Melania Trump: "Be Best"

[Airbrush]

This seems like a no brainer but she had to get it wrong.  "Be Best" suggests that we should all strive to be THE BEST.  That is absurd.  People should strive to be THEIR best.  It should be "Be Your Best."  But they had to screw it up and make it sound like you need to be THE best, which is very hard to accomplish, a fool's errand.  This is probably because Trump always talks in generalizations and hyperbolic absolutes.  So Melania follows her husband's example and sounds as stupid as Trump does.  If you are not THE best it means you are a LOSER, which is a permanent condition for a lifetime of failure which Trump uses as a curse to his enemies.  Trump's base are WINNERS and anyone who is not is a LOSER.  I realized this in 2006 when Trump went to war with Rosie O'Donnell on Twitter.  I thought that Trump was a man who curses people with the word LOSER.

[iNow]

I understand how therapeutic it can sometimes feel to vent, but there sin't really anything to discuss here and it's mostly a rant

[dimreepr]

3 minutes ago, iNow said:

I understand how therapeutic it can sometimes feel to vent, but there sin't really anything to discuss here and it's mostly a rant

And right under his nose...

 

[zapatos]

It is also an invented reason to be angry. 

Adding a word to make it sound bad (be THE best) and then complaining about it is really quite unfair.

Surely there are enough things to complain about that really happened.

 

[dimreepr]

1 hour ago, Airbrush said:

This seems like a no brainer but she had to get it wrong.  "Be Best" suggests that we should all strive to be THE BEST.  That is absurd.  People should strive to be THEIR best.  It should be "Be Your Best."

Why can't I be content to be? Best suggests a winner, which is absurd for number two, given a population of more than three...

[Phi for All]

29 minutes ago, zapatos said:

Surely there are enough things to complain about that really happened.

... and barking at the stupid, small stuff makes one look unhinged, which is exactly how the GOP would like everyone to view the left. When one doesn't focus on the actual crimes and injustices, and instead pick on everything they do, one makes it easier for their supporters to blow it ALL off as liberal angst. 

It's entirely possible some folks get paid to be vocal about stuff like this online. It's very compelling for the alt-right to show how the left hates the Trumps without reservation, so they can take the sting out of legitimate criticisms by lumping them with rants about Melania's attempts at diplomacy.

[Arete]

I always thought it was a dimwitted plagiarism of Michelle Obama's "Be Better" slogan.  

[MigL]

2 hours ago, dimreepr said:

Why can't I be content to be?

You're always the best, Dim.

54 minutes ago, Arete said:

always thought it was a dimwitted plagiarism of Michelle Obama's "Be Better" slogan.  

She plagiarised … again ?

[iNow]

17 minutes ago, MigL said:

She plagiarised … again ?

https://www.bustle.com/p/did-melania-trump-copy-michelle-obama-with-be-best-the-internet-cant-get-over-the-similarities-9016281

[CharonY]

1 hour ago, MigL said:

You're always the best, Dim.

She plagiarised … again ?

Well the whole thing is like a knockoff copy of a real presidency, so of course.

[MigL]

She is a very good looking woman by anybody's standards.
But I can't bring myself to see any good in her, as long as she chooses to stay with that prick/idiot husband of hers.

He has no respect for women/marriage ( actually, no respect for anything ), and I'm sure she realizes this; is she staying just for his money and Presidential power ?

[iNow]

58 minutes ago, MigL said:

this; is she staying just for his money and Presidential power ?

At the start of his presidency, she refused to move with him into the WH, instead saying in NYC at Trump Tower and citing a desire to wait until the school year ended for their son, Barron. Knowing how bad this looked, Trump kept pushing her to move and she only did AFTER she renegotiated her prenuptial contract with him. 

She knows very well what she’s doing. She’s being best. 

[dimreepr]

12 hours ago, iNow said:

Trump kept pushing her to move and she only did AFTER she renegotiated her prenuptial contract with him.

I bet she signed the original prenup, with inheritance in mind; then she lived with him.

Edited August 27, 2020 by dimreepr

[MigL]

There is a term for women who exchange ( the illusion of ) love for monetary gain.
And also for the men who pay them.

That seems to be typical of D Trump.
Porn stars, Playboy models, wives; the belief that all women can be bought.

[dimreepr]

1 hour ago, MigL said:

That seems to be typical of D Trump.
Porn stars, Playboy models, wives; the belief that all women can be bought.

