Unemployment--It’s Funtastic!
by
It’s nothing short of easy to shit on the press when it comes to Obama--everything he does is wonderful, everyone loves him, and all are optimistic that the best days are yet to come. Even when times are bad, there are signs of “hope.” Well, on the heels of this ridiculous piece of propoganda by EJ Dionne, in which he claims that “A media environment that tilts to the right is obscuring what President Obama stands for and closing off political options that should be part of the public discussion,” (check out the remarks in the comments section for a real laugh), we get a couple of bits of North Korea-style articles on the economy masquerading as “news.”
The first one is from the Los Angeles Times, touting the new and exciting world of “funemployment"--and no, I’m not making that term up:
What most people would call unemployment, Van Gorkom embraced as “funemployment.”
While millions of Americans struggle to find work as they face foreclosures and bankruptcy, others have found a silver lining in the economic meltdown. These happily jobless tend to be single and in their 20s and 30s. Some were laid off. Some quit voluntarily, lured by generous buyouts.
Honestly, can anyone contemplate an article like this during the Bush years terming the unemployed as “happily jobless”?
Then there’s this article from the AP:
April’s same-store sales figures included Wal-Mart and edged up. But excluding the world’s largest retailer, May was the 10th straight month of same-store sales declines, according to a tally by Goldman Sachs and the International Council of Shopping Centers.
The results come amid faint signs that the gloom of recession is lifting. On Thursday, the Labor Department said the number of Americans on the unemployment rolls fell slightly for the first time in 20 weeks, while the tally of new jobless claims also dipped.
In May, the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index rose to its highest level since September. And several retailers including BJ’s and TJX Cos. indicated traffic improved in May.But that generally did not translate to sales, as job worries and falling home prices are still clearly weighing on consumers as they shop.
Well, in my book, if people aren’t buying shit, then consumer confidence is not up. Notice the article doesn’t mention the number of jobs lost in May, which I cited yesterday, and only reveals that the spending is the result of people frequenting lower-cost retail venues like Wal-Mart later on in the article.
Recall the articles I cited in my post yesterday--those articles were from when times were good. How come all of a sudden rising unemployment and decreased sales are signs of optimism? (Yes the question is rhetorical)
The most telling and teeth-grindingly stupid passage is in the LA Times article:
Buoyed by severance, savings, unemployment checks or their parents, the funemployed do not spend their days poring over job listings. They travel on the cheap for weeks. They head back to school or volunteer at the neighborhood soup kitchen. And at least till the bank account dries up, they’re content living for today.
That folks, right there, is how a glorified ward-heeler like Obama got elected.
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Comments
“funactivated”
May I suggest ”gleeactivated”?
Honestly, can anyone contemplate an article like this during the Bush years terming the unemployed as “happily jobless”?
I think it’s a bit of a stretch to pin this one on a press fawning over Obama. It’s a human interest story about a small subset of self-important 20-somethings who could afford losing their jobs enjoying being slackers. Very reminiscent of the Yuppie stories during the Reagan era or any of the golden parachute stories. I don’t think the author is saying “Hey unemployment – the new hip thing to do!” Nor do I think she is insinuating that this group represents “the unemployed” as a whole.
Another quote from the article:
Experts say it’s both a reflection of the country’s cultural narcissism—and attitudes of entitlement and self-centeredness—and a backlash against corporate America and its “Dilbert"-like work environment.
Not the most positive portrayal.
I’m not saying Obama isn’t still enjoying a honeymoon with the press - I’m just not sold on this article as an example.
Great post, Big dog. I think we’ll have to wait a year for criticism of Obama to set in. He’s beem very careful to salt and pepper his rhetoric (ie. like the speech he gave to The Muslim world, where only WVR seems to stupidly believe accomplished anything), but the reality is, Americans care about themselves.
Foreign policy will take a back seat to domestic issues in the blink of an eye.
Well, in my book, if people aren’t buying shit, then consumer confidence is not up
Uhh, oh yeah. If Obama simply focused on this, we’d be in a better place already. Placating Unions will be his demise.
I used my “funemployment” time to go on vacation to Gitmo.
