Captain Digital

Random musings on politics, society, and pop culture from the Internet's marketing curmudgeon.

Groupthink.

groupthink (grūp’thĭngk’) n. The act or practice of reasoning or decision-making by a group, especially when characterized by uncritical acceptance or conformity to prevailing points of view.

It is a part of human nature to want to belong. Belonging takes many forms – families, clubs, schools, sports teams and their fans, and even politics. In society, many of us classify themselves by labels that indicate to which group we belong. Conservative. Liberal. Republican. Democrat. But where things get weird is when one group takes hold of the idea that their ideas and beliefs are not only superior to the other groups, but that the other groups are stupid, wrong, and even dangerous.

Welcome to politics in 2008. [Read more…] about Groupthink.

What’s going on here?

This election has me baffled. I see the polls – one has the race tied, and the others give Obama a ten or eleven-point lead. Yet, everybody I talk to – Liberal and Conservative alike – are talking about Joe the Plumber and are debating the question of if Obama’s plans are Socialism by another name. (They are.) I think the election is gonna be way closer than everybody seems to think – and I still believe, in my heart of hearts – that McCain’s gonna win. [Read more…] about What’s going on here?

The choice we face in this election.

 

NOTE: This post is a slightly edited version of a piece I wrote in response to an article published in Animation World Network magazine. 
— • —
As Election Day ’08 draws near, it’s obvious that this election represents the crossing of the Rubicon for America. As voters, We the People have a choice to make, and it’s a dramatically different one than we’ve faced before. In our generation, we’ve never had to face a decision that offers such stark contrasts – Obama, the anti-war, anti-big business, big-government candidate or McCain, the pro-business, anti-tax, political maverick – who in any other year would be described as a moderate (in almost every respect, except for his position the war). 
Those on the left would have you believe that the choice we face is between the “progressive” ideas of the cool, calm and collected Obama, versus a senile, mad dog (McCain) prone to rash decisions and irresponsible positions on the war, the economy, and our future.
But pause with me for a nanosecond, and let’s consider a few (verifiable) facts, and see if those on the Left have  all the answers. [Read more…] about The choice we face in this election.

Once more, dear friends, into the studio…

I actually used to own one of these dinosaurs. Really.
I actually used to own one of these dinosaurs. Really.

It’s come to my attention that I am like the cobbler’s children, shoeless, in spite of their father’s profession. I am a musician, without any recent recorded samples of my work. This is an inconvenient, but not insurmountable problem. 

 

So today, I’m gonna fix it. 

Of course, in my own, inimitable, Captain Digital fashion, I can’t resist a little feature creep, allowing the scope to grow past the prime purpose of the mission.  [Read more…] about Once more, dear friends, into the studio…

Nothing like a little unbiased polling…

A week or so ago, one of the special-interests sites (for professional animators, if you must know) sent me a request to participate in a poll regarding how artists plan to vote in November. I responded, as it looked as if it was legitimate, and trying to get an honest sample from a specific demographic. 

They lied. 

What this was, in fact, was an agenda-driven poll, taken so that the person behind the poll, could spew his far, far left, Liberal point-of-view, and use the (very unscientific) poll results to justify his own hate-filled B.S. 

In case you think I’m exaggerating, here’s the link to the article in question: [Read more…] about Nothing like a little unbiased polling…

Saturday Night Comatose

Apparently like most of America, I was suckered into watching Saturday Night Live for the much ballyhooed Sarah Palin appearance. It had been hyped (by just about everybody) for so long, perhaps my expectations were too high. For the record, I thought that, in both her bits, Governor Palin was gracious, a good sport, and looked like the only adult in the room. Everybody else looked like what they were – entertainers who weren’t that entertaining, more spoiled kids riffing on a throwaway joke as if it were the next “Who’s On First” routine. And I’m not just talking about the Palin sketches. I’m talking about the entire show. (You know the show’s a dog when the best – and most memorable – thing on it is the musical guest. Where are the Muppets when they need them?) [Read more…] about Saturday Night Comatose

Cause and Effect.

I think I’ve figured out what the problem is.

Of course, to understand that, we must first agree on what problem we’re discussing.

I’m speaking of pretty much every problem we’ve got in society today, from child-rearing to the economy, from taxes to personal relationships. Look at any conflict, and then boil it down to the essentials, and I think you’ll find the same root cause.

We are, in virtually every case, denying how cause and effect are inexorably linked. Case(s) in point: [Read more…] about Cause and Effect.

Whither Progress?

George Carlin once famously said, “words mean things.” Yep. But today, words can also be co-opted, where their original meanings are subverted, and new meanings assigned, thus changing it’s use and significance. 

Take the word “progress” and its derivatives. 

I, personally, believe that if “pro” is the opposite of “con,” then it’s logical and reasonable to define “progress” as the opposite of “Congress.” Progress is supposed to denote change for the better. But while progress requires change, not all change requires progress. [Read more…] about Whither Progress?

The Morning After Debate.

The insatiable appetite of the 24/7 news cycles has begat an unfortunate dividend – an explosion in the demand for pundits. They are all over Fox News, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS – you name it. Now the media keeps blurring the lines between job descriptions, but for the sake of this argument, allow me to clairfy the titles and job descriptions of what you’re supposed to be seeing on TV: [Read more…] about The Morning After Debate.

McCain Steps Up.

I was expecting another snooze-fest at this evening’s final debate. I anticipated a bunch of talking points, wrapped in some dialog suitable as a cure for insomnia. Listening to their minions on the news shows, I figured we’d get more of the same, especially from McCain. I believed he would do exactly what he’d done before – keep to his one-man-revival of a Midwestern version of The Importance of Being Earnest.

I was wrong. Boy, was I wrong. [Read more…] about McCain Steps Up.