This, this and that

[turk_diddler]

Most Americans on my friends page seem to have been genuinely touched by yesterday's events, and fair enough to them, history and hope and everything. For me, I just thought his speech was flat, even tedious once the realisation dawns that it's all rule-of-three listing. We'll face bad-bad-BAD, but we'll overcome with good-good-GOOD. Lazy speech-

Comments

[artemis_of_isle]

Here politicians are generally regarded much lower than in America, I suppose. It's hardly any occasion like this possible in the UK. American seem to think their president should be revered, whereas here prime minister should be cross-examined.

[turk_diddler]

Oh I don't think they necessarily respect their presidents, that's just part of the good old American self-mythology. George Bush revered? Bill Clinton revered after Monicagate? Like the rest of us they respect the position of leader so long as it's occupied by somebody they agree with, otherwise they become cynics just like we do.

But then so much of America shrouded in mythology that we all tend to lose perspective and pretend they're a special case.

Won't begrudge them their current glee, he's a politician though, so always proceed with caution.

[artemis_of_isle]

American seem to think their president should be revered, whereas here prime minister should be cross-examined.

Should be, doesn't mean it has always been the case. What I emphasised was that American would like to revere their presidents whenever it were possible, but here nobody would be expected to. Hence their euphoria over this event.

Does this make sense?

[turk_diddler]

I suppose it does. I think I'd rather be on the skeptical side of the Atlantic on that one, because like I say, beyond it all it he's a politician and bound to do something horrible along the way. At least the cynics won't look like idiots when it happens.

eu⋅pho⋅ri⋅a
   /yuˈfɔriə, -ˈfoʊr-/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [yoo-fawr-ee-uh, -fohr-] Show IPA Pronunciation
-noun Psychology.
a feeling of happiness, confidence, or well-being sometimes exaggerated in pathological states as mania.

I think you picked the right word!

[turk_diddler]

There was the advantage of Bush, it was difficult to misunderestimate him.

I just think back to the figure he's most compared to - JFK. Bay of Pigs, plausible deniability, and the way his civil rights policy just wasn't making any progress. Gotta hope Obama will be a bit more than a TV personality with a set of righteous ideals he won't or can't uphold in office.