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Leading with anger, hammocking, David Ortiz, David Remnick, Dave O'Brien

Wednesday 6/5/24

I see a lot of dating profiles that being, "I'm chubby and fat get over it." That is, they lead with anger. They start on the attack. It's by no means limited to a weight or fitness thing; a lot of people come out of the gate punching at air, swinging wildly.


There's a phrase that I often employ, as in think, which is, "That's not a good way to go," or "This is not a good way to be." Regarding the fitness matter, that can be frustrating. But we do have agency. We can make different choices, employ a new approach, try for possible solutions. If that is what we want.


What I don't think these people realize is what's keeping them from certain things they wish to have in their lives is their anger. That could be the bigger issue. Anger tends to be limit perception. Anger also limits self-awareness. We misattribute causes with anger. I'm talking of the bad anger now, not the good anger.


I'm also seeing the word "hammock" used as a verb more and more. "I like to hammock."


Last night David Ortiz came into the Red Sox' booth to be part of the broadcast. This is usually unfortunate. Ortiz is the greatest clutch baseball player I've ever seen. He may be the best clutch athlete I've ever seen. But the ego on Ortiz is out of control. It disappoints me to hear him talk and makes me like him less. I even find myself thinking, "You weren't that good." Which is why I said unfortunate.


Most people are the same in that they have the same insecurities. Rarely is someone confident with conviction, with the knowledge that there is no doubt that they are a given thing or things. That's why people who make fortunes and who are lauded in society (which is done so with no vetting or scrutiny but simply because so many others are already doing this thing and the subject--the person--is mediocre and that makes people feel better about themselves because they think that could be them) still need to be surrounded by "yes" men, toadies, hangers on. Because fundamentally, they remain insecure and a part of them seriously doubts their legitimacy and thinks that things might have happened for other reasons. This is usually true--things did happen for other reasons.


Consider David Remnick. There is no way that Remnick thinks he's anything actually special. Or even intelligent. He knows. So then it becomes about having those toadies in place and whatever additional scaffolding one requires to help prop up a lie--a lie that doubles as a life. No one is more sensitive than a stupid person whose sense of self, whose reputation, is premised on their intelligence or intellectual capabilities. This person must then bar anyone legitimate in these ways in which they are not so that the contrast doesn't "out" them. Life is entirely about--and everything in life is undertaken with the intention of--preventing that outing. Life is a cover-up. Such a person--a David Remnick--simply hopes to make it all the way to the end without having been exposed.


What is worse with Ortiz is how disgustingly obsequious Red Sox announcer Dave O'Brien is during these visits, a cause in which he was assisted last night by Will Middlebrooks. The latter had a nothing career and did nothing in Boston, so you cringe when he starts inserting himself in these visits like he was much more than what he was.


I don't know why O'Brien embarrasses himself like this. If you told me he was naked in the booth and warming up to go to town on himself, I really wouldn't be surprised. It's gross, toady-style worship. It's not even real respect. It's more like, "Time to tongue." I don't have a lot of respect for how O'Brien does his job, but this lowers that respect even more. Middlebrooks is akin to one of those little toy figures that gets stuck on the dash of a car. Simply along for the ride and not to be taken seriously.


But maybe worst of all is that Ortiz needs to be spoken to this way. I sense that in actuality he's probably quite a lonely man and the pizzaz and flash is meant to cover this up.



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