Comments on: Error Type 11

By: eCAHNomics

eCAHNomics — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:27:11 +0000

Perhaps a LBJ quote, toward the end of his life, is relevant (p. 66 of Fugitive Days)

I knew from the start that I was bound to be crucified either way I moved. If I left the woman I really loved-the Great Society-to get involved in that bitch of a war on the other side of the world, then I would lose everything at home… But if I left the war … then I would be seen as a coward and my nation would be seen as an appeaser. I would be seen as an unmanly man.

I suspect the last sentence sez it all about Iraq and Afghanistan policy. Don’t think you need to know much more.

By: TarheelDem

TarheelDem — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:25:50 +0000

Network models don’t tell you much unless you can name both the nodes (people in this case) and the relationship. A relative might not be in agreement on policy (consider the families split by opinions on the Bush administration). Social friends might not discuss policy opinions at all. However if the relationship is collaboration on a specific paper, then there is a closer tie.

And an unspecified network beyond four or five relationships (FoFoFoF or FoFoFoFoF) gets really close to the six degrees of Kevin Bacon.

By: Hugh

Hugh — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:17:09 +0000

Journalism imposes habits that help reporters keep a mental distance from those they cover

Translation: Reporters impose habits that help those they cover keep their distance from journalism.

By: reader

reader — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:14:09 +0000

not to mention, not making the WJC mistake of bringing in all kinds of outsiders who had none of the requisite knowledge and experience to cope effectively.

By: reader

reader — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:12:45 +0000

ok. if i were obama (but i’m not) and i were looking at this particular mess and all the knowledge and experience that the military represents (tho’ many can make hay all day that it is the wrong knowledge and experience …) and i (this is obama, remember) was able to work with disparate personalities and ideologies i would want as much of these resources close to me while i a) decided what plans to pursue consistent with my goals, and (most powerfully) b) implemented those plans, my plans.

in other words, i would co-opt all this goodness and lead it in a new direction.

and no i don’t think it’s fair to say that obama will be overwhelmed by the military minds and taken off his game. or that they will be able to keep their jobs and work at cross purposes to his goals.

that’s what i would do ~ i would rather not have anything to do with afghanistan but i also don’t see how if you are president you really have a choice at this moment in time.

while powell and cheney were rivals, that is a form of engagement in itself as far as social networks go (speaking as one with education in that field) and they were operating within the same context, with similar experience and knowledge (in broad strokes).

By: Raven

Raven — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:57:30 +0000

Pat Lang has a very good post on this.

By: Hugh

Hugh — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:57:23 +0000

Obama has filled his intelligence and military appointments with military types. These favor limited withdrawal in Iraq and limited escalation in Afghanistan. You don’t need a chart to know this. The main point is that the Obama policy represents a reworking of Bush’s not a complete break with it.

By: wigwam

wigwam — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:55:21 +0000

OT: Per David Brooks:

Journalism imposes habits that help reporters keep a mental distance from those they cover.

Help yourself to a gallon of it, David.

By: Spencer Ackerman

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:10:47 +0000

Error: Type 11 was a late-90s (post-/) hardcore band.

By: Spencer Ackerman

Spencer Ackerman — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:07:51 +0000

Try reading to the end of that sentence: …or if, instead, there’s a recognition that the social networks operate as a placeholder for actual information about the different nodes on the chart.