The running of the Schadenfreude

By Michael J. Smith on Friday April 6, 2012 03:31 PM

My Lefty mailing lists are starting to exhibit a heightened irritability, combined with a severe impairment of the ability to read and to think coherently. I conclude this must be an election year, and the Great Existential Dilemma looms yet again: do I fall once more into the loveless embrace of that poxed old whore, the Democratic Party, and arise from her insalubrious bed tainted and ashamed? Or do I forego la petite mort -- not a thing to be sneezed at, however dearly bought and squalid its scene -- and either seek satisfaction elsewhere, or, what the hell, sublimate for once?

I feel for the poor folk who agonize over this question. I wish I could endue them with my own sublime indifference to the old trollop's shopworn charms. American elections seem about as compelling to me as the fortieth season of the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

To be sure, there are outcomes that would be fun. For example, say half the marks infected four years ago with folie d'Obie are intelligent enough this year to stay home. That would set me to baring my awful old fangs in a grotesque rictus of Saturnine mirth.

Can I hope?

Comments (20)

chomskyzinn:

If it's a sense of utter insignificance and ennui --- empirically manifest in depressingly low turnout --- you're looking for, then this election will be a schadenfreude-fest.

There just seems to be no enthusiasm or interest this time around, outside of cable channels that no one watches.

I liken this ennervation of the electorate, as contrasted to the hyperactive urgency of the chatting heads, to the yawning gap between the breathless Nineeleven 10th Anniversary media circus (which seemed to last for weeks) and the weariness of actual New Yorkers who gave off every feeling of just wanting to be left alone, and not shouted at about How to Feel.

chomskyzinn:

And by "depressingly low turnout," I of course meant: exhilaratingly low turnout.

Molly:

Count me as one. I volunteered for him and everything. Bleh.

Any thoughts about a good write-in option? Just for kicks, ya know.

chomskyzinn:

Molly, this chap is a favorite in this precinct: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermin_Supreme

I think Mr. Schumann is his very own Axelrod.

Sean:

There are better ways to boycott the system than staying hope or voting for a joke candidate. You can use your vote to send a message of support to Cynthia McKinney, Cindy Sheehan or anybody else that puts their ass on the line to speak the truth.

I would certainly vote for this lady:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/04/06/one-dem-candidate-calls-another-a-whore-for-aipac-during-live-debate/

Al Schumann:

I'm down with Vermin. He'd be a fine president. That's not a joke at all.

"I'm down with Vermin. He'd be a fine president. That's not a joke at all. "

Free ponies for everyone!!!!

I'm down with that.

Op:

The endulge wing of SMBIVA has another favorite
Call him the minority faction favorite

Beef Supreme

Vermin's younger brother

Very much like those two Brit Laborite brothers

Beef is all Braun and Mano a Mano

Do it real !


To Vermin's in your face enrage
mocking debasing irony

Ritual deadly combat
with opposing national leaders
is a firm plank of the indulge wing's
counter platform

sk:

Incidentally, Lee Whitnum who called another candidate a "whore" for the Jewish State's lobbies has been barred from further debates for being so unladylike.

editor_u:
"Whitnum, an unemployed software engineer from Greenwich, accused Murphy of 'drinking the AIPAC Kool-Aid,' referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. She said she is the only U.S. Senate candidate who is not pro-Israel and called AIPAC a 'cancer in our government.'" (from the article to which sk links)

I was not planning to vote again, myself, but maybe she would be able to talk me out of that idea, were she to run for office where I live.

Eeeeewwwww. You said "hope".

Boston Charlie:

Thank goodness for minor protest choices like Green-Rainbow or PSL. Since we're talking about malicious pleasure here, there's something satisfying about reading the complete results a few days after the event and seeing that I cast a better vote than 99.6% of my fellow voters.

Cheap kicks I know, but in these days of modern times I'll take my kicks wherever I can get them.

Sean:

"I'm down with Vermin. He'd be a fine president. That's not a joke at all."

Really? Where is he going to get all those free ponies. I want a llama or an alpaca, not a pony.

Forcing all Americans to brush their teeth? Clearly just another shill for the toothbrush industry.

Al Schumann:

Okay, I'm busted, his platform is a complete joke. Although there's something to be said for anyone willing to take on both moral and oral decay.

When he drops the act for a minute or two, he's got an affection for humankind that I find compelling. I like people who genuinely like people. It makes all the difference.

MJS:

And it's so amazingly rare. Or do I just live in the wrong place?

Op:

You live in the wrong place father S

No fish in a sand box

But the great American lakes such as they are
And where they are
Run thin on fish anyhow

So your right even viewing from that great Gobi of heartlessness
the upper west side

Fadduh Smiff sez:

My Lefty mailing lists are starting to exhibit a heightened irritability, combined with a severe impairment of the ability to read and to think coherently...

I think you're making a huge mistake assuming that your average "Lefty" listserv reader/contributor possesses the ability to read and think coherently at all, let alone during an "election" year.

I don't know what you think of it, but the sudden outburst of panic, desperation, incoherence, denial and passive aggression from Pwogs during an "election" year is what I like to call... oh, what's the word I'm searching for... oh, yeah -- entertainment.

gluelicker:

"When he drops the act for a minute or two..."

Drops the act -- or the acid?

RégisDebray:

OT, a couple of unusual suspects found guts to speak out against Sparta on the Med.


Boink:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/sports/baseball/marlins-suspend-manager-for-5-games-over-comments-on-castro.html

for every rick steves there is one of these guys.

the media reaction reminds me of the early 1950's, which I can just remember.

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