Attributed to Robert Strauss, who also wrote a book called Worst. President. Ever. Published in 2016, it’s about James Buchanan, of course. Who else would it be about?
Caulfield can “relate to the people who desperately want this to be over.” Wow, how big of him. I guess up to now he’s only been humoring the lesser mortals who are worried about, you know, people getting sick and dying.
I remember our local science center had an ape section a few years back. To demonstrate how strong these animals were, they had a hand grip gizmo connected electronically to a large dial. You squeezed the grip as hard as you could and read off your comparative strength on the dial. Try as I may, I couldn’t do better than a baby chimp. So, yeah, with wrestling a gorilla, I guess we’re done when he says we’re done…
@Caldonia I disagree. Caulfield is expressing empathy for all who chafe at having to limit their activities/lives to much smaller circles than they normally enjoy. Most kids would. He isn’t suggesting by inference that those worse off get less consideration.
For the absolute best example of Caulfield’s ability to express empathy, see Frazz, February 8, 2015 (I was a classroom teacher for 25 years, and I saw rare examples of this, but treasure every one of them)
There is a very good reason why humanity has survived many past major challenges, even before we had scientists working worldwide to find clues which can lead to treatment and maybe prevention. It is certainly not leadership usually because some of the leaders historically have made things worse. It is our ability to be BEHAVIORALLY FLEXIBLE.
Yes, there are those of us who are less likely than the average person to get through this due to factors like age, preexisting conditions, or both. (I am among them but that does NOT mean that outcome is an absolute for anyone else or for me.) There is also the uncontrollable aspect of luck. Enough said about that. But historically, the people most likely to fail during any challenge are the ones who are behaviorally brittle, the people who simply do not have the capacity to change with the times. (Yet times are ALWAYS changing, just at differing rates.) To survive, change to adapt to the times.
Life is NOT going to be the same.
The bright spots are those who find solutions, who notice that life was not perfect before and will not be perfect afterward, but there CAN be changes made, in our priorities, the ways we manage our health, our businesses, our ways of learning, etc. which can be devised that better fit the needs within the boundaries of the new situation. Change simply is, and the rate of change needed for success simply is. Trying to head-butt those is going to fail, so instead by flexible and try to adapt.
It is not a time to be lazy or brittle. Each is a route to failure. It is time to find constructive ways to adapt to the new situation, not just now but also trying to scan ahead to plan for what is coming. Our species has often done that, just not all of us… Luckily, we ARE a very behaviorally adaptive species, and despite the stinking example of the most greedy among us who get too much airtime MOST people DO care about their neighbors, friends, and family and DO help others.
we won’t be done until the gorilla is done is very true. It is which wrestling hold do we use next that is the problem. Just how does one wrestle a gorilla?
@SukieCrandall: Well said. This particular age should be named The Age of Adjustments and those who aren’t up for it will make it harder of we who are. A music man once said – Life ain’t no easy gig. Takes work to find the beat Too bad some don’t even seem to know or care that there is a beat.
For a different perspective on isolation — from a very different time (pre-1909) and place (Alaska or Yukon), — see Robert W. Service’s The Telegraph Operator:
Well, except it’s never going to be over because the goalposts keep getting moved. First it was about not overwhelming the hospital system — they achieved that to the point that health care workers are being laid off because of the restrictions on what hospitals can do. Then it was about “flattening the curve”. Now it’s “not going to fully open until there is a vaccine”. … and all of the Karens and Karls on here are just totally OK with that. Despite the fact that the “experts” you have been listening to have been wrong. Every time. Several months ago, 2 million Americans were going to die, then 200,000 in the next two weeks. Now we have statistics we can’t trust because the numbers are being manipulated — If you go into a clinic to be tested for COVID and walk out and get hit by a bus, if you are positive for COVID, it’s listed as a COVID death. … and you have the Governors of Pennsylvania and New York who moved COVID positive people into nursing homes where it spread like wildfire boosting the death count. If ya’ll want to cower at home, go ahead, but the fact is that this hasn’t turned out to be the Satan bug and now it is being exploited by the totalitarians to exercise massive amounts of control. … and now illegally as the duration of emergency orders has expired.
GreasyOldTam almost 4 years ago
Attributed to Robert Strauss, who also wrote a book called Worst. President. Ever. Published in 2016, it’s about James Buchanan, of course. Who else would it be about?
Caldonia almost 4 years ago
Caulfield can “relate to the people who desperately want this to be over.” Wow, how big of him. I guess up to now he’s only been humoring the lesser mortals who are worried about, you know, people getting sick and dying.
