Contra the Media, Stuff Does Happen

 

Defending Jeb Bush is detrimental enough to a person’s reputation, but I’m going to risk it all defending the latest caricaturized version of Jeb. “Stuff happens” is politically incorrect in the strictest sense: It’s the incorrect sentiment to express if you want to advance politically. But the world of politics is not known for its concern with facts, and “stuff happens” is appropriate and accurate. (Note: I’ll continue to use Jeb’s wording, though I prefer the more common, earthy variant.)

In regular conversation, “stuff happens” can be a flip response to terrible events or an excuse for inaction, but coming from the government, it’s just the right response (provided the terrible events aren’t the government’s fault). In the government’s case, I support finding as many excuses for inaction as possible. “Stuff happens” happens to be a good one, as it’s a pithy form of the conservative belief that humanity is sinful and the libertarian belief that central planners and bureaucrats won’t change it from being so.

Empathy is an invaluable tool for politicians and their supporters to justify expansive new programs and regulations. That’s why the debate over Medicare expansion is turned into a fight between those who want to do in Nana and those who want to help her instead. Rahm Emanuel’s directive to “never let a serious crisis go to waste” is the M.O. of every ambitious politician. It’s not exclusive to the left, either. If a crisitunity doesn’t exist, one can be fabricated, which is why my alarms are set off by talk of rape epidemics or wars on the police.

Mass shootings are exceptionally rare, so much so that even if the government were capable of stopping them, it isn’t clear that would be a sensible use of its limited resources. The proper role of government is to send police to try to stop the shooting while in progress and prosecute the perpetrator if he survives, all of which can be handled by the local authorities, the feds needn’t bother. Expecting government officials to have the requisite knowledge and wisdom to prevent these massacres is, to be generous, naive, but the people expect solutions and the government sells itself not just as a solution, but the only solution. In this political reality it’s not surprising that the right offers up alternatives, like rounding up the mentally ill or arming the entire school faculty as if everyday we send our kids off to a war zone. Rather than playing the left’s game, I’d like to change the way society thinks about government. Jeb Bush rhetorically shrugging his shoulders isn’t the way to make that change, but I welcome politicians being more callous, not because callousness is a virtue unto itself, but because whether they are sincere or cynical, and I believe there is plenty of both, good intentions are the easiest justification for increasing government power. Recall C.S. Lewis: “A tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.”

The world is dangerous. Government can only mitigate the danger so much, and is in fact often the source of danger. The sooner our officials understand this the better, because regardless of the government’s best laid plans, stuff happens.

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  1. Concretevol Thatcher
    Concretevol
    @Concretevol

    Cat III: “Stuff happens” happens to be a good one, as it’s a pithy form of the conservative belief that humanity is sinful and the libertarian belief that central planners and bureaucrats won’t change it from being so.

    Exactly so, well said.

    • #1
  2. Great Ghost of Gödel Inactive
    Great Ghost of Gödel
    @GreatGhostofGodel

    Concretevol:

    Cat III: “Stuff happens” happens to be a good one, as it’s a pithy form of the conservative belief that humanity is sinful and the libertarian belief that central planners and bureaucrats won’t change it from being so.

    Exactly so, well said.

    Handily the best summary of Christian libertarianism I’ve ever read.

    • #2
  3. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    Cat III: The world is dangerous. Government can only mitigate the danger so much, and is in fact often the source of danger. The sooner our officials understand this the better,

    The sooner Our Citizens understand this, and accept it, the better.

    • #3
  4. John Hendrix Thatcher
    John Hendrix
    @JohnHendrix

    Excellent essay, Cat the 3rd.

    Bravo!

    • #4
  5. Tommy De Seno Member
    Tommy De Seno
    @TommyDeSeno

    Optics happen in a political campaign.

    It was an inartful way of making his point.   The perfect opportunity for media to claim a callousness he does not hold.

    Instead of crying about media unfairness, Bush needs to be a better wordsmith.

    In fact, that’s something we’d like to see in a President anyway.

    • #5
  6. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    I agree. Jeb said nothing wrong, for once.

