Sleaziness? Indeed and I would say more, those people are eager to believe that Obama is a Muslim.

"Wallmart shoppers"

Apparently the main target of McCain's sleazy TV ads (outright lies) are "Wallmart shoppers". This appears to be a new American social class. Perhaps this is the end-product and end of civilization: the "Wallmart shopper".

Robert Anton Wilson once wrote:
"You know how dumb the average guy is, right? Well half of them are even dumber than that!"

More sleaziness - red dress

Dear all, dear Arnon,
Some time ago Miss Morgan sent me a picture some of her in a cute little red dress and I have to say - yes, Arnon, everyone is going to be jealous. I am not of course, of course I am not.
But would you believe what trick she pulled on me? I sent her my address, reminding her that the dress is mine as we had agreed on such . And she said she's keeping it. Who knows what she plans to do with it, she might sell it on e-bay.
How am I to overcome this blow?

I guess it is. The thought about whether Obama is a christian or a muslim or a buddhist never even crossed my mind. I just liked the guy, I still do. Too bad some (a lot of) peolpe are stupid enough to let themselves be distracted from their gut feelings and are now directed by fear.

Annojo

Some people would prefer to vote for a born-again Christian "hockey mom" from Alaska who likes to shoot moose, especially from helicopters, and who was known as "Sarah Baracuda" at college (where she led the prayers before every match). It's actually funny, because its been reported several times that crowds come to see "supermom" and start walking out as soon as the real candidate, McCain, starts to give his a speech, usually starting with "My friends..." and a creepy little grin.

A lot of voters don't like Obama, the main reason often being simply because he's black. Let's hope they don't dislike him enough to actually go and vote.

In love, war and elections lies about rivals have been of all times. The weird thing is that lies seem to work. apparently we find it easier to believe lies than the truth.

On a more serious note: this sleaziness is more than an unavoidable side effect of democracy, but a fundamental theat to it. Voting processes are based on the assumption of the voter having objective correct information about that subject of the vote. The greatest democracy in the world indeed seems to be turning democracy more and more into Utopia.

Noa, go for it grrl! (ever considered spreading some dirty lies about your rival in the dress battle?)

@Ron, you mean like saying that she's actually a man and in fact she's David Martino who is Johannes and who might be Eric Wander too who is after all Rutger? And he fooled me by sending me a photo of a petite and sensuous looking woman with a dress size 36? I considered showing up in the same dress but honesty has me say that I'd lose that one...

ps Ron, here's an option- would you consider buying me a little black dress (black hides the bulges) and taking me as your partner? That way I've got a few things covered, one of them being: I'm bad in groups, and I hate going to groups alone. And it's not me being frivolous by dressing myself up, but you.

Noa

Bulges, where?

@Carlos, in all the wrong places.

Noa, if buying you a little black dress and taking you as my partner is what it takes to get you back into the secret reading, I'd be glad to be frivolous (and I'd rather see you than my real life partner in a little black dress). However, Johannes did not extend the invitation to partners, so you stiil have some convincing to do in his direction. Which means you'd better not include him in the dirty lies to be spread about your rival in the dress battle.

@Ron, there's no way I could possibly convince Johannes without convincing Arnon, and I'm sure you know as well as I know that Arnon won't succumb to my petty little fantasies, unless perhaps if I offer to be the sacrifical lamb.
But thank you for being such a gentleman. I'm sad I won't be meeting you as gentlemen are a rare species these days.
@Arnon, sorry for going off topic (this time I admit). Let me make it up to you by going back to the topic. I put on my glasses yesterday and a few people said I looked like Sarah Palin. How scary is that? Also, at the airport in NY, I wandered into a lounge. There's was a tv on and everyone was smiling adoringly at the tv screen. I turned to see what they were watching: Sarah Palin. I'm afraid your analysis of McCain losing by bringing Sarah Palin on board may prove to be wrong. I hope not.

Muslim = Black

People know they're not allowed to say they are against him because he's black so Muslim is an acceptable placeholder. That it is very nearly acceptable is woeful. And complicated; if he were Muslim, and open about it, people would not be allowed to openly say it bothered them. Atheist on the other hand...

