Today We Juxtapose

The Guardian champions Teen Vogue:

“We’re a woke brand and our readers are woke too.”

Orwell & Goode: 

“The best of Teen Vogue.” 

That is all. 

Update: 

In one year, Teen Vogue’s readership has nearly halved. Less than 5% of their audience consists of actual teenagers.

Oh dear. 

Comments

[John D]

God help us.

[David]

God help us.

Ah but, according to Teen Vogue’s experts, children should be taught that Marxoid theory - which had no practical downsides worth reporting, apparently - explains the election of Donald Trump. Which is otherwise, obviously, inexplicable.

[David]

And teenagers should be encouraged to believe repeatedly debunked theories of victimhood that are based on feeble and negligent research.

[Sam]

Plus this gem.

https://www.redstate.com/sarah-rumpf/2018/01/08/teen-vogue-sexualizing-9-year-old-boy/

[David]

Plus this gem.

There are many of us on the right who rolled our eyes when social conservatives warned that gay marriage would be a slippery slope… It would be really great if the activist left would stop working so hard to prove their critics right.

That.

At the time this became news, my sisters-in-law asked, rather cautiously, what The Other Half and I thought of it. We found ourselves in the odd position of, in effect, giving them permission to disapprove. We said something along the lines of, “If a 9-year-old girl were being paraded around as a gaudy whore, a sexualised child, catnip for paedophiles, what would you think of the people enabling and encouraging it?”

[David]

With a name like Teen Vogue, you’d think that this publication features stuff on fashion and celebrities, right? They do indeed, but they also do so much more than that. Like advise girls what kind of cutesy gifts to give a BFF who just had an abortion. They also give shout-outs to women who’ve had abortions, including a “black, Southern, non-binary trans man” — whatever that is. And they love them some Karl Marx, too.

Kim Quade, here.

[Lancastrian Oik]

But if he’s fatigued, you’d never know it. He is poised and alert, with a side of excitable puppy.

OK- now I can go and hit the heavy bag for half an hour. Motivational- thank you.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Holy crap.

Charlie Knoles is a 39-year-old meditation coach and father based in California. He reads Politico, ProPublica and the Wall Street Journal, and posts on Facebook about all sorts, including science, technology and ethics. But recently he posted: “I now go to Teen Vogue for serious journalism.”

Right. I'll bet the "science, technology, and ethics" insights of a "meditation coach", whatever the hell that is, who gets his book larnin' from Teen Vogue rank right up there with those of Einstein.

...an analysis of why Melania Trump chose to wear red for her first post-inauguration appearance...“Why was it?” Picardi wants to know. “Because… she’s a republican?” the relevant editor deadpans, to peals of laughter. “Spoiler alert!” Picardi laughs.

Damn the spoiler, I would have puzzled over that one for several microseconds, not being Woke™, and all.

Wholly crap.

[Captain Nemo]

From the Guardian article:

“To gaslight is to psychologically manipulate a person to the point where they question their own sanity, and that’s precisely what Trump is doing to this country,” Duca wrote...

Well, plenty of people on the right (and, to be fair, the more rational parts of the left) would say that that's what's been happening to them and their country over the last 10-15 years or so, and perhaps with a fraction more justification.

Summing up with the rallying cry to: “Refuse to accept information simply because it is fed to you, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.” This is solid advice for any teen at any point in history; but in the era of “alternative facts”, it is also, she noted, “the base level of what is required of all Americans”.

Wow. This (the bit in bold - my emphasis) just blew up my irony meter. "Question everything". Unless, of course, it's sufficiently "woke" information and theories. Which therefore means no questioning of critical race theory, multiculturalism, gender issues, LGBT issues, religious issues, etc., if you know what's good for you. You don't need to question those. No. Just accept everything you're told about (for example) systemic racism and structural oppression. Particularly when it's printed in Teen Vogue.

[David]

“To gaslight is to psychologically manipulate a person to the point where they question their own sanity, and that’s precisely what Trump is doing to this country,” Duca wrote...

See also, journalism.

[David]

I’m still processing the notion that there’s a “woke” publication for self-styled “activists” who believe that Marxism was a benign historical phenomenon with no downside to speak of, and also that Kim Kardashian’s $7000 Gucci outfit is totes amazeballs.

[Darleen]

We found ourselves in the odd position of, in effect, giving them permission to disapprove.

About the only upside of getting older is I don't mind speaking up and shocking the 'woke' youngsters anymore.

[David]

About the only upside of getting older is I don’t mind speaking up and shocking the ‘woke’ youngsters anymore.

Judging by the above, woke seems to translate as “ignorant, dishonest and morally unmoored.”

[Jacob]

“To gaslight is to psychologically manipulate a person to the point where they question their own sanity, and that’s precisely what Trump is doing to this country,” Duca wrote...

