Matt Ford

Local here: Two amusing things: Boston has become an amazingly safe city. Last year was lowest murder rate since 1950s! And the games are played like 45 mins away from the city in a suburban/exurban town. It's a ridiculous claim.

In this country getting educated and going to college are politically coded, especially since the pandemic/Trump I. This likely isn't as much a problem in other countries.

Trump is correct like a broken clock is correct and yet people feel it necessary to think those acts were intentional and that he deserves credit.

Why are The Onion and John Oliver better at journalism than journalists?

Third Amendment Rights Group Celebrates Another Successful Year WASHINGTON, DC—The National Anti- Quartering Association, America’s foremost Third Amendment rights group, held its annual gala in Washington Monday to honor 191 consecutive years of advocating the pr...

Good excuse to break out this gem: theonion.com/third-amendm...

The American version of the Fundamental Attribution Error.

It still blows my mind that the 2020 combo of BLM and COVID broke a bunch of people. Like how dare we try to save lives and treat all people kindly and justly? Like this is what broke you?

Real shame because John Dickerson is the best. Kind and Smart and Incisive. In fact, I can't imagine he lasts long under this mess.

As a society we just not willing to pay what it costs to educate students in both tails of the distribution. Which is a shame. Because we have the money.

They long for the example where a junta turned out to be a good thing? Where is that exactly?

Is there anyway to staff that military with enough bodies without draft?

Does this play well to 80% of Americans? I doubt it, but do wonder.

The degree to which the state government of Louisiana hates both its own citizens and its economically most important asset is wild. Like what does the economy (and state tax revenues) of LA look like without NOLA?

It wouldn’t even take 20 GOP moderates to break ranks and save democracy. And they refuse to do it. Blaming even the worst democrats is wrong in this case.

Not that Trump deals with subtlety, but I was surprised he called the attack anti-Christian, when a whole bunch of the Christian right doesn’t consider LDS Christian at all.

I feel the same way about critical thinking which has become vaccines and climate change are global conspiracy based on lies and financial literacy which has become how can I make every 14 yr old a customer of Robinhood.

This is totally learned in high school debate team. Or mock trial or model UN. Where you can argue whatever you want and you get style points. Truth and justice and morality are irrelevant.

Maybe tell the minority leader?

Yeah obviously lots of issues with modern right. But I think we under appreciate how much they just lie. And the vast effect that has on everything.

Yes. But this does not remove agency from people that have a naive view of their heroes. Ignorance is often a choice.

They speak this way to con rubes and have a veil of cover. How naive can you be?

Civility has become a weapon. Those under assault need to express their grievances in exactly the right way. Otherwise those in power don't have to listen. Or can even use such uncivil requests as a reason to further tighten then noose.

I am more and more convinced that every one of these reactionary centrists grew up on debate team, model UN, mock trial or just law school. Where they are explicitly taught that the art of argument and debate matters more than the content or truth.

I am more and more convinced that every one of these reactionary centrists grew up on debate team, model UN, mock trial or just law school. Where they are explicitly taught that the art of argument and debate matters more than the content or truth.

Love the turn of phrase “truth over manners.”

There is a huge demand in our world for people that dress the right way and are polite and formal but use this veneer to cover over detestable views. Reminds me of model UN and debate team where everyone dresses in suits and argues whatever they want with no care for truth or justice.

This is a skill learned in HS debate team or model UN. The content doesn’t matter as long as you dress nicely and say please and thank you. Style over substance.

How the fuck do so many well intentioned people keep missing this asymmetry?

Teacher here, no problem with suggestion, but what are we removing from the school day? Math? Science? Reading? Art? Music? Are we lengthening the day and cutting sports and after school activities? Any "Let's add X to schools" that doesn't deal with what it is replacing is an incomplete argument.

Lots of teachers have given up on teaching complex material…