Friday, August 7, 2009
Water
Anyone else find the practice of washing sidewalks, specifically those in front of the Whole Foods on 14th st and P in nw DC and uber-posh Vida Fitness gym across the street, a completely insane daily activity? There are billions of people wihout clean water, and we're spraying down the sidewalks because the outdoors are dusty?
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Please stop saying "I love you"
In literature and philosophy fear and love are often referenced regarding a diametric approach to leadership. Obama may have chosen the more reassuring of the two, but either extreme is designed to elicit blind compliance.
"If they fear you, they will respect you. If they love you, they might respect you. But if they don't fear you, they'll never love you or respect you and they don't have to!" -Lao Tzu – Art of War
Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved. Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
When listening to Obama's speech to Democratic congressional leaders - it was long, jovial, and overtly friendly. I guess I'm not entirely comfortable with my branches of government being too chumy with each other. But Obama then ended his speech with those words of affection that plague and tantalize those who find them to be the paradigm of vulnerability and devotion: I love you.
Ew.
Look I'm not opposed to love. I think it's great- really. And I'm glad that our Prez is sensitive enough to be able to express his emotions. But what's demanded of the executive office, especially in a state of crisis, is not emotion, its practical action. I don't care what my President thinks of me, he can despise me if he likes- as long as his policies are correct. And I don't need sound policies, or crappy policies, buttressed by warm fuzzy feelings. If I want affection I have a dog, a family, and a myriad of stuffed animals. No politician's glow required.
Despite my own icky response to Obama, I like this guy- I voted for him, and unlike passed presidents, I don’t cringe in revulsion whenever I hear him speak, and yet I’m still put off by his declaration of affection. When Dubya reigned, he thought he was doing the Lord's work. His intentions, as far as he knew, were good- or at least that's what he said. I personally, (and I think sanity will back me up on this), see him as a delusional moral degenerate, without no appreciation of how his actions affected the world around him. Tell Americans around or under the poverty line, or taxi drivers and school teachers in Iraq and Afghanistan, or AIDS workers in Africa about your good intentions. Much of the world shakes with rage at the actions of George W. Bush, and his profession of good intentions and of moral certitude only add to the anger at the audacity of the dearth between his feelings and his actions. I cannot imagine the visceral reaction to Obama’s lusty offerings for those who did not favor the blue box on Election Day.
When George W. Bush spoke about his and America’s role in the world it was often in extreme diametric terms. Do-gooders and Evil-dooers, he was quick to remind us of the fear we should feel and the subsequent trust in him that was therefore required. Obama has swung the pendulum in the opposite direction. We are not evil, but all worthy of love and forgiveness. These extremes of fear and love are frightening at both ends, because they beckon a kind of blind compliance.
Obama’s rhetoric of love did not crop up suddenly when he assumed the role of President. He has been invoking his emotions throughout his career, and continued to do so on the presidential campaign trail. It was often friendly and reciprocated, and appropriate, even. Here was a group of supporters that volunteered long hours for no pay and at great cost to their own income. Or those who had stood in sometimes unbearable weather for hours to see him speak and add to the throng of nearly unprecedented support for an American politician. Emotions run high on the campaign trail, and Obama's declaration of affection was only countered by the devotion of his followers. The Change Zombies of the campaign trail, followers that tow the candidate's line with total certainly and no independent thought. These devotees were not unique to Obama, stalwart supporters exist in every campaign. But after the election Obama is no longer a candidate, he is an office. As President he cannot call on the select few to be his inyielding supporters- he needs to address all of us
"If they fear you, they will respect you. If they love you, they might respect you. But if they don't fear you, they'll never love you or respect you and they don't have to!" -Lao Tzu – Art of War
Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved. Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
When listening to Obama's speech to Democratic congressional leaders - it was long, jovial, and overtly friendly. I guess I'm not entirely comfortable with my branches of government being too chumy with each other. But Obama then ended his speech with those words of affection that plague and tantalize those who find them to be the paradigm of vulnerability and devotion: I love you.
Ew.
Look I'm not opposed to love. I think it's great- really. And I'm glad that our Prez is sensitive enough to be able to express his emotions. But what's demanded of the executive office, especially in a state of crisis, is not emotion, its practical action. I don't care what my President thinks of me, he can despise me if he likes- as long as his policies are correct. And I don't need sound policies, or crappy policies, buttressed by warm fuzzy feelings. If I want affection I have a dog, a family, and a myriad of stuffed animals. No politician's glow required.
Despite my own icky response to Obama, I like this guy- I voted for him, and unlike passed presidents, I don’t cringe in revulsion whenever I hear him speak, and yet I’m still put off by his declaration of affection. When Dubya reigned, he thought he was doing the Lord's work. His intentions, as far as he knew, were good- or at least that's what he said. I personally, (and I think sanity will back me up on this), see him as a delusional moral degenerate, without no appreciation of how his actions affected the world around him. Tell Americans around or under the poverty line, or taxi drivers and school teachers in Iraq and Afghanistan, or AIDS workers in Africa about your good intentions. Much of the world shakes with rage at the actions of George W. Bush, and his profession of good intentions and of moral certitude only add to the anger at the audacity of the dearth between his feelings and his actions. I cannot imagine the visceral reaction to Obama’s lusty offerings for those who did not favor the blue box on Election Day.
When George W. Bush spoke about his and America’s role in the world it was often in extreme diametric terms. Do-gooders and Evil-dooers, he was quick to remind us of the fear we should feel and the subsequent trust in him that was therefore required. Obama has swung the pendulum in the opposite direction. We are not evil, but all worthy of love and forgiveness. These extremes of fear and love are frightening at both ends, because they beckon a kind of blind compliance.