I think it’s a bit of a stretch to pin this one on a press fawning over Obama. It’s a human interest story about a small subset of self-important 20-somethings who could afford losing their jobs enjoying being slackers. Very reminiscent of the Yuppie stories during the Reagan era or any of the golden parachute stories. I don’t think the author is saying “Hey unemployment – the new hip thing to do!” Nor do I think she is insinuating that this group represents “the unemployed” as a whole.
taLk abuot a strw man argumnt!
(sry teh spin in ya post isa makin me dizzzy!)
I think it’s a bit of a stretch to pin this one on a press fawning over Obama. It’s a human interest story about a small subset of self-important 20-somethings who could afford losing their jobs enjoying being slackers. Very reminiscent of the Yuppie stories during the Reagan era or any of the golden parachute stories. I don’t think the author is saying “Hey unemployment – the new hip thing to do!” Nor do I think she is insinuating that this group represents “the unemployed” as a whole.
That’s not the point, though--this kind of article, showing people who are not simply indifferent about their unemployment, but are in fact reveling in it, never would have seen the light of day during the Bush years. Although it does not mention Obama specifically, it’s the nature of the portrayal that’s at issue.
In addition, the next quote you cite shows the author generalizing an opinion(only “experts” are cited, but no quotes or statistical analysis provided) that extrapolates the attitudes of this particular group of people upon the country as a whole. The implication is that most people would be doing the same thing as these dumb-truck Gen-Yers, if they also were single and had either their parents or an unemployment check to mooch off of. Furthermore, the only real “analysis” is expressed thusly:
“Recession gives people permission to be unemployed,” said David Logan, a professor at USC’s Marshall School of Business. “Why not make use of the time and go do something fun?”
Jean Twenge, co-author of “The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement,” said in some cases, many employees had lost balance between work and life, with too many late nights and weekends spent at the office. When they stop working, they realize how much they had given up.
These are not the kind of citations of “experts” one makes if they are trying to demonstrate this attitude in a negative light.
It’s nothing short of easy to shit on the press when it comes to Obama--everything he does is wonderful, everyone loves him, and all are optimistic that the best days are yet to come.
Well, the tabloids have already turned on him, at least. Saw one when I was at the store the other day that said “Obama Gay Scandal”.
Wonder if he was fucking Bat Boy?
Whilst I wouldn’t go so far to say it was ‘fun’ – this is sort of the situation with a lot of my mates in London. Several people (especially in the financial sector) have been made redundant, and rather than sit around worrying, pretty much all of them are taking a year out to do something. One guy has gone backpacking round the world, another guy has gone to drama school. The attitude is just “get your head down, stay solvent for the next 18/24 months, and things will pick up again.”
I’m not sure that’s a huge consolation to the workers at the Vauxhall plant though…
I’m not sure that’s a huge consolation to the workers at the Vauxhall plant though…
GM no longer holds the majority of that, right? I think that they sold 55% to Magna-Steyr. What’s the general opinion of this in the EU? Is this thought to be a good move for Opel/Vauxhall?
rather than sit around worrying, pretty much all of them are taking a year out to do something. One guy has gone backpacking round the world, another guy has gone to drama school. The attitude is just “get your head down, stay solvent for the next 18/24 months, and things will pick up again.”
well, that is fucking nice, IF you go the Money to do that 2 two fucking year, but others, most others, simply do not.
InsipID - in all honesty, I’m not the guy to ask - REALLY not my specialist subject.
ps - keep an eye on the British press today. Gordon Brown might be being fucked in the ass by his own party as we speak. (not literally...)
Harley - step away from the drunk blogging mate…
this kind of article, showing people who are not simply indifferent about their unemployment, but are in fact reveling in it, never would have seen the light of day during the Bush years.
This is just begging the question.
You are saying that it would be impossible to find any articles about people who have succeeded after unemployment or entreprnuers who were motivated by a change in their job status? Or is this another case where one or two examples would be exceptions proving the claim? It also leaves a lot of room for new qualifiers to be added as needed.
the next quote you cite shows the author generalizing an opinion
But you don’t see yourself doing the same thing in the quote leading off this comment?
These are not the kind of citations of “experts” one makes if they are trying to demonstrate this attitude in a negative light.