Lefties project, as our host would say.

[Jacob]

See also, journalism.

And non-STEM academia.

[Darleen]

Moar academic wokeness

Money quote at the end:

, the Title IX office did contact Chai. "Chai said that although the Title IX office had contacted her regarding the incident," the paper reports, "she is not actively pursuing a case at present." This makes it sound like she was approached as a possible victim of sexual harassment, rather than a perpetrator—which suggests that Title IX officials think a professor questioning a student's appearance is a more serious matter than a student disrobing in front of her classmates.

[David]

And non-STEM academia.

Well, quite. The Clown Quarter has been gaslighting its victims for years with lowered standards, racial favouritism, cultivated victimhood, grade inflation and all manner of pernicious anti-rational horseshit, including “equity” dogma and conspiracy theories about “whiteness,” “rape culture” and “toxic masculinity” - by which they seem to mean masculinity.

[Sam Duncan]

“I’m still processing the notion that there’s a 'woke' publication for self-styled 'activists' who believe that Marxism was a benign historical phenomenon with no downside to speak of, and also that Kim Kardashian’s $7000 Gucci outfit is totes amazeballs.”

That's the beauty of it. Teenage girls don't remember East Germans shuffling around in ill-fitting Bulgarian shoes. The “journalists” can present Marxism as entirely compatible with a Vogue-esque lifestyle, with the only objections coming from middle-aged gits like ourselves who can safely be disregarded as irrelevant.

[David]

middle-aged gits like ourselves

[ Applies moisturiser. ]

[Pogonip]

Ebony magazine has been doing just fine since 1945 with never a Caucasian on the cover.

Idiots. (The Teen Voguers, not the Ebony people; I’ve seen a good many issues and it’s less inane than the publications aimed at whites.)

[Pogonip]

Kind of odd the s-i-l’s seemed uncertain about what your opinion might be of “catnip for pedophiles.” I’d be offended if someone seemed to think my opinion might be anything other than “That’s awful!” Shame on them.

There was a little girl in the U.S. who was tarted up like an expensive hooker for “child beauty pageants.” Someone strangled her. Those horrible pageants are STILL legal. If you want to see catnip for pedophiles, check out some footage.

[JuliaM]

"Like advise girls what kind of cutesy gifts to give a BFF who just had an abortion. "

Gifts...? GIFTS...?!

[David]

“To gaslight is to psychologically manipulate a person to the point where they question their own sanity, and that’s precisely what Trump is doing to this country,” Duca wrote...

If you were to compile a list of statusful environments that people pay to inhabit but which are institutionally dysfunctional and likely to corrode a person’s sense of realism, and probity, and basic moral function, then the Clown Quarter of academia would have to be somewhere near the top. And the people invoking gaslighting, above, have spent too much time there - in Ms Duca’s case, “journalism and critical theory” - to register the irony of their own statements.

[Darleen]

Oh heck, I decided to find out about the author of Teen Vogue's I♥Marx piece. Aren't 'they' precious?

[David]

Gifts...? GIFTS...?!

Because when a teenage girl has just had an abortion, the ideal and thoughtful gift is a “GRL PWR” cap. Or this charming “aggro pin” here.

[David]

Oh heck, I decided to find out about the author of Teen Vogue’s I♥Marx piece. Aren’t ‘they’ precious?

They received a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Communication Arts with a minor in Anthropology and concentration in Creative Writing from Ramapo College of New Jersey. They also have backgrounds in politics and social justice.

I’m assuming that the major horrors of 20th century history was a subject too full of dreary facts to warrant any attention. Ditto the actual writings of Marx and Engels.

[Chester Draws]

I'm still getting over that it's apparently OK for "them" to write for Playboy.

If I wrote for Playboy, that would surely signal toxic masculinity at its worst.

[Hal]

Hmmm.

I've read of the Guardian. Over time, I've also read that there are small scale publishing occurrences called zines.

I can't say that I'm particularly surprised or annoyed that I don't recall having previously encountered such a title as "Teen Vogue". Or, I may have seen something, but merely seeing isn't going to make something worth remembering.

At the very least, given contemporary internet and mass publishing capabilities, I'll also grant a complete lack of surprise at the existence of such a zine.

[Hector Drummond, Vile Novelist]

>Charlie Knoles is a 39-year-old meditation coach and father based in California. He reads Politico, ProPublica and the Wall Street Journal, and posts on Facebook about all sorts, including science, technology and ethics. But recently he posted: "I now go to Teen Vogue for serious journalism."

Charlie Knoles is happy for the world to know he's a moron.

But then he is a 'meditation coach'.