    • #6
  7. kelsurprise Member
    kelsurprise
    @kelsurprise

    Jimmy Carter:

    Cat III: The world is dangerous. Government can only mitigate the danger so much, and is in fact often the source of danger. The sooner our officials understand this the better,

    The sooner Our Citizens understand this, and accept it, the better.

    Agreed.  There are few words that gall me more from politicians than the promise to “keep us safe.”

    Inevitably, keeping us “safe” turns out to mean “punishing the entire citizenry for the actions of very few through pointless, ineffective legislation, that wouldn’t have even prevented the event that inspired the stupid new laws in the first place.”

    I’ll take the risks that come with living freely in a dangerous world over the slow-death throttling at the hands of my own government any day.

    • #7
  8. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    Agreed. We must seek a balance between callousness and sentimentality. Evil men should fear us. The nanny state is more inclined to annoy and depress.

    • #8
  9. James Madison Member
    James Madison
    @JamesMadison

    Allow me to take a minority or perhaps just a contrarian viewpoint. This may have been an out of touch thing to say. Stuff happens had all the finger prints of Jeb’s father GHW Bush, a very nice and humble man who was so often tongue tied, reaching for words and stumbling. Why? Because people were gunned down. If your child or your friend was gunned down, you don’t want to hear, “Stuff happens.” You also don’t need to hear the President grab the mic and shout, “I am going to make this political,” either. What I would have preferred is this, “This is not a time to politicize such issues. This is time of mourning and concern for the families and prayer.”

    Conservatives cherish our families, friends, communities and faith. Conservatism stands for respect for traditions, institutions, authority and fairness. Liberals believe in these same things, but prioritize them differently and may even define them somewhat differently. What liberals and many moderates believe is most important is showing compassion at such a moment. This is what they are very deep into. To shrug your shoulders and say, “Stuff happens,” was a kind of like saying “so what?” and not what some have suggested,”there is nothing I can do about it.”

    Liberals also know this a dangerous world. But they believe that man can be organized and trained to do good. We conservatives accept man’s fall from grace and often turn to individual choices, responsibility and faith to make salvation possible. We subscribe to individual moral consequences. They subscribe to collective responsibility.

    This difference explains why they expect the government to do something and often announce it will, when we believe it can’t. I am fine with that. My goal is try slow them down a bit, help them not feel that every caterpillar squished by a child’s tricycle is another a cathartic moment. But, unless we can show some compassion with our passion, we will never capture their imaginations.

    My minority opinion is we cannot persuade people to listen to and open themselves to freedom, free markets and strong defense – the Conservative trilogy, if we do not know when and how they feel and show emotion, emphathy. These instincts of compassion and passion for different values are burried in each of us in slightly different ways and are part of our primitive need to belong to a clan or tribe, gain acceptance, and find security.

    The difference in hard wiring between us shows that about 20% of America is liberal. About 25% is conservative of different stripes – libertarian, neo, classical, social, economic, etc. The balance of our population are lean or in-between including 25% who lean left, 10% lean right and 20% or so in the middle. Of that 20% in the middle, two-thirds or so lean a bit more conservative. On a good day, America is divided with around 50-55% Democrat and 45-50% Republican. Without more of the middle, we lose.

    So we have to make our case every day and every way. We have to speak in terms that liberals and moderates can accept so the liberals don’t demonize us and the moderates hear us. We have to arouse the sense of caring and fairness – and use those words. Again, Jeb should have said, “This is no time to politicize such a painful matter. My heart is broken over this senseless loss of life.” Then, after the facts are in and there is time to adjust, a good logical assessment that calls for better mental health and enforcement of the gun laws we currently have along with a refocusing on DC and Chicago which have tighten laws to no effect is the better approach. Finally, mentioning an armed society is a safer society – and asking people to consider that is appropriate when the mourning is past.

    Making our case often requires only minor adjustments. Jeb was not only tone deaf in this cirumstance, he was tuning out the middle. It was timing, sound, body language, and the words. We know what he meant. But they do not. And now they won’t listen.