Ceeg22 Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Gorillas go away if you hide from them
cervelo almost 4 years ago
I remember our local science center had an ape section a few years back. To demonstrate how strong these animals were, they had a hand grip gizmo connected electronically to a large dial. You squeezed the grip as hard as you could and read off your comparative strength on the dial. Try as I may, I couldn’t do better than a baby chimp. So, yeah, with wrestling a gorilla, I guess we’re done when he says we’re done…
JohnHunter almost 4 years ago
I have that book; it’s actually pretty good, even if it’s been overtaken by events.
sandpiper almost 4 years ago
@Caldonia I disagree. Caulfield is expressing empathy for all who chafe at having to limit their activities/lives to much smaller circles than they normally enjoy. Most kids would. He isn’t suggesting by inference that those worse off get less consideration.
For the absolute best example of Caulfield’s ability to express empathy, see Frazz, February 8, 2015 (I was a classroom teacher for 25 years, and I saw rare examples of this, but treasure every one of them)
paul GROSS Premium Member almost 4 years ago
and if the gorilla is keeping you from feeding your kids………..
SukieCrandall Premium Member almost 4 years ago
There is a very good reason why humanity has survived many past major challenges, even before we had scientists working worldwide to find clues which can lead to treatment and maybe prevention. It is certainly not leadership usually because some of the leaders historically have made things worse. It is our ability to be BEHAVIORALLY FLEXIBLE.
Yes, there are those of us who are less likely than the average person to get through this due to factors like age, preexisting conditions, or both. (I am among them but that does NOT mean that outcome is an absolute for anyone else or for me.) There is also the uncontrollable aspect of luck. Enough said about that. But historically, the people most likely to fail during any challenge are the ones who are behaviorally brittle, the people who simply do not have the capacity to change with the times. (Yet times are ALWAYS changing, just at differing rates.) To survive, change to adapt to the times.
Life is NOT going to be the same.
The bright spots are those who find solutions, who notice that life was not perfect before and will not be perfect afterward, but there CAN be changes made, in our priorities, the ways we manage our health, our businesses, our ways of learning, etc. which can be devised that better fit the needs within the boundaries of the new situation. Change simply is, and the rate of change needed for success simply is. Trying to head-butt those is going to fail, so instead by flexible and try to adapt.
It is not a time to be lazy or brittle. Each is a route to failure. It is time to find constructive ways to adapt to the new situation, not just now but also trying to scan ahead to plan for what is coming. Our species has often done that, just not all of us… Luckily, we ARE a very behaviorally adaptive species, and despite the stinking example of the most greedy among us who get too much airtime MOST people DO care about their neighbors, friends, and family and DO help others.
car2ner almost 4 years ago
we won’t be done until the gorilla is done is very true. It is which wrestling hold do we use next that is the problem. Just how does one wrestle a gorilla?
Stephen Gilberg almost 4 years ago
Caulfield, you are standing way too close to be pointing your finger like that.
GreggW Premium Member almost 4 years ago
You’re likely dead when the gorilla is done.
jebgreen almost 4 years ago
Says it all, doesn’t it?
sandpiper almost 4 years ago
@SukieCrandall: Well said. This particular age should be named The Age of Adjustments and those who aren’t up for it will make it harder of we who are. A music man once said – Life ain’t no easy gig. Takes work to find the beat Too bad some don’t even seem to know or care that there is a beat.
gammaguy almost 4 years ago
For a different perspective on isolation — from a very different time (pre-1909) and place (Alaska or Yukon), — see Robert W. Service’s The Telegraph Operator:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45084/the-telegraph-operator
Bill Hand almost 4 years ago
Several days of sermons here. I’m looking forward to several days of cartoons now.
soaringblocks almost 4 years ago
Jeff, you are doing an amazing job wrestling the gorilla! Thank you! I appreciate you!
mklange Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Well, except it’s never going to be over because the goalposts keep getting moved. First it was about not overwhelming the hospital system — they achieved that to the point that health care workers are being laid off because of the restrictions on what hospitals can do. Then it was about “flattening the curve”. Now it’s “not going to fully open until there is a vaccine”. … and all of the Karens and Karls on here are just totally OK with that. Despite the fact that the “experts” you have been listening to have been wrong. Every time. Several months ago, 2 million Americans were going to die, then 200,000 in the next two weeks. Now we have statistics we can’t trust because the numbers are being manipulated — If you go into a clinic to be tested for COVID and walk out and get hit by a bus, if you are positive for COVID, it’s listed as a COVID death. … and you have the Governors of Pennsylvania and New York who moved COVID positive people into nursing homes where it spread like wildfire boosting the death count. If ya’ll want to cower at home, go ahead, but the fact is that this hasn’t turned out to be the Satan bug and now it is being exploited by the totalitarians to exercise massive amounts of control. … and now illegally as the duration of emergency orders has expired.