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McTrolling For Votes
There has been much discussion of late about what makes a person a troll or a comment trollish. It is my opinion that the essence of what constitutes trolishness is the dishonest insult. If a person hurls hurtful invective that they know to not be true then they are a troll.
Sen McCain gave an excellent example of this behavior this week. He chose to try to gain political points by saying that Sen Obama wants to lose in Iraq. Sen McCain knows that this is not true. He knows that Sen Obama wishes for us to succeed in Iraq. He has a policy difference with Sen Obama. He thinks that Sen Obama's policy will lead to failure. Saying that is an honest critique of Sen Obama's positions. But he chose not to make a principled attack on Sen Obama's position. He instead claimed that if you disagree with his policy positions the you are in favor of losing. That is how he became a troll for a day.
We all make trollish comments from time to time. What makes a troll is consistently making trollish comments. I will be watching to see which personality wins. Will we see the campaign of the straight shooter McCain, or will we be treated to three months of Troll McBush?
The Working Class Heretic
Comments (3)
If there ever was a real McCain, and not just a psychotic child who yearns to prove his worth to Admiral Daddy by becoming Pres, then it was lost long ago when he debased himself before the neocon altar. He has made a Faustian bargain, and I hope it ends up poorly. However, having said that, I have some empathy for McCain. I think he's a very sad, very warped individual, and one who should not be president, but who should get a good hug from Daddy and a pat on the back. Then he can enjoy his wife's millions and live out his remaining years at peace with himself.
July 24, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Have we become Republicans, Raider? Are we now at the point where the only positive things we can say about the opponent are that his vileness is not all his fault? Are we so desperate to win that we're willing to depict our adversary as a monster to do so?
John McCain would make a lousy, perhaps a disastrous president. He's emotionally unstable, intellectually and politically dishonest, hypocritical, unintelligent, and almost as incurious and anti-intellectual as the current guy.
But give him (and us) a break. He's just a venal politician, not some psychic orc. Although it has been completely swamped by his ambition, he has actually shown courage in the past, and might actually do so again if he accomplishes his goal.
We needn't resort to demonization, which the voting public that matters -- swing voters -- often see through in any case.
July 24, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
We are talking trolls here not orcs.
July 24, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
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