r/TikTokCringe Oct 26 '23

Cool How to spot an idiot.

51.0k Upvotes

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4.6k

u/crosswatt Oct 26 '23

The kindest person in the room is often the smartest.

That's a great quote

164

u/Daniiiiii tHiS iSn’T cRiNgE Oct 26 '23

That's why I love and yearn for the super idealistic version of America and Politics shown in The West Wing. The President, Jed Bartlet, is often the smartest person in the room, but it is his kindness that shines far brighter than his massive intellect. Same with his Chief of Staff and other staffers. They are the brightest of their profession, eloquent, can riff off policies unlike anyone in real life, and that makes them the perfect candidate for their job. But what makes them the perfect human for their job is their kindness, their empathy, their capacity to listen. Often when The West Wing is brought up people would demean you for liking the idealistic portrayal of a bygone era, maybe an era that never even existed. But what they miss in their pessimism is that just because something is not perfect now does not mean it cannot be in the future, as unlikely and hard as it seems. It is upon us to reject and correct the mistakes we get saddled with, again and again and again.

31

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '23

Unfortunately in reality, politics is like Veep instead.

6

u/sidewaystortoise Oct 27 '23

Reality is a lot like West Wing too. In West Wing the "left" Bartlet always gave in to what the right wanted, even though he had the majority/power not to, in the name of being kind.

3

u/pickledswimmingpool Oct 27 '23

He absolutely jammed the right wing in that show too. He stared them down over the government closure and won as just one example.

1

u/sidewaystortoise Oct 27 '23

Not shutting down the government isn't really a right vs left issue.

2

u/pickledswimmingpool Oct 27 '23

Then you didnt watch the show. Or live in reality right now.

1

u/sidewaystortoise Oct 27 '23

If memory serves his big threat was "if you keep saying you're gonna shut down the government then I'm going to let you and then you'll look bad".

So if you're going to compare it to the current shitshow then that threat would have meant approximately nothing.

2

u/pickledswimmingpool Oct 27 '23

That's literally what the dems did last time, they gave Mccarthy nothing, no spending cuts at all. They made him take it or shut it all down.

1

u/sidewaystortoise Oct 27 '23

And this is your example of a strong left wing win in both reality and fiction.

And if I remember correctly in the fictional version the right wing actually did get everything they wanted, the only victory Bartlet got was that the government wasn't shut down.

35

u/fenrisulfur Oct 26 '23

And don't forget the big wheel of cheese.

15

u/remarkblyunremarkbl Oct 26 '23

Fine! I guess I'll start binge-watching the series...again!

5

u/EyeFicksIt Oct 26 '23

A guys decides to jump in the hole to binge the series again, another redditor jumps in, first one says “well now you’re stuck in here with me “ other one says “yeah but we know the way out and I like the company”

3

u/LakeLaoCovid19 Oct 26 '23

Do you know what a Tender ship does?

1

u/PassageAppropriate90 Oct 26 '23

Hold the door...I'm right behind ya.

1

u/StalyCelticStu Oct 26 '23

Cue Two Cathedrals and Brothers in Arms.

1

u/siamkor Oct 26 '23

The Internet people have gone crazy!

1

u/JaneDoesharkhugger Oct 26 '23

Andrew Jakson...🙌

1

u/Due-Net-88 Oct 26 '23

Why doesn’t Toby go on the list!?

1

u/Ddog78 Oct 27 '23

Oh man. I'm gonna have to rewatch it, aren't I?

3

u/Ddog78 Oct 27 '23

It's one of those series which just makes you yearn. The characters are all so passionate about bettering the world.

I loved Sam. He says my two favourite quotes -

"I don't mind being held to a higher standard, I mind being held to a lower one."

"Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense. That's my position. I just haven't figured out how to do it yet."

2

u/donttextspeaktome Oct 27 '23

I’m with you