It is an unavoidable side-effect of democracy. Democracy leaves things in the hands of people and we are flawed. Whatever moves us will move the politics. Who's not a sucker for lies? They wouldn't exist if they didn't work at least a little bit for a little while. This is why the Romans and their American sympathizers (The Founding Fathers) hated democracy and preferred a republic. We've moved on in many ways but a lot of the original undemocratic carapace remains on our backs (Senate, Electoral College, 1st past-the-post). Anyway, human flaws are the things we have to steel ourselves against if we accept democracy. Sleaze and fear will be with us until the New Jerusalem calms everybody the fuck down.

@Noa
I thought you were invited but that you gave away your place - sorry if I am mistaken.
I think, there will be no lamb to scarify, nor a woman to be used as a altar – it is not a black mass. Probably, Arnon will reveal himself as The Enlightened Spirit and he will appoint someone as the New Messiah. Guess who. (Maybe you do not want to be there at all).

@Jan, it's important you get your facts straight - I was probably the first to register and yes I gave up my place to Margot who had been desperately pleading for it (I hate to see people plead). She asked what she could do in return and I said 'well, the dress'. And now it turns out she's keeping the dress. What an ungrateful and unethical witch. But she's very cute so she'll get away with it. Which brings me to Ron - he's a gentleman. Thank God.

Hylobates

Dicatorships and monarchies are far worse when it comes to sleaze, lies and corruption.

@noa, I don't know Margot but she sounds like a very nice person.
Surely she doesn't mean to hurt your feelings like this.

@Cecile, not to worry - my feelings aren't hurt and Margot seems like a decent enough person to me too. It's a matter of principle: that's all I dislike it when people don't stick to their side of the deal.

noa, will you rip the dress of her delicate body when you meet?

@Cecile, no. I'm a coward. I'd much rather write a story about the little red dress that went to a secret gathering instead, about what could have (or should have) happened.

To Ron Lander

When you said "the biggest democracy in the world", you were referring to the USA. Or so I understood.

I believe this to be erroneous. India is.

@ Pjötr, again I prove to be very bad at irony...

@Noa
How did she get (your) dress? I am sorry, if I did not get the whole picture.
Maybe there can be a Secret Trial after the Secret Ceremony: To whom belongs the dress.

@Jan, I recall she was excited about going and exclaimed she had nothing to wear to which Arnon responded he'd get her a dress (after which they decided o go to France - I guess to consummate the dress) and then she asked me what she could do in return for all these joyous developments in her life to which I responded she logically owed me the dress because without me she wouldn't be going let alone be dressed in red and she agreed so we discussed sizes and all but now she told me she's keeping it therefore pushing me to play the role of sour-puss and find myself pleading that justice be done.

Just dirty games

I think sleaziness is just present in all political processes. It's sad that it's so omnipresent, but sometimes I'm glad we don't go any further than dirty games when the power shifts in a democratic government. A democratic election is a carnivalesc situation because it isn't about who would rule the best, but about who has the most efficient and appealing election campaign. Democracy is another Utopia (maybe like all political theories...), but at least it's an Utopia that doesn't need a coup d'état to change it's government.

Democracy is a way to prevent a utopia not to achieve one.

I don't know if it's sleazyness. I guess it's normal that you get confused or overwhelmed after 2 years of non-stop bullshit. The other day I say an item on CNBC about the shoes the two candidates were wearing. Shoes are a great people-indicator so they said.

I keep spreading the word that Obama has lousy shoes but that lots of presidents in the past had lousy shoes.

Noa

I am still looking for a bargain Cavalli dress. Should look for two?

ILANIT - I can't believe you're back! That 's so wonderful, I have seriously missed you and have tried to keep your name and legacy alive. And here you are, dressed to impress. Yes,maybe a Cavalli. If you find one, let me know, we can gate crash the party together and start screaming hysterically if Johannes refuses to let us in (or maybe you're on the list?).

Gee!

Israeli security services pays well enough for a Cavalli in bargain!

@Eric - you see how this blog has quite a history? Ilanit and Neria, honestly I'm thrilled you two are back. Who knows batta may even pop up again? And what was his name, that gerard guy? And Anita? It's all coming back to me now ;)

Dens

The taller presidential candidate has won sixteen out of the last twenty elections.

