Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nick H on June 28, 2012 at 1:11am

Good speech. I disagree with the worst generation ever bit. I don't think that moniker belongs to this girl's or the generation before her (mine). I think it belongs to the Boomers. I think it was the generation that broke it, the following generations just haven't done anything yet to fix it.

Permalink Reply by Shane on July 1, 2012 at 3:17pm

It's because those assholes are still in power.  I know you're not 'Merican, but our first three Presidents from that generation are Clinton, Bush and Obama.  And Clinton was the best of them.  Seriously fucked up generation.  We can't fix that until they're gone.

Permalink Reply by Nick H on July 1, 2012 at 3:35pm

Just finished Clinton's book. It was a good read. (Ok, actually just listened to it while driving. Bubba himself narrated it.).

Permalink Reply by Shane on July 1, 2012 at 3:42pm

I lived through it.  Not sure what I'd get out of it except his perspective.  Is there much insight into why he made some of the high level decisions he made?  Otherwise there's no point for me I think.

Permalink Reply by JonEdanger on July 1, 2012 at 3:53pm

Listener review of "My Life" on audible.com:

"Less than I expected"

Clinton is smart, and although I wasn't expecting a "scholarly" work I was expecting something more substantive from a Rhodes Scholar. 

Those who are easily impressed with vast quantities of facts will enjoy this book. But the sense I have from listening to the book (and Bill Clinton is an excellent reader, by the way) is that he simply "Googled" his life and has given us the descriptions that one finds for every link on Google. 

I know that Clinton jogged a lot, I know how often he jogged, I know how many miles he jogged, I know the exact jogging routes he took. What I didn't learn from this book is why he jogs, what jogging does for him, how jogging makes him feel, what he thinks about when jogging. Nor did I understand how he could jog every day during the first primary season and gain 30 pounds. It's this style I found disappointing. Full of facts, bereft of substance. 

"My Life" gave me the sense that Bill Clinton has come gained an intimate understanding of who he is and how others' lives have impacted him and how he has impacted others' lives. I wish he had shared that intimate aspect of his life.

Permalink Reply by Liam S. on June 28, 2012 at 1:12am

I saw this earlier. Great writing (Sorkin is on a roll). 

Certainly interesting. I cannot argue with the figures, and I wish I had a compelling argument that we are somehow the best. I want us to be. I think we can be. But I have to agree with him, I don't think we are currently (or have been for the past 20ish years). 

I'd agree with you about the Boomers. The current one or two, still have to prove themselves.

Permalink Reply by LShieldes on June 28, 2012 at 9:17am

Can't watch the video at work, but I love to blame the Boomers too

Permalink Reply by Jacob Bauer on June 29, 2012 at 11:21am

I'm wondering why everybody acts bemused/shocked when a professor says America isn't the greatest country. I guess a liberal persecution complex comes out in the writing.

I think he's half way right, though. I do think the boomers are easily the worst generation, just by the math. And I don't think the US government has done anything for moral reasons since at least... hell, since the constitution was written.

Permalink Reply by Liam S. on June 29, 2012 at 11:49am

Jeff Daniels is playing a news anchor - meant to be modeled on the Walter Cronkite model of gravitas, moderation and respect... also, a republican. So a statement like this from him, someone who usually goes to great pains not to offend, I think is why we see the gasps. 

Permalink Reply by Jacob Bauer on June 29, 2012 at 12:18pm

I thought they were calling him "professor..."

Permalink Reply by Liam S. on June 29, 2012 at 12:22pm

I think that was referring to the moderator of the panel Bridges was on. 

Permalink Reply by Will on June 29, 2012 at 4:12pm

Oh, please.

He answered it.  Moderator rejected the answer as it was a joke.

He answered it.  Moderator rejected it because it was not original to him.

He answered it.  Moderator rejected it because, well, I didn't see why, but he said it was not a "human moment."

If every answer you give is rejected, eventually you'll run out of answers.  Doesn't mean the answers were wrong.

I'd be uncomfortable explaining why the US is the greatest, because I can't say definitively how to compare two countries for greatness.

I think the point of this (up to 1:30; it was becoming too painful to watch) was to portray patriotism as stupid.  Maybe it wasn't.  But if it was, it was the setup that was stupid, not the patriotism.

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