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Now There's A Term to Make You Think
North Miami Beach, FL August 5, 2001 Aaron H.
Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then, Opinions pro or con are welcome.
NOW THERE'S A TERM TO MAKE YOU THINK!
I love Sunday Morning when the NY Times arrives. It gives one much to
ponder or, think about. For instance, take a look at the following terms
gleaned from a cursory trip through the pages. I find I must be brief since
one could spend the whole day reading carefully through all the pages in the
Sunday NY Times. And, then there is the local Miami Herald - much less
challenging due to focusing on sports, our South American cousins, and
vagaries of the weather.
"CORPORATE OLIGARCHS" (NY Times Magazine p. 11. "Out of Retirement 8-5-01)
This term was used in the context of Social Security where old-timers like
some of you and, of course, me are compared to Fat Cats (another pungent
appellation) who deck offices and board rooms at multi-millions of dollars
(a day, a week, a month, a year). Of course you know the definition of
"oligarch". Check me on this one. An oligarch is a non-elected person who
rules the rest of us by the power of vast amounts of wealth usually
accumulated by granddaddy.
"BATTLEFIELD SPACE" (NY Times Magazine 8-5-01
We have just gotten used to this new president who wants to build up our
military to cement the U.S. position as "King of the Hill" (another image to
grab you where the pain makes you think). Now we are asked to consider
plotting the future of warfare in space. This might be another case of our
getting what is wished for.
"VIRAL MARKETING OF ALPHA PUPS" NY Times Magazine 8-5-01
If you understood this without the following explanation you are pretty
cool.
Imagine asking groups of 10 and 11-year-old kids to finger the "coolest"
kid they know. Then a group of these chosen cool cats are trained in the
use of a new electronic toy. The kids who are cool in school with toys for
boys are sent out as Judas Goats to lead other kids to the stores where
intriguing gadgets are marketed. This sort of gives "exploitation" a
shivery name.
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?" (Actually - "Righting Wrong") NY Times
Week in Review page 2, 8-5-01
The challenge of finding the right thing when it is labeled "wrong" is
usually a section of the paper in a cartoonish format. Did you ever do one
of these puzzles? You are asked to find where the "inappropriate", "odd",
"miss-matched", "missing" or "funny" items are supposed to alert the
thoughtful observer. To ask the reader to find the WRONG things in a
picture helps the reader to make judgements in a line of thinking leading to
bias and prejudice against someone or something that is out of the ordinary
or merely different.
Our values are being manipulated when we are asked to look at something
doctored to be alien and unacceptable and presented to us from the mind of
its creator. What do you see is wrong with this picture?
Carol's Evaluation: 9.5 out of 10.
AFTERWORD. I must say that the New York Times is a great vehicle to get you
to think and therefore is a good case in point about THINKING ALLOWED.
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