Noa,

I think I know who Eric is. I'm only guessing but if I'm right "Eric" is not interested in the history of this blog.
As to coming back - I never left. Arnon is the one who keeps changing all the time: first he lovingly invites evrybody to leave commets here, then he invites me to leave comments to everybody else but him, and a while later he decides he can read my mind and that even if I leave comments to others they are addressed to him. It's interesting to follow these changes (a year ago I told him: "this is too personal" and then he complained about people not willing to make a drama of their lives. I guess one has to be his student in order to be taken seriously.
Basically I think I made it very clear why I detest Ilanit, and who knows, she might even feel wonderful just to know that at least someone feels a very intense feeling for her (Ilanit, this is my matana for you lixvod hashana haxadasha).
What happened eventually with that lawsuit?

All this discussion about political systems and which is best. As always it ignores the real question. The best political system depends on the goals one sets for humanity. If you want to build pyramids, a fascist monarchy is very effective. If you want to transition from a repressed and pover society to a developed one with a lot of personal freedom and economic growth, democracy seems to be doing fine.

The big problem is that in developed countries that goal has been reached. The majority stopped suffering and also stopped encountering unbearable suffering in their direct surroundings. In daily life, personal freedom is so omnipresent that any threat seems hypothetical.
Being free and prosperous is fun. These are the kind of goals democratic politicians use to get in office.

But what's next? What is the next great goal for humanity? It's hard to think of any that is fun. It is all about scaling down, using less resources, dealing with climate change, sharing the, no longer seemingly unlimited, resources with less developed people.

These goals are notoriously hard to achieve for democracies. Because people instinctively tend to elect the candidate that is best for them, not for us all.

So are there any 'fun' goals left for humanity and for upcoming politicians? And if not, what political system would be best equipped to reach those other goals?

Noa,

I’ll have to disappoint you (again?). Just came to visit and wanted to say: “ Shana Tova y’all “. Sentimental as I am, I just simply had to comment on the ‘ dress-gate’. I won’t be crashing Arnon’s party but if you are heading to Tel Aviv mail me and we’ll crash a few here. With or without the Cavalli. And in order not to be completely rude I’ll state in regard to the topic that sleaziness is a side effect of human nature. You will find it in any system and most human interactions for that matter.

Sander

I totally agree with what you`ve said.
People of democratic countries must come to the conclusion that things like the climate change do concern them - and their personal life. But I think a side effect of democracy is that people are getting selfish when all their needs are fulfilled. Because they don`t depend on other people or countries that much that they think of would could be best for them or for the country they live in. They just think: what`s best for me?
An everlasting goal of democracy besides the things you`ve named is probably to maintain the things we`ve already achieved through democracy, like the freedom of press, religion etc.etc.
By the way, the readers of this blog always tend to ignore the "real question". They don`t read carefully enough and jump to conclusions.

Noa,

I must agry with Ilanit's conclusion, and must add she's only very human :)

Agree ;) (Morning, you know...)

Reality

The 'real question' for the Belgian people is if they're going for the next sales to Ikea, Habitat or Weba, that is the realfreedom of the modern man, they couldn't care less if in the meantime the country collaps (like it's trying to).

So far the political dream of the mass.

@Ilanit, (wasn't it in relation to you that Arnon not only discussed designer dresses but also mentioned this blog being a family)? You are the long lost child you know. You can't come back and then simply run away again, that wouldn't be fair.

Yes Ilanit,

please please please please stay! It would make me happy too! Seriously :)

Strasse

I agree with you completely. Consumerism is the new religion. Shopping centers and malls are the new temples. Brand names are the new icons. Ballard tried to explain this (not very successfully) in his novel "Millenium People". People are cynical about politicians because they realize that their power is severely limited. It is not the politicians who are "in charge" but the multinationals and the logic of the global capital markets. As a society we are so far gone that many people judge their personal worth and attractiveness by the brands of clothes they wear.

Carlos,

The sad thing is that many people's real worth is indeed only of the brands of clothes they wear (sometimes its bargain, they're cheating in fact... ;))

Carlos

Sure, any system composed of and by us will be flawed, and we is all we have.

Strasse

Are you Belgian? My guess is that you are not.

Belgian

@pjotr

You guessed wrong.

To Strasse

Could you be more elaborate on Belgium's decay? What makes you think it's trying to collapse?

Noa

As fun as it can be, me chatting with you is not the purpose of this blog. As for the daily content, I’ll answer with full humbleness ( ‘ risking’ yet another highly intelligent remark of miss Biala) that I have nothing to add.
As you can see miss Biala feels an uncontrollable urge to react to my remarks. Not only I don’t feel the same, I also find it highly annoying and rude to insist on playing an unwanted game at someone else’s field. I hope she will disappears from the blog as soon as I will, cause obviously the host requesting her to leave (over and over again) doesn’t seem to do the trick.

