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This site is a member of WebRing. To browse visit here. Sunday, October 09, 2005 'One-shot' learning Raw Story's John Steinberg has a fascinating explanation for why Bush's popularity numbers seem to be on a one-way downhill rollercoaster. I'd suggest reading the entire article but here are the key points:I recently stumbled upon a website that pulled together a number of fascinating optical illusions and visual phenomena. Each is accompanied by a discussion of the physical and neurological reasons why, for example, observers are likely to see things that are not there, or not see things that are. [..]The interesting thing about this exercise [a black and white Dalmation on a black and white background] is the one-way, binary nature of our ability to interpret the image. As best as this non-shrink can tell, the phenomenon is called "one-shot learning." The basic idea is that, although you might stare at the picture for quite some time without seeing it, once you do see the Dalmatian, you can’t not see it, and no matter how many times you go back and look at it, you’ll never not see it again. You can’t put the perceptual toothpaste back in the tube.That, I submit, is precisely what is happening with the public’s perception of George W. Bush. September 11 created a fluid, ambiguous situation in which Karl Rove was able to convince millions of Americans that their President was a strong and capable leader. For another four years, the Administration carefully protected Bush’s image by avoiding situations that might reveal his manifold shortcomings, especially his complete inability to think on his feet . . . There were hints – tell-all books from high government officials such as Richard Clark and Paul O’Neill described the President as a "blind man in a room full of deaf people," but millions of people dismissed these damning portraits as sour grapes, or took no notice at all. . . There were abundant signs of the bubble Bush chose to live in, and the vacuum of objective information that became his aura, but millions of Americans stared, uncomprehending.[..]No more. Millions of Americans finally “got it” when they saw Bush’s utterly incompetent and empathy-free response to Katrina . . . That even some right-wingers finally get it is evidenced by a comment made last week on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.” The token conservative on the panel was American Enterprise Institute guy James Glassman . . . In general, Glassman toed the party line, as you might expect. But he did make the offhand concession that President Bush was not very good in a crisis. He said it as if he was discussing a flaw in Dubya’s tennis game, but in his heart of hearts, he must understand the magnitude of that concession. Having someone who can take charge in a crisis is pretty much the most important reason to have a chief executive in the first place. Glassman will keep shilling for Bush because he likes his regressive, budget-busting tax cuts, but I’ll bet he sees the Dalmatian, and though he may not know it yet, he’s going to see it every time Bush stumbles, every time he butchers the English language, and every time he displays his breathtaking, arrogant ignorance. Steinberg's observations go a long way toward explaining the depth of the chasm between people who see Bush as "our dear dear President" (an acquaintance of mine routinely speaks of him that way) and those who, like me, want to shout, "But there's the Dalmation, right there! Why can't you see it?" posted by Liz @ 9:06 PM | The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section RSS Feed PERSONAL Send email toliz at life-as-a-spectator-sport.com Home I'm a mother, grandmother, a computer professional, Democrat, Christian. I welcome politely worded comments and email, my spam filter throws the rest away, so don't bother to flame me WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT' "If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart. THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3 KNITTING BLOGS Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits FINISHED PROJECTS -------FINISHED IN 2006------- Peruvian Cap Tutti-Frutti Socks Shelley's Socks Carol's Socks -------FINISHED IN 2007------- Chain Link Socks Baby Surprise Jacket Valerie & Friend Baby Bonnet Rainbow Baby Socks Girls Pixie Hood Mitred Square Heart Red & White Socks Coffee Cup Pot Holder Nubbins Dishcloth Garterlac Dishcloth Suede Booties Kate's Socks Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap Half Thumbless Mittens Red Mittens for Akkol -------FINISHED IN 2008------- SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE -- Blogs and websites -- Causubon's Book Club Orlov Food Storage Made Easy From the Wilderness In the Wake Listening to Katrina Survival Topics The Modern Homestead The Oil Drum Notes from a Hillside Farm -- Mailing Lists -- 12vdc Power Living on the Land Rainwater Refrigeration Alternatives Old Ways of Living POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES The political sites have moved BOOKS I'M READING How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising ARCHIVES February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002 Feedjit Live Blog Stats