    • #9
  10. Brian Clendinen Inactive
    Brian Clendinen
    @BrianClendinen

    Great Ghost of Gödel:

    Concretevol:

    Cat III: “Stuff happens” happens to be a good one, as it’s a pithy form of the conservative belief that humanity is sinful and the libertarian belief that central planners and bureaucrats won’t change it from being so.

    Handily the best summary of Christian libertarianism I’ve ever read.

    I would also claim this is classic Jewish Libertarianism because it goes back way before Jesus. You are actually breaking the first commandment when you claim you have demi-god like power to prevent something like this, Idolatry.

    The core of Idolatry is to attribute God like power, pay homage and or verbal praise something other than G-d,  in the exaptation in doing so you will get what you want when clearly only G-d has the power to do so. Therefor when you project the power to control something on a politician who has no control over something, you are there by worshiping the politician and spitting in the face of God who is in control of human nature and everything.

    So anytime a politician claim to have this type of control or you want a politician to stop bad things from happening you are sinning and practicing a false religion.  This is why I keep saying and I don’t think people really understand what I mean. All politics is just religion in disguise.

    Which is why the Democratic party if first a Religious organization and has all the trapping and rhetoric of one that has evolved from a Religious based in Modernism, not one that is now based in Post-Modernism. The Republican party has likewise in many cases turn into a competing Religious organization which is no longer about classic Judeo-Christian Beliefs but Modernism.

    Now Modernism has quite a few tenants that originate from Judaeo-Christian beliefs therefor it is not openly hostile to Judaeo-Christian beliefs. It is more of a spoiled apples that slowly infects the other apples it touches. So it is acceptable in that it can be lived with as a Jew/Christina but in the long run is destructive. Were as post-modernism is opening hostile to Judaeo-Christian beliefs and calls many things good that are evil and evil good.

    I would say modernism is now the dominating religion which is why the Republican party has not held this many seats as so many levels since the 20’s. If the Democrats had not almost completely rejected Modernism (other than playing lip service) they would still be in power.
    So in the end Bush is actually proving his Christian roots and showing he is much more a politician who is Christian not a modernist like so many other Republicans such as his father and even to an extent his brother. Which is why I don’t understand Bushes Common Core position. Common core is at its foundation a Modernism idea that is fairly anti-Christina in practice (let alone being illogical).

    • #10
  11. kelsurprise Member
    kelsurprise
    @kelsurprise

    I’ve read the text and watched the video of the Jeb Bush quote and I’m hard-pressed to find anything in recent memory that was not only more wildly and ridiculously taken out of context but even partially fictionalized in the frequent and faulty retellings.

    There was no “shrug” and then “stuff happens” – – there were seven paragraphs spoken with over half a dozen references to the “tragedy” and “heartbreak” of incidents such as these before he says “I faced similar challenges as a governor because we had . . . ” and then, rather than going into a long laundry list of whatever that was that he faced as governor, he sums it up collectively with ” – look, stuff happens and the impulse is always to do something and it’s not necessarily the right thing to do.”

    Of course, in this day and age, when the most heinous and stupid statements from liberal politicians will be brushed over, excused, dismissed and “mediasplained” on their behalf, while any appearance by a conservative will be dismantled and scoured frame by frame like it’s the Zapruder film of micro-aggressions, sure, it behooves conservatives to always be on their toes and vigilant in their choices of words.   But then, it’s difficult to know what the right words are when it’s the (D) or (R) after your name that determines the standards by which said words will be judged.

    • #11
  12. kelsurprise Member
    kelsurprise
    @kelsurprise

    kelsurprise:I’ve read the text and watched the video of the Jeb Bush quote and I’m hard-pressed to find anything in recent memory that was not only more wildly and ridiculously taken out of context but even partially fictionalized in the frequent and faulty retellings.

    There was no “shrug” and then “stuff happens” – – there were seven paragraphs spoken with over half a dozen references to the “tragedy” and “heartbreak” of incidents such as these before he says “I had this challenge as governor because we had . . . ” and then, rather than going into a long laundry list of whatever that was that he faced as governor, he sums it up collectively with ” – look, stuff happens and the impulse is always to do something and it’s not necessarily the right thing to do.”

