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Mitt Romney, Robotics, and the Uncanny Valley
Hugh Pickens writes "Brian Fung writes in the Atlantic that one of Romney's electoral problems is that he occupies a kind of uncanny valley for politicians, inexplicably turning voters off despite looking like the textbook image of an American president. Just as people who interact with lifelike robots often develop a strange feeling due to something they can't quite name, something about Romney leaves voters unsettled. As with the robotic version of the uncanny valley, the closer Romney gets to becoming real to a voter, the more his likeability declines. 'The effect is almost involuntary, considering the substantial advantages Romney enjoys from appearance alone,' writes Fung. 'But in person, his polished persona gives way to what appears a surprisingly forced and inauthentic character.' Political commentator Dana Milbanks adds that although Romney is confident and competent, in casual moments his weirdness comes through — equal parts 'Leave It to Beaver' corniness and social awkwardness. 'Romney's task now is to work his way out of the uncanny valley toward a more compelling style of humanity,' concludes Fung. 'But every day he lingers in it, the hill grows steeper.'"
Geez, one of the worst of the Washington Post shill-meisters. And it is Milbank, not Milbanks who has said "that the whole campaign-trail reporting gig is a complete waste of time and borderline fraudulent". How is this /. material?
People strongly involved in religion always let me this strange impression that they are hiding something, as unable to really disclose what they think.
Even before Iowa, people were claiming Romney was "electable". WTF? Why is a guy who couldn't beat a 100 year old loser in 2008 "electable"? More important, when has the "electable" candidate actually WON?? McCain was electable, and so was Bob Dole. On the other side, John Kerry was electable, and I'm pretty sure Hilary was more electable than an unknown 2 year Senator with a foriegn name.
Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
No, because Republicans have sacrificed virtue for "electability" as have the Democrats. So rather than voting in the primary for people who really represent their beliefs, they vote for someone who is "electable" in the process getting someone who doesn't represent their beliefs at all.
Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
"As a matter of law, we try to make at least a half-assed attempt to protect women from aggressive, unwanted sexual advances."
You're talking about Herman Cain, right? Because Lewinski sure seemed like she wanted to do all that stuff. In fact, she tried to hide it.
Oh right, it's about "principles" and not the facts. I forgot to wear my derp-hat.
No. Every election cycle, I take a look at the candidates and think "Are these the best of the best? Can't we do better?" The answer to both is a big NO.
These guys are the survivors of a weird winnowing process. Egotistical enough to believe they should be president, connected enough to get support, organized enough to run, stubborn enough to stick with it, and with not too many skeletons in the closet. Can speak well and doesn't appear overtly crazy or hideously ugly.
A couple of those talents are useful as president, but there isn't a 1:1 correlation.
Makes you sort of wonder if the way candidates were chosen in a smoke filled back room wasn't an improvement. I almost wish we could elect a couple committees to go and recruit a presidential candidate each for the whole population to then vote on. Call them the hypothetical R and D committees.
The world is made by those who show up for the job.
Yes Romneys qualified. He's had years of experience plundering companies for his own personal profit. Now he can bring that experience to the whole country! Bain Capitol anyone?
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
None of the forerunners are electable though...the primaries seem to keep throwing out some of the most insane people the Republican party has to offer. I mean, shit...Ron Paul IS kind of crazy but he looks perfectly normal next to the crazy fucks they have running right now. I mean think about who they had going here...Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry...who the hell really wants to vote for any of those people? Seriously...all this primary has proven to me is that Republican primaries produce insane candidates and that the insane fringes of the Republican party seem to be dictating who gets the nomination. I do not believe that party is actually THAT fucking crazy.
"Those who would sacrifice essential liberties for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - BenF
There's also the first filter of wanting the position in the first place. Not just believing that they could do a good job, but wanting to be the one governing a country that is in many ways ungovernable. Power always has its attraction, but at the moment the US president seems to have only the purpose of taking the blame.
I sure hope so, because "plundering" failing companies is far preferable to bailing them out with taxpayer money, which is what Bush and Obama have been doing.
Consequences can only be "unintended" for so long. We've known for decades, arguably centuries, that creating a large/popular black market will divert economic strength away from the general populace toward criminals. When you see it as it's happening, and maintain (rather than repeal) the laws that make that market remain black, it's no longer an unintended consequence. At the very best, it's a regretfully accepted/planned consequence.
You can't say "you have to break some eggs to make an omelet" and then call the breaking of eggs unintended. Oh you intended it, you just weren't completely happy about it.
Similarly, we shouldn't allow politicians a free pass on the known and anticipated consequences of the drug war. They can still support the drug war with honor, but only if they own those consequences. The authoritarian parties need to come out and say
and then finish that sentence with whatever amazing fact or political theory it is, that has been so preciously held from the public for so long. But don't fucking say, "We didn't intend to usurp your local government, overrule your doctor, disrepect people, and send money to Mexico.. we had no idea prohibition would necesitate all that," because that is just insultingly unbelievable.
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