BEg2 ch26 Platt on Republican ethos

[rich]

there's a Simpsons-esque vibe in much of BE, where things like cookies,
machines, and other non-human thingies have a POV. Appears in his other
books but is very pronounced in BE I would argue

rich

On Wed, Mar 30, 2022 at 5:35 AM Michael Bailey <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com>
wrote:

> “Back when I was getting into the business, all ‘being Republican’ meant
> really was a sort of principled greed.
>             You arranged things so that you and your friends would come out
> nicely, you behaved professionally, above all you put in the work and took
> the money only after you’d earned it. Well, the party, I fear, has fallen
> on evil days. This generation—it’s almost a religious thing now. The
> millennium, the end days, no need to be responsible anymore to the future.
> A burden has been lifted from them. The Baby Jesus is managing the
> portfolio of earthly affairs, and nobody begrudges Him the carried interest
> . . .”
>             Suddenly, and from the cookie’s point of view, rudely, chomping
> into it and scattering crumbs. “Sure you won’t have one, they’re quite . .
> . No? All right, thanks, don’t mind if I . . .” Grabbing another, two or
> three actually, “I just spoke with some
>             people. A most puzzling….” (Etcetera)
>
>
> Platt touches on “millenarian” thinking while reviewing a change in
> specifically Republican thought patterns.
> It’s common knowledge, the unholy alliance they struck - across class lines
> - with the so-called religious right.
> But one would think that they didn’t actually have to buy into the more
> unhinged notions thereof.
>
>
> Granting the cookie a point of view here underlines its presence; Platt
> taking a crumbly bite and reaching for more renders the cookie as the
> proverbial cookie which crumbles; Platt’s stance on this phenomenon in the
> larger sense is evident in his action. If elision of one part of speech in
> the phrase “principled greed” is happening, he’s keeping the noun, cutting
> the adjective loose.
>
> “Look to the cookie!”
> --
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>