    Of course, in this day and age, when the most heinous and stupid statements from liberal politicians will be brushed over, excused, dismissed and “mediasplained” on their behalf, while any appearance by a conservative will be dismantled and scoured frame by frame like it’s the Zapruder film of micro-aggressions, sure, it behooves conservatives to always be on their toes and vigilant in their choices of words. But then, it’s difficult to know what the right words are when it’s the (D) or (R) after your name that determines the standards by which said words will be judged.

    • #12
  13. kelsurprise Member
    kelsurprise
    @kelsurprise

    Apologies for posting that twice – – I was actually trying to fix a typo I made in the Bush quote – – and must have hit “quote” rather than “edit”.

    • #13
  14. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    Tommy De Seno:Optics happen in a political campaign.

    It was an inartful way of making his point. The perfect opportunity for media to claim a callousness he does not hold.

    Instead of crying about media unfairness, Bush needs to be a better wordsmith.

    In fact, that’s something we’d like to see in a President anyway.

    Too true. The reality is that it is better to be “seen doing good” than it is to actually do good. One cannot completely control one’s image. (Just google Kate Middleton images and you will see how the celebrity life is manifest with bad moments that contrast greatly with good ones.) At a level we all realize this and adjust our expectations with those politicians/celebrities we like. But we are aghast with those politicians/celebrities that for whom we have distaste. This is reinforcement bias. But “bad press” does have a corrosive effect, specifically with that fabled group — the “undecided.”

    • #14
  15. Misthiocracy Member
    Misthiocracy
    @Misthiocracy

    Reminds me of Stephen Harper’s comment about “lots of bargain opportunities right now” in response to the last stock market crash.  History has proven him exactly right, but it was a “politically incorrect” thing to say at the time.

    • #15
  16. Cat III Member
    Cat III
    @CatIII

    Tommy De Seno:Optics happen in a political campaign.

    It was an inartful way of making his point. The perfect opportunity for media to claim a callousness he does not hold.

    Instead of crying about media unfairness, Bush needs to be a better wordsmith.

    In fact, that’s something we’d like to see in a President anyway.

    Jeb’s candidacy is all but over so he doesn’t need to be so career-minded anymore. I don’t want him to be president anyway, which makes his comments a win-win for me.

    More importantly, his full quote wasn’t callous, except in the truncated version spread by Ryan Lizza. It wasn’t the Gettysburg Address, but Jeb’s words were sensible, but they were contorted into being heartless regardless.

    • #16
  17. Cat III Member
    Cat III
    @CatIII

    Thanks for all the comments guys. Apologies, but I don’t have the time to respond to all at the moment. I have read them, though, and appreciate the feedback.

    • #17
  18. Chris Campion Coolidge
    Chris Campion
    @ChrisCampion

    Rodin:

    Tommy De Seno:Optics happen in a political campaign.

    It was an inartful way of making his point. The perfect opportunity for media to claim a callousness he does not hold.

    Instead of crying about media unfairness, Bush needs to be a better wordsmith.

    In fact, that’s something we’d like to see in a President anyway.

    Too true. The reality is that it is better to be “seen doing good” than it is to actually do good. One cannot completely control one’s image. (Just google Kate Middleton images and you will see how the celebrity life is manifest with bad moments that contrast greatly with good ones.) At a level we all realize this and adjust our expectations with those politicians/celebrities we like. But we are aghast with those politicians/celebrities that for whom we have distaste. This is reinforcement bias. But “bad press” does have a corrosive effect, specifically with that fabled group — the “undecided.”

    This explains the Democrat party, period.  And why they so frequently win.  In a way, their type of appeal and marketing is just as mendacious as any found in the Middle East and zany, cannibalistic “leaders” found all over the world, throughout history.

    • #18
  19. Chris Campion Coolidge
    Chris Campion
    @ChrisCampion

    Cat III:Thanks for all the comments guys. Apologies, but I don’t have the time to respond to all at the moment. I have read them, though, and appreciate the feedback.

