Peter Kobs's definitions
1. An imaginary economic system that will magically replace millions of jobs lost to outsourcing, downsizing and low-wage overseas competition.
2. A feel-good term used by politicians to distract attention from their own immense policy failures.
3. Something that's always "just around the corner" if we only "do the right things."
2. A feel-good term used by politicians to distract attention from their own immense policy failures.
3. Something that's always "just around the corner" if we only "do the right things."
Michigan's governor said we must prepare for the New Economy by turning 400,000 unemployed auto workers into video game programmers and pastry chefs. That's the ticket!
by Peter Kobs May 3, 2010
Get the New Economy mug.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. A person who spends WAY too much time on Twitter, to the detriment of his or her job, family, friends and/or mental health.
2. A cell-phone Twitter texting maniac.
3. Someone who believes they are the center of the universe, despite abundant evidence to the contrary.
2. A cell-phone Twitter texting maniac.
3. Someone who believes they are the center of the universe, despite abundant evidence to the contrary.
by Peter Kobs August 5, 2009
Get the Twitter Critter mug.This acronym stands for "Great Depression #2." It's shorthand for the seemingly imminent collapse of the global economic system starting in late 2008 and continuing into 2009. Some professional economists, as well as ordinary working people, are fearful that the spiralling financial meltdown will lead to a decade-long repeat of the 1930s, complete with bread lines, soup kitchens, radical uprisings and the possibility of global violence. "Happy times are here again!"
by Peter Kobs December 22, 2008
Get the GD2 mug.1. The downward transformation of one economic class into another.
2. The gradual descent from relative prosperity to grinding poverty, usually among formerly middle-class families.
2. The gradual descent from relative prosperity to grinding poverty, usually among formerly middle-class families.
by Peter Kobs February 6, 2009
Get the Class Morphing mug.1. A major news event that reveals someone's true values and personality.
2. How people react to a massive disaster, such as the Haiti earthquake of January 2010 -- with compassion and care, or sarcasm and selfishness.
Following the Jan. 12 earthquake, most people expressed sorrow and an urge to help those in distress. However, some people resorted to "blaming the victim" or condemning "taxpayer-funded" relief efforts. Hidden hatred of minorities, poor people and "foreigners" is often at the root of such heartless statements following a major catastrophe.
2. How people react to a massive disaster, such as the Haiti earthquake of January 2010 -- with compassion and care, or sarcasm and selfishness.
Following the Jan. 12 earthquake, most people expressed sorrow and an urge to help those in distress. However, some people resorted to "blaming the victim" or condemning "taxpayer-funded" relief efforts. Hidden hatred of minorities, poor people and "foreigners" is often at the root of such heartless statements following a major catastrophe.
Two famous men failed the Haiti Test this month: Pat Robertson said Haiti was being punished by God for "making a pact with the devil" in the late 1700s. Rush Limbaugh called Haiti relief efforts a political ploy by the Obama administration to "burnish his reputation" with the light-skinned and dark-skinned black community" in the U.S.
by Peter Kobs January 18, 2010
Get the Haiti Test mug.