Songpoet's definitions

wormsquirm

Wormsquirm is the maneuver politicians and leaders sometimes exercise when they find themselves regretting their prior support for a person or policy who has suddenly fallen from grace. Even though the sins of the person or the faults of the policy may be severe, the politician tries to squirm out of "guilt by association" by using weasel words and various excuses.

During the 2016 USA presidential election, when Donald Trump's 2005 video surfaced in which he bragged about grabbing p-ssy, some prominent Republicans like Senator McCain withdrew their support, while others did the wormsquirm, criticizing his words but maintaining support for his candidacy.

by Songpoet October 14, 2016

twittering

Glib approach to a complex problem. Skimming along the surface. Simple-minded approach. Using shortcuts and platitudes.

While millions lost their homes to foreclosures, it seemed like Congress was mainly twittering. There were no signs of active, meaningful assistance.

Nero twittered as Rome burned.

by Songpoet January 27, 2011

Tech A.D.D.

Variation of TADD - An acronym for Technology Attention Deficit Disorder — a condition caused by the excessive use of multiple technologies likely to make it difficult to focus, pay attention or understand anything difficult or challenging.

When Ruth flunked out of college in her freshman year, some of her friends blamed it on Tech A.D.D. - her total immersion in social networking and text-messaging that made it impossible for her to read her course work, pay attention in class or grasp the basics of the courses she was taking.

by Songpoet December 1, 2010

tinkerbell effect

Wishful thinking that gets in the way of reality and smart decision-making as policy makers who believe something to be true (like the presence of weapons of mass destruction) start acting like they have evidence to prove it true. Closely associated with faith-based decision-making and "in your dreams" thinking.

Even though casualties and the level of violence both escalate in Iraq, members of the Bush Administration keep making optimistic forecasts about freedom and democratic prospects since they are captives of the Tinkerbell Effect. If you believe in fairies, maybe the war in Iraq will turn out well after all!

by Songpoet October 14, 2006

Digital nativism

Mistaken belief that young folks who were born immersed in things digital are somehow in a state of grace and older folks are cursed by their age and lack of digital conditioning. Arrogant and insulting division of generations into different camps first proposed by Marc Prensky but unfounded on any survey data.

With an insulting tone worthy of the original American nativists who hated immigrants (especially Catholic ones), Marc Prensky speaks of pre-iPod humans (digital immigrants) contemptuously. This is simply digital nativism, a kind of generational prejudice that is ill founded and unsubstantiated.

by Songpoet November 1, 2007

TADD

This is an acronym for Technology Attention Deficit Disorder — a condition caused by the excessive use of multiple technologies likely to make it difficult to focus, pay attention or understand anything difficult or challenging.

When Ruth flunked out of college in her freshman year, some of her friends blamed it on TADD - her total immersion in social networking and text-messaging that made it impossible for her to read her course work, pay attention in class or grasp the basics of the courses she was taking.

by Songpoet November 29, 2010

Trumpit

The election of Donald Trump to the presidency despite weeks of political opinion polls predicting the election of Hillary Clinton - a phenomenon much like Brexit in the UK where voters called for Britain's exit from the European Union despite weeks of political polls predicting the opposite outcome.

Political pundits and forecasters were shocked when American voters pulled off a Trumpit on election day, sending Donald Trump to the White House despite countless predictions that he would lose the election.

by Songpoet November 28, 2016