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Feb 10, 2022
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Tardigrade's avatar

I saw that too! Turns out it's actually satire, but a good example of Poe's Law. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe's_law

Current times must be hell for The Onion's business model. Their headlines are no longer funny.

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Sky's avatar

i'd never heard of "poe's law" - i immediately thought it had something to do with edgar allen poe and i couldn't figure out what.

you probably already know the backstory on the similar story of marie antoinette "let them eat cake." she never actually said that. it appeared in a newspaper at the time, to represent marie's general attitude. it sounded like something she'd say.

many people use the wrong tone when repeating that line. it should not be delivered in an imperious tone, but in the tone of a naive little girl. marie's offense to the public wasn't haughty scorn, but simple minded childishness. the girl simply didn't understand anything. no bread? let's have dessert instead - yay !

the onion and babylon bee writers must be struggling for original content these days. and what of the april fool's day traditions so many publications have? they'll soon have to write headlines "biden praises american constitution" to get a laugh.

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TB's avatar

I posted a while back an idea for a future babylon bee headline --

"Bee goes bankrupt, unable to write satire due to it keeps coming true"

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Sky's avatar

"unemployed bee satirist takes job as white house press secretary. 'it's just not funny anymore' he said".....

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Codex redux's avatar

That is one story, attributed to princess Victoire: (trans. from french wiki

https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qu%27ils_mangent_de_la_brioche_!

"Madame Victoire had very little wit and extreme kindness. It was she who said, with tears in her eyes, in a time of scarcity when people spoke of the sufferings of the unfortunate people lacking bread: 'But my God, if they could resign themselves to eating the crust of p├вt├й!'" (which was cheaper than bread)

A longer version, in English https://infogalactic.com/info/Let_them_eat_cake

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Sky's avatar

thank you for that- i hadn't heard of her before.

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MindYrBsns's avatar

You're wrong. Marie Antoinette was known in her time for being a wonderful, humble, and extremely caritative person. This was degenerate leftwing ("red" jacobins) level slander of the worst kind. In fact the naivete and good will of Louis XVI was France's undoing.

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Sky's avatar

thank you for that information. i was aware that it was propaganda, and i am no jacobin (or degenerate leftwing), but that "quote" did reflect the perception of some segments of the french public.

codex redux gave us some interesting information that i wasn't aware of - seems the quote had been attributed to an earlier aristocrat. i am pretty sure i've read reliable accounts that newspapers in marie's time did put those words in her mouth too. it's the kind of quote that could be used over and over again through the ages.

it's tragic what happened to marie. i do not mean to slander her. by all accounts i've ever read, she was kind hearted and meant well. however, she was little more than a child when she married louis, and she was isolated from the political and economic circumstances of the time. she was not a political leader and was never meant to be. there are many stories of marie's childlike (and even childish) nature and gullible naivete, which was entirely typical for young princesses, and very easy target for propaganda directed at the class divide.

the only reason i mentioned it was that the quote, and the demeanor with which it is typically said, is wrong- it's not the proper marie voice at all. i think we can agree on that.

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MindYrBsns's avatar

Yeah I was not trying to roast you, just transmit the despicable nature of revolutionary propaganda. Sorry if I hurt you in any way.

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Sky's avatar

thanks, juan. i'm glad you wrote what you did, and so politely. i'm grateful you didn't flame me. i'm not an expert on the subject- just an avid reader on all kinds of subjects, and always interested in learning more. the general subject of revolutions and propaganda thrown back and forth is one we could probably talk about for hours, and no doubt get very philosophical about.

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Mark Luersen's avatar

I thought it was a parody, but snopes said it was False, so now I change my mind and say it was True.

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INGRID C DURDEN's avatar

Watching TV can cause a heart attack !

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Vanda Salvini's avatar

Like (button not working)

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Raptor's avatar

I like your commitment.

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Argos's avatar

I'm having that issue as well.

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Mark Luersen's avatar

A quick refresh of the webpage reduces that problem for me.

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Susan G's avatar

How do you refresh without losing your place in the conversation?

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Mark Luersen's avatar

I think it depends on how you got here. I usually click the link in an email I get indicating there was a reply, and when I land here, the url on top will have a comment number, so makes it easier even though the refresh takes me to the top of my thread and I need to scroll down just a little like what happened just now. Anyway, when I see the heart not activating by clicking, I just refresh, I think it occurs when multiple other comments are being inserted after you get here.

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Susan G's avatar

Stopped on me too

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Sue's avatar

Catturd on Twitter shared one today about referee whistles causing heart attacks in athletes. It had me going for a minute before I realized it was satire lol

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