Penny Arcade

Xehalus

The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism is a 2007 book by Canadian author Naomi Klein, and is the basis of a 2009 documentary by the same name.

The book argues that the free market policies of Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman have risen to prominence in some countries because they were pushed through while the citizens were reacting to disasters or upheavals. It is implied that some man-made crises, such as the Falklands war, may have been created with the intention of being able to push through these unpopular reforms in their wake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shock_Doctrine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_A77N5WKWM

But these techniques don't only work on individuals. They can work on whole societies. A collective trauma, a war, a coup, a natural disaster, a terrorist attack puts as all into a state of shock. And in the aftermath, like the prisoner in the interrogation chamber, we too become child-like, and more inclined to follow leaders who claim to protect us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jr0YUW98TY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVo7495RKW4

Sweeney Tom

Oh Xehalus. When will you learn?

Berk

when will you learn this forum is focused on the concerns of corpulent deathly pale shit beards obsessed with stroking their micro-cocks over the latest disposable pop culture shite marketed at 12 year olds

Orikaeshigitae

it's a good book but pretty one-sided in a lot of areas. i distrust klein's tendency to villainize friedman's economic strategy, because it ignores a lot of other real issues that contribute to the failure of nations' economies

Orikaeshigitae

also it relies on the central metaphor of the tabula rasa effects of shock treatment, which don't actually work in that way

Koshian

plus pretty much everything written in shock doctrine was covered by earlier, much better philosophers/economists

not to diss naomi klein. she's good for what she is

Edcrab

"Real change" sounds like a pretty nebulous concept to me

Open to a No True Scotsman fallacy

Speaking of which, hello Berk how are you

Koshian

Berk wrote: »

when will you learn this forum is focused on the concerns of corpulent deathly pale shit beards obsessed with stroking their micro-cocks over the latest disposable pop culture shite marketed at 12 year olds

damn.

Darkness Mundus

That's like some economist version of diversionary war type shit. Empirical evidence? Aw hell nah. Believability? Maaaaybe.

Orikaeshigitae

Koshian wrote: »

plus pretty much everything written in shock doctrine was covered by earlier, much better philosophers/economists

not to diss naomi klein. she's good for what she is

i'll diss her for writing a bad book, because that's what shock doctrine is

after no logo had a bunch of success i feel like she's going 'OH I GUESS I'M A REVOLUTIONARY NOW' and wrote another book about how capitalism is like, harmful, and is now sitting patiently in toronto waiting for someone to knock on her door with cookies

Orikaeshigitae

no logo was really enjoyable though

Koshian

Darkness Mundus wrote: »

That's like some economist version of diversionary war type shit. Empirical evidence? Aw hell nah. Believability? Maaaaybe.

what?

i mean the most concrete/recent/relatable to americans incident of this happening is the straight up privatisation of New Orleans's school system after Hurricane Katrina

Koshian

she stresses a few times in shock doctrine that she supports mixed economies, not very 'revolutionary', to be honest

Viscount Islands

Koshian wrote: »

Berk wrote: »

when will you learn this forum is focused on the concerns of corpulent deathly pale shit beards obsessed with stroking their micro-cocks over the latest disposable pop culture shite marketed at 12 year olds

damn.

Wrench N Rockets

Tell us more Berk.

Koshian

actually speaking of hurricane katrina here is an amazing article about its aftermath

http://www.thenation.com/article/katrinas-hidden-race-war

Orikaeshigitae

Berk wrote: »

when will you learn this forum is focused on the concerns of corpulent deathly pale shit beards obsessed with stroking their micro-cocks over the latest disposable pop culture shite marketed at 12 year olds

i'm gonna see if i can get the forum's description changed to this just before the new forums hit

Antimatter

hi Berk

Dichotomy

well he's got me pegged

Viscount Islands

I'd just like to stress though that there's nothing wrong with being overweight or preferring the indoors or having trouble growing a full beard.

Edcrab

Those filthy looters stealing water and diapers for their own personal profit

crwth

or having a micro-cock

undeinPirat

crwth wrote: »

or having a micro-cock

phew

Franko

when this book gets made into a blockbuster movie directed by michael bay ill watch it

Xehalus

I agree the book feels like a rush job or gap-filled at times, but it's overall message is fairly enlightening.

Futore

This hedonism is my economic policy

HeavyVillain

Edcrab wrote: »

Those filthy looters stealing water and diapers for their own personal profit

them zany mlp fans eh

Sweeney Tom

Franko wrote: »

when this book gets made into a blockbuster movie directed by michael bay ill watch it

They couldn't afford Michael Bay.

They had to settle for M. Night Shymalan.

Mr. Buttons

I don't fit that description... I've got a tan

Xehalus

Franko wrote: »

when this book gets made into a blockbuster movie directed by michael bay ill watch it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCQj-z86qUo

They use explosion-esque sounds in the trailer.

Orikaeshigitae

Xehalus wrote: »

I agree the book feels like a rush job or gap-filled at times, but it's overall message is fairly enlightening.

it's not a rush job, it's just poorly written and disingenuous. Other economics and historians have written about this pattern, she says in the book that she's read them (in passing in a footnote), but doesn't mention that they're essentially the same book except better written.

Saying 'sure, the book sucks but i like the overall message' is like saying 'I didn't read twilight but I liked it based on the back cover blurb'. If you're not going to take into account the actual approach to the topic as written in the actual book, why bother?

Antimatter

skinny, not pale, lacking a beard, don't pay attention to fads

but yeah that's pretty accurate

Viscount Islands

Mr. Buttons wrote: »

I don't fit that description... I've got a tan

Man I told you to use some duct tape on that hole in your roof

Futore

Yeah, I liked the book. But it was cooler back before it was written.

Franko

aww goddamnit it is a movie? I thought I was making a joke

Monkeyfeet

Hey what a coincidence I've been reading No Logo and think that Klein talks about herself way too much in her examples

Sweeney Tom

Berk wrote: »

when will you learn this forum is focused on the concerns of corpulent deathly pale shit beards obsessed with stroking their micro-cocks over the latest disposable pop culture shite marketed at 12 year olds

Pros: Skinny, can't grow facial hair, not 12 years old
Cons: Pale, can't grow facial hair (shut up, this counts as a bad and good thing), micro-cock, love pop culture shite (Gaga <3)

Dang, I think Berk insulted me

Orikaeshigitae

which edition, mf? i hear that's a little worse in the 10th anniversary edition

KrunkMcGrunk

berk with the burn of the decade

Viscount Islands

Sweeney I think he was talking more about My Little Pony.

But Lady Gaga probably counts too.

Antimatter

the MLP thing is kinda odd


but I don't get the Kpop fad either