29
Jan
2014
The Kronies
I had seen this floating around, but never thought it would be worth my time to click. But a buddy emailed it to me directly, and yep, it’s pretty funny.
I had seen this floating around, but never thought it would be worth my time to click. But a buddy emailed it to me directly, and yep, it’s pretty funny.
I don’t think it is funny, I think it is brilliant. The video makers reduced the painful truth to the lowest common denominator.
I agree. This is fabulous.
The disclaimer at the end was hilarious too.
I’d laugh, but it’s so dang true.
Laugh or cry?
A few weeks back, the TV show Jeopardy had a contestant who was low ranking military. He missed every answer other than the entire column of cartoon answers,
This would be perfect for a man like that, and all his peers.
The command center is in the shape of a pentagon. Nice touch.
Dangit! I thought I had something to contribute!
The attention to detail is fantastic.
It’s clever. I didn’t realize until the other day that this is another John Papola project of Keynes/Hayek Rap Video fame.
Ehhhh, I dunno, I guess I’m gonna be “that guy” but I don’t think this is so great.
Or rather, *I* think it’s great, but I don’t see it doing much in terms of spreading the message to the skeptical. I put this into the “preaching to the choir” category. It’s great for those of us who already recognize that government corruption/incompetence/favoritism is a serious problem to have a little laugh at, but it doesn’t really outline specific examples or do much to “make the case,” if you will.
Assuming they’d ever even see it at all (so far, I’ve seen this thing “go viral” among my libertarian friends, but haven’t seen a single non-libertarian post or comment on it at all), I don’t see how this would cause any partisan Democrat or Republican to reconsider some of their most basic premises.
I will let my 9 year old boy watch it and get back to you.
I’ve seen this thing “go viral” among my libertarian friends, but haven’t seen a single non-libertarian post or comment on it at all
Behold!
Fair enough, although it certainly doesn’t seem to have impacted their worldview much. When they open with characterizing it as an element of the “populist right” you know you’re in trouble…
Precisely – because supporting corruption is not a basic premise of any Democrat or Republican.
This is like a libertarian passionately telling me why liberty and markets are good things… ya, I know. That’s sort of been my perspective all along.
Indeed. If someone asked Barack Obama about this video, he could easily (and somewhat legitimately) claim that he completely agrees with its premise, that he’s a strong opponent of crony capitalism, and that’s why his administration has taken steps to reduce corruption and increase transparency, yada yada yada…
Complaining about corruption, favoritism, and hand-outs is going after the proverbial low-hanging fruit. An easy way to make friends and build bridges I guess, but not really the path to any substantive dialog or legitimate change…
I think it takes subject matter that is dry and boring and makes it relatable and entertaining to the average folk. My wife watched the entire video, I can’t get her to watch old Rothbard footage for 15 seconds.
I think these characters could be used as teaching tools for younger folk. Comic books, etc.
Right but teaching them what?
What “younger folk” out there thing corrupt government is a good thing?
I mean, it’s a fun video for sure, but I am not sure what it’s supposed to be teaching.
Well I think the message of the video is the causal connection between big government and cronyism. It doesn’t come out of the video explicitly though. But that is what I like about it.
Obviously one advantage of, if it would work, anarchism was that cronyism isn’t possible. But no matter if it would work or not, most people think that the answer to cronyism was a stronger government. This reasoning is clearly backwards. I hope that we at least agree on that., do we? A stronger is a bigger government with more centralized power. The more you concentrate power the bigger the reward for cronyism. Such a video might get them to reconsider this false thinking which I see every day with almost all people I know…
And it would be great if people would admit that downside who favor large interventions and government solutions for real or imagined problems. More interventions, stronger government = more cronyism.
What I meant is that it is a start. Just imagine Superman and other super hero’s. This could be developed into a teaching tool. I admit this video is not a cure all and may even suffer from irrelevancy but it is a start…
“This is like a libertarian passionately telling me why liberty and markets are good things… ya, I know. That’s sort of been my perspective all along.”
Yeah but the value-add that Rothbardians bring is markets in murder and extortion. I bet those are *illegal* in your statist scheme.
And that’s why there are no murders or extortion nowadays with the State.
Plus free markets in asteroid protection… just like the dinosaurs had!!!
Actually recent research reveals the existence of a new dinosaur, the dread keynesaurus, which established statist dominion over all the cerotopsia using fractional reserve parturition.
So the data is less clear than you imply.
Free markets don’t allow for asteroid protection? Does the production of that service violate the NAP or something?
“Want fries with that?”
“What do you mean I can’t get fries?”
Markets in extortion would be a dramatic improvement over the current environment. Sounds like someone needs to read the “Blackmail” chapter of Defending the Undefendable!
I don’t like DIY books.
Or thinking.
“I had seen this floating around, but never thought it would be worth my time to click. But a buddy emailed it to me directly, and yep, it’s pretty funny.”
I thought exactly the same. This is really well done, wow..