Bill Angel Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I thought that the use of Albert Einstein's Image in this political cartoon to be disturbing and inappropriate: See: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/16/3244059/jpmorgan.html The image the cartoonist used is clearly derived from a well known portrait of Albert Einstein by Yousuf Karsh: So what are some of the problems that I see this political cartoon's usage of Einstein's image? Einstein was a theoretical physicist, not an experimental chemist. Einstein never wore a white lab coat while working. Einstein was not pre-occupied with money, and never worked for a bank. Einstein was not dumb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phi for All Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 The biggest insult in equating Einstein with JP Morgan Chase is Einstein had scruples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cuthber Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Einstein was not dumb. That's the point. Is it really true that Americans don't understand irony? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mississippichem Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 That's the point. Is it really true that Americans don't understand irony? By the power vested in me by Uncle Sam: Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Angel Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 That's the point. Is it really true that Americans don't understand irony? Could you or someone else explain to this dumb American the element of irony present in this cartoon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cuthber Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 The banks claim that they are so clever that they don't need regulating- they can do it themselves. Yet they screwed the whole world's economy. It's ironic to compare them to Einstein precisely because he was actually clever whereas the banks just claim to be clever. The fact that it's an entirely different field (finance vs. physics) isn't the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Could you or someone else explain to this dumb American the element of irony present in this cartoon? Calling Einstein dumb, for starters. Does that not register as irony for you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iNow Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Grasping irony requires non-superficial thought. In the US, that's a chall.... Oh, look! McDonald's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imatfaal Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I assume it is hinting at Einstein's theoretical contribution to the Manhattan project - great Nobel prize winning thinking used/misused/abused (del per political views) to potentially world destroying consequences, and they used this Einstein parallel cos no one would recognize Fischer Black or Myron Scholes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 My guess would have been that JPMorgan Chase was relatively well-regarded among banks for a while, until it had an "oops." If even the good banks screw up occasionally, what does that say about the bad ones? Funny how everyone's interpretation of the irony is different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cuthber Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Can we ask the cartoonist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapatos Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Is it really true that Americans don't understand irony? Yes. It is also true that people who go by the name of John make massive generalizations about Americans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cuthber Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Yes. It is also true that people who go by the name of John make massive generalizations about Americans. Yes. But you need to remember that all sweeping generalisations are wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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