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6.52am
23 January 2011
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Okay…so there’s this girl in my class who posted a quote on facebook attributed to Mitt Romney that was from a satire website, thinking it was real. I don’t particularly like Romney, but I hate it when satire gets put out there as being real. I told her it was from a satire website. Someone else asked, “who decides the website is ‘satire?'”
Uh-hmmmm…the website, in their “this website is satire,” disclaimer.
I walked away from the situation with a bad taste in my mouth, like I was in the wrong for pointing out the quote wasn’t real, even though I don’t like Romney. He says enough dumb stuff for people to pick apart without having to make things up. Should I have just left it alone, or was it okay to do what I did?
I probably sounded like a nitpicker, but damn. Learn to look up a source before posting s**t.
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
12.18pm
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1 May 2011
Offline You did the right thing in my opinion. If someone didnt say what is attributed to them then its only right that its corrected, if a person who forwards it or passes a quote on as fact when it is not is there in the room then yes tell them and hopefully they will correct it.
There is enough ignorance in the world why add more or let it pass?
As for Romney i havent seen a lot of him but i dont agree with his proposal to rip up the health service which Obama is trying to put in place (and im not looking for a political debate so if anyone doesnt agree please dont charge me down).
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
1.12pm
23 January 2011
Offline She posted some racist quote that Romney didn’t actually say, which got all of her friends riled up. I’m sure Romney has said racist things before, but this wasn’t one of them.
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
5.13am
5 November 2011
Offline I would have done it. It annoys me when people post political things, since a lot of it is very ignorant and wrong (especially the responses they get), so I usually unfriend the people who post that stuff.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
5.23am
19 September 2010
Offline I’m of two minds. Is it the fault of the satire site, or of the girl? I want to say the girl, but it’s the same problem The Daily Show creates – unfortunately, some young adults do watch it to get their news. And, while my gut is telling me you were right to say it, I think you need to be careful in being too blatant. We have a culture that blurs the line between satire and hard news. Do it, but make sure it’s done respectfully (as I have no doubt you did).
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
8.08pm
4 December 2010
Offline I point things like this out. People usually “fall” for stealth parodies of fundamentalist Christians, like Landover Baptist Church, and also The Onion. I’m really surprised people still fall for The Onion actually…
I told her I didn’t
10.33pm
23 January 2011
Offline mr. Sun king coming together said
I’m of two minds. Is it the fault of the satire site, or of the girl? I want to say the girl, but it’s the same problem The Daily Show creates – unfortunately, some young adults do watch it to get their news. And, while my gut is telling me you were right to say it, I think you need to be careful in being too blatant. We have a culture that blurs the line between satire and hard news. Do it, but make sure it’s done respectfully (as I have no doubt you did).
Unfortunately, I’ll have to disagree with you about the Daily Show. It is somewhat satirical in that it makes fun of politicians…but I would trust the actual reporting they do over Fox News or MSNBC any day of the week.
And the thing is…I don’t disagree with her opinion of Mitt Romney. I don’t like him, either. BUT HE DIDN’T SAY WHAT SHE SAID HE DID. I take issue with that. It wasn’t the fault of the website because they had a very clear disclaimer.
I told her I was sorry if I offended her in a private message. It was long, too. She wrote me back and said I didn’t offend her, she just likes to argue…and she wasn’t about to read the whole “letter” I wrote her. All in good fun…
On a more sour note, I posted a few political things on my facebook…not much, just “I can barely watch this farce…” when watching the RNC (though I was intentionally ambiguous) and a Daily Show segment. My uncle, who I haven’t seen in a long time and barely keeps in touch, messaged me and told me to stop posting about politics, or some people might unfriend me. I took that as meaning him.
I pretty much told him I’ll do what I wish to do on my facebook page, but in a slightly nicer manner. Erghh….
I NEVER post anything I know will really piss someone off. I’m not really into heated conflict, and most of the people I know are Conservative…and I’m not. I know my boundaries. I don’t post things I can’t back up with facts. I occasionally post opinions, and that’s my right. If someone disagrees with me…okay, fine. But don’t tell me what I can and cannot say on my own page unless it is blatantly offensive or not factual.
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
10.45pm
19 September 2010
Offline kedame said
mr. Sun king coming together said
I’m of two minds. Is it the fault of the satire site, or of the girl? I want to say the girl, but it’s the same problem The Daily Show creates – unfortunately, some young adults do watch it to get their news. And, while my gut is telling me you were right to say it, I think you need to be careful in being too blatant. We have a culture that blurs the line between satire and hard news. Do it, but make sure it’s done respectfully (as I have no doubt you did).Unfortunately, I’ll have to disagree with you about the Daily Show. It is somewhat satirical in that it makes fun of politicians…but I would trust the actual reporting they do over Fox News or MSNBC any day of the week.
<br /
That is not a good thing. I mean, it says everything you need to know about Fox and MSNBC. But don’t treat the Daily Show seriously. Have you seen Stewart’s appearance on the old CNN show Crossfire? It’s on YouTube, and it is hilarious. It is not a serious show. He never claims it is. It drives Stewart crazy when he’s taken as seriously as cable news.
Oh, Okay – missed the part about the clear disclaimer on the website. In that case, full steam ahead.
