Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
The title refers to the quiz included in Dr. Charles Murray's new book, Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960 – 2010. One of our hosts scored so low that we had to book Dr. Murray to come on and personally berate him (The quiz is here. Take it and give us your score in the comments). We'll let you guess who this outlier actually is. Later, the WSJ's James Taranto on politics, parsing Obama's approval numbers, Rush, and the best place to buy a cigar in Manhattan. Finally, the "Ricochet Podcast Member Post of the Week" is back and Matthew Gilley, come on down! You're our first winner for your post A Little South in Mitt's Mouth. Congrats and we'll be in touch.
Music from this week's episode:
- This Is Why We Fight by The Decemberists
- Small Town by John Mellencamp
Here's the direct link to this week's episode (but use our new audio player below), however the best way to hear the podcast is to subscribe! Visit our Feedburner page for a number of other subscription options. Or better yet, use Stitcher.
Actual, un-retouched photo of Rob Long by EJHill.
The Ricochet Podcast is proudly sponsored by Encounter Books. This week's featured title is The Case for Polarized Politics: Why America Needs Social Conservatism by Jeffrey Bell. Coming soon to EncounterBooks.com and Amazon.com.
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Comments:
Jan '12
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
I scored a 28. Growing up in a white collar family in the suburbs of Chicago cost me a lot of points, I think.
Jul '11
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
I got a 35 and he has me rather pegged. 2nd Gen upper Middle Class. Non-Exec parents, military grandparents etc.
Mar '12
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
The key to beating Rob Long in the first two questions is growing up on a farm in dryland eastern Washington (the state). 70 Points. Great podcast as always.
Mar '11
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
Isn't that Gail Stanwyck's Scotch-Romanian friend?
Feb '11
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
I think "Daleks" should be pronounced da-leks or dahl-leks instead of day-leks. I can't decide whether that puts me in the bubble or out of it.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
I don't know if there's a suggestion box for increasing Ricochet membership, but I'd personally like to see more women on the podcast. Having Mollie on last week was great, but women guests are few and far between. We have all these great female contributors, why aren't they on the podcast more?
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
Karen, I agree 100%. Suggestions welcome.
Aug '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
More specifically, why isn't Mollie on more? Besides being a really interesting person, Mollie's voice is pleasant to listen to.
Mar '11
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
For what it's worth, I really enjoyed the Podcasts Judith and Claire did last year.
Jun '11
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
32 if you score the recognition of military ranks strictly. I didn't specify the sort of general and misidentified the sergeant. I could have addressed them all properly on sight, however. Grew up in Coralville, was Linda Mustain's 4th boyfriend in junior high school.
http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2008/09/iowahawk-debate.html
Delhi, IA
Edited on March 15, 2012 at 9:59pmRe: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
More specifically, why isn't Mollie on more? Besides being a really interesting person, Mollie's voice is pleasant to listen to. · 1 hour ago
We love Mollie! We'll definitely have her on more if she'll let us.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
Ran into some of those letter vs spirit answers. How to count a hometown of <50K people when it's the state capital? Of Alaska? Anyhow, military service kept me from a really low score. I still came in at 22. Husband got 46. Do I get credit for him?
The conversation about media male role models was important. As has been suggested, I agree that there seems to be some deliberateness to it. I also agree with the person who suggested "Blue Bloods." Heck, any family, fictional or otherwise, with the hunky, politically conservative, Tom Selleck as the patriarch is worth supporting. Naming them Reagan is just gravy! The Booth character on "Bones" is also good. Certainly manly enough (FBI agent, military sniper, David Boreanaz) and a pretty devout Catholic. Well, besides the sex outside marriage behavior... Funny how normalized that has become.
Aug '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
James, God love you, but the only Cocteau I know about (without resorting to the oracle that is Google) is, as one character puts it, the Evil Mr Rogers who founded the San Angeles Metroplex and the culture that ruled it.
May '11
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
Scored 57 to 63 depending on the meaning of metropolitan area (NYC suburb of 18000), I don't know how to score that. Anyway I've said for years that I went into the Navy in 1964, a world of Richie Cunningham and the Fonz, Ozzie and Harriet, Donna Reed etc, and got out in 1967 to Summer of Love , Hair, Woodstock etc and asked ' What the heck happened?' On Woodstock weekend I worked overtime and found out about it from the Sunday paper. I considered myself 'out of it and proud of it'.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
Only halfway through the podcast so far...
"Demonize" is the wrong word. "Stigmatize" is the right word (thanks, James). "Shame" is the right word.
Demonizing means assuming evil intentions and dismissing the moral relevance of entire persons. When liberals demonize conservatives, they dismiss the responsibility to understand and tolerate their opponents — not just opposing views and actions, but opponents themselves. Demonization severs the relationship.
Demonizing is a form of dehumanizing. Widespread demonization has led to the greatest horrors in history. It must be firmly opposed.
Shame, on the other hand, means holding people accountable for their behavior by means other than law. It does not sever the relationship. But it refuses the fantasy that the relationship has not been injured by offense.
Liberals often confuse tolerance with harmony. Tolerance is patience in pursuit of justice.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
Y'all mention the TV show Modern Family as a show which includes an old-fashioned male character. But there is also the gay couple. Film and TV studios have been pushing the gay agenda so hard for so long that I can no longer watch anything with gay characters and not feel like I'm being preached at. And I say this as someone who generally enjoyed Will & Grace.
In other words, it's like 30 Rock. The show sometimes pokes fun at liberals, too, but it far more commonly (and with less consideration) mocks conservatives. Don't point to an overwhelmingly liberal show which includes a token conservative or two and tell me, "See? We remembered you. What more do you want?" Don't turn a blind eye to intentionally cruel humor based on liberal distortions and tell me I should be grateful for the clean joke a minute later.
As a conservative songwriter/writer, I admit that I'm part of the problem for not doing my part. But conservative artists should be producing works which fully reflect our values... not just injecting liberal works with a little conservatism here and there.
Mar '11
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
I got a 66. I will give Rob Long some of my points if it makes him feel better. I don't know how growing up in the Midwest in the 60s and 70s could get you much lower. I'm surprised to know I had a more bourgeoisie upbringing than James Lilek's (score of 57) since I grew up in the Twin Cities - but he is much smarter than me so that probably explains it.
Sep '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
64 - second generation out of Appalachia (SE Kentucky). Father was career Navy Enlisted, I became commissioned officer (USN)... Started life in a two room house in a hollar during a period when my dad was out of the Navy, my arrival sent hime back to the Navy. Lost track of the number of Pickup Trucks I've owned...
May '11
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
Paused to take the test - 65. As a kid my family vacationed in Branson before it became the music capitol of the Western World. Eye opening - now back to the remainder of the pod cast.
Mar '11
Re: Ricochet Podcast #110: I'm A 13
"Demonize" is the wrong word. "Stigmatize" is the right word (thanks, James). "Shame" is the right word. . . .
Shame, on the other hand, means holding people accountable for their behavior by means other than law. It does not sever the relationship. But it refuses the fantasy that the relationship has not been injured by offense.
I agree. And while single mothers are more sympathetic than walk-away dads, portraying the difficulties of raising children alone, or the cluelessness of someone who has made some regrettable choices in romantic partners, might be more palatable. Why should the opprobrium be all one-sided? After all, this state of affairs is something many women argued for. Men are not the only ones to blame.