Sounds like a poker player, who plays like a fish...

[Airbrush]

On 8/26/2020 at 8:41 AM, dimreepr said:

Why can't I be content to be? Best suggests a winner, which is absurd for number two, given a population of more than three...

Exactly!  "Be best" may be how something in Slovenian translates to English, with something lost in translation?  At best "Be best" is awkward English usage.  Has anyone heard the expression?  It is my first time.  The only word I could think of that gives it meaning is the word "the."  "Be the best" is a tall order.  I am not the best at anything I know of.  Anyone the best at anything?  Most people are never the best at anything.  "Be the best" is setting up most people for disappointment when they don't achieve this absolute status.  Even if someone is the best at something, it may not last very long.  Sergey Bubka was the "best" pole vaulter in 1991 when he cleared 20'.  He remained the best until 2014 when Renaud Levillenie cleared an inch higher.  And Armand Duplantis became the "best" this year by clearing 20'3.3" (6.18m).

Edited August 28, 2020 by Airbrush

[dimreepr]

2 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

Exactly!  "Be best" may be how something in Slovenian translates to English, with something lost in translation?  At best "Be best" is awkward English usage.  Has anyone heard the expression?  It is my first time.  I only word I could think of that gives it meaning is the word "the."  "Be the best" is a tall order.  I am not the best at anything I know of.  Most people are never the best at anything.  "Be the best" is setting up most people for disappointment when they don't achieve this absolute status.  Even if someone is the best at something, it may not last very long.  Sergey Bubka was the "best" pole vaulter in 1991 when he cleared 20'.  He remained the best until 2014 when Levillenie cleared an inch higher.  And Armand Duplantis became the "best" this year by clearing 20'3.3" (6.18m).

What they mean is, be the best you can be...

But that's equally toxic, if I don't enjoy the ride down after I reach the peak of me... 🤪

[Airbrush]

5 hours ago, dimreepr said:

What they mean is, be the best you can be...

But that's equally toxic, if I don't enjoy the ride down after I reach the peak of me... 🤪

What happens after the peak of me? 

"be the best you can be"   That's what I said.  They should have called it "Be Your Best."  That is how the English language works.

By calling it "Be Best" it sounds like you should try to be the best ONE in your pond, which implies one should be competitive.  How does that stop bullying?

Edited August 28, 2020 by Airbrush

[MigL]

Really ?
You guys are arguing about her use of the English language ?

Aside from the fact that she is not a native English speaker, the word best is singular.
There is only one 'best', and there is no differentiation between 'the best' and 'best'.
In both cases it is the one that is better than all the rest.

This 'tempest in a teapot' is not worth discussing, in comparison to the fact that she 'supports' her husband, which is worth discussing.

[Area54]

57 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

By calling it "Be Best" it sounds like you should try to be the best ONE in your pond, which implies one should be competitive.  How does that stop bullying?

Without competition it is arguable whether civilisation or technology could have developed. More pointedly, I would need a mound of evidence to convince me, as you seem to imply, that bullying is an automatic consequence of competition, or that eliminating competition would eliminate bullying.

(None of which is a defence of the words "Be Best", which is either sloppy English, or questionable ethics.)

[John Cuthber]

48 minutes ago, Area54 said:

Without competition it is arguable whether civilisation or technology could have developed. More pointedly, I would need a mound of evidence to convince me, as you seem to imply, that bullying is an automatic consequence of competition, or that eliminating competition would eliminate bullying.

(None of which is a defence of the words "Be Best", which is either sloppy English, or questionable ethics.)

Without collaboration is is rock solid certain that civilisation and technology would not develop.
Competition is more or less the opposite of cooperation.

The usual way to defeat bullies is not that bollocks about "standing up to them". (That just gets you beaten up)
The solution is  ganging  up on the bullies.
People who are given to cooperation are, therefore better placed to defeat bullies.
So, for bullies to succeed, one thing they will seek to do is to reduce cooperation among those who they want to exert power over.
A way of doing that is to set them in competition with eachother.

So, for example, if you tell the low paid workers that their enemy isn't the billionaire but the immigrant...

It's not an absolute thing- the best you can say is that encouraging collaboration drives down bullying and drives down competition. 

