"The Expectations Game", ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
Here's something I totally don't understand. It has somehow now become
"common sense" that Palin could win the VP debate, not by being better
than Biden, but by being just a bit better than she's expected to be,
which is very very bad. You can hear this argument seriously made in
the MSM all the time: "The expectations are very low for her". This
means: Everybody KNOWS that she's clueless and they're making this into an argument FOR HER?!?!
And this message is conveyed in all seriousness by the MSM!?! I'm just
wondering, HAVE PEOPLE IN THE MEDIA LOST THEIR F*#KING MIND?!?!?!
If anyone really believes that this is a valid argument, then let me illustrate the absurdity through some examples:
* If I'm taking a test at school and I haven't studied and I know absolutely nothing, should the teacher give me an A if I manage to score better than 0%? And should those who studied for months get a D if they score anything less than 100%?
* If I have an interview for the job of, say, a reporter, and I appear to be illiterate, am I immediately hired and promoted to the chief editor if I manage to read a few words?
* If the cops stop me while I'm driving obviously totally drunk, should they let me go if I manage to walk five steps before collapsing?
* If I swim versus Michael Phelps, do I win the race if I manage at least not to drown?
* If a monkey would debate against Palin, would he win because his expectations would be even lower?
Just in case this doesn't ring a bell, let me explain about expectations. Expectations can be lowered when comparing subjects of different categories, yes, but expectations can never change the final outcome, much less the ranking order!
For example, if a lightweight and a heavyweight boxer were to have a match, expectations for the lightweight one would be lower, and if he managed to land a few good blows, we could say that he fought better than expected, even if he lost in the end. But that would not change the fact who in the end knocked out whom.
In this case, the two are competing for the highest offices in the country, so they're both the highest category, so even the expectations for both should be the highest possible. But if people insist in giving Palin some slack due to obvious cluelessness, that should not change the final verdict of who would be the better (vice-)president. Remember, the comparison is between Palin and Biden, NOT Palin and her miserable expectations.
If anyone really believes that this is a valid argument, then let me illustrate the absurdity through some examples:
* If I'm taking a test at school and I haven't studied and I know absolutely nothing, should the teacher give me an A if I manage to score better than 0%? And should those who studied for months get a D if they score anything less than 100%?
* If I have an interview for the job of, say, a reporter, and I appear to be illiterate, am I immediately hired and promoted to the chief editor if I manage to read a few words?
* If the cops stop me while I'm driving obviously totally drunk, should they let me go if I manage to walk five steps before collapsing?
* If I swim versus Michael Phelps, do I win the race if I manage at least not to drown?
* If a monkey would debate against Palin, would he win because his expectations would be even lower?
Just in case this doesn't ring a bell, let me explain about expectations. Expectations can be lowered when comparing subjects of different categories, yes, but expectations can never change the final outcome, much less the ranking order!
For example, if a lightweight and a heavyweight boxer were to have a match, expectations for the lightweight one would be lower, and if he managed to land a few good blows, we could say that he fought better than expected, even if he lost in the end. But that would not change the fact who in the end knocked out whom.
In this case, the two are competing for the highest offices in the country, so they're both the highest category, so even the expectations for both should be the highest possible. But if people insist in giving Palin some slack due to obvious cluelessness, that should not change the final verdict of who would be the better (vice-)president. Remember, the comparison is between Palin and Biden, NOT Palin and her miserable expectations.
