By ann summers
For pirates, talk is cheap and perhaps subordinate to buckling swashes and its stereotypical, romanticized pirate discourse made even more weird by “parley” as texts made popular by a Disney theme park ride have cinematically distorted the reality of actual Somali or Malaysian piracy as does a film like Captain Philips. The Donald and his recent CNN GOP debate success is perhaps the latest example of such a media manipulation, as if Deals were Art rather than artifice. Arrrrr…me hearties.
Leeson (2007) suggests that the internal governance of criminal organizations like pirates might have libertarian significance, misunderstanding that its dependence on the institutional elements of trade over-determine its invisible(sic) governance mechanisms. That so few have been prosecuted for being banksters since 2007 demonstrates that internal governance is not working and that the GOP continues to see financial crisis as a feature, rather than a bug. Unlike a combative Bernie Madoff, Donald Trump manages to mug for a media willing to keep him out of jail and abet a growing cult of thugs. CNN’s use of Trump in covering the GOP debates cynically presents him in that same way as a kind of media piracy or more appropriately, privateering as a libertarian capitalist meme.
A pirate code, pirate articles or articles of agreement were a code of conduct for governing pirates. A group of sailors, on turning pirate, would draw up their own code or articles, which provided rules for discipline, division of stolen goods, and compensation for injured pirates.
The recent CNN GOP debate with its record viewing audience is such an example of modern media piracy and its manufactured rules like one that privileges the next turn for the last mentioned name are symptomatic of the plundering of the democratic public sphere.
That CNN created artificial rules of fairness(sic) for so-called nonpartisan media sponsorship rather than use those used by the League of Women Voters during the actual primaries show how simultaneously constructing and attacking Donald Trump may simply legitimate more corporate and less public discourse.
OTOH tRump is a pirate’s caricature of a modern capitalist and venture capital is seen as entrepreneurial raiding via mergers and acquisitions (and bankruptcy restructuring). Unfortunately the citizen’s mediated right to parley as public advocacy in a democratic public sphere has been plundered by corporadoes. Arrrgh just doesn’t tweet well, there are no Robin Hoods, and the government runs like Wolf Hall.
The meaning is simple — “my friends, my mates” — as in “drink up, me hearties” or “meet at Starbucks, me hearty.”
But there are many ways beyond simple speaking to celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day on Saturday.
It was an idea born in 1995 on a YMCA racquetball court in Albany, Oregon. John “Ol’ Chumbucket” Baur and his friend Mark “Cap’n Slappy” Summers began unleashing insults at one another, as pirates might.
They selected September 19, simply because Summers had recently divorced, it was his ex-wife’s birthday, and he figured “the date was stuck in my head, and I wasn’t going to do anything with it anymore,” he told CNN in 2009.
But it wasn’t until humorist Dave Barry caught wind of the idea and threw his support behind it in a September 2002 Miami Herald column that this rickety ship took sail.
“As the name suggests, this is a day on which everybody would talk like a pirate. Is that a great idea, or what?” Barry wrote back then. “There are so many practical benefits that I can’t even begin to list them all.”
(Leeson’s) analysis of the law, economics, and organization of pirates leads to three conclusions.
- First, ordinary “foot soldiers” inside criminal organizations may face a problem of leader predation similar to the problem citizens under governments face with respect to political rulers.
- Second,the institutions that constituted the pirates’ system of governance—democratic checks, the separation of power, and constitutions—are remarkably similar to those governments employ to constrain ruler predation in the “legitimate world.”
- Finally, organized criminals are as interested in creating order among themselves as noncriminals. They, too, have an incentive to develop solutions to obstacles that otherwise prevent them from cooperating for mutual gain.
And hasn’t it always been about plundering booty.
Nicole Plyler Fisk
Gene Howington
FFS Guest Blogger
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Chuck Stanley
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Terry Welshans
ann li-summers
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Flowers For Socrates 
I was waiting for this post. Is it just me or is anyone else, here at least, who otherwise would support Trump, tired of his Junior High School facial expressions? I mean one’s like this one which is mild compared to some of his other pouty mouth facial emoting and school boy rolling of eyes and open dismissive mouth antics. I credit him for raising issues, but fault him for little (few) substantial solution details. And man, he need to lose the facial. emoting like some 8th grade school kid. Just ay what he has to say and skip the crap. With any foreign leader he’d make them wonder if he was serious or what?
I want an new unfettered guy or girl, an “outsider” (which in his case is marginal given his profession which needed political favor…which he admits) but please, just please, be serious in demeanor. None the less, if he’s the nominee versus Ms Clinton, or Biden et al., he’s got my vote as a least worst option. I’d rather Carson, Fiorina, or Rubio…just saying. I’d really like to vote in a NOT “least worst” election. But if have to do so, I will, again. I’d hope he’d not display a pouty mouth n victory….or defeat. If the latter, we’re toast and may as well have elected Bernie Sanders.
Beyond all that, I really believe Putin would each his lunch and maybe a couple of his advisors. Just quit it “Donald” and be serious…no “emoting.”
Yup! Putin has a history of putting folks like Trump in prison. Some for political reasons, and some for their corporate criminal activity.
The DoJ could take a lesson from the latter. Instead, they focus on prosecuting or suing whistle-blowers who uncover corporate crimes. To me, that sounds more like political prosecutions than criminal.
Odd that this thread hasn’t drawn more commentary.
Just as odd is the fact the Democratic Party hasn’t any new blood apparently. Frankly I do not believe the party doesn’t have hundreds of younger members with professional or other skilled backgrounds that couldn’t step up. I was once a Democrat until I discovered I had no say, then I became a socially left leaning / fiscally right leaning Independent. I suspect, like the Republicans, the “establishment” Democrats have the say…and in this case, more say. A field of gray hairs all qualified for Medicare already. Given I am old guy who looks back and sees plenty of room for improvement, where are our young?
There are young people who are paying attention, but there are a many things vying for their attention. Video games, education and school, trying to find a job, and modern culture in general. Many kids spend more time paying attention to the latest doings of no-talent entertainers, rappers and lightweight TV programming than they do the real things impacting their very lives and future.
Here are street interviews with Texas Tech students. These are not backwoods folk, but college students who should be “high information” voters.
Interviews with Americans. Way too many know less than foreign nationals applying for citizenship.
Those are sone very scary video clips. I still say there really are younger folks who have the knowledge of history, and the skills to step up…but suspect they don’t because the powers that be stifle them. Who needs the hassle? Both parties have this problem, but the Republicans seem to have less of it this election cycle. Time will tell. All I ask is to not have to vote in a primary or election for the least worst candidate. BTW…my favorite candidates in the Republican primary season are now 2,3,4 even with the Trump dubious but popular candidacy. I wish the Democrats had a similar line up. I always split my votes so it would be in the interest of the Democrats to rally a field with a few non-geriatrics. It is impossible there aren’t some younger potentials who’d be great candidates if they’d just step up….or be allowed to do so. The Republican field will winnow out fast now, but some of the new generation(s) will still be in the running…I hope. How about it Democrats?
The parallel between Charlie Manson and Donald Trump is just great. If elected, I believe that he is able to start a nuclear war in a blink of an eye. Is this a new turn to a more sociopath mentality of the American politics?