Talking At Cross Purposes About Unknown Knowns and Known Unknowns.

C@tmomma Uncategorized,

Jersey Boys

I was reading one of the ‘Best Longform Articles from 2012’, brought to our attention by Leroy Lynch and Magickle. Specifically, ‘Jersey Boys’ by Jeffrey Goldberg, from ‘The Atlantic’ magazine:

href=”http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/07/jersey-boys/309019/”

It’s basically an investigation about 2 of New Jersey’s most famous sons, Governor Chris Christie, a Republican and self-confessed ‘biggest fan’ of Bruce Springsteen, and ‘The Boss’ himself, Bruce Springsteen.

The article describes how one, the Republican, can’t understand how the other, a wealthy Democrat supporter, can be that way, when, as he sees it, Bruce Springsteen is the embodiment of the Republican ideal, a self-made man.

So, I thought I would give the Springsteen ‘Right of Reply’, from the Progressive Left perspective, if I may be so bold. As ‘The Boss’ is busy touring the world right now, and coming to Wayne Swan’s home town of Brisbane pretty soon too I believe. At which event I’m guessing Wayne swan will be in the front row!

So here I go.

Now, the article starts out by making an interesting point:

‘…most politicians-certainly most politicians of national stature-are either too dull, or too monomaniacally careerist to maintain fervent emotional relationships with artists. And when they do, the objects of their affection often resemble them ideologically or dispositionally-‘

Take the lyrics of the Springsteen song that is quoted in the article:

“Workin’ in the fields / Till you get your back burned / Workin’ ’neath the wheel / Till you get your facts learned / Baby, I got my facts / Learned real good right now.” He screams the song’s immortal lines: “Poor man wanna be rich / Rich man wanna be king / And a king ain’t satisfied till he rules everything / I wanna go out tonight / I wanna find out what I got.”

Now, it’s interesting to note the dichotomy of political belief as it relates to these 2 men & how they take different meanings out of the words of this song.

Chris Christie believes it exemplifies “The American Dream”, of starting at the bottom and working your way to the top. And no party enables the American Dream better than the Republican Party. That is, that the poor man working in the field aspires to be rich, that’s what motivates him to keep working in the field until his back burns. So that one day he might climb to the top of the greasy pole, and that he may become the rich man.

Then, as a rich man, he will keep aspiring to be more than that. He will aspire to be ‘king’. As in, in modern parlance, a CEO, PM or President. And that is fine and admirable according to Christie, and most modern Conservatives.

However, where I think Springsteen differs, is in the kicker in the tail told in that song, via the line:

‘And a king ain’t satisfied till he rules everything.’

Springsteen is saying the ‘king’ wants to keep the man in the field, workin’ neath the wheel, till his burnt back is broken.

Chris Christie doesn’t question the ‘Power at all costs as you rise to the top’ mentality. Springsteen does.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Springsteen had a few modern media moguls and politicians, like Rupert Murdoch & Silvio Berlusconi, in mind, when he wrote that line.

Men mainly. Though mannish women, like Margaret Thatcher probably would qualify also, whose sole aim in life has been to seek to rule as much of everything as they can, and destroy, denigrate, divide and conquer, those who try and get in their way.

Chris Christie, and most Conservatives, see nothing wrong with this at all. It is the purest manifestation of their ethos, which basically amounts to bare-knuckle Social Darwinism.

However, I believe, as most Social Democrats do, that Springsteen questions this mentality, and what’s more, disdains it utterley and completely.

For what does it benefit a man, if he does not benefit the greater good? The Common Weal. And that he cannot bring relief to his fellow man with good deeds?

Such as paying your fair share of tax, which then provides public services for the needy, and allows government to give them opportunities they cannot afford to provide for themselves, in order to better themselves?

As opposed to Christie’s idea that you only get what you take, or break your back to get.

That’s why Chris Christie doesn’t get why Bruce Springsteen stoically refuses to join the ‘Club of Kings’, even though Christie thinks he can explain it, when he says, “You want to know what he’s saying?”, Christie asks. “He’s telling us that rich people like him are fucking over us poor people in the audience, except that us in the audience aren’t poor, because we can afford to pay 98 bucks to him to see his show. That’s what he’s saying.”

Well, where do I start with that lot?

For a start, I don’t think Bruce Springsteen would take too kindly to a Republican Governor, who has slashed taxes for the rich & services for the poor, and who seeks to smash the Working Man & Woman’s collective voice, the Union, in their joint Home State of New Jersey, paraphrasing what Bruce Springsteen means with his lyrics, or how he manifests a hypocrisy with them by his actions in being a wealthy person, who sings songs about the poor’s struggles. By telling others, who can afford ~$100 for a ticket that they are poor, and downtrodden by ‘The Man’, as manifest by Christie and his plutocratic mates in the Republican Party.

No mention, of course, about how it may well be the case that a lot of the ticket purchasers could have put aside the equivalent of $2/week from their Minimum Wage jobs, for a year, just so they could afford to see Bruce Springsteen play live.

No, simply because they can still afford a ticket, that means they are not as badly off as Bruce Springsteen makes them out to be, according to Christie. A telling, and common, current Conservative mindset.

