Comments on: Jonah, why the Smiley Face? http://bloggasm.com/jonah-why-the-smiley-face Thu, 10 Mar 2011 02:39:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: slag http://bloggasm.com/jonah-why-the-smiley-face/comment-page-1#comment-41975 slag Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:08:39 +0000 http://bloggasm.com/jonah-why-the-smiley-face#comment-41975 Joel- Go to Orcinus for an explanation of why that title is such a joke. Or, if you don't want to do that, go to your dictionary. The generally accepted definitions of "fascism" essentially preclude "liberalism". Orcinus argues the nuance. But to call liberals fascists is to completely strip both words of their essential meanings. Other than that, the title is fine. FYI on the Smiley Face Hitler: An artist named John Baldessari did a poster titled "Smile....It's Nothing" in 2000 that showed the regular yellow smiley face, followed by the black and white smiley face, followed by the black and white smiley face with Hitler's hair and mustache. I would be surprised if Baldessari would have foreseen his work being appropriated by a rightwing hack publisher. But who knows? Joel-
Go to Orcinus for an explanation of why that title is such a joke. Or, if you don’t want to do that, go to your dictionary. The generally accepted definitions of “fascism” essentially preclude “liberalism”. Orcinus argues the nuance. But to call liberals fascists is to completely strip both words of their essential meanings. Other than that, the title is fine.

FYI on the Smiley Face Hitler: An artist named John Baldessari did a poster titled “Smile….It’s Nothing” in 2000 that showed the regular yellow smiley face, followed by the black and white smiley face, followed by the black and white smiley face with Hitler’s hair and mustache. I would be surprised if Baldessari would have foreseen his work being appropriated by a rightwing hack publisher. But who knows?

]]> By: Joel http://bloggasm.com/jonah-why-the-smiley-face/comment-page-1#comment-41951 Joel Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:54:09 +0000 http://bloggasm.com/jonah-why-the-smiley-face#comment-41951 I'm always happy to hear about someone mocking a book they haven't read. Maybe you should mock Juno too? I'd like to read a greater breakdown of why the title Liberal Fascism means that something isn't a "serious book." Many books use titles that combine concepts that you disagree with. If the book happens to be an argument that there is a such thing as Liberal Fascism, then it seems like an applicable title, even if written by someone from The National Review. There have been numerous books written with arrogant titles about Pres. Bush and Republicans and Democrats, many written by respected journalists. But he's from the National Review, he is biased, so the book can't be serious. People from the National Review twist the facts. Luckily, none of the Liberal Facists do. Plus, when I think of smiley faces, I think of IMs. Smiley faces are emoticons to me. I honestly didn't think of walmart until you mentioned it. I’m always happy to hear about someone mocking a book they haven’t read. Maybe you should mock Juno too? I’d like to read a greater breakdown of why the title Liberal Fascism means that something isn’t a “serious book.” Many books use titles that combine concepts that you disagree with. If the book happens to be an argument that there is a such thing as Liberal Fascism, then it seems like an applicable title, even if written by someone from The National Review. There have been numerous books written with arrogant titles about Pres. Bush and Republicans and Democrats, many written by respected journalists. But he’s from the National Review, he is biased, so the book can’t be serious. People from the National Review twist the facts. Luckily, none of the Liberal Facists do.

Plus, when I think of smiley faces, I think of IMs. Smiley faces are emoticons to me. I honestly didn’t think of walmart until you mentioned it.

]]> By: John Scalzi http://bloggasm.com/jonah-why-the-smiley-face/comment-page-1#comment-41934 John Scalzi Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:52:31 +0000 http://bloggasm.com/jonah-why-the-smiley-face#comment-41934 To be fair to Goldberg, he's noted that the cover wasn't of his own invention, and in general authors aren't given much say in their covers. He's trying to work with the cover he's got. To be fair to Goldberg, he’s noted that the cover wasn’t of his own invention, and in general authors aren’t given much say in their covers. He’s trying to work with the cover he’s got.

]]> By: Geoff Arnold http://bloggasm.com/jonah-why-the-smiley-face/comment-page-1#comment-41919 Geoff Arnold Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:46:31 +0000 http://bloggasm.com/jonah-why-the-smiley-face#comment-41919 My diagnosis: Jonah stumbled across a book in the library full of literary devices with long, Greek names. He got all tangled up with oxymorons, paradoxes, and antitheses, and decided that if you want to seem REALLY SMART and impress mommy you should put opposites together whenever possible. So "Liberal" with "Fascism", and "Smiley" (good) with "Hitler" (bad). I very much doubt that it's any deeper than that.... My diagnosis: Jonah stumbled across a book in the library full of literary devices with long, Greek names. He got all tangled up with oxymorons, paradoxes, and antitheses, and decided that if you want to seem REALLY SMART and impress mommy you should put opposites together whenever possible. So “Liberal” with “Fascism”, and “Smiley” (good) with “Hitler” (bad).

I very much doubt that it’s any deeper than that….

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