Raw Story's John Steinberg has a fascinating explanation for why Bush's popularity numbers seem to be on a one-way downhill rollercoaster. I'd suggest reading the entire article but here are the key points:I recently stumbled upon a website that pulled together a number of fascinating optical illusions and visual phenomena. Each is accompanied by a discussion of the physical and neurological reasons why, for example, observers are likely to see things that are not there, or not see things that are. [..]The interesting thing about this exercise [a black and white Dalmation on a black and white background] is the one-way, binary nature of our ability to interpret the image. As best as this non-shrink can tell, the phenomenon is called "one-shot learning." The basic idea is that, although you might stare at the picture for quite some time without seeing it, once you do see the Dalmatian, you can’t not see it, and no matter how many times you go back and look at it, you’ll never not see it again. You can’t put the perceptual toothpaste back in the tube.That, I submit, is precisely what is happening with the public’s perception of George W. Bush. September 11 created a fluid, ambiguous situation in which Karl Rove was able to convince millions of Americans that their President was a strong and capable leader. For another four years, the Administration carefully protected Bush’s image by avoiding situations that might reveal his manifold shortcomings, especially his complete inability to think on his feet . . . There were hints – tell-all books from high government officials such as Richard Clark and Paul O’Neill described the President as a "blind man in a room full of deaf people," but millions of people dismissed these damning portraits as sour grapes, or took no notice at all. . . There were abundant signs of the bubble Bush chose to live in, and the vacuum of objective information that became his aura, but millions of Americans stared, uncomprehending.[..]No more. Millions of Americans finally “got it” when they saw Bush’s utterly incompetent and empathy-free response to Katrina . . . That even some right-wingers finally get it is evidenced by a comment made last week on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.” The token conservative on the panel was American Enterprise Institute guy James Glassman . . . In general, Glassman toed the party line, as you might expect. But he did make the offhand concession that President Bush was not very good in a crisis. He said it as if he was discussing a flaw in Dubya’s tennis game, but in his heart of hearts, he must understand the magnitude of that concession. Having someone who can take charge in a crisis is pretty much the most important reason to have a chief executive in the first place. Glassman will keep shilling for Bush because he likes his regressive, budget-busting tax cuts, but I’ll bet he sees the Dalmatian, and though he may not know it yet, he’s going to see it every time Bush stumbles, every time he butchers the English language, and every time he displays his breathtaking, arrogant ignorance. Steinberg's observations go a long way toward explaining the depth of the chasm between people who see Bush as "our dear dear President" (an acquaintance of mine routinely speaks of him that way) and those who, like me, want to shout, "But there's the Dalmation, right there! Why can't you see it?"
I recently stumbled upon a website that pulled together a number of fascinating optical illusions and visual phenomena. Each is accompanied by a discussion of the physical and neurological reasons why, for example, observers are likely to see things that are not there, or not see things that are. [..]The interesting thing about this exercise [a black and white Dalmation on a black and white background] is the one-way, binary nature of our ability to interpret the image. As best as this non-shrink can tell, the phenomenon is called "one-shot learning." The basic idea is that, although you might stare at the picture for quite some time without seeing it, once you do see the Dalmatian, you can’t not see it, and no matter how many times you go back and look at it, you’ll never not see it again. You can’t put the perceptual toothpaste back in the tube.That, I submit, is precisely what is happening with the public’s perception of George W. Bush. September 11 created a fluid, ambiguous situation in which Karl Rove was able to convince millions of Americans that their President was a strong and capable leader. For another four years, the Administration carefully protected Bush’s image by avoiding situations that might reveal his manifold shortcomings, especially his complete inability to think on his feet . . . There were hints – tell-all books from high government officials such as Richard Clark and Paul O’Neill described the President as a "blind man in a room full of deaf people," but millions of people dismissed these damning portraits as sour grapes, or took no notice at all. . . There were abundant signs of the bubble Bush chose to live in, and the vacuum of objective information that became his aura, but millions of Americans stared, uncomprehending.[..]No more. Millions of Americans finally “got it” when they saw Bush’s utterly incompetent and empathy-free response to Katrina . . . That even some right-wingers finally get it is evidenced by a comment made last week on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.” The token conservative on the panel was American Enterprise Institute guy James Glassman . . . In general, Glassman toed the party line, as you might expect. But he did make the offhand concession that President Bush was not very good in a crisis. He said it as if he was discussing a flaw in Dubya’s tennis game, but in his heart of hearts, he must understand the magnitude of that concession. Having someone who can take charge in a crisis is pretty much the most important reason to have a chief executive in the first place. Glassman will keep shilling for Bush because he likes his regressive, budget-busting tax cuts, but I’ll bet he sees the Dalmatian, and though he may not know it yet, he’s going to see it every time Bush stumbles, every time he butchers the English language, and every time he displays his breathtaking, arrogant ignorance.
The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section
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PERSONAL
WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT'
"If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart.
THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME
Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3
KNITTING BLOGS
Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits
FINISHED PROJECTS
SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE
POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES
BOOKS I'M READING
How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising
ARCHIVES
February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002
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