Maybe Bruce Springsteen understands better than Chris Christie exactly how these people came by the money for the tickets, and he expresses his sympathy and empathy in his songs?

Also, what Chris Christie, and most modern Conservative politicians, doesn’t understand, is that a wealthy individual does not have to abandon his principles and beliefs, nor empathy for the plight of the poorly-paid worker or the indigent who have fallen on hard times, or the disabled…just because he is a wealthy individual himself.

I mean, that’s the core difference between these 2 men. One believes that being a high-wealth individual disqualifies you from sympathy for the poor devils, and you are a hypocrite, therefore, if you seek to speak to that.
And then there is the other one, who believes in the eternal struggle against the wealthy in society, in order to get a better deal for those who don’t have as much, due to whatever circumstance, and so sees it as his duty to campaign to force the wealthy to share a little bit of their fortunes with those less fortunate. Even if you are one of ‘The 1%’ yourself.

Therefore, maybe, because Springsteen knows that Christie will never be able to comprehend this basic fact, is why he has no time for him. And never will.

I mean, Chris Christie is the living, breathing embodiment of the (fat) kid who never wanted to share, and thus is the walking, trash-talking epitome of today’s global Conservative Manifesto:

‘I got mine. You can go fuck yourself!’

1,043 thoughts on “Talking At Cross Purposes About Unknown Knowns and Known Unknowns.”

  1. BK
    No need for apologies.
    your dawn patrols are most welcome
    I see the big wigs of the cricket are coming out to defend the rotation policy

  3. some one posted on pb that the abc where doing a series of stories about
    global warming,
    i think we just had one on the abc,
    then.???????????????????????

  5. And if you really want to be clever,

    you can make the re-sized photo link to an article, like this:

    <a href=”http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbott-on-long-haul-to-deliver-hope-20121205-2avvy.html”><img src=”http://liveimages.industrysales.com.au/trucksales/general/content/gc5075712244861762922.jpg?” class=”aligncenter” />

    (Click on the image… WARNING: chuck bag reqd.)

  6. i read on pb
    tweet
    wish some one could find it
    about abbott at the a i s
    and a comment that was made there
    so i presume he is no longer fire fighting

  7. Lord Barry Bonkton.
    No not one of mine was just playing with pics from truck sales.
    Tridents are good macks.
    Poor old mack went through a bad period when Renault bought them but are now back on track from what I’ve seen.
    Still wouldn’t by one though

  9. Belated apologies to the Dawn Patrollers!
    When I got up very early this morning there was no internet connection. It was not restored until, I am told, about lunch time.
    So better luck tomorrow morning I say.

    BK, your pathetic apologies reveal to all who hadn’t already realised it just how much of a moron you are. You are banned for one week until you grovel in apology to all Pub Dwellers.

    (Just kidding! 🙂 )

  13. BB
    I am tempted to delete that vomit inducing link.
    What a nasty trick 😀

    I was thinking of YOU when I posted it Joe. Nothing like a heart-start to aid the recovery from any illness.

  20. I’m sure this story would have been linked during the day but I feel compelled to have my say.
    http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/gillards-bizarre-act-of-faith-leaves-vulnerable-unprotected-20130113-2cnf0.html
    If this ridiculous proposition gets up it will put the country back years and years. Effectively it will amplify the discriminations it is purporting to eliminate.
    I simply can’t believe it. I’m heartily sick and tired of bigotry hiding behind so called “rights”!

  21. Nick Economou says:

    Nick Economou suggests the sort of political skullduggery uncovered in this case probably occurs as a matter of course.

    “I think one would have to be very naïve to suggest that it wasn’t. Now one of the consequences of the very, very intense position, powerful position of the political parties in our system is that when people join those political parties they have to realise that whatever they do the party organisation will know about it and it’s not uncommon for party organisations or people within parties when it suits them to drag out the stuff that these people have alleged to have done.”

    WRONG Nick.

    Internal party argey-bargey is one thing. Wasting $2 million dollars on a court case found to be an abuse of process is another.

    The judge specifically found that the internal party to and fro had gone too far – into the area of abuse of process and laundering of documents through the court to render them defamation-proof – when it was turned into a court case that revealed not only no serious evidence of harassment, but a LOT more to the contrary.

    http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/249678/Federal-inquiry-possible-into-Slipper-case

  22. Joe , i started in 1988 in Wheel alignment bay, next door to the Dyno bay and sat in a Bi- Centennial models doing 140 kph. That french twat brought in Reno’s and took the badge off and put a dog on the front. Mini macks . He got the extra plates taken off the chassis diff mounts and 6 months later , had to put them back on. They twisted the chassis. They replaced metal with plastic parts all over the place on Macks.
    Got the picture up ? but it is a small one ? Most of mine are large and full screen jobs ?

  23. “Why have NSW cabbies got the shits that they now have to have wear seatbelts?”
    Because they are addicted to Alan Jones.

