This is a short one, but not am easy one, because bias is so likely to be involved.
Althouse posted the [I almost wrote “horrifying,” but that would be biasing you]clip above that has “surfaced” from a podcast earlier this year. (Isn’t it fascinating that virtually no one was paying attention to Harris most of the time until she was suddenly anointed?).
Your Ethics Alarms Ethics Quiz of the Day:
Is it fair to conclude that Harris is an idiot from that response?
Or can her supposed endorsement of astrology (which in my view is about like saying you worship the Greek gods) be excused as just typical politician pandering to a substantial voting block? Althouse links to a list of ten leaders who supposedly believed in astrology, a collection which I would take with about about a truckload of salt. The claim that Ronald Reagan “leaned on astrology for guidance” is particularly weak: he met with an astrologer once, and he indulged Nancy’s interest in the nonsense, as most loving spouses would.
One question that occurred to me as I looked at the list: what is the cut-off point before which it is fair to attribute an individual’s belief in astrology to the absence of scientific knowledge generally?
Ethics Alarms 
As you said, bias is certainly involved here. I came into that clip already believing she was an idiot.
Having said that, I cannot honestly claim that clip means anything. I don’t know the larger discussion because I’ve not seen that interview, but if I didn’t already believe that she was (to be kind) not an intellectual, that clip would not tell me anything about her. She’s clearly having a very relaxed conversation and veering off into Netflix habits. I’ve had similar silly conversations with friends.
I concede that there is a difference between me chatting with a friend over drinks versus giving a formal interview, but still.. She’s clearly trying to “be cool”; we see that a lot with her. She’s terrible at it, but that does not reflect on her status as an “idiot”.
Very fair response. (Hey—did you ever get any results for “Project Racelighting”?)
As a matter of fact, I did. I stopped sampling over a week ago, in part because the final result seemed to settle and remain unchanged. I have details broken down by different medium (Network TV, Amazon Prime, YouTube), but here are the highlights across all media:
Total Hours 23.0
Total Characters 770
% Non-White 52.6
% White 47.4
That 47.4% representation has been *very* steady over the course of my sampling.
I concede that 23 hours is not enough to call it a scientific study by any means, but that was never the goal. I still find the results intriguing.
I agree. She was trying to be folksy and whimsical, just your average run of the mill, standard issue V.P., lounging around with her hubby, sipping caffe mochas, debating whether to watch “Better Call Saul” or “Entourage”. It seems, though, that the overriding theme of the conversation is that she can’t make a decision to save her life, be it Netflix or the root causes of illega . . . erm . . . undocume . . . erm . . . uncontrol . . . uh . . . immigra . . . erm . . . migra . . . trave . . . oh, I don’t know anymore!
jvb
So, is Kamala a sharp mind’ or ‘dumb as a rock’? In all honesty I must admit my bias is deep. Having work as a lobbyist at the Sacramento Capitol while Harris was AG and daily witnessing her antics — well, I am biased against this woman ever being president and I didn’t need her idiotic endorsement of astrology while demanding “we must follow the science” lies to convince me.
Her history as California AG and 4 years as failed Vice President should tell the world electing Kamala Harris would be a step toward totalitarianism, censorship, suppression.
I view gender theory as the 21st century astrology. Astrology is so 19th and 20th century. Get with the program, Kamala Harris!
Considering that the only choice (or lack there of) she attributed to “astrology” was being indecisive watching TV, I don’t think this says anything about her.
It’s not complicated, Rich. She said she’s indecisive because of her sign and she then said she believes in astrology as a result. Ergo, she believes in astrology.
I don’t have the nerve or guts to listen to the clip, but Althouse provides a transcript as follows:
“You know, um, so I’m a Libra my husband is a Libra, um, and it’s so funny, he’ll talk, Doug, he’ll talk about the fact that that it’s the Libra in us where we will sit on the couch in front of the TV with the switcher for like 45 minutes debating which Netflix show should we start streaming, and we weigh the pros and the cons of each, and then by the time we’re done, we’re ready to go to bed. Right. You missed your window. The window just shut, because we are just sitting there debating like, okay, well, on the one hand, do we want to see comedy or drama. We both love, you know, sci-fi, right, anyway, um, yeah astrology.”
