vulgarity in it.
Here is the link to it. Please let me know if you are not getting the video I posted.
You’re right, the clapping idea came from some advertising office, not the grassroots. Slick and transparent manipulation. These people view human beings as laboratory animals.
Terry Morris writes:
I’ve said elsewhere that it’s very hard for me to believe that, e.g., truckers (or grocery store checkers/clerks, for that matter) are tacking banners on the sides of their rigs (or buildings) declaring that “A Hero works here.” Whereas I know for a fact, and first hand, that medical workers at hospitals not at all impacted by the virus, have done the same, and then some, surrounding their institutions. On the other hand, I have long been a strong advocate of ceasing the practice of declaring ‘Philadelphia’s Finest,’ say as, well, Philadelphia’s Finest. The problem being of course that (1) they’re not the city’s finest, and even if they were, (2) the psychological impact of saying so and convincing themselves so for… decades, cannot possibly be good. As someone wise once said, “there is nothing so absurd as to repeat something often enough that people begin to believe it.” I know, I know, William James said that. But so did Jefferson, et al.
Bottom line: don’t be stupid, and by all means, don’t be absurd. What we’re seeing currently with the banners declaring health care workers “heroes” is stupid and absurd beyond belief.
Laura writes:
Nurses and doctors always deserve gratitude when they perform their jobs well, but this stuff is staged. Triggering fear and blind compassion are ways to shut down the public’s critical thinking and distract.