First - I don’t buy that the article is all in a positive light - where I come from narcissism is a negative character trait. Secondly, I think the author makes it pretty clear she is talking about a pretty small subset of the unemployed.
I am not saying that your premise may not have some merit - I’m saying that using this article as your proof is not doing it for me you’re jumping to conclusions that require a helmet in this case.
This is just begging the question.
You are saying that it would be impossible to find any articles about people who have succeeded after unemployment or entreprnuers who were motivated by a change in their job status? Or is this another case where one or two examples would be exceptions proving the claim? It also leaves a lot of room for new qualifiers to be added as needed.
Are you being deliberately obtuse? How does this refute my contention that an article like this would have seen the light of day during the Bush years, particularly given the articles I cited in my post from two days ago? Do you have evidence to the contrary?
But you don’t see yourself doing the same thing in the quote leading off this comment?
The generalization is easy to make because the media spin on the state of the economy under Obama, as opposed to under Bush, is pretty damn clear. Particularly when articles like this are produced which spin the loss of 345,000 jobs and a rise in unemployment as a positive sign. The LA Times article is simply a microcosmic example in a much larger and more obvious trend.
First - I don’t buy that the article is all in a positive light - where I come from narcissism is a negative character trait.
I don’t consider narcissism as a positive trait, either, but then again you and I are responsible adults without an agenda to push. If the author of the article is trying to show these attitudes in a negative light, she’s being rather evasive about it--the individuals are shown as being carefree and without stress, and the academics she uses, as cited, don’t express this attitude in a negative light.
Secondly, I think the author makes it pretty clear she is talking about a pretty small subset of the unemployed.
Which doesn’t necessarily refute my original assertion that, during the Bush administration, people who were out of work would be described as “happily unemployed” in any context whatsoever--regardless if it is a small subset of the population or not. If you have evidence to the contrary, I’d be happy to see it.
How about this article?
Pretty much mirrors the sentiment from the LA times piece.
Hmm. I think salinger has a point. Maybe we’re seeing more piling on by the press in regards to sugar-coating Obama’s administration. That much is evident from, you know, my eyes.
But.
I seem to recall stories like this popping up every time unemployment is in the news. I think it might just be a go-to article the newspapers assign as a sort of fluff piece. That whole “Look at how indomitable the human spirit is” bullshit that newspapers love to use to balance the doom and gloom.
I dunno, I think tone enters into it again. It becomes an issue of saying “Well the pundits made fun of Clinton too!”, when the snipes at Clinton were in the tone of “Awww, you big lovable goof, what’ve you gotten yourself into now? Heheh, c’mon, let’s buy ya a beer, Billy, you old rascal.” whereas with Bush the tone was more “MURDERER! BETRAYER! YOUR MOTHER SUCKS COCKS IN HELL AREHGDFLGJSGJAKA”.
Ahem.
But seriously, in the last parts of Bush’s presidency, the spin was still active. I heard one radio story about the amount of people going out to eat in the economic climate… it hadn’t really gone down at all. The tone was very much that of “People are still going to restaurants in spite of the economy… probably to allay their misery and worry. But how long can it last...?” And while this story in particular might be a fluff piece, it is pretty indicative of the current tone of “Oh sure the economy hasn’t skyrocketed back up quite yet, but everyone’s just so HOPEful!”
I think salinger has a point.
Looks like my donation to the server drive cleared…
Hmm. I think salinger has a point.
At least he provided a citation, which is appreciated.
Perhaps I am being a little too senstive to this because of the blatant spinning by other media articles that have presented clearly bad economic news as being positive. The timing of the LA Times article coming out right when the new unemployment figures were released did seem awfully fishy.
Looks like my donation to the server drive cleared…
You sonofabitch. :) I say one nice thing and get accused of...something where you get bribed for favorable opinions of stuff. I can’t think of the word right now but: you sonofabitch. :)
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In my home state the unions are running commercials on TV trying, of all things, to convince people to tell the politicians to tax them more instead of cutting their out of control and wasteful spending, so the state employees do not have to suffer along with the rest of us shlobs not protected by the crooks in government, and have some of them laid off too. I kid you not. The media’s coverage of this? Courageous stat employees speak truth to power… Idiots the lot of them I tell you.