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Rob Ford's Toronto

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Sun_Lover said:
Although I have a background in special education, learning disabilities and child psychology, I am still at a loss to explain the intense desire of young people to get a photo with Rob Ford.
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Imagine the ability to instantly share photos with the world had existed during the time of Bonny & Clyde.

People want pics with Ford because he's a spectacular unicorn of a train wreck. There've been none like him, and probably won't be again; a guy who so blatantly thumbs his nose at the law and his job. He's Harold and Kumar meets Scarface. It's like a Dave Chapelle character somehow became real. He's a great example of disrespect for authority, blowing off work and abuse of substances. He's pretty much what many youth think what growing up *should* be like (and to spite of the trappings of being a useful member of society).

I find those who defend him and aren't in the under 25 crowd, seem like a lot of the guys I grew up with in Orangeville, who are emotionally and socially stunted and never wanted to grow out of the heyday of their teens. The guys who still go out and get drunk on the weekends, cheat on their girlfriends/wives and think owning merchandise with beer logos surpasses anything remotely adult looking.

In a way, it's almost narcissistic; "he's great, because he's like me".
 
Expatriot said:
I remember that. I thought it was a little morbid then. Wanting to repeat it multiple times seems even more morbid.
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But a concern none the less, Robbie tends to crash quite deeply, and that makes him at greater risk for fatal side effects in the long term. Adama is not ghoulish, just vocal about some of the concerns of multiple substance abuses on the human body.
 
In addition to SAL going after protesters, there was something on the radio yesterday with Michael Coren and Mark Towhey discussing if Rob Ford protesters are mentally ill. I only saw mention of it on Twitter, so don't know how deep they explored this, but someone may have heard it. Really, the opposition hasn't taken off like we may have hoped after the initial reaction of Canada Day, but still these people want to dismiss and belittle them. And in defense of what? A criminal, drug-abusing, lying disgrace of a Mayor.
 
Sun_Lover said:
Although I have a background in special education, learning disabilities and child psychology, I am still at a loss to explain the intense desire of young people to get a photo with Rob Ford. Last night on Twitter, I saw a plaintive tweet along the lines of "I'm the only one without a selfie with #RobFord." Is it that simple? Is it just "everyone has one and I want to be part of the group taking a pic with the famous fool"? Do they, in fact, see him as a fool? Do they not realize how his perspective/biases are actually contrary to their own interests? (E.g., not investing in necessary infrastructure will eventually have an impact on jobs; privatization will raise the cost/availability of services; juvenile behavior inhibits progress of municipal affairs; etc. - not to mention all the convoluted consequences of the hard drug trade and criminal support.)

Am I overthinking this? If not, are there truly that many young people who truly see him as a positive figure AND would vote for him?
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There are three main Ford camps:

1. Stick it to the man (screw the rich, screw the politicians)
2. Misplaced loyalties (I have a special interest that RF claims to support, but he'll probably end up doing the opposite)
3. Participatory fame (The Khardashian Complex)

Group 3 doesn't care about the politics, they just want a blurry pic and a story to impress their friends.
 
zang said:
Imagine the ability to instantly share photos with the world had existed during the time of Bonny & Clyde.

People want pics with Ford because he's a spectacular unicorn of a train wreck. There've been none like him, and probably won't be again; a guy who so blatantly thumbs his nose at the law and his job. He's Harold and Kumar meets Scarface. It's like a Dave Chapelle character somehow became real. He's a great example of disrespect for authority, blowing off work and abuse of substances. He's pretty much what many youth think what growing up *should* be like (and to spite of the trappings of being a useful member of society).
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Yes. All that, clothed in the trappings of respectability. After all, he's still the Mayor in spite of everything. A teflon-coated trainwreck has a weird sort of appeal. Stupefaction that he can get away with it...and so much of it (!) when you just know you couldn't. Not that you'd want to, but wouldn't it be great to able to, kind of thing. And a sense that it *will* eventually come crashing down, would make those selfies 'valuable' now.
 
wheeler98 said:
After perusing her profile I've come to the realization that she is the personification of Carrie's mother portrayed by Piper Laurie...
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I feel sorry for her kids ... in the non-school photos they seem kind of sad/ashamed, like she screeched at them about Jesus and the Pope until they agreed to have their picture taken.
 
typezed said:
In addition to SAL going after protesters, there was something on the radio yesterday with Michael Coren and Mark Towhey discussing if Rob Ford protesters are mentally ill. I only saw mention of it on Twitter, so don't know how deep they explored this, but someone may have heard it. Really, the opposition hasn't taken off like we may have hoped after the initial reaction of Canada Day, but still these people want to dismiss and belittle them. And in defense of what? A criminal, drug-abusing, lying disgrace of a Mayor.
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That's rich of Towhey. A sociopath who seems to enjoy being a prick to everyone.
 
James_D said:
She has definitely crossed a line.

Remember when douggie was threatening to investigate Joe Killoran and implied that he had been sanctioned at work and had a criminal record? How is that not punishable in any way?
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The hilarious thing is that SAL has approximately zero credibility when it comes to questioning others' interests and associations.
 
Sun_Lover said:
Although I have a background in special education, learning disabilities and child psychology, I am still at a loss to explain the intense desire of young people to get a photo with Rob Ford. Last night on Twitter, I saw a plaintive tweet along the lines of "I'm the only one without a selfie with #RobFord." Is it that simple? Is it just "everyone has one and I want to be part of the group taking a pic with the famous fool"? Do they, in fact, see him as a fool? Do they not realize how his perspective/biases are actually contrary to their own interests? (E.g., not investing in necessary infrastructure will eventually have an impact on jobs; privatization will raise the cost/availability of services; juvenile behavior inhibits progress of municipal affairs; etc. - not to mention all the convoluted consequences of the hard drug trade and criminal support.)

Am I overthinking this? If not, are there truly that many young people who truly see him as a positive figure AND would vote for him?
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Oh yes these are how they are now. We have spent the last couple decades showing kids all kinds of examples of bad behaviour that's "funny" and "cool". Between commercials, video games, tv sitcoms, the blurring of lines (Simpsons and family guy are not made for kids yet are marketed to them), and now giving them 24 hour access to the Internet where they can revel in Bieber's missteps and Britney's (et al) breakdowns; all while not monitoring how they are absorbing what they see.

Celebrity is also now purely about attention and not any sort of value. It's all lies and manufactured envy designed to make money and have everyone look at you.

So it that way it is a natural progression that our society is moving towards electing who's cool and not who's going to do anything remotely related to actual living.

Rant done.
 
dforthandbview said:
While at City Hall the other day I overheard the media talking about the mayor's necklace thing and, apparently, there's two of them. THE necklace and a second one for appearances.
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So....sorta like the Stanley Cup.


The Mayor wears the Chain of Office on ceremonial occasions when he appears in his official capacity, as a mark of pride in the city in which we live. It also acknowledges the responsibilities, authority and ??? dignity ??? which are attached to the office of the Chief Magistrate of the city of Toronto.
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Perhaps there is precedence whereby Council can pass a motion where he can fail to qualify to wear it?
 
I don't know that the attraction is so much about sticking it to the man as it is sticking it to your fellow citizens. It's all so loosely defined coming out of Ford's trap, but those who Ford attacks, whether the so-called 'downtown elite' or 'the gays', aren't really the Man.
 
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