Critiquing the Tunes of the Anti-Transit Troubadours: A Six-Part Rubric
We have produced the following six-part rubric to acknowledge Weyrich (who was born 68 years ago this month) and Lind - and to have a bit of fun. This we have designed for use when critiquing the “tunes” of the anti-transit troubadours. Our goal is not to critique specific statements, e.g. the “Twelve Anti-Transit Myths” described by Weyrich and Lind, that one might find in an op-ed or a blog post. Instead, our rubric provides a guideline for categorizing same.
The categories below do not have “point value.” One simply counts the number of statements that fall into each of the six categories, then tallies these “scores.” One might then proceed to critique the most egregious examples in each category.
The categories - which refer to well-known songs or lyrics - are:
RIKKI - After the 1974 song "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" by the group Steely Dan.
A Rikki is a statement (or statistic) that is false, and easily verifiable as such. This label implies careless math errors, failure to check facts, and so forth. The label also implies that the error is not ambiguous - something that one would be required - or compelled - to correct in most “serious” situations (e.g. peer-reviewed publication, court testimony). Refusal to correct a Rikki tends to suggest that one is totally unable to distinguish between fact and fantasy.
BEETLE - Our clever
reference to the 1966 song “Lies” by The Knickerbockers. The lyrics include the passage, “Lies! Lies! I can’t believe a word you say.” The song is described today by one critic as the most accurate imitation of early work by a certain well-known band from Liverpool, England.
A Beetle is a statement that is not only false, but appears to arise from purposeful deception. In other words, comparison between the Beetle and source documents tends to suggest that the “troubadour” engaged in a bit of bald-faced lying.
59er - After “The 59th Street Bridge Song” (1967) by the singer-songwriter duo Simon and Garfunkel. Our “slightly revised” version on one passage (with apologies to the artists): “Looking for fun and feelin' truthy.”
A 59er is a statement that smacks of “truthiness:”
FRANK - After Frank Sinatra, the singer and actor who popularized the song “My Way” (1969).
A Frank is a statement which strains to "spin" facts to fit the troubadour's worldview. In other words, he is obviously struggling to have it ... “his way.”
MEL - After Mel Blanc, the voice actor and comedian who performed the voices of many well-known cartoon characters.
A Mel is a statement that brings to mind the theme song of the Warner Brothers cartoon series, “Looney Tunes.” That is, it appears almost too loony for comment.
POP! - After the nursery rhyme and singing game, “Pop! Goes the Weasel.”
Pop! refers to the practice of embellishing vague or ambiguous statements with “weasel words” (or “weasel phrases”), e.g. “I understand that ... .” These are used to create the impression that the statement is precise and meaningful when exactly the opposite is true. (Each example of a troubadour’s use of “weasel words,” e.g. in a talk, publication or blog post, gets a Pop!)
In sum:
Rikki: The statement is false, and carelessly so.
Beetle: The statement is false, in a manner that suggests purposeful deception.
59er: The statement smacks of “truthiness” as contrasted to fact.
Frank: The statement is an attempt at “spin control” - the troubadour is straining to have things ... “his way.”
Mel: The statement is almost too bizarre for comment.
Pop!: The troubadour used “weasel words” to embellish a vague or ambiguous statement.
We acknowledge that the categories above are not mutually exclusive. However, we believe that this “rubric” provides a useful tool for critiquing the various “siren songs” of the anti-transit troubadours. We shall make use of this rubric in subsequent posts.
References:
For Further Reading:
__________. 2009. “Moving Minds: Conservatives and Public Transportation.” Washington, DC: Reconnecting America.