( Bock got me thinking, and it hurts)
Okay John here’s a thing and it’s only my thing but here it is anyway.
Your Irish Times, useful or not?
What value is it bringing to Irish society, are we better informed, or are we even informed by it. Has it kept pace with the world, and does it bring a unique or challenging perspective on general goings on.
Does it?
Does it John?
John, I presume, makes most of his crust from this institution, which I now confess to having lost patience with, and his writing is one of the reasons why.
The Ireland in the Irish Times is a staid, unforgiving, right leaning and self serving child of a different generation. I was frequently alienated by its Dublin (not Tallaght) centred focus, it’s obsession over finance and property values, it’s proclaiming of captains of industry as heroic, it’s elitist social networking. It is not my Ireland and John W doesn’t inhabit my world. The phrase fat, dumb and happy springs to mind when I read it, smug, well nourished and self-satisfied are other adjectival rhetoric I might apply.
It would be cruel to say that John writes fluff pieces for this daily and I’m not cruel and recognise that he has championed men’s right today, when we are very much discriminated against in family law.
I have never felt engaged by his IT writing, nor has anyone I ever asked. He appears isolated within a paper whose influence and credibility as a vibrant report, is diminishing. I think professionally, he lost his voice some time back, and his only constituency is somewhere between Ballsbridge and Sandymount.
John’s view on blogging is malnourished. Adjectival rhetoric in a horizontal society, easy with the negative vibes John.
What are you afraid of?
Come back good buddy!
6 responses so far ↓
problemchildbride // January 23, 2008 at 10:39 pm |
I thought it was brilliant when he said you can’t prove a well-known fact. Isn’t that the Church’s line to get us to be believers?
I don’t know much about John Waters but, for a seemingly smart and well-known man, he embarrassed himself this morning. Tuppenceworth did a beautiful job dismantling his ill-considered, frankly ignorant remarks.
snifflecry // January 24, 2008 at 12:19 am |
You’re spot on Sam.
I heard the interview over at Bock’s place too, and his dithering about well know facts was embarrasing.
Its a pity that we’re having a cut at him, cause I think he’s well intentioned but mis-informed, a spiritual and mystical creature in a desolate newspaper.
Yep, he hasn’t a clue about blogs and hasn’t taken the time. Or maybe he has, and he’s shitting himself !
Darwin // January 27, 2008 at 2:43 pm |
Well said. It’s tough to argue that anything is really ‘useful’ in these days of moral relativism, especially since the celtic tiger has turned us into vapid, over-stuffed consumers of ringtones.
However, I think it’s safe to say blogging ‘has its uses,’ as does the Irish Times I suppose.
snifflecry // January 27, 2008 at 3:54 pm |
Thanks Darwin,
Welcome, welcome, come in; sit down, tea, biscuits, coffee maybe?
You’re right, it’s so difficult to be absolute about anything these days, and unhelpful as well, these same days when we now the price of everything and the value of nothing.
John W didn’t help the situation at all and I was surprised with his narrow focus.
The IT, I think it’s a troubled child which is struggling to keep pace. Myles is well gone, and Tom Humphries and occasionally Rosin Ingle, are it’s only saving graces. After that, I’d use it for drying shoes!
problemchildbride // January 29, 2008 at 6:16 pm |
hey! I never got offered no blimmin’ biscuits!
snifflecry // January 30, 2008 at 3:54 pm |
Cake Sam, I have cake for you, made with red cherries, mixed peel (orange and lemon), raisins and slugs of porter and whiskey, real butter and good strong flour, and then left for months to get nicer. Okay, okay it’s my mom’s Christmas cake but it was only brought out for important visitors.