The Pompous Ass Generalization

March 19, 2017

Increasing the number of news sources doesn’t necessarily enhance understanding. It’s like that old project management thing: If it takes one programmer 1000 hours to write a program, then it should take two programmers 500 hours. Following that logic, assigning 1000 programmers to our dream project should render a one hour completion. Which is obvious nonsense.

(Sorry, I know, that’s a lot of numbers of lead off with, especially when it leads to nonsense – but, bear with me. I have a point. Promise.)

The point being, throwing additional resources at a problem won’t necessarily solve that problem sooner or better. There’s sweet spot, beyond which adding stuff slows things down. We, of course, passed that sweet spot with the number of news resources a long time ago. A Google search of “news” yields over 10 billion results.

Given the huge number of news sites, I find myself headline scanning aggregators (Huffington, Salon, CNN, YouTube, …) for stories of interest. I even scan FOX, InfoWars and Breitbart, but never on a full stomach. Rapid scanning gives me an overview, an initial impression that I try to use as guidance for further exploration. New idea stimulation, as it were.

But lately, this technique has miserably failed. Over the last few days, after scanning my big three or four, I find I have the same redundant impression – every single time. No matter where I look, the overriding generality, the recurring primary player and theme has been the pompous ass.

They’re everywhere, chairing the House Intel committee, where they say they have no evidence of wiretapping, but you never know – ya know? Pompous Ass.

There’s Sean Spicer’s yelling at reporters, offering a twenty-first century version of “the beatings will continue until your morale improves” as press policy. Pompous ass.

How about the budget guy claiming there are no demonstrable results from Meal on Wheels, so the funding should be redirected (indirectly landing in defense)? Pompous ass.

Paul Ryan, with his childish attempt so scare us with, “This bill is our only chance to fix healthcare” bullshit. Pompous ass.

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos – fix public education by killing it – pompous ass.

The Donald, where to start… Pompous ass.

The republic is tolerant of most personality types – this is America, so even pompous asses are welcome. But, shouldn’t they have to register or, at least, wear funny hats – so we can keep an eye on them, for their own good?

In Peace and Justice,
osv