Thursday, October 06, 2005

Eric Alterman writes:

Stupid on Purpose: If Times Select were a smashing success, does Mickey Kaus really think a number would be sufficiently significant to affect the media conglomerate's stock price, or is he just being stupid on purpose? ... I think "Stupid on Purpose" is a good new Altercation category, reserved for people who can't possibly believe the nonsense they spout, but do so in the service of some larger ideological or political goal.

I don't like to ascribe motive where it's not evident from a person's words or actions, so I'll just agree with the "Stupid" part. "On Purpose" gives Kaus credit for intelligence not demonstrated by his writings, and excludes the possibility that both genuine stupidity and dishonesty are at work.

No comments: