I’m afraid Alexandra Petri could be the next victim. Her dead-on satire so I often sounds just plausible enough that in reading the comments to her columns it is clear that many cannot see that they are humorous pieces skewering the things that need skewering.
As someone who loves Indian food and who grew up with dear friends and neighbors from India who took the time to lovingly show me how they cooked, what spices they used, how I could make them myself etc., I was kinda pissed off about your food column but had one particular question in my mind after reading it: How the **** could someone as smart as you think that curry is "one spice??????" I was shocked that the fact-checkers did not flag this!! I made a biryani the other night that required *twenty* different spice jars to be taken out (some were duplicates; e.g. whole cumin seeds AND cumin powder for different steps). For me, that is part of the magic of Indian food.
Anyway. My reactions in summary are 1) I'm appalled that the Post killed the first two columns you described and see those as borderline free speech infringements 2) I still think you were being a dumb ignoramus for saying those things about Indian food 3) I think the mob response was disproportionate to your misdeed 4) I'm so glad this chat/column is back.
I also have dear friends from India (and Mexico) and still do not like hot spices. Pain is not a flavor to me. But one can have friends and food references and not a conflict. It is all a matter of taste. Nothing dumb about it. Or was the dumb about saying so? I have seen our myth of "free speech" fade.
In this age of consumer-curated content, the outrage machine has become increasingly profitable, to where it now may be the only reliable strategy for media companies AND politicians to succeed.
Perhaps before publishing any future humorous column, you should assign homework -- readers should go read Swift's "A Modest Proposal." When they come back, if they come back, if they still don't understand satire, then at least they will be more angry about someone who advocates eating babies than anything you might write.
I am as far left as you, because beyond me there be dragons, and I totally share your food dislikes , which is often a pain especially since my equal-half is a foodie. So my main reaction is that the Post allowing this humor column to become a BIG thing is beyond ridiculous. Not surprising, but ridiculous.
And now for something completely different... Many (if not most) of you are probably familiar with those ubiquitous TV ads promising eternal life (or least the ability to get out of bed in the morning) from a couple of fruit and vegetable supplements. You know --- the ones now rivaling the frequency of the commercials with what appears to be the entire dance company of Spielberg's "West Side Story" and a singer rapturously extolling the virtue of "the little pill with the big story to tell," while an announcer intones about the possibility of genital yeast infections and death. Well, get ready for product extensions. For those still using bits of paper to transact your daily lives, there's "Balance of Checkbook." For those believing money can travel through space, there's "Balance of Balance." No longer mutter to yourself every month and accuse your significant other of embezzlement, when it's the bank adding stealth fees or surreptitiously changing balance requirements just before you fool-heartedly attempt to reconcile. One pill a day and you'll develop the precognition to know before you're scammed. March down to your local branch. Uh...well then, call up your Manila-based customer service rep and listen for that telltale pause and clearing of the throat when you inform them that you're onto the game and require a waiver in advance. A balance at last. And such fun. Until next month.
I’m afraid Alexandra Petri could be the next victim. Her dead-on satire so I often sounds just plausible enough that in reading the comments to her columns it is clear that many cannot see that they are humorous pieces skewering the things that need skewering.
By the way, Ms. Petri is the only reason I still subscribe to the Post.
Interesting backstory. Thank you for sharing it.
As someone who loves Indian food and who grew up with dear friends and neighbors from India who took the time to lovingly show me how they cooked, what spices they used, how I could make them myself etc., I was kinda pissed off about your food column but had one particular question in my mind after reading it: How the **** could someone as smart as you think that curry is "one spice??????" I was shocked that the fact-checkers did not flag this!! I made a biryani the other night that required *twenty* different spice jars to be taken out (some were duplicates; e.g. whole cumin seeds AND cumin powder for different steps). For me, that is part of the magic of Indian food.
Anyway. My reactions in summary are 1) I'm appalled that the Post killed the first two columns you described and see those as borderline free speech infringements 2) I still think you were being a dumb ignoramus for saying those things about Indian food 3) I think the mob response was disproportionate to your misdeed 4) I'm so glad this chat/column is back.
I also have dear friends from India (and Mexico) and still do not like hot spices. Pain is not a flavor to me. But one can have friends and food references and not a conflict. It is all a matter of taste. Nothing dumb about it. Or was the dumb about saying so? I have seen our myth of "free speech" fade.
In this age of consumer-curated content, the outrage machine has become increasingly profitable, to where it now may be the only reliable strategy for media companies AND politicians to succeed.
This keeps me up at night.
Who is most to blame for this fiasco?
The internet, totally.
Good Morning Vietnam film "I know what is funny."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge6QPJfrGcY
Perhaps before publishing any future humorous column, you should assign homework -- readers should go read Swift's "A Modest Proposal." When they come back, if they come back, if they still don't understand satire, then at least they will be more angry about someone who advocates eating babies than anything you might write.
I am as far left as you, because beyond me there be dragons, and I totally share your food dislikes , which is often a pain especially since my equal-half is a foodie. So my main reaction is that the Post allowing this humor column to become a BIG thing is beyond ridiculous. Not surprising, but ridiculous.
FIRST.... hahahahaha...never gets old.
But the people who use that phrase do.
It just did.
Ok. Fine. I haven't seen that in a million years, so I thought it was funny. Live and learn.
Why is anyone surprised that newspaper editors have no sense of humor? After all, they are serious people doing serious things.
The picture of that bowl just makes me hungry.
And now for something completely different... Many (if not most) of you are probably familiar with those ubiquitous TV ads promising eternal life (or least the ability to get out of bed in the morning) from a couple of fruit and vegetable supplements. You know --- the ones now rivaling the frequency of the commercials with what appears to be the entire dance company of Spielberg's "West Side Story" and a singer rapturously extolling the virtue of "the little pill with the big story to tell," while an announcer intones about the possibility of genital yeast infections and death. Well, get ready for product extensions. For those still using bits of paper to transact your daily lives, there's "Balance of Checkbook." For those believing money can travel through space, there's "Balance of Balance." No longer mutter to yourself every month and accuse your significant other of embezzlement, when it's the bank adding stealth fees or surreptitiously changing balance requirements just before you fool-heartedly attempt to reconcile. One pill a day and you'll develop the precognition to know before you're scammed. March down to your local branch. Uh...well then, call up your Manila-based customer service rep and listen for that telltale pause and clearing of the throat when you inform them that you're onto the game and require a waiver in advance. A balance at last. And such fun. Until next month.