Obama’s rhetoric of love did not crop up suddenly when he assumed the role of President. He has been invoking his emotions throughout his career, and continued to do so on the presidential campaign trail. It was often friendly and reciprocated, and appropriate, even. Here was a group of supporters that volunteered long hours for no pay and at great cost to their own income. Or those who had stood in sometimes unbearable weather for hours to see him speak and add to the throng of nearly unprecedented support for an American politician. Emotions run high on the campaign trail, and Obama's declaration of affection was only countered by the devotion of his followers. The Change Zombies of the campaign trail, followers that tow the candidate's line with total certainly and no independent thought. These devotees were not unique to Obama, stalwart supporters exist in every campaign. But after the election Obama is no longer a candidate, he is an office. As President he cannot call on the select few to be his inyielding supporters- he needs to address all of us
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
DC job hunt... during an employment crisis.
I am not smooth, by any fragment of the imagination. Thus I find it monumentally difficult to bat my resume eyelashes and convince the Washington elite that their lives would be undoubtedly improved by including me in... whatever project they happen to be embarking on.
When I began my venture onto the DC job scene, my focus had been tech policy. All ICT, all the time. Those applications were a bit more comfortable, the tone was more relaxed, the interviewers more nerdy... Unfortunately, and as any veteran of the job search market (myself not included) might expect, distinguishing yourself amidst a throng of eager, doe-eyed, semi-geniuses, each vying to contribute to the most popular incoming president(or only, in some of my peer's cases) in recent history, proves more difficult than just a smile and a resume. So I've branched out- beyond the ICT world. I've thrown my hat to the regular, non tech-specific policy planning, to summit preparations, and most recently to intelligence teams. And that last part may be where I hit the edge of my own academia and bravery. I'm not sure what it means to work for the intelligence team, but after a training session this morning on safety procedures during a white phosphorous attack, I might just be packing my bag for San Francisco where I can spend my time working at a coffee shop, walking my dog, and reading bad poetry at open-mic nights.
When I began my venture onto the DC job scene, my focus had been tech policy. All ICT, all the time. Those applications were a bit more comfortable, the tone was more relaxed, the interviewers more nerdy... Unfortunately, and as any veteran of the job search market (myself not included) might expect, distinguishing yourself amidst a throng of eager, doe-eyed, semi-geniuses, each vying to contribute to the most popular incoming president(or only, in some of my peer's cases) in recent history, proves more difficult than just a smile and a resume. So I've branched out- beyond the ICT world. I've thrown my hat to the regular, non tech-specific policy planning, to summit preparations, and most recently to intelligence teams. And that last part may be where I hit the edge of my own academia and bravery. I'm not sure what it means to work for the intelligence team, but after a training session this morning on safety procedures during a white phosphorous attack, I might just be packing my bag for San Francisco where I can spend my time working at a coffee shop, walking my dog, and reading bad poetry at open-mic nights.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Why I bike to work when it's snowing
1. It's faster than the metro
2. It's cheaper than the metro
3. I get to look at snow, feel snowpetals fall on me, and experience that (yes it is sappy but I'll say it) exquisite silence of snowfall, when the world's noises are muted and life's soundtrack receives a humming bassline (white noise... heh) of flakes falling around.
And I suppose: 4. I like the cross-eyed look people give while I ride in near-chador style through rush-hour traffic. Smile :)
2. It's cheaper than the metro
3. I get to look at snow, feel snowpetals fall on me, and experience that (yes it is sappy but I'll say it) exquisite silence of snowfall, when the world's noises are muted and life's soundtrack receives a humming bassline (white noise... heh) of flakes falling around.
And I suppose: 4. I like the cross-eyed look people give while I ride in near-chador style through rush-hour traffic. Smile :)
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Inaug week
It's been an obscenely long time since I've posted. Apologies to myself mostly since I'm the primary reader of this little blog.
I've moved back to DC, started working on ICT outreach in Sub-Saharan Africa. I've developed a problem with the name "Sub-Saharan"- it has intrinsic implications of lesser value. This may seem far fetched, but in a culture where above average height is consistently linked to a higher paycheck and great rate of promotions - including to elected office, I can only rely on our human tendencies to be swayed by trivial, subliminal factors.
The Obama inauguration passed this Tuesday - the scaffolding and barriers for the parade are still stacked in front of the White House- which I pass by every morning on my bike to work. I personally spent the inauguration standing on 395 in a tunnel, dutifully waiting in line with my other honest purple ticket holders, rather than following my natural tendencies of using whatever skills necessary to push/hop/swindle my way close to the podium on the mall. Instead my absurd honesty caused me and my four friends to be among the throng that were shut out of the inauguration due to overcrowding and safety concerns. We glumly retreated into the Russell Senate building to watch the speeches from the warmth of Senator Webb's conference room. Quite fortunately one of our company is a staffer for the senator, so I was able to view the ceremony in full, munching on salted Virginia peanuts as my compatriots rehashed ad nauseum the events of the morning, and how they might have avoided their present situation.
Obama's speech was fine. Sober. Not as inspiring as his acceptance speech, nor was it a baring of our nation's soul as was his race speech in March 2008, but it was a fair call to sacrifice and hard work.
I'm interested to see what his first 100 days will bring, and what Hillary will do for the State Department. She began her role as Secretary of State today by speaking to a cheering crowd of a thousand foreign, civil, intern, and contract employees- myself included. She's intelligent, and I'm glad she's there- I don't have an understanding of State to give an intricate assessment of her impact on it, nor was I around for any significant portion of the previous Secretary's stint - but for what my perspective is worth, I'll try to have some vigilance on her policies.
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