In the comments to Tuesday's post, 'Hesiod' calls me a "propagandist". He obviously intends this as an insult, but then adds "We all do it", which tends to cancel the force of the epithet. Of course, we do not all do it.
He seems to think I made fun of his bad German to further the noble cause of warbloggery. I made fun of it because it was funny. I have mocked bad Latin (and bad Pig Latin) on Kausfiles, bad French on Lucianne.Com, bad spelling in the Weekly Standard, and bad history in National Review Online. Three months ago, my mockery of InstaPundit's new logo caused him to change it (not what I intended). Of course, I spend more time mocking lefties than righties, but that's mostly because there is so much more to mock: when it comes to satire and invective, today's left is a 'target-rich environment'.
'Hesiod' describes his own site this way (idiosyncratic spelling and punctuation are original):
A Web Log dedicated to the pRoposition that no dishonest right-wing, propaganda will go unpunished, or unrefuted
Apparently 'Hesiod' has no problem with dishonest propaganda, as long as it is left-wing: he says so himself. So who precisely is the propagandist here?
One more thing: I don't just correct mistakes in language, which would be tedious and pedantic, but generally try to use the mistake as a jumping-off point for something broader and more interesting, often an anecdote or quotation. See the post just before this one for an example: I'm more interested in the wit of the anonymous Deutero-Scott than the ineptitudes of Amir Butler.
Posted by Dr. Weevil at August 22, 2002 12:30 AM>>>Apparently 'Hesiod' has no problem with dishonest propaganda, as long as it is left-wing: he says so himself. So who precisely is the propagandist here?<<<
I never denied I was a propagandist. As I pointed out, "propagandizing," is the dissemination of information with the prupose of advancing a particular point of view.
http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=propagandist&r=2
Of course there are honest "propagandists," and dishonest ones.
Those who knowingly spread false or deceptive information are dishonest.
That's you.
Incidentally, I occasionally take on left-wing dishonest propagandists as well as those on the right.
Of course, I think the rightwing variety is far more prevalent and invidious, and countering it, therefore, deserves much greater scrutiny and time.
Posted by: hesiod on August 22, 2002 01:06 PMAfter you've shot yourself in the foot a staggering number of times in the last few days, Hesiod, do you not have difficulty walking?
Posted by: David Perron on August 22, 2002 04:01 PMI think I hurt myself laughing again.
Posted by: Robin Roberts on August 22, 2002 06:37 PMShot myself in the foot?
LOL!!
You rightwingers are truly pathetic.
Let me guess...you're going to dress up as Yosemite Sam and "follow" me around the blogosphere?
Posted by: hesiod on August 22, 2002 06:40 PMLet me guess...you're going to dress up as Yosemite Sam and "follow" me around the blogosphere?
Don't flatter yourself, Pegleg. In the grand scheme of things, you aren't that important.
Posted by: Pejman Yousefzadeh on August 22, 2002 08:55 PMEven though we probably sit on opposite sides of the fence politically, Doc, I must admit I have come to admire your linguistic skills. I find your page one of the most enjoyable reads out there. I took four years of Latin and shudder to think how badly I've allowed my skills to erode; can I audit our class?
Posted by: Doubting Thomas on August 22, 2002 10:19 PMPosted by hesiod at August 22, 2002 01:06 PM
Of course, I think the rightwing variety is far more prevalent and invidious, and countering it, therefore, deserves much greater scrutiny and time.
I had to pick my jaw up off my keyboard after this comment. Hesiod, you've never heard of NBC, CBS, ABC, BBC, CNN, NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times or Time and Newsweek. Not to mention all the government subsidized propagandists in almost every university and public school in country.
Posted by: Jabba the Tutt on August 23, 2002 06:37 PMOf course that doesn't faze them, Jabba, as they merely start channeling Noam Chomsky's dishonesties.
Posted by: Robin Roberts on August 25, 2002 07:38 PMJabba, he probably thinks all those media sources, except perhaps the New York Rag, are conservative. I had one troll tell me that just recently. Fantasyland.
Posted by: Michael Lonie on August 27, 2002 12:55 AMApologies for the footshot-staggering thing. It was wholly unintentional.
Posted by: David Perron on August 27, 2002 10:39 AM