Posts by Craig Ranapia
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Hard News: Fluency, ease of manner - and…, in reply to Stephen R,
But you know all this Craig.
Well, yes... that was part of the point I was trying to make with more concision than usual. :) But the other half was one thing I like about PAS is that we tend -- or at least try really hard -- to internalize really complicated situations in our heads without simplistic labels. Mostly. It's not only refreshing, but rather useful.
Personally, one thing that annoys me in the last day or so is John Key saying that the people who oppose the bill just don’t understand it. It’s like he doesn’t believe that intelligent people could have a different opinion about the GCSB or privacy than he does, so we must be stupid.
Yeah, that's hella patronizing as well.
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Hard News: Fluency, ease of manner - and…, in reply to WH,
Perhaps we can agree to divide voters into “the parliamentarians that voted for the bill, and their supporters”, “genuine conservatives, such as Craig”, and a much sought after miscellaneous category.
Or, you know, you can ask yourself who's running the NSA these days, and whether American liberals who voted for Obama - twice - bear collective blood guilt for ever warrantless interception, drone strike and nonsensical detention conducted on his watch.
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Up Front: The Missing Stair and the…, in reply to Emma Hart,
Or, perhaps, as I’ve already said to you, the problem is not the person being the Necessary Bastard, but the Missing Stair. That they have already tried other things, which is something I recommend in the post, and they haven’t worked.
And the thing about hitting the Necessary Bastard setting, is that it's exhausting and very often a pretty unpleasant headspace to be in. But, Marcus, really think about what you're saying here, and who you're saying it to. Yeah, as often as not I'm going to be the 'Necessary Bastard' with people who think it's OK to be casually homophobic or make rape jokes, because I can. I also remember when I heard that crap and just died a little bit more. Do you have any conception of what a difference a few more Necessary Bastards would have made to me then? Just keep in mind that this isn't a thought experiment or intellectual game for a far few of us.
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Up Front: The Missing Stair and the…, in reply to Emma Hart,
Jesus fuck yes. And everyone gets to make their own call about where their tipping point is.
Of course. Mine in influenced by having my bullshit tolerance tapped out very early in life, and an unusually high comfort level with my own company. :) That said, there's this weird idea that looking after your well-being (and not developing a rictus grin every time some dickbag decides to deny your personhood) is somehow "selfish" or "anti-social." Maybe, if your idea of 'society' is casual racism, homophobia and misogyny, the problem isn't with the people who decide they've got better places to be.
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Up Front: The Missing Stair and the…, in reply to Heather Gaye,
At what proportions can you free yourself from onerous family gatherings by saying “you know – I think everybody there would have a much better time if I didn’t go”?
At the precise proportion when you can answer “no” to this question: “Is there any net gain to coming away from this feeling like shit, again?” I know it’s not really in the spirit of the post, but I’m perfectly happy having no contact with the uncle who told me I was only welcome at my grandmother’s funeral if I came alone. He’s not a missing stair, he’s a freaking Saw-style booby trap and to hell with him. Kind of shitty I also have nothing to do with the cousins I’m rather fond of, but they know where I live.
Perhaps there's got to be a point where we give ourselves permission to declare missing stairs unacceptable risks.
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Up Front: The Missing Stair and the…, in reply to Emma Hart,
One of the most useful concepts I found at Captain Awkward, which does a lot of assertiveness stuff using different language is “No is a whole sentence.” That was a huge eye-opener for me. You can just say, “No,” to people. You don’t have to try to justify it and offer them openings for argument. You can just say no. Mind, blown.
So much THIS. Another related eye-opener is I am not obliged to educate you.
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Hard News: Fluency, ease of manner - and…, in reply to WH,
I can’t say that I agree with your suggestion that David Cameron, Chief Justice John Roberts and Governor Rick Perry (or indeed John Key) aren’t “genuine conservatives”.
And you don't have to, but perhaps you can we conservatives who think the GCSB Bill and its ilk expands the state beyond it's proper and legitimate bounds and infringes on the basic civil liberties of citizens the courtesy of thinking otherwise.
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Up Front: The Missing Stair and the…, in reply to Bart Janssen,
This kind of thing pisses me off. I always have the suspicion that they really do hold those views but frame it as a “joke” if they get challenged.
I guess that’s why I’m becoming increasingly disinterested in parsing intent when in Necessary Bastard mode. I don’t care why I’m getting triggered to hell by a rape “joke” at a family dinner, it just has to stop or I get the hell out of the room. (Because, at the end of the day, my wellbeing is of more immediate import than facilitating a teachable moment.)
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Hard News: The GCSB Bill: eleventh-hour arguments, in reply to "chris",
I couldn't give a fat rat's bum if they monitored my house and my life
You know what, Kerre - I don't believe you. I think you've give a whole lot of fucks if some tabloid sleazebag pulled a Screws of the World on the cellphones and e-mail of you, your partner and daughter. So what's so different about it being done by a state agency, without clear justification or oversight?
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Hard News: Fluency, ease of manner - and…, in reply to Bart Janssen,
Don't disagree with a word you've said there, Bart. But I don't think we should be too terribly surprised at politicians disregarding advice they find politically inconvenient, but they can do it without being utter cocks. (I doubt the next Labour Government will be paying much mind to anything coming out of Treasury, but might well be avoiding Cullen-esque mouth-farts about "ideological burps". I also hope everyone has learned their lessons about injudicious attacks on the political independence of politically embarrasing Auditor-Generals and electoral officials.)
There's been plenty of sharp disagreement with the Law Commission -- which is an advisory body NOT a judicial or legislative one -- hereabouts, that still manages to avoid needlessly troll-ish imputations of partisan bad faith. It's not mad science, Prime Minister.
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