  26. Steve Price on the project whinging that the MRRT has raised no money, yet when it was first introduced he was one of the main whingers about it.
    Wankers

  27. victoria was all that read out on sbs news
    tonight very interesting , nothing on the abc here
    ———————————————————————————————–
    victoria was it you that posted something about abbott
    at the AIS

    today

  28. BK
    Take no notice of BB, I for one, am pleased you let us know what happened. Things like getting run over by lawnmowers were at the forefront of my mind. 🙂 And I missed your links this morning, but so pleased it was only a power blackout that prevented them.

    I’m sneaking off to bed now, picking up my Mum tomorrow for a visit, so won’t be around much, but will try to get in some very early morning reading.
    C@t, the fish and chips were, um, er, um, nice. 🙂 Remember your tip is under the third keg in the cellar.

  29. denese

    Are you referring to this?

    [Dont know if this is accurate, or when it even occurred]

    David Ewart on twitter

    [Canb Capitals at training at AIS. Abbott says to lauren Jackson “thanks for having me here”, she says “wasn’t my idea” gold]

  31. yes thats it

    catlyst ask was abbott still fighting fires

    i remembered you posting something that well indicates he is not

    but was nt he going on holidays, delayint his holiday for fire fighting

  35. Nick Economou is a political analyst from Monash University. I used to hear him on 3aw with Neil Mitchell giving his perspective on politics. I found him to be a liberal lackie. Dont know if he still appears on Mitchell’s program. Stopped listening years ago.

  36. Oh dear, lucky I’m off to bed, getting fired at in all directions. Joe6pack, you weren’t supposed to hear that about the tips. 😦
    BK
    Ooops, but as I couldn’t go ooh aaah, being a lurker and all, I just thought…..oh never mind I’m out of here before you both start throwing stuff at me.
    Night all, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite. 🙂

  37. I once listened to Nick Economou explaining very seriously why Labor would not be fielding candidates for three country seats.

    I had just been preselected for one of them, and knew who had been for the others!

  38. Joe6Pack,
    (obviously trying to feel his oats after being off them for a couple of days):

    Any tips belong to the publicans that may or may not pass them on.

    Barmaid(who does Double Shifts when the Boss is off his oats): Asks kindly for the Boss to go down to the Cellar and get her tips.

    😉

  39. zoomstr

    Not surprised to hear that. As BB said, how Economou can say what Brough and others did is internal argey bargey, beggars belief!

  40. victoria, I think he get’s a bit of time on 774, as well. What crap he has come up with on this. Defending the indefensible on the basis that everybody does it. You, know bring down a govt by illegal means. He is a disgrace.

  41. zoomster,
    Did you try to contact Economou to put him right?

    Plus I would have added, “Those who can in politics, run for office; those who can’t, teach.”

  42. joejoe

    I doubt that Slipper thinks this is a fair and reasonable way to blast him out of his seat. It truly is reprehensible. If it were Labor, I am in no doubt Economou would take a different view. As i have said previously, Slipper is as dodgy as they come, but this whole saga has been a disgrace.

  44. zoomstr

    Not surprised to hear that. As BB said, how Economou can say what Brough and others did is internal argey bargey, beggars belief!

    Basically Rares decided that he didn’t want his court to be used for internal party shit fights.

  46. Re cab drivers and seat belts, I always used the belt when driving. As the instructor pointed out, you didn’t have to, as long as you didn’t mind the laws of physics being applied to the max when something went wrong.

  49. Look, why don’t we call a spade a bloody shovel here?

    People, academics, such as Economou, get into the position they are in, not because their analysis of politics is spot on. They get there because they do well as an Undergraduate, and learn how to suck up to the Academic Staff. Because, ultimately, they want to replace those Academics.

    So, they play the game that goes on at just about every Tertiary Institution, of ‘Cut your throat, before you cut mine’.

    They also learn the art of ‘Turn on a dime’, and ‘sniff the breeze’. Plus, they end up becoming part of the Establishment that they may have initially gone to University to destabilise.

    With all these ‘talents’, it all becomes about ‘survival’, and protecting your back from the knives which are being sheathed, like yours once was, in preparation to be deployed at a moment’s notice in a moment of perceived weakness on your part.

    So you employ ‘sniff the wind’, and try and ‘make connections’ which will serve to preserve your place in the hierarchy.

    For example, appearing on the Neil Mitchell Show on radio.

    Now, you know what Neil wants, basically. So, you give it to him. So you get asked back because you satisfied his requirements.

    So that helps to solidify your position in the faculty, from the undermining that goes on perpetually in Academia. You should know, you used to do it all the time yourself, on the way up the greasy pole.

    After a while, however, you start to believe your own BS. And the atmosphere of the shows you’ve hawked yourself to, starts to pervade your own thought processes and seep into your pores. Like a circle jerk.

    So that you end up becoming just another jerk. Like they are.

    And around and around it goes, in ever decreasing circles of ethical and rational behaviour. Until your soul just disappears one day, up your fundamental sense of your own self-importance.

  50. On the weekend I watched the movie “Argo” which was just given an award for the best drama of the year.
    For the life of me I just don’t get it! At best it was just an ordinary film with no outstanding character and, supposedly based on fact, had some dramatically difficult to believe sequences.

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