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
12.23am
23 January 2011
Offline 
mr. Sun king coming together said
kedame said
mr. Sun king coming together said
I’m of two minds. Is it the fault of the satire site, or of the girl? I want to say the girl, but it’s the same problem The Daily Show creates – unfortunately, some young adults do watch it to get their news. And, while my gut is telling me you were right to say it, I think you need to be careful in being too blatant. We have a culture that blurs the line between satire and hard news. Do it, but make sure it’s done respectfully (as I have no doubt you did).Unfortunately, I’ll have to disagree with you about the Daily Show. It is somewhat satirical in that it makes fun of politicians…but I would trust the actual reporting they do over Fox News or MSNBC any day of the week.
<br /
That is not a good thing. I mean, it says everything you need to know about Fox and MSNBC. But don’t treat the Daily Show seriously. Have you seen Stewart’s appearance on the old CNN show Crossfire? It’s on YouTube, and it is hilarious. It is not a serious show. He never claims it is. It drives Stewart crazy when he’s taken as seriously as cable news.
Oh, Okay – missed the part about the clear disclaimer on the website. In that case, full steam ahead.
I know when to take humor as humor, and I know when humor shows a little of the truth, as well. I don’t take it as a “serious” cable new show, but they do report serious news sometimes. I learn more from Stewart’s interviews of people (including Republicans) than I have ever learned from a “serious” news show. Just because it’s not “serious,” and it is humorous does not mean you can’t learn from it. I read the news, but I get a lot of news from Jon, as well.
I have seen that Crossfire episode, and Jon ripped Tucker Carlson a new a*****e on it. He actually had to KNOW stuff in order to do so.
I am well aware of what the show actually is, considering I’ve been watching it for about 6 years or so. And while I know it’s “fake,” there are actual facts you can glean from the show. I don’t think Jon Stewart or his writers would be driven crazy by knowing I feel that way, either.
The show offers a good overview of a day’s political cycle, and in a way that makes it digestible and funny, while pointing out the clear bullshit along the way. I think I am plenty bright enough to figure out what in the show is complete satire and what isn’t.
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
12.46am
19 September 2010
Offline But not everyone who watchs The Daily Show is as intelligent as you seem to be. Not everyone gets that. And, I do wonder if, in creating a very good show (which, in case it hasn’t been clear I love) he’s blurred the line between satire (his fake Romney tax releases) and his serious points (when he Dedicated a whole segment to lambasting Harry Reid for his claim Romney paid no taxes) to the point where some people don’t see the line. I say this, not because of people like you and me, who get his moments of humor vs serious points, but because so many people don’t. His interviews are informative, and I love them.
I guess my objection isn’t to Stewart – it’s that the rest of your media is so useless that people say they learn more from interviews with Jon Stewart then with anyone else.
Oh, and if Romney wins you guys (The USA) are screwed. Possibly permanently.
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
8.34pm
5 November 2011
Offline Well I thought we were screwed either way, but I guess that’s alright because we had to make way for China sometime anyways.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
4.14am
15 August 2012
Offline kedame said
mr. Sun king coming together said
I’m of two minds. Is it the fault of the satire site, or of the girl? I want to say the girl, but it’s the same problem The Daily Show creates – unfortunately, some young adults do watch it to get their news. And, while my gut is telling me you were right to say it, I think you need to be careful in being too blatant. We have a culture that blurs the line between satire and hard news. Do it, but make sure it’s done respectfully (as I have no doubt you did).Unfortunately, I’ll have to disagree with you about the Daily Show. It is somewhat satirical in that it makes fun of politicians…but I would trust the actual reporting they do over Fox News or MSNBC any day of the week.
And the thing is…I don’t disagree with her opinion of Mitt Romney. I don’t like him, either. BUT HE DIDN’T SAY WHAT SHE SAID HE DID. I take issue with that. It wasn’t the fault of the website because they had a very clear disclaimer.
I told her I was sorry if I offended her in a private message. It was long, too. She wrote me back and said I didn’t offend her, she just likes to argue…and she wasn’t about to read the whole “letter” I wrote her. All in good fun…
On a more sour note, I posted a few political things on my facebook…not much, just “I can barely watch this farce…” when watching the RNC (though I was intentionally ambiguous) and a Daily Show segment. My uncle, who I haven’t seen in a long time and barely keeps in touch, messaged me and told me to stop posting about politics, or some people might unfriend me. I took that as meaning him.
I pretty much told him I’ll do what I wish to do on my facebook page, but in a slightly nicer manner. Erghh….
I NEVER post anything I know will really piss someone off. I’m not really into heated conflict, and most of the people I know are Conservative…and I’m not. I know my boundaries. I don’t post things I can’t back up with facts. I occasionally post opinions, and that’s my right. If someone disagrees with me…okay, fine. But don’t tell me what I can and cannot say on my own page unless it is blatantly offensive or not factual.
As far as the uncle thing goes… maybe he didn’t like how you disagreed with the RNC, not the fact that you didn’t agree with what was being said there in the first place? If he’s a conservative, he might just get offended when something he’s gladly following is called a “farce.” Less about the disagreement itself, more about the wording. As a moderate, I know people of both sides tend to get very offended when something they agree with strongly is dismissed or insulted. You might not have meant it like that, but politics are a touchy issue. How you disagree with something, you need to handle very carefully when in mixed company, like on the internet where lots of people can read what you say.
… Not trying to lecture. (I just realized that might have sounded kind of lecture-y.) Just trying to give some insight. If you want to talk about politics around lots of others without incurring anger sometimes, you’re going to need to stick with very neutral wording such as “I don’t like/agree with this”… or stop letting their anger bother you, ha ha.
It was kind of dumb if you never even see each other, though. I mean, threatening to un-friend someone you never see just because of a political post you don’t agree with is kind of overreacting… well, a lot.
"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."
- Dr. Seuss
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