Some things need to change

Re:Some things need to change by zhyder on Wednesday January 28, 2009 @03:40PM (#454499)

Actresses, singers and presidents are a little different though. Actresses/singers want much of the popularity, but struggle to maintain the right balance. And presidents -well- many folks have logical reasons to want them dead. I can't see the logic behind wanting Michael Arrington dead though, and I don't think he wants to be popular himself (as much as to make his blog/events popular).

And somehow I hope our industry is special, that we're less likely to do crazy things in general. We're trained in science and reasoning after all. How many techies do you know that are rabid fans of celebrities?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Some things need to change by jerf on Wednesday January 28, 2009 @07:11PM (#455485)

"And presidents -well- many folks have logical reasons to want them dead."

Ironically, many of the successful assassins either did not, or had nothing like a logical reason.

* Booth's assassination of Lincoln is... complicated but had to do with the Civil War. Call it rational-ish.

* Garfield was assassinated by a nutcase who thought Garfield owed him after the assassin's few hundred printed pamphlets putatively got him elected. Not rational.

* McKinley's assassin had a head full of anarchism. Call it rational if you like, but it certainly wasn't because of anything about McKinley himself.

* Kennedy's assassin's motives are unclear, but it looks like he generally just hated the US and wanted to take down Kennedy and thereby become a "great man".

I'm not arguing with anything you said, just find it interesting that of all the people who, like you say, may have some reason to want to pull this off, it's the crazies who succeed. Call it HN's goal of "interesting things".

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Some things need to change by anewaccountname on Wednesday January 28, 2009 @08:27PM (#455592)

>And somehow I hope our industry is special, that we're less likely to do crazy things in general. We're trained in science and reasoning after all.

As an astronaut, I have the same hope for my industry. Puts on diaper

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Some things need to change by Retric on Wednesday January 28, 2009 @04:09PM (#454915)

He is an entertainer in that he leverages popularity to make money.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Some things need to change by yters on Wednesday January 28, 2009 @09:25PM (#455642)

What company doesn't require popularity to make money? That's an exceedingly broad use of "entertainer."

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Some things need to change by Retric on Saturday January 31, 2009 @06:02PM (#460207)

I meant that as a complement. I think an "entertainer" is not just a random actor, singer, or blogger, but someone who does those things and makes real money from it. To do that generally takes leveraging popularity. Granted you can make a living as a backup dancer, but I think he has separated himself from the herd.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Some things need to change by jeroen on Thursday January 29, 2009 @09:37AM (#456374)

How can wanting someone dead ever be logical? I understand not liking someone, or disagreeing with their policies, but wanting them dead seems a bit extreme.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Some things need to change by JabavuAdams on Thursday January 29, 2009 @08:26PM (#457500)

I don't think "logical" means what you think it does. Are you sure you don't mean "moral", or "acceptable"?

Do you believe there are any cases where one could justifiably kill in self-defense, or are you a pure pacifist?

[ Parent | on HN ]