Mental
Kieran Healy demonstrates for us the primate faculty of empathy and simulation, as applied to the blogosphere:
My mental model of Brad DeLong says to my mental model of Tyler Cowen, “Why oh why are we ruled by this idiot?” My mental model of Eugene Volokh says, “This is much worth reading.” But my mental model of Orin Kerr replies, “My sense is that this is much ado about nothing.” My mental model of Bitch, Ph.D begins to object that she is not a brain on a stick before realizing that, being a mental model, in fact she is. Uniquely, my mental model of Dan Drezner has his own mental model of himself, which he refers to as “Ed.” Finally, my model of Cosma Shalizi has the unusual property of being smarter than I am. This ought to be impossible, but of course I can’t understand its explanation of how this could be the case.
Me, I still find Christopher Rowe’s mime models of Ben and Ted superior to my own mental versions, but you have to work with what you’ve got.
February 8th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Christopher Rowe’s mime models of Ben and Ted
I think this should be filmed and uploaded to YouTube ASAP.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Gwenda, over to you.
February 8th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
I doubt it could ever be satisfyingly reproduced, even by Colonel Rowe.
February 8th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Oh, I beg to differ.
(As would most of Susan’s first- and second-order relatives.)
February 9th, 2007 at 1:04 am
You only think it was an adequate reproduction because you didn’t see the original, I’m afraid.
February 9th, 2007 at 2:59 am
Your frenetic impersonation of Chris’ impersonation of Ben is funny on its own merits.
February 9th, 2007 at 4:55 am
Christopher’s mime models of me and Ben are probably superior to the actual me and Ben, but as you say, you have to work with what you’ve got.
February 9th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
I wish to replace myself with Susan’s mime model of Christopher’s mime model of me.
February 9th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Ben, every time you punch “Submit Comment,” I see Susan frantically air-typing on an imaginary keyboard, with her glasses fairly flying off of her face.