@Ilanit - in a way you're right I suppose. But there's also some beauty in consistency (even if it's being the unwanted guest but showing up consistently anyway) - Arnon may not like certain comments, but other people perhaps do? Personally, I don't agree to a lot of things Neria says, nor her style, it's only her persistance that makes me laugh, fascinated even.
The fact that Arnon has chosen to open up this blog to the world means he should at least try and accept the consequences doing such entails. Or should he put up a list of Animal Farm-esque rules? Maybe I'm naieve, and everyone already knows that no world could survive without rules.
Or what about this: Arnon should password protect his site and give it only to people whose comments he likes? The irony - this time - is intended (in light of our host's profession and issues with such exclusionary behaviour).
The virtual world has become a missed opportunity - instead of a place where we can potentially get humanity right, it simply recreates and mimicks life as it is. Even narrows it down.

Ilanit and Noa,

If there were any rules I would not have placed my comments here. As to unwritten rules I find them to be a form a violence which I am not going to adhere to. Anyway, Arnon can remove or manipulate my comments.
But Ilanit, if you are so fond of rules, how come you show up to bless us all (thank you :) with your Shana Tova if Arnon asked you not to place comments here too? Don't you see the irony?
And Noa, the coalition of womanhood you tend to praise is not attractive for me when instead of probing into the sizes, textures, colors and brand names of the clothes men participants of the secret reading are going to wear, you drool over Margot's collective objectification, glueing a coalition with Ilanit over dresses. (This, again, was an ironic remark; I really am not interested in objectifying anyone).
By the way, I got the impression Margot is real. She is a young and sensitive woman. The only unreal thing about her (unless it's all about creativity) is her use of a pseudonym, which makes me wonder again why are you using one, and why Ilanit prefers to keep her identity to herself.
As to the purpose of this blog - Ilanit, you speak with great certainty, please enlighten me about this topic. I guess that since you know what the purpose of the blog is it means that Arnon chose you as his spokeswoman, I don't reacall I came across such manifest myself.

Ilanit,

Ms.

Belgian politics

@Pjotr

I'm not a specialist and I don't life in Belgium anymore so.... but in general I think that when the people don't care anymore -they are, willing are not, important in a democrazy- as at this moment in Belgium, the politic rest in hands of only the politicians themselves, some intelectuals and for the rest extremists of all kinds. This is a perfect foundation for decisions that are made or only with the head or only with the heart without support/control of the mass (if that is a good thing is certainly also worth a discussion) and without the necessary mix ratio/emotion,, this could create a collaps.

@Neria - I initially created Noa as a character. She started looking too much like me and I considered using my name but since nobody else has my name in this world (except for one girl half my age who claims it is Turkish but it is not) I didn't want my readers flocking to this site as opposed to my own when trying to find me online.
These days that doesn't matter to me and so using Noa Fenenga has simply become a matter of ease and recognizability. Anyone asking will be told that Noa = Aliefka.
Does this answer your question Neria?

Noa,

Yes it does. Do you really care who's who or did you mention your correspondence with Margot to share your feelings regarding your own body?
By the way, thank you for explaining the dual nature of the word 'thrill' in your language. It is indeed very important for me to know that Ilanit and I thrill for other reasons.

@Neria - calm down calm down calm down are I shall start discussing my writing process again and Arnon will ban me too.
You're asking me a few questions - my body? What of my body? There are bulges in all the wrong places (true) and I'm not a size 36 (also true). These two things I mentioned on this site. Do I care whether Margot is real or not (she's not), whether there really is a red dress or not (there is not) and whether perhaps Margot is not Johannes after all but in fact she's you and you're publicly telling us how sweet Margot is means you're telling us that in fact you're sweet? No, I don't really care, whatever the variation, it doesn't change the result.
Does this answer your question Neria?

Noa,

Yes, it does. What exactly do you derive from conversing in this blog if you cannot suspend your own consciousness? I have an idea you're in a limbo, if it's a play - you keep reminding yourself it is. I don't know what you make of it if you don't trust the voice of any speaker here. What will be the point of answering you regarding me using Margot to say I'm sweet if you don't believe a word I say? If you do, we both know we shouldn't wait for today to know that I am :)
Is this some kind of a new style, opening and closing a comment with my name?
Why are you so afraid of Arnon?

