I just thought that there was a difference between reporting events and having an opinion of them. Boy, am I old-fashioned or what?!
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Of course there is. That book is NOT just a reporting of events. It’s trying to explain WHY. That’s opinion.
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So, when scientists try to explain why something is happening regarding a report of, oh say, an asteroid that’s coming near enough to Earth to be seen with a telescope, is that opinion? “Why” has always been part of the six necessaries for reporting, the others being Who, What, Where, When and How.
addendum: opinions usually involve feelings, which are not facts. reporting is supposed to be about facts.
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Ok, we’re not going to agree on this, and that’s ok. In my opinion, that book is very clearly an opinion piece and I think it’s disingenuous for the authors to claim otherwise. You are free to disagree.
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I actually also dislike the turn of phrase there but I suppose it doesn’t entirely make me dismiss the book entirely though I also don’t know if I plan to read it (can’t see more anyway as it’s paywalled).
I’d say your distinction is between an well-informed opinion vs an uninformed or even malicious opinion. The data and evidence that the asteroid exists is one thing but things like what to do about it, why didn’t we address it, does it matter, how we will survive it are all opinions that are derived from that evidence. Some people can be counted upon to have the opinion that the evidence is fake or inconclusive. That may be a poorly supported opinion. I think one dangerous thing that people do is utterly demonize the whole concept of opinions because they refuse to rank opinions but well and truly some opinions are better than others and are supported more objectively. In a sane world these would have the most agreement.
What I don’t like about just that attitude in general is that of course you have an opinion and of course you want people to form an opinion or else why are you doing this? Research itself often involves bias. History, social studies, the arts: it’s literally impossible to completely remove bias and opinion from these things. Political science is definitely one of these kinds of studies. Opinions should be clearly stated ideally. It’s just a terrible thing to say because it also makes me feel like I’ll learn nothing but confirmation bias or I’ll have a lot of anxiety inducing quietly curated facts to make that lack of clarity stressful? I don’t want to read something that doesn’t acknowledge what it’s even trying to persuade me of even if I suspect it’s what I already believe anyway? I’ve adapted to protect myself against relentless fear mongering and or media gaslighting perhaps.
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We already know why Trump won the election with the type of certainty seen in astronomy though. It was clearly reported at the time – he claimed more seats than Harris did. To go beyond that proximate cause is psychology and sociology and history…I don’t think those can only be opinions, but they definitely involve making a model that is inherently simplified and could be argued. Something can be better supported but there’s inherently more subjectivity to it.
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I suppose my idea of journalism is outdated, too.
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14 Senate Dems just voted to advance Trump’s pick for Assistant Secretary of the Treasury:
Alsobrooks
Durbin
Gillibrand
Hassan
Kelly
Kim
Klobuchar
Peters
Reed
Schiff
Shaheen
Warner
Warnock
Whitehouse
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Gaddammit
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Peters doesn’t care, he’s on his last term.
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I thought that read “Baal” at first. Still not a good credit rating.
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Well, maybe the Senate thoroughly vetted the nominee? Let’s take a look:
Questions for Mr. Luke Pettit, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Designate, Department of the Treasury, from Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren:
…
30. What do you see as the key consumer protection failures that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis?
Answer: There are a number of factors that contributed to the financial crisis.
(source)
Well, I’m placated! And so is my Senator!
ETA: Went to go contact the Senator & my son suggested that a phone call would be more effective. As with every other time I’ve tried, it goes straight to voicemail and (again) I opted to send an email, for whatever that’s worth:
Dear Senator Alsobrooks [sic],
I see that you voted to confirm President Trump’s nominee, Luke Pettit, to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. As it is clear that President Trump does not have anyone’s interests at heart except for his own, and perhaps those of his family, I am perplexed as to why any Democrat would vote to effectively further his agenda. However, I did not want to jump to unfair conclusions about the nominee, so I thought I would give him the benefit of the doubt and see what might warrant consideration of this nominee.
Here is a question that your colleague, ranking member of the banking committee Senator Elizabeth Warren, had for Mr. Pettit: “What do you see as the key consumer protection failures that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis?”
His answer to this question, in total, was merely “There are a number of factors that contributed to the financial crisis.”
This non-answer, I should think, completely disqualifies Mr. Pettit from consideration. I urge you, going forward, to do anything and everything in your power to block Donald Trump’s destructive and hateful agenda, to include not approving those who would carry it out on Trump’s behalf.
I look forward with you to a better tomorrow, a better Maryland and a better America. Thank you for your time and consideration.
It’s the first year of her term so we have a while until she competes in another primary.
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“I didn’t get involved in that primary election”
Why not? I could understand if he represented, like, people in Michigan. But why not? Surely past a certain point they could tell Mamdani had momentum. They certainly pulled out all the stops in making him seem like a powerful threat to the status quo by fearmongering over what amounts to an utterly sensible down-to-earth set of values and promises. They put all that effort, work, money, and time into fighting all that and didn’t bother to “get to know him” or “get involved in that primary?”
I know it’s just political boilerplate and I don’t really know what is going on over there, but it’s also just stupid politicking.
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That’s some bullshit.
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I Googled the guy after the Senate vote, just to find out something about him. Holy crap, I basically came up empty. I have no idea who this guy is, what his work experience is, or really anything else about him.
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