apocalypsos: (Default)
tatty bojangles ([personal profile] apocalypsos) wrote2009-10-09 08:52 am

Huh.

I was a bit "... bwuh?" about Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize -- and I like the guy, but ... yeah -- but reading this in one of the comments on ontd_p made me get it a little more.

From "Common Misconceptions About The Nobel Peace Prize":

Myth: The prize is awarded to recognize efforts for peace, human rights and democracy only after they have proven successful.

More often, the prize is awarded to encourage those who receive it to see the effort through, sometimes at critical moments.


So basically they're going for a really expensive back pat. I can get behind that.

That said, the first thing that rolled into my head was this:

OIC: "We'll pass on Chicago."
Republicans: "Ha, ha! The world hates Obama now!"
World: *rolls eyes, gives Obama the Nobel Peace Prize instead* "Yeah, we like HIM, we just don't like you hateful fuckers."

*

I'm not sure if I'll have Friday thoughts for SPN, since most of my reaction to last night's episode was flaily glee and OH BOYS and I maybe had a heart attack of awesomeness from that "Soon" preview.

I have yet to watch Flash Forward or NMTB. That will definitely be accomplished sometime today if I can help it, but right now I need to shower and go get my damn paycheck so I can, you know, eat.

[identity profile] breakthecitysky.livejournal.com 2009-10-09 01:30 pm (UTC)(link)
thank you for posting this. i like him, but i was kind of baffled about this, in a lot of ways. most helpful.

[identity profile] scary-being-me.livejournal.com 2009-10-09 01:48 pm (UTC)(link)
It makes much more sense now.

Don't get me wrong, I think Obama is THE MAN; but I was thinking the prize might have been premature.

[identity profile] etoilepb.livejournal.com 2009-10-09 02:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Hmm.

The nominations close 1 February... and he was sworn in on 20 January.

So they really did nominate him exactly for being not-Bush.

[identity profile] sabra-n.livejournal.com 2009-10-09 10:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't even think the Olympics thing was about hating America so much as wanting to diversify - Rio made a good bid and they're going to be the first South American host, so the IOC got everything it wanted.
ext_3718: (Default)

[identity profile] agent-mimi.livejournal.com 2009-10-10 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
I am so tired of people always complaining every time a Peace Prize is announced that the person hasn't done enough to deserve it. And every time, newspapers run the same articles about how the Prize is truly given out. Thank you for posting it, though, most people on my flist and on forums haven't even seen the article.

Not sure why they even bother with the articles to clarify why people win the awards. No one ever remembers. The next time someone American wins the Prize, just wait, everyone in the U.S. will be complaining again.