I am fascinated that I apparently touched a nerve with the infamous “coupon, low-low price of hamburger” post. (See previous post.)

I often “lurk” at a forum about Newburyport called Around the North Shore:
aroundthenorthshore.com/forums/index.php.

You have to join to be a member of the forum.

And on the forum one of the posters really articulated something for me. The word that was used was “condescending.”

A nerve that the “coupon, low-low price of hamburger post” apparently hit, was that folks felt that I was “condescending.” (Oh, that I had put “BMW” or “Jaguar,” instead of “hamburger.” Thereby, of course, pissing off a whole set of other folks.)

If some people had such a visceral reaction to what could be perceived as a “condescending” post on my part about hamburger and coupons, that could also tell me a whole lot about what could be a visceral response concerning a whole lot of political stuff in Newburyport, MA.

Tom Ryan often used the word “arrogant.” “Condescending” could be a variation of the same thing.

It would explain people’s visceral response to the “Yes for Newburyport” folks. Many perceived them to be “condescending.”

It could explain people’s reaction to Donna Holaday’s run for mayor in 2005. It seems that some folks perceived her in 2005 to be “condescending.”

And it could explain why, although John Moak, despite having views and policies that people in Newburyport may disagree with, may well be electable for a second term. The electorate so far appears not to have found our present mayor to be “condescending.”

And “condescending” seems to be the “kiss of death” when it comes to Newburyport politics.

I am truly fascinated by all of this.

It explains to me (something that has puzzled me for a long time) why many voters (liberal, conservative, centrist) often appear to be turned off by very intelligent progressives. The progressives could at times be perceived as being “condescending.”

To quote from a post on the Around the North Shore Forum, that “anyone who disagrees with them (progressives) is either stupid or simply needs to be ‘educated’.”

A light bulb has gone on for this blogger.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport