Two points about the “expert class” (e.g., the tyrant class):
1. Lying liars lie. All the time. About everything. It’s what they do. Their consciences are seared. They don’t even know, most of the time, they’re doing it. When they do know, they don’t care. In their “class” there are never any consequences.
2. Pretenders pretend. All the time. About everything. It’s what they do, because their arguments and “tenets of their faith” only work in a world of pretend.
Ergo, Margaret Brennan’s argument that “free speech caused the Holocaust” makes the point about the chattering experts -
lying liars pretend. Everyone in that class will nod approvingly. If they control the judicial/law enforcement system, as the Germans are proving, anyone not pretending and exposing the lies shall be arrested. Truth tellers cannot be tolerated.
Margret Brennan is creating the spin to plant the seed that Trump is Hitler and this is what's coming. Truly sick and yes, a lie. Happy so few watch CBS anymore.
I don't think so. She's merely responding to a seed planted about 15 seconds after pdjt came down the escalator. "Trump is Hitler!" has now grown into a mighty, overarching tree that shields all of them from the harsh sunlight of reality.
All over the West governments are lusting after the German system of censorship. They use mystery language like “malinformation” and “preserving Our Democracy”, but 1984-style rule is what they crave and only the US Constitution serves as a bulwark against it here.
They dont know they’re lying because they are merely following their obedience training. They get treats from their masters when they perform their tricks properly.
It is infuriating. They are disgusting. People have to start yelling at them in restaurants like that freak old black lady politician said. I’m sick of them seeing such horrible things and getting away with it. I’m sick to death of it.
I used to explain to my staff that the first law of dealing with the public was that people lie. All the time. Even when it’s not to their benefit. The only thing that changes that are consequences. The Federal bureaucracy has had no consequences for lying, about anything, for almost my entire lifetime. And that’s why they are melting down.
The rise of managerialism has spawned an entire class of effete, college-educated elites who specialize in the manipulation and control of people, information, ideas, and money.
Because these technocratic “experts” pass through progressive madrassas (read: elite universities), they’re largely enculturated with the same language, cultural sensibilities, and ideological prejudices as the rest of their peers. And it certainly doesn't help that success within the professional managerial class is heavily dependent on social maneuvering, which requires recitation of and commitment to a “correct” set of beliefs and opinions—a “managerial consensus” that both elevates you to a position of moral superiority and legitimizes your right to rule.
"...an entire class of effete, college-educated elites who specialize in the manipulation and control of people"
The elites have begun losing that control. Trump and Co. may save the US from following Europe down the drain, while writing that obituary for the grifting class.
It seems that Europe may be in for some violence. They are in a bad place.
They alson don’t have to ready “do” anything. Therefore, they can pretend all they want until a new managerial style comes around that they can glom onto.
Education is being redefined at the demand of the uneducated to suit the ideas of the uneducated.
The student now goes to college to proclaim, rather than to learn. The lessons of the past are ignored and obliterated, and a contemporary antagonism known as “The Generation Gap.”
A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete core of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals.
Spiro Agnew, perhaps a reincarnated Lysander Spooner.
Great explanation, which coincides with CPAs rarely succeeding in politics above city level. They’re trained from freshman year onwards that truth and accuracy are THE most critical values/skills.
On the one hand Margaret Brennan’s comments exemplify that rule most of us recognized 10, 12 years ago, the one beginning: “Just when you think they can’t get any lamer, …”
On the other, her intervention is brilliant, no? She pithily nails the entire western managerial class’ ultimate logic: “Free speech caused the Holocaust.”
I mean, we really should be thanking her for this meme.
It's going to be hard for anyone to top this, don't you think? Didn't the Pythons have a sketch about the world's funniest joke, which, alas, could not be told because the would - be teller would laugh himself to death in making the attempt? For deeply subterranean unconscious reasons I can't possibly explain, that reminds me of The Brennan Folly.
Hey, I may have coined a term. "The Brennan Folly." That could be a new standard of measure of impossible stupidity. It could come with a 1 to 10 scale.
Odd thing, Bobby. I was just thinking about that Monty Python bit a few days ago. I remember the op required translating the joke into German. Two of the translators ended up in hospital.
As for your prediction that Brennan hit the high water mark, I’ll only say: Never underestimate these people. I give them two months tops.
Still, Eric, I think "The Brennan Index" has such a nice sound to it. I agree, others may eventually perform a Bob Beamon - like ( I think that was his name ) long jump into the annals ( problematic word, that ) of legendary stupidity, but then, it's long been known that standard IQ tests are severely lacking ( dull normal, at best ), yet we still use them.
I read this and momentarily wondered, why doesn't the deep state challenge or usurp congress' or the senate's power, which we'd know, were it happening, by howling or SOME pushback from those bodies. I think the answer is, that ain't where the real power is so why bother. Our first branch gave up its constitutionally-superior position to the bureauracy like a weak father handing over the car keys (and his balls) to the teenage kids he helped spawn. He thought they'd use the car for errands and driving to work, but ha-ha, nope. There's the grocery getter wrapped around a tree and the kids are back smelling of cheap wine and demanding another car.
Elected officials in the House and Senate at least have the power to legally impose laws that please their rich donors/lobbyists to the detriment of the general population, and to siphon off taxpayer money.
which is pretty much the point of every pice of legislation that is passed. congress should meet for maybe 3-4 months every 2 years, unless a special assembly is required because of a war or something.
Margaret Brennan is a dope and ignoramus of the first order. And not at all a serious person in the ways we should be serious, meaning proper discernment, clarity, facts. Arrogant and ignorant: the worst combo and so prevalent today, both domineering and preening. It's depressing that people with such large soapboxes can be just so ignorant and easily duped, and also so lauded by the equally terrified and ignorant.
Hollow out people of religious faith, community, cheat them of good civic and history education; pass vague hate speech laws introduced in the 1990's following the spread of racist politically correct thinking of the 1980's preceded by hate your racist country of the 1960's and 70's, after loosening immigration policies. This all in western countries concludes in what Germans and British people are now enduring and in what we could be experiencing as well had the present administration not taken office.
We had a strong taste of this during the censorship and speech management during the scam demic. Remove our humanity, fill us with fear and justify it by shaming the noncompliant as immoral deplorables.
This has all been an orchestrated effort in western countries towards totalitarian, centrally planned, new governing structures imagined many decades ago, which some call technocracy, rule by experts, and portrayed in books such as 1984 and Brave New World.
JD Vance offended them on Friday with a brilliant speech and by Sunday, ironically the show 60 minutes, intending the opposite, proves his point.
Can you imagine yourself saying on national tv that “ free speech brought on the Holocaust?” Even more incredible , CBS has offered no correction . They truly are at one with themselves. I’m amazed that they have not been laughed out of town. Our MSM is truly corrupt and despicable.
I thought of Charlie Hebdo as well. My, how things have changed in just a few years. Their expressions of outrage and unity over freedom of speech that the media displayed almost universally a few years ago turns out to be just another example of virtue signaling pearl clutching now.
Lewis Lapham, the longtime Harper's editor, published a book in 2004, Gag Rule, that makes the same arguments about a hyper-insulated elite that Lasch apparently made.
A line: "In place of the reckless and independent-minded individual. . . we now have a quorum of anxious careerists . . . happy to oblige, eager to please."
Margaret Brennan is a great example of our current elite journo class: an empty, vacuous partisan who trades on her good looks but lacks honesty, curiosity, and integrity.
Eh, she's more of a sorta-hot-coworker-I'd-bang-if-we-met-at-a-bar-hot...and then immediately ghost her the day after when she sends 35 texts in a row.
I saw the rot from within as a member of the media for over 4 decades. I ended up cancelled due to a desire to allow different opinions (sacrilege!). My honest question for the mainstream media is this......"Who are your consumers and why do you believe they have any interest in the twaddle you are peddling?"
Most of the people in charge still can't comprehend that the public has no appetite for wokeista folderol. It leads to the mindset of "Well we'll just have to keep hammering away until these ignoramuses understand what's good for them." Sort of like when my Dad felt he had to keep hitting me to get me to fall into line. It didn't work for him and it won't work for them either.....sigh
Where it all ends (please Chris Tell Me How This Ends) I don't know but I don't think it will be a soft landing as indeed many civil servants are finding out.
As for me after plenty of angst I have come to terms with my banishment. I am now living a glorious life with my bride, children, grandchildren, friends, dogs and plenty of activities. Living well IS the best revenge......especially when living off of a pension supplied by the commissars....and I plan on living for a long, long time.
“Media” used to understand the concept of “mass appeal” - reaching the largest number of people possible. There was no expectation that everyone was going to be pleased with every piece of content but the next page in the paper or the next song on the radio or the next Tv show on the channel might appeal.
That started changing in the 80’s - radio went first with the concept of “narrowcasting” - super serve a market segment and they won’t turn to another station. Then TV started doing it what with so many cable channels devoted to one type of programming. WGN-TV used to be mass appeal but now theyve gone from 2 hours of news every day to 12 hours of news every day. Its cheap, easy, and consistent.
This narrowcasting has lasted 40 years so now almost nobody under the age of 50 even understands the concept of “mass appeal”. And this is especially true of the people within the industry. They’re so narcissistic they think DEI is mass appeal when it is the opposite. Their shrinking ratings, shrinking circulation, shrinking web hits, and shrinking ad revenue is the proof. Narcissists simply can’t comprehend the concept of mass appeal.
When the German prosecutors (Thought Police) started discussing which was the greater crime, insulting someone in person or insulting them online, I rolled my eyes up in my head so far I may have damaged my optic nerve.
Can the US offer some of these nasty anti-immigration cartoonist asylum because I have a feeling they might not get the benefit of the doubt in Wokistan.
Basically what they're saying is government is only for them. And that makes sense because they believe government is a patronage system for their interests.
Democracy to them means federal bureaucracy runs the government. In this way they can bypass the constitution and checks and balances....and us pesky voters who don't understand that government was created for the career bureaucrats to have jobs and power.
Chris, you brought Christopher Lasch into the fray! Was that from "Culture of Narcissism"? No one quotes him anymore, but he is SO relevant, more than ever. Thank you.
Two points about the “expert class” (e.g., the tyrant class):
1. Lying liars lie. All the time. About everything. It’s what they do. Their consciences are seared. They don’t even know, most of the time, they’re doing it. When they do know, they don’t care. In their “class” there are never any consequences.
2. Pretenders pretend. All the time. About everything. It’s what they do, because their arguments and “tenets of their faith” only work in a world of pretend.
Ergo, Margaret Brennan’s argument that “free speech caused the Holocaust” makes the point about the chattering experts -
lying liars pretend. Everyone in that class will nod approvingly. If they control the judicial/law enforcement system, as the Germans are proving, anyone not pretending and exposing the lies shall be arrested. Truth tellers cannot be tolerated.
Their obituary as a class can’t come soon enough.
Great line.
🙏🤞🙏🤞🙏🤞🙏🤞
Margret Brennan is creating the spin to plant the seed that Trump is Hitler and this is what's coming. Truly sick and yes, a lie. Happy so few watch CBS anymore.
I don't think so. She's merely responding to a seed planted about 15 seconds after pdjt came down the escalator. "Trump is Hitler!" has now grown into a mighty, overarching tree that shields all of them from the harsh sunlight of reality.
All over the West governments are lusting after the German system of censorship. They use mystery language like “malinformation” and “preserving Our Democracy”, but 1984-style rule is what they crave and only the US Constitution serves as a bulwark against it here.
They dont know they’re lying because they are merely following their obedience training. They get treats from their masters when they perform their tricks properly.
These pieces of shit are collecting millions upon milllions of dollars.
They should have their lieing tongues cut out before stringing them up. These people are the filth they think we are.
It is infuriating. They are disgusting. People have to start yelling at them in restaurants like that freak old black lady politician said. I’m sick of them seeing such horrible things and getting away with it. I’m sick to death of it.
I used to explain to my staff that the first law of dealing with the public was that people lie. All the time. Even when it’s not to their benefit. The only thing that changes that are consequences. The Federal bureaucracy has had no consequences for lying, about anything, for almost my entire lifetime. And that’s why they are melting down.
You do realize that both of your points describe diagnosable narcissists, don't you?
The rise of managerialism has spawned an entire class of effete, college-educated elites who specialize in the manipulation and control of people, information, ideas, and money.
Because these technocratic “experts” pass through progressive madrassas (read: elite universities), they’re largely enculturated with the same language, cultural sensibilities, and ideological prejudices as the rest of their peers. And it certainly doesn't help that success within the professional managerial class is heavily dependent on social maneuvering, which requires recitation of and commitment to a “correct” set of beliefs and opinions—a “managerial consensus” that both elevates you to a position of moral superiority and legitimizes your right to rule.
https://www.euphoricrecall.net/p/democracy-dies-in-sunlight
"...an entire class of effete, college-educated elites who specialize in the manipulation and control of people"
The elites have begun losing that control. Trump and Co. may save the US from following Europe down the drain, while writing that obituary for the grifting class.
It seems that Europe may be in for some violence. They are in a bad place.
I pray you're correct. I am, like many people here, not cut out to live in a communist country. I would not do well in a gulag.
They alson don’t have to ready “do” anything. Therefore, they can pretend all they want until a new managerial style comes around that they can glom onto.
…really…
Education is being redefined at the demand of the uneducated to suit the ideas of the uneducated.
The student now goes to college to proclaim, rather than to learn. The lessons of the past are ignored and obliterated, and a contemporary antagonism known as “The Generation Gap.”
A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete core of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals.
Spiro Agnew, perhaps a reincarnated Lysander Spooner.
Great explanation, which coincides with CPAs rarely succeeding in politics above city level. They’re trained from freshman year onwards that truth and accuracy are THE most critical values/skills.
Great comment and thanks for the link.
You might find this appropriate or interesting https://activisms.substack.com/p/compliance-with-vibes-is-the-primary
On the one hand Margaret Brennan’s comments exemplify that rule most of us recognized 10, 12 years ago, the one beginning: “Just when you think they can’t get any lamer, …”
On the other, her intervention is brilliant, no? She pithily nails the entire western managerial class’ ultimate logic: “Free speech caused the Holocaust.”
I mean, we really should be thanking her for this meme.
It's going to be hard for anyone to top this, don't you think? Didn't the Pythons have a sketch about the world's funniest joke, which, alas, could not be told because the would - be teller would laugh himself to death in making the attempt? For deeply subterranean unconscious reasons I can't possibly explain, that reminds me of The Brennan Folly.
Hey, I may have coined a term. "The Brennan Folly." That could be a new standard of measure of impossible stupidity. It could come with a 1 to 10 scale.
Odd thing, Bobby. I was just thinking about that Monty Python bit a few days ago. I remember the op required translating the joke into German. Two of the translators ended up in hospital.
As for your prediction that Brennan hit the high water mark, I’ll only say: Never underestimate these people. I give them two months tops.
Wait till they hear about the North Minehead by-election...
Still, Eric, I think "The Brennan Index" has such a nice sound to it. I agree, others may eventually perform a Bob Beamon - like ( I think that was his name ) long jump into the annals ( problematic word, that ) of legendary stupidity, but then, it's long been known that standard IQ tests are severely lacking ( dull normal, at best ), yet we still use them.
The Brennan Index has a definite ring, yes. We can try to coin it as a marker.
But if the Brennan Index is now at 10, with Brennan, I'm afraid it's not going to stay there.
So we might use things like: "With that remark you score an 8 on the Brennan Index. Be careful."
But we'll probably come to: "You broke the Brennan Index."
Even if they eliminate Trump and Musk with extreme prejudice, it's over for them anyway. Cliche warning: The cat's out of the bag.
In less than a month we learned too much about how the government really works for the bureaucrats to stop the reform.
Traditional media is obviously just government propaganda.
The elected officials in the House and Senate don't have any power. We have no representation. They are controlled by the bureaucracy.
The President and Supreme Court are our only hope in taking government away from the bureaucrats and give it back to the people.
I read this and momentarily wondered, why doesn't the deep state challenge or usurp congress' or the senate's power, which we'd know, were it happening, by howling or SOME pushback from those bodies. I think the answer is, that ain't where the real power is so why bother. Our first branch gave up its constitutionally-superior position to the bureauracy like a weak father handing over the car keys (and his balls) to the teenage kids he helped spawn. He thought they'd use the car for errands and driving to work, but ha-ha, nope. There's the grocery getter wrapped around a tree and the kids are back smelling of cheap wine and demanding another car.
Elected officials in the House and Senate at least have the power to legally impose laws that please their rich donors/lobbyists to the detriment of the general population, and to siphon off taxpayer money.
which is pretty much the point of every pice of legislation that is passed. congress should meet for maybe 3-4 months every 2 years, unless a special assembly is required because of a war or something.
Margaret Brennan is a dope and ignoramus of the first order. And not at all a serious person in the ways we should be serious, meaning proper discernment, clarity, facts. Arrogant and ignorant: the worst combo and so prevalent today, both domineering and preening. It's depressing that people with such large soapboxes can be just so ignorant and easily duped, and also so lauded by the equally terrified and ignorant.
Nothing worse than a stupid people who think they are smart.
"The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." - Dennis Prager
unless the government is fighting anti-semitism, then its ok.
Hollow out people of religious faith, community, cheat them of good civic and history education; pass vague hate speech laws introduced in the 1990's following the spread of racist politically correct thinking of the 1980's preceded by hate your racist country of the 1960's and 70's, after loosening immigration policies. This all in western countries concludes in what Germans and British people are now enduring and in what we could be experiencing as well had the present administration not taken office.
We had a strong taste of this during the censorship and speech management during the scam demic. Remove our humanity, fill us with fear and justify it by shaming the noncompliant as immoral deplorables.
This has all been an orchestrated effort in western countries towards totalitarian, centrally planned, new governing structures imagined many decades ago, which some call technocracy, rule by experts, and portrayed in books such as 1984 and Brave New World.
JD Vance offended them on Friday with a brilliant speech and by Sunday, ironically the show 60 minutes, intending the opposite, proves his point.
Can you imagine yourself saying on national tv that “ free speech brought on the Holocaust?” Even more incredible , CBS has offered no correction . They truly are at one with themselves. I’m amazed that they have not been laughed out of town. Our MSM is truly corrupt and despicable.
A dog returns to its vomit.
I'm constantly gratified by the erudition of the commenters to Tell Me How This Ends.
“Imagine having the courage to fight…cartoons. Imagine being a journalist who finds it impressive.” Best line of a very good article. Thanks Chris!
Vive Charlie Hebdo! Houellebecq has been describing this for years.
I thought of Charlie Hebdo as well. My, how things have changed in just a few years. Their expressions of outrage and unity over freedom of speech that the media displayed almost universally a few years ago turns out to be just another example of virtue signaling pearl clutching now.
Lewis Lapham, the longtime Harper's editor, published a book in 2004, Gag Rule, that makes the same arguments about a hyper-insulated elite that Lasch apparently made.
A line: "In place of the reckless and independent-minded individual. . . we now have a quorum of anxious careerists . . . happy to oblige, eager to please."
Margaret Brennan is a great example of our current elite journo class: an empty, vacuous partisan who trades on her good looks but lacks honesty, curiosity, and integrity.
Eh, she's more of a sorta-hot-coworker-I'd-bang-if-we-met-at-a-bar-hot...and then immediately ghost her the day after when she sends 35 texts in a row.
I saw the rot from within as a member of the media for over 4 decades. I ended up cancelled due to a desire to allow different opinions (sacrilege!). My honest question for the mainstream media is this......"Who are your consumers and why do you believe they have any interest in the twaddle you are peddling?"
Most of the people in charge still can't comprehend that the public has no appetite for wokeista folderol. It leads to the mindset of "Well we'll just have to keep hammering away until these ignoramuses understand what's good for them." Sort of like when my Dad felt he had to keep hitting me to get me to fall into line. It didn't work for him and it won't work for them either.....sigh
Where it all ends (please Chris Tell Me How This Ends) I don't know but I don't think it will be a soft landing as indeed many civil servants are finding out.
As for me after plenty of angst I have come to terms with my banishment. I am now living a glorious life with my bride, children, grandchildren, friends, dogs and plenty of activities. Living well IS the best revenge......especially when living off of a pension supplied by the commissars....and I plan on living for a long, long time.
“Media” used to understand the concept of “mass appeal” - reaching the largest number of people possible. There was no expectation that everyone was going to be pleased with every piece of content but the next page in the paper or the next song on the radio or the next Tv show on the channel might appeal.
That started changing in the 80’s - radio went first with the concept of “narrowcasting” - super serve a market segment and they won’t turn to another station. Then TV started doing it what with so many cable channels devoted to one type of programming. WGN-TV used to be mass appeal but now theyve gone from 2 hours of news every day to 12 hours of news every day. Its cheap, easy, and consistent.
This narrowcasting has lasted 40 years so now almost nobody under the age of 50 even understands the concept of “mass appeal”. And this is especially true of the people within the industry. They’re so narcissistic they think DEI is mass appeal when it is the opposite. Their shrinking ratings, shrinking circulation, shrinking web hits, and shrinking ad revenue is the proof. Narcissists simply can’t comprehend the concept of mass appeal.
When the German prosecutors (Thought Police) started discussing which was the greater crime, insulting someone in person or insulting them online, I rolled my eyes up in my head so far I may have damaged my optic nerve.
Can the US offer some of these nasty anti-immigration cartoonist asylum because I have a feeling they might not get the benefit of the doubt in Wokistan.
Excellent post, Chris.
Basically what they're saying is government is only for them. And that makes sense because they believe government is a patronage system for their interests.
Democracy to them means federal bureaucracy runs the government. In this way they can bypass the constitution and checks and balances....and us pesky voters who don't understand that government was created for the career bureaucrats to have jobs and power.
“DemocracyTM”
We are running out of the words and phrases that can be used to describe the scope, breadth, and depth of asininity of our so-called “elite” media.
Chris, you brought Christopher Lasch into the fray! Was that from "Culture of Narcissism"? No one quotes him anymore, but he is SO relevant, more than ever. Thank you.
"Revolt of the Elites," with a light sprinkling of "Haven in a Heartless World."