My problems with a lot of the Oberlin-type social activist types are mostly:

“because she’s nearly incomprehensible to anyone who hasn’t extensively studied feminist theory.”

No, I mean finding it on the shelf; if I’m going to order books I just do Amazon. If by “featured,” you mean marketed at the store, then yeah, that’s rarely done, but I don’t generally buy books based on the in-store marketing.

By the way, in regards to the “but-indie-bookstores” comments here: It’s an old essay (15 years!) but still a good one, if you haven’t read it (and I’m sure a lot of you already have, it was pretty well known):

I don’t know about Canada, but Barnes & Noble in the US sells plenty of independent press stuff. I’ve sometimes been shocked when I go into B&N to check for some obscure title and find they have it.

Used bookstores are awesome, especially places like the Strand in NYC. Most indie bookstores I’ve been to, however, just sell new stuff, at retail prices, with a smaller selection than B&N.

Usually we keep those kinds of knuckleheads in parent-subsidized, PBR-supplied urban environments so they can’t do too much harm, but I guess this one escaped.

Oh agree completely.

Just pointing out that as terrible as the government and the banks acted in America, greed outside the US also plays a part.

Hey, we had people like that in 2000. We called them Nader voters.

“You mean like the US did by loosening restrictions on lending?”

Huh? I think shorting a lot of German stocks would have been the way to go.

I absolutely agree. I just do not accept, on an individual level, that people can disclaim responsibility for not voting when absentee voting is available everywhere.

Of course, the next time a story on low voter turnout in the US pops up on a Gawker site (or ex-Gawker site), you’ll still see the self-pitying, angry and defensive comments of people who insist they couldn’t vote on election day because of work or the kids or the voting booth is so far away and they’re just a victim…

Apple fanboyism. It is an incredibly fascinating psychological phenomenon.

“Look, I’m sorry that white progressives aren’t necessary to this election!”

The people who don’t vote for her absolutely can be blamed if she doesn’t win. You have free will; it’s not like you are psychologically compelled not to vote for her unless she meets your standards.

You can vote for whoever you want. As long as you are willing to take responsibility for the way that you vote. You have free will, and you know the alternative in this election.

As long as you understand that if Trump wins you can’t blame it all on her for not “earning” your vote. Actions have consequences.

I think both Castro and Perez would be terrible choices. Castro because he has minimal experience and is way too young, and Perez because he’s a career bureaucrat during a time period when Federal career bureaucrats are widely disliked on both the right and left. I like Perez and would like to see him run for the…