Edited August 28, 2020 by John Cuthber

[MigL]

I really don't see how competition equates to bullying.
Should we cancel international competitions like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup because those that don't get gold are bullying the rest?
Those competitions bring billions of people together with a common passion ( although their parent organizations are a little corrupt ).
As a matter of fact lets take all kids out of competitive sports, as losers are being bullied. And stop giving grades in schools, wouldn't want to 'bully' kids with low marks; give everyone a 100% pass.
That has to be the worst definition of 'bullying' ever.

On the other hand, competition has built a better mousetrap !
( didn't wanna say 'best', and get Airbrush upset, he reads way too much into the simplest things )

Edited August 28, 2020 by MigL

[Phi for All]

3 hours ago, MigL said:

I really don't see how competition equates to bullying.
Should we cancel international competitions like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup because those that don't get gold are bullying the rest?
Those competitions bring billions of people together with a common passion ( although their parent organizations are a little corrupt ).

When domination is more important than sportsmanship, competition equals bullying.

3 hours ago, MigL said:

As a matter of fact lets take all kids out of competitive sports, as losers are being bullied.

Bravo! Less life-long injury and overfocus on primitive toxic behavior. I'd vote for you.

3 hours ago, MigL said:

And stop giving grades in schools, wouldn't want to 'bully' kids with low marks; give everyone a 100% pass.

Another excellent suggestion. I watched a special about a school in Costa Rica where the students learn as they work on projects rather than memorize and take tests. Imagine approaching every subject as if it were a Science Fair!

3 hours ago, MigL said:

On the other hand, competition has built a better mousetrap !

And given us several hundred companies, with several thousand designs, and wasted untold amounts of resources trying to keep their secrets from each other, all the while maintaining high profit. Cooperation is practically guaranteed to come up with a better mouse solution, and may not care about selling traps at all.

[MigL]

3 hours ago, Phi for All said:

When domination is more important than sportsmanship, competition equals bullying.

Competition means making yourself better.
Bullying means making others worse.
They are not equivalent.

3 hours ago, Phi for All said:

Bravo! Less life-long injury and overfocus on primitive toxic behavior. I'd vote for you.

I'd rather play a competitive sport than run for office; but thanks anyway.
Less life-long obesity for kids that way.

3 hours ago, Phi for All said:

Imagine approaching every subject as if it were a Science Fair!

And how would you know who's actually learned anything ?
critical thinking does seem to be on the decline in the US.
( did you happen to see the RNC ??? )

3 hours ago, Phi for All said:

Cooperation is practically guaranteed to come up with a better mouse solution, and may not care about selling traps at all.

It was competition with the Russians that spurred mankind to its greatest achievement; putting men on the moon.
That can't be done today as there is no one to compete with ( yet ? )
Tesla brought out EVs in competition with gasoline powered vehicles. We already had GM and Ford; was EV research and secrets a waste ?

Some of the greatest technological advances by mankind were achieved during the ultimate competition; war.

[Area54]

16 hours ago, John Cuthber said:

Without collaboration is is rock solid certain that civilisation and technology would not develop.
Competition is more or less the opposite of cooperation.

The usual way to defeat bullies is not that bollocks about "standing up to them". (That just gets you beaten up)
The solution is  ganging  up on the bullies.
People who are given to cooperation are, therefore better placed to defeat bullies.
So, for bullies to succeed, one thing they will seek to do is to reduce cooperation among those who they want to exert power over.
A way of doing that is to set them in competition with eachother.

So, for example, if you tell the low paid workers that their enemy isn't the billionaire but the immigrant...

It's not an absolute thing- the best you can say is that encouraging collaboration drives down bullying and drives down competition. 

I am sorry to learn that you have, apparently, not experienced the many positive aspects of competition. Many (probably most) of my friends, made in the business world, were either people within my company with whom I competed for promotion, or employees of rival companies with whom I competed for business.

You seem to think competition and cooperation are mutally exclusive. This is certainly not my experience. Anyone who has particiapted in team sports would know this is not the case. A balanced personality will recognise when it is appropriate to compete and when to cooperate. And you completely fail to recognise that often the most important competition is with ourselves, striving to outdo what we have done heretofore. From my perspective you have a warped understanding of competition.

I found "standing up to them", while it often lead to physical or metaphorical beatings, eventually defeated them, or - in some cases - 'converted' them. There is an element of the bully in all of us and the most effective solution will depened on the environment, the nature of the bully and the character of the bullied. Absolutes don't work here.

 

As to