It was right after women seized majority control of Congress that the woman we all know as The Big Talker revealed to her husband (that balding tenured sociologist at Bryn Mawr, possessor of a flaming red beard and soy glasses) details of her new law to criminalize Lookism:
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." We are being Borgified even within the realm of personal taste. Continue down this road and soon the fact I prefer organic dark roast coffee will be seen as epistemic injustice to those who produce only medium roast.
Sigh. The world becomes more and more ridiculous; not funny, just ridiculous.
And tall, leggy blondes should only be permitted to procreate with shorter men in order to redress the heightism that has so long plagued society. I say this purely for the good of all mankind, with no thought for myself whatsoever.
“…philosopher Thomas J. Spiegel, who wrote the influential peer-reviewed paper “Lookism as Epistemic Injustice” in Social Epistemology.”
Of course, the (faux) academic elite will be in the forefront of any such movement—as they aways are, having nothing of merit to contribute. Good humorous morning read, thx. 😭
On a serious note, as I read such feminist developments/observations in what purports to be the “real” world, I can’t help (hope?) to think it can’t is as bad as it’s painted. After reading these type of articles, I think upon my family, my close friends and their families, and see no relation to observable reality. Our families are intact, children—polite, controlled, and smart, couples working together lo thrive and succeed in an increasingly difficult world.
The old saying when I was younger was “shoot your TV”. Maybe the updated version today should be “limit your Internet use”.
That paper is a goldmine of absurdity. This sentence “Fricker famously distinguishes between testimonial injustice and hermeneutic injustice as two fundamental forms of epistemic injustice.” How I managed to be unaware of this Fricker fame is just so, how to say it, so unjust. Why has no one informed me? The paper suffers from a severe lack of data tables and p-values and, as such, cannot be believed in any precise, or even proportionate way. It does have the scientific redeeming quality that it ends by stating “more research seems warranted .” Thanks for the laughs Dr. Briggs. You’re the best.
This was already hilarious, but the link to the New Yorker article showing that we're closer than we might think to the satirical scenario was a cherry on top, as well as chilling.
I'm pretty sure calling a woman "mid" is at least a misdemeanor. We are ALL beautiful queens, and saying otherwise verboten. Know your place, sperm bags!
Robert Arvanitis wrote: "The playwrights follow the arc of civilization. First the historians, then dramatists, and tragedians. At the peak, ready to fall, come the comics."
Great quote. Especially the comics arriving on stage lastly to the mock the follies in plain sight during the fall. Not to deprecate comics. Their talents are indispensable whenever and wherever follies blossom. I count Briggs one of our most talented essayists in the comic style. A finely tuned ear for nonsense, hypocrisy, and folly. Satyrical, smart, barbed, incisive, wise, and delightfully funny. Even his spoonerisms are hilarious. It's like Mark Twain salted with H. L. Mencken braced by Thom Aquinas and spiced by Corky.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." We are being Borgified even within the realm of personal taste. Continue down this road and soon the fact I prefer organic dark roast coffee will be seen as epistemic injustice to those who produce only medium roast.
Sigh. The world becomes more and more ridiculous; not funny, just ridiculous.
And tall, leggy blondes should only be permitted to procreate with shorter men in order to redress the heightism that has so long plagued society. I say this purely for the good of all mankind, with no thought for myself whatsoever.
This is hilarious. I always suspected there was more to Dr. Briggs than p-values and formulas.
Like his Sahara-dry wit...
Great post, Sir!
My bride has launched an investigation as to the identity of the spy you have obviously suborned in her quilting group.
“…philosopher Thomas J. Spiegel, who wrote the influential peer-reviewed paper “Lookism as Epistemic Injustice” in Social Epistemology.”
Of course, the (faux) academic elite will be in the forefront of any such movement—as they aways are, having nothing of merit to contribute. Good humorous morning read, thx. 😭
On a serious note, as I read such feminist developments/observations in what purports to be the “real” world, I can’t help (hope?) to think it can’t is as bad as it’s painted. After reading these type of articles, I think upon my family, my close friends and their families, and see no relation to observable reality. Our families are intact, children—polite, controlled, and smart, couples working together lo thrive and succeed in an increasingly difficult world.
The old saying when I was younger was “shoot your TV”. Maybe the updated version today should be “limit your Internet use”.
That paper is a goldmine of absurdity. This sentence “Fricker famously distinguishes between testimonial injustice and hermeneutic injustice as two fundamental forms of epistemic injustice.” How I managed to be unaware of this Fricker fame is just so, how to say it, so unjust. Why has no one informed me? The paper suffers from a severe lack of data tables and p-values and, as such, cannot be believed in any precise, or even proportionate way. It does have the scientific redeeming quality that it ends by stating “more research seems warranted .” Thanks for the laughs Dr. Briggs. You’re the best.
Too bad these 'modern' politicians and essayists have forgotten "Beauty is as beauty does." Holds true for men as well.
A sorry state of affairs when reality outraces satire.
The playwrights follow the arc of civilization. First the historians, then dramatists, and tragedians. At the peak, ready to fall, come the comics.
Aristophanes seals the deal.
This was already hilarious, but the link to the New Yorker article showing that we're closer than we might think to the satirical scenario was a cherry on top, as well as chilling.
Thank you Matt, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It forced me to dust off the twenty seven pound unabridged Merriam-Webster...twice !
Lookism degrades after a few drinks.
This essay is true, beautiful, and good.
Thanks.
I'm pretty sure calling a woman "mid" is at least a misdemeanor. We are ALL beautiful queens, and saying otherwise verboten. Know your place, sperm bags!
Which is why they invented paper bags.
And flags. (A Marine friend used the expression, "You'd have to put a flag over her face and get it up for Old Glory,")
Robert Arvanitis wrote: "The playwrights follow the arc of civilization. First the historians, then dramatists, and tragedians. At the peak, ready to fall, come the comics."
Great quote. Especially the comics arriving on stage lastly to the mock the follies in plain sight during the fall. Not to deprecate comics. Their talents are indispensable whenever and wherever follies blossom. I count Briggs one of our most talented essayists in the comic style. A finely tuned ear for nonsense, hypocrisy, and folly. Satyrical, smart, barbed, incisive, wise, and delightfully funny. Even his spoonerisms are hilarious. It's like Mark Twain salted with H. L. Mencken braced by Thom Aquinas and spiced by Corky.
Thanks, Hagfish.