Am I the only one who finds this, as I do all her other unscripted statements, terribly alarming? Can’t she speak like an adult instead of a twelve-year-old? Is it unfair for me to expect that of the leader of the free world?
Additionally, this snippet is no different than her speaking off the cuff about any policy issue. It’s just one more example of her being a nitwit. Showing her being vapid about nonsense is no more unethical than showing her being vapid about serious matters.
OB said, “I don’t have the nerve or guts to listen to the clip…”
I had the nerve to look at the comments on the video at YouTube and now I’m ill.
“Is it fair to conclude that Harris is an idiot from that response?”
Naaa, I don’t think that would be fair. There’s far too many other things that come out of her mouth that show us that she is an idiot, this isn’t one of them.
My wife and I sit in the evening a couple of times a week and do the exact same thing with the remote trying to find something to watch that we haven’t already seen, which is not an easy task after COVID. When we can’t find something to watch we revert to individual hobbies, or read, or play cards or do a puzzle.
As far as astrology goes, I just don’t care about it. Personal characteristics that are associated with astrological signs may be kind of fun for some people to talk about and joke about; however, if people get too serious about astrology, they have a tendency to pigeonhole others based on predefined traits whether it’s warranted or not, it’s a kind of preconditioned bias like racism. My wife is a Libra and I’m a Leo, neither of us dominate, we have separate and similar interests, we’re dedicated, reliable, respectful and equal partners in our relationship. Not only is my wife my wife, she’s also my best friend. If you look up the characteristics of the Libra and a Leo they really shouldn’t be together, but here we are, sharing and enjoying our lives together. I don’t put any stock in astrology but I don’t care one bit if others do, regardless if they are serious about it or joking about it.
I can’t really make that call since I’m already hopelessly biased to the conclusion that she is an idiot.
I will, however award her an extra negative point for calling the TV remote control a “switcher”, even though that may be the only function she has figured out how to use. A “smart” TV probably has the upper hand engaging with her.
Ouch.
jvb
As a friend often texts to me in response to a wisecrack: “Chortle!”
Exactly. It’s a “clickah.” (As anyone from Boston knows. Geesh.)
Or the doohickey. “Thingamajig” works, too.
jvb
It’s “give me the magoobie” in the OB household.
I’ve never heard it called that. Is it common, or maybe regional?
What I meant was, is it common to call it a switcher? I’m from Boston, so know about clikah, but have never heard ‘switcher’. I’m sorry to have been imprecise.
Three points:
-Jut
I had a friend in theater whose daughter, also a friend, worked for me for a while. The mother was an astrology nut, indeed did charts and readings. One day her daughter came into the office and asked, “When were you born?” When I answered December 1, she shouted, “Shit! I hate that!” She told me that she had been amusing her mother with tales of my behavior, and her mother said, “Well, he’s typical Sagittarius.” She replied, “That’s ridiculous: you don’t know that he’s a Sagittarius.” Her mother said, “Yes I do: it’s obvious. Ask him his birthday.”
Jack, remind me again the name of your theater company, please. My DC friend was asking. Thanks!
The American Century Theater.
“She’s clearly having a very relaxed conversation and veering off into Netflix habits. I’ve had similar silly conversations with friends.”
Agreed.
“Is it fair to conclude that Harris is an idiot from that response?”
On this clip alone it is not a fair conclusion. My impression of her in this clip is that she is a buffoon, not an idiot. An idiot can not help their lack of mental acuity. Buffoonery is an act used to elicit or show friendliness. It is just another form of her cackle.
Regarding a person’s belief in astrology, I liken it to the followers of any religion—mostly harmless beliefs of faith that may or may not be logical or scientific.