[Hal]

middle-aged gits like ourselves

[ Applies moisturiser. ]

[David]

Speaking of woke, here’s Laurie Penny’s sister:

Imagine the parties.

[Joan]

Speaking of woke, here’s Laurie Penny’s sister:

So Laurie's the clever one?

[David]

So Laurie’s the clever one?

What a thought. It’s interesting, though, how both sisters have embraced the same compulsive, neurotic signalling.

“SEE MY CLEVER LEFTWING SLOGAN, WHICH I REGURGITATE ALMOST RANDOMLY! I AM A CLEVER PERSON! I AM!”

Signalling that, despite the radical pretensions, actually suggests conformity and a kind of intellectual insecurity.

[Black Ball]

Don't know where to begin with this one. Will David Hogg be in Australia soon? He likes this to advance his agenda.
http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/peter-didnt-snap-he-thought-this-through-father-of-shooting-victims-speaks/ar-AAxbDaf?ocid=ientp

[Jen]

Speaking of woke, here’s Laurie Penny’s sister:

Does she think Israel is 'whiter' than Estonia?

[David]

Does she think Israel is ‘whiter’ than Estonia?

I think that one deserves a post of its own.

[Jeff Guinn]

[David:] Ah but, according to Teen Vogue’s experts, children should be taught that Marxoid theory - which had no practical downsides worth reporting, apparently ...

The NYT recently ran this ode to moral idiocy, Happy Birthday, Karl Marx. You Were Right!

This stuck out like a badly covered mass grave:

The idea of the classless and stateless society would come to define both Marx’s and Engels’s idea of communism, and of course the subsequent and troubled history of the Communist “states” (ironically enough!) that materialized during the 20th century.

Troubled history. Really? Is that the best this cretin can muster? Korba the Dread rather strongly suggests "troubled history" is light years from the truth. Denial is his superpower.

(Undoubtedly without any knowledge of the inherent irony, that sentence is followed by this, a festival of ambiguous reference:

There is still a great deal to be learned from their disasters, but their philosophical relevance remains doubtful, to say the least.)

Why it is that contemporary Marxists aren't treated with the same well earned revulsion as their nazi counterparts is an enduring mystery.

[Captain Nemo]

Why it is that contemporary Marxists aren't treated with the same well earned revulsion as their nazi counterparts is an enduring mystery.

I think that one of the reasons is because the public perception of Marxism/Communism, undeserved though it may be, is that it was something good and noble gone horridly bad. Unlike Fascism, which is (deservedly) viewed as something evil gone horribly right. Another reason which occurs to me, and which is linked to the point I've just made, is that there has never been the Communist equivalent of the Nuremberg trials, where the atrocities committed by Communists were loudly and publicly stated for the world to see, and where those responsible were held to account.

[WTP]

Why it is that contemporary Marxists aren't treated with the same well earned revulsion as their nazi counterparts is an enduring mystery.

Because fascism is a form of socialism that (theoretically) benefits only one group of people. If you’re in that group, hey no problem. Communism is a socialism that (theoretically) benefits everyone!. Larger potential market for the latter. Until it’s implemented, of course.

The real big lie is that fascism and/or communism are anything relatively new. Both existed, especially fascism, under different labels for millennia.

[David]

Also woke, this.

Following which, I found this riposte of note.

[Jeff Guinn]

[Capt Nemo:] I think that one of the reasons is because the public perception of Marxism/Communism, undeserved though it may be, is that it was something good and noble gone horridly bad.

A couple weeks ago, someone raised this same point, and pointed to Venezuela Analysis, which defends the Bolivarian revolution.

Having followed the link, and read some of the articles, I can only conclude there is a deformation in the time-space continuum that allows progressives to avoid the crushing pile of moral opprobrium which they so richly deserve. How the hell does this guy get to go out in public un-slugged?

Never mind that the Soviet Union collapsed into the rubbish tip of history, the eye glazing assaults on language, facts and logic remain the same.

[Spiny Norman]

eye glazing assaults on language

[eyes glazed]

I can't imagine a finer example of Poe's Law in action.

[Tim Newman]

Charlie Knoles is a 39-year-old meditation coach and father based in California. He reads Politico, ProPublica and the Wall Street Journal, and posts on Facebook about all sorts, including science, technology and ethics. But recently he posted: “I now go to Teen Vogue for serious journalism.”

I wouldn’t look through his hard drives for all the tea in China.

[David]

Heh.

Bad Tim.

[W Krebs]

They received a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Communication Arts with a minor in Anthropology and concentration in Creative Writing from Ramapo College of New Jersey. They also have backgrounds in politics and social justice

a Bachelor of Arts...
They have backgrounds in politics and social justice...

And it claims to be a professional writer. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?

[AQ]

They have backgrounds in politics and social justice...

And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

[susan]

God have mercy