The Vicious Fun of the Algonquin Round Table

nytimes.com

31 points·chesterfield··5 comments

"I had an awful time crossing the Atlantic - I could not keep anything on my stomach expect the first mate"

"Hangovers are the wrath of grapes"

"Guns ain't lawful, Nooses Give, Gas smells awful, you might as well live"

Anyone else disgusted by the thought of a special club of well-connected journos and socialites elevating the status and relevance of themselves and their group to national levels, because they have the powerful influence of national media? It's "fun" and "cool" and "hip" because they're in it, and since they are the writers they get to determine the reality of those things.

Isn't this the most bourgeoisie thing you can think of?

>> It's "fun" and "cool" and "hip" because they're in it, and since they are the writers they get to determine the reality of those things.

The fashion industry. Youtube. Influencers. Fyre Festival. The definition of what is or isn't cool/hot has always been at the hands of the media darlings. While those darlings cannot stop talking about how great the party is, the absolutely last thing they want is for the general public to be allowed in.

The media bourgeoisie have long done this sort of cross promotion and elevation, but it takes some audacity to pull off a display like this to further increase notoriety.

There’s probably a name for it or a better way of classifying people, but it seems to me you have the “cool” (n), their fans (1000n), and everyone else who either doesn’t get celebrity or doesn’t care about the specific cultural subject.

I can't read the article but enjoyed the movie Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle from about twenty years ago. It inspired me to read the Dorothy Parker biography What the Fresh Hell is This? which was even better.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com