    When I read “Cat III”, I think “hurricane”.  Please be gentle as you strike our Eastern seaboard.

    • #19
  20. Songwriter Inactive
    Songwriter
    @user_19450

    kelsurprise:There was no “shrug” and then “stuff happens” – – there were seven paragraphs spoken with over half a dozen references to the “tragedy” and “heartbreak” of incidents such as these before he says “I faced similar challenges as a governor because we had . . . ” and then, rather than going into a long laundry list of whatever that was that he faced as governor, he sums it up collectively with ” – look, stuff happens and the impulse is always to do something and it’s not necessarily the right thing to do.”

    Of course, in this day and age, when the most heinous and stupid statements from liberal politicians will be brushed over, excused, dismissed and “mediasplained” on their behalf, while any appearance by a conservative will be dismantled and scoured frame by frame like it’s the Zapruder film of micro-aggressions, sure, it behooves conservatives to always be on their toes and vigilant in their choices of words. But then, it’s difficult to know what the right words are when it’s the (D) or (R) after your name that determines the standards by which said words will be judged.

    You are right, of course. The media is so solidly in the Leftist camp that it can never be trusted to be remotely fair. They are the enemy.

    • #20
  21. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    Hi, Cat.

    Now that you bring it up, I think we’re misreading Lewis. I think he’s written an excuse (maybe an apology) for those whose better worth justifies their rule.

    This first part, everyone seems to grant some provisional acceptance:

    “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. …

    But Lewis goes on, unexpectedly, to give the pettiest of reasons for one to resent and resist that rule.

    They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be “cured” against one’s will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.”

    One resists the control of his betters because one feels insult? A childish excuse, and it assumes pride.

    [continued]

    • #21
  22. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    [continued from #21]

    His justification aside, I can’t think of any concrete example that justifies Lewis’ preference for the self-interested tyrant over the altruist.

    So what is Lewis actually trying to do here? All he has against the prudish tyrant in particular is that one makes him feel mistreated, he resents the do-gooder’s assumption of superiority more than anything.

    The message I get is “Look at you, you kick against your betters when they try to raise you up.” Lewis delivers it subtly, by first invoking in the reader the mental state of chafing under the do-gooders’ tyranny. He then ties that state to an emotional foundation, shame derived from insult. I think Lewis calculates that upon reflection the reader will recognize and attempt to overcome that pettiness, but remain unaware it isn’t genuine – Lewis snuck it in. Perhaps the reader will feel more shame for his reflexive taking-of-insult, but the point is that he will attempt to discard it. By the established association, he discards his resistance to the rule of the good and true at the same time.

    I don’t think I credit Lewis with any greater psychological understanding than is his due. Still, my read is based on nothing but the bare quote, which I ought to read in context. But the more I encounter Lewis the less I think of him; this is just one more example. Anyone familiar with the essay, what do you think?

    [edited]

    • #22
  23. Craig Inactive
    Craig
    @Craig

    This reminds me of Malcolm Fraser who once was derided for quoting George Bernard Shaw’s line of “Life wasn’t meant to be easy my child, but take courage: it can be delightful.” Which was a lot like Mitt Romney’s 43% line, taken out of context and used against them.

    • #23
  24. Cat III Member
    Cat III
    @CatIII

    Craig:This reminds me of Malcolm Fraser who once was derided for quoting George Bernard Shaw’s line of “Life wasn’t meant to be easy my child, but take courage: it can be delightful.” Which was a lot like Mitt Romney’s 43% line, taken out of context and used against them.

    The Fraser thing is new to me. “Life wasn’t meant to be easy” shouldn’t be a controversial statement, though if the rest of Shaw’s quote was excised, it could come off as callous or dismissive in certain contexts (I’ve found many references to Fraser having said this, but not the full speech, so I don’t know if his choice of words was poor or the media were being dishonest).

    Thanks for the comment and sorry for the late reply. It got lost in all the alerts. One of these days I’m going to write another serious post.

    • #24
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