@Neria aka Fata Morgana @Johannes @ Ron

@Neria, you're asking me quite a few questions which I can't really answer because most of them I don't understand. Here's a clear question though -
Why am I afraid of Arnon? Miss Morgan why really!! Did I say I was afraid of him?
In our email exchange (when people mistakenly email me as Noa, I immediately disclose my true identity by the way, you little scoundrel prancing around her as Miss Morgan in a red dress).
I only said that I stammer when I meet him (which I often do in the presence of people whose work I respect. And in fact, I stammer with most people I meet for the simple reason that I have a speech impedement). This does not mean I am afraid of him.
And, if you were to have studied this blog you may have noticed I'm about the only one who gets into arguments with him.
@Johannes, considering Margot Morgan was not who she said she was, and I had given my place specifically to Margot Morgan, I feel I have a right to take my place back, don't you?
@Ron, shall we meet before the reading?

Secular

Shouldn't a democratic society be secular? Basing your vote on the religion of the candidates doesn't accomplish this criteria. Voters who consider themselves as sympathizers of democracy shouldn't look to the religion of their candidate but to his capacity of not letting his religion inffluence in the way he governs.

Noa,

I didn't know you have a speech impediment. Is there a relation between your feelings and your stammer? Do you stammer when you feel loved proteceted?
Why am I being called a Fata Morgana, and by whom but you?
I tried to rephrase my former question, but it comes out too long. I'm sorry I wasn't clear, let's leave it for now (not that I find it not interesting).

@Neria, I called you Fata Morgana because you suggested you are Margot Morgan. Are you Margot Morgan or not?
For answers to the rest of your questions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasmodic_dysphonia

@Noa, That would be great. I'll send you a mail a soon as I know the details of the secret reading (time and place).

Noa,

I thought you were the first to suggest that I am Margot Morgan. Please look at the comments so long they are arranged the way the where 15 seconds ago.
Thanks for the link.

Noa,

I don't know how severe you SD is, anyway you have won my true sympathies. I hope you will have less and less occasions of its recurrence.

Would the real Margot Morgan please stand up and put an end to this confusion which has led me to saying all sorts of things I wasn't intending on saying, simply because I mistakenly thought Neria had been corresponding with me as Margot.
Margot - if that picture of you in the little red dress was real after all, I still think it's mine.
Ron - I can hardly come now after this embarassing chapter.
Arnon - my apologies (I mean that). And congratulations on the release of Onze Oom.

@Neria, thank you, but really no need for sympathy - I have beautifully botoxed vocal cords.

Noa,

I don't think that a misunderstanding should be a cause for embarrassment, and I am willing to take the "guilt", probably not without a reason, on myself. By saying 'a collective objectivization' i meant to the entry which had over 100 comments and were the Margot's outfit and size were discussed. I personally thought that it wasn't an act of generosity to dress Margot as if she was a doll, or because her taste might not match whomever's, anyway it could be that I hardly have any sense of humor too.
Go to the reading, I hope there's free booze, and Ron is a real gentleman. I believe you're going to have a pleasant evening :)

Noa/Neria

Maybe the two of you should get a room.

@Manon - so should you, every woman should ("a room of one's own" - Virginia Woolf).

Manon,

indeed! Go find yourself a room!

Oh get a room!

The ladies of this blog seem to take the topic of this blogentry very serious: sleaziness.

@David, yes - I thought I'd make up for the fact that you (and all the other men) never are.

Noa

You are even proud of your sleaziness, good for you.

David,

Please give three concrete examples for what you recognize as the ladies' sleaziness in this blog.

David/ Manon

David: I was asking that because sleaziness in this specific entry had to do with spreading false facts about your rival, assuming that people would prefer a Christian candidate over a Muslim. Where did any of the women commentators here spread a lie over a rival?

Manon: What really troubles you? Nobody forces you to read an outdated correspondence, why do you feel an urge to control what's going on in it? Are you embbarassed? Would you like to have rules? Do you feel rules are broken here and it makes you wriggle in your chair?

@David, yes I take pride in all my negative characteristics. I'm like a 2 year old. who finds that negative attention is better than zero attention (however sweet you try to be). Next time I shall start throwing things. Pinching and scratching and screaming "mine" is a good attention-grabber too.