Peter Kobs's definitions
1. Television that encourages viewers to hate, despise and fear "the enemy." George Orwell predicted the rise of Hate TV in his novel "1984." Usually found on the cable channels, Hate TV is the fastest-growing type of pseudo-news. Key characteristics include:
- Scapegoating (blaming a small group for the problems of all)
- Fear-mongering (raising the specter of impending tyranny)
- Simplistic thinking (condensing complex issues into a few hate-filled slogans)
- Truthiness (presenting rumors as established fact)
- Repetition (to give lies the ring of truth)
- Stereotyping (along racial, ethnic or religious lines)
- Assault Interviewing (attacking guests who disagree with the party line)
- Pandering (filling a studio with partisan crowds who will cheer or boo on cue)
- Thematic Aggregation ("packaging" a variety of fears, prejudices and hot-button issues under a common theme)
- Code Words (using substitutes for common racial slurs, insults, etc.)
- Multi-Media Marketing (combining TV with publishing, radio, websites, etc. to reinforce the core message)
- Narrowing (redefining the boundaries of "acceptable belief" to ostracize moderates)
- Movement Hype (promoting a specific group of people as the only "true" Americans)
- Event Manipulation (exaggerating the size, impact or diversity of a protest or political rally)
Hate TV inevitably leads to greater political polarization, up to and including acts of violence against the perceived "enemy."
- Scapegoating (blaming a small group for the problems of all)
- Fear-mongering (raising the specter of impending tyranny)
- Simplistic thinking (condensing complex issues into a few hate-filled slogans)
- Truthiness (presenting rumors as established fact)
- Repetition (to give lies the ring of truth)
- Stereotyping (along racial, ethnic or religious lines)
- Assault Interviewing (attacking guests who disagree with the party line)
- Pandering (filling a studio with partisan crowds who will cheer or boo on cue)
- Thematic Aggregation ("packaging" a variety of fears, prejudices and hot-button issues under a common theme)
- Code Words (using substitutes for common racial slurs, insults, etc.)
- Multi-Media Marketing (combining TV with publishing, radio, websites, etc. to reinforce the core message)
- Narrowing (redefining the boundaries of "acceptable belief" to ostracize moderates)
- Movement Hype (promoting a specific group of people as the only "true" Americans)
- Event Manipulation (exaggerating the size, impact or diversity of a protest or political rally)
Hate TV inevitably leads to greater political polarization, up to and including acts of violence against the perceived "enemy."
"Did you hear about that guy who crashed is plane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas?"
"Yeah, he killed two people, including a father who served in Vietnam."
"Well, Hate TV is saying he was a patriot and should be congratulated for standing up to the government."
"Scary stuff...What's next -- public lynchings in prime time?"
"Yeah, he killed two people, including a father who served in Vietnam."
"Well, Hate TV is saying he was a patriot and should be congratulated for standing up to the government."
"Scary stuff...What's next -- public lynchings in prime time?"
by Peter Kobs April 9, 2010
Get the Hate TV mug.1. The act of blaming someone else for your own mistakes.
2. Refusing to take responsibility for anything BAD while always taking credit for anything GOOD.
Greenspanning was pioneered by Alan Greenspan, the former head of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, who has spent the last 5 years denying any responsibility for the housing bubble or subsequent economic collapse -- despite enormous evidence to the contrary.
2. Refusing to take responsibility for anything BAD while always taking credit for anything GOOD.
Greenspanning was pioneered by Alan Greenspan, the former head of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, who has spent the last 5 years denying any responsibility for the housing bubble or subsequent economic collapse -- despite enormous evidence to the contrary.
by Peter Kobs April 7, 2010
Get the Greenspanning mug.1. The act of banning any Taliban member from a specific area or activity.
Examples include: Crossing a border, entering a city, serving on a tribal committee or boarding an airplane. In some cases, local governments are trying to recruit ex-Taliban members into the fold, providing a way out from "Talibanishment."
2. The continuing effort by Pakistani and Afghani officials to eliminate Taliban violence by labeling specific individuals or groups as terrorists.
3. An extremely difficult task.
Examples include: Crossing a border, entering a city, serving on a tribal committee or boarding an airplane. In some cases, local governments are trying to recruit ex-Taliban members into the fold, providing a way out from "Talibanishment."
2. The continuing effort by Pakistani and Afghani officials to eliminate Taliban violence by labeling specific individuals or groups as terrorists.
3. An extremely difficult task.
by Peter Kobs January 4, 2010
Get the Talibanned mug.1. A city with widespread and pervasive gun violence.
2. A dangerous neighborhood or part of town.
3. A place where young people get "popped" on a regular basis by rival gang members or criminals, usually between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
2. A dangerous neighborhood or part of town.
3. A place where young people get "popped" on a regular basis by rival gang members or criminals, usually between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
by Peter Kobs August 12, 2009
Get the Pop City mug.1. A building or military installation that is never intended to be used, but which must be constructed anyway for political reasons.
2. A public space that planners know will never be occupied or properly used. It gets built anyway to satisfy a planning commission or zoning board.
3. The act of constructing something useless and pointless because it is demanded by an overall "plan."
2. A public space that planners know will never be occupied or properly used. It gets built anyway to satisfy a planning commission or zoning board.
3. The act of constructing something useless and pointless because it is demanded by an overall "plan."
"Did you hear about those Pre-Abandoned schools in Iraq? They built them out in the desert without any electricity or air conditioning. No one will ever use them, but at least they look good on paper."
by Peter Kobs September 22, 2009
Get the Pre-Abandoned mug.Someone who makes money by stealing books from the local public library, then reselling them online, after removing the security tags and identifying marks.
by Peter Kobs February 8, 2009
Get the Book Crook mug.1. Someone who constantly flaunts his ownership of the new Apple iPad. Pad Lads feel compelled to "demonstrate" the system complete strangers, whether they're interested or not.
2. One of Steve Jobs' techno-hypnotic minions.
2. One of Steve Jobs' techno-hypnotic minions.
I know you're a Pad Lad, David. Everyone's very impressed. But can we please talk about something else?
by Peter Kobs June 2, 2010
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