Compromise is the essence of democracy. In that spirit, I suggest the following:
A serious official name, for example the HMS Stephen Hawking.
The people's choice, hand-painted in comic sans.
Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
141–150 of 268 posts
Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
#142The solution is simple. Continue calling the boat Boaty McBoatface. Ignore all references to the government's preferred name. They can choose what's painted on the side, but the name depends only on what people call it. If enough people call it Boaty McBoatface its name really is Boaty McBoatface. If your job depends on calling it the government's preferred name then subtly alter the timing of your speech to make it…
Could totally make a browser extension to automatically convert the text on a page, like the "On the cloud => in my butt" one.
Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
#143There's two things we British excel at, silliness and pedantry.
So it's no suprise that the best objection I've heard to the name so far is that it's stupid because the vessel is clearly a SHIP, not a BOAT.
Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
#144There's two things we British excel at, silliness and pedantry. So it's no suprise that the best objection I've heard to the name so far is that it's stupid because the vessel is clearly a SHIP, not a BOAT.
Shippy Shippington.
Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
#145This is the country of the author who gave us ship names such as Gunboat Diplomat , You'll Thank Me Later , and (my personal favorite) I Blame Your Mother . You'd think the NERC would understand that it's all in good fun and would have the grace to use the name chosen by us unwashed masses. I mean, it's irreverent, but it isn't obscene, so who cares?
I wouldn't have thought to bring up Banks, but it's a good point. To think that a lack of gravitas in naming is an indictment of democracy is absolutely ridiculous.
I think it's on topic as there are many ships in his books with names referencing a lack of "gravitas". As explained by Banks:
"But it was a scathing review of Culture ship-naming policy delivered by another Involved civilisation. They suggested that such enormously powerful and intellectually refined entities ought to have names with a little more gravitas, to reflect their near-god-like status; the immediate and sustained reaction of one of the Culture's ship manufacturies was to name all its subsequent vessels things like:
Stood Far Back When The Gravitas Was Handed Out; Gravitas, What Gravitas?; Gravitas... Gravitas... No, Don't Help Me, I'll Get It In A Moment; Gravitas Free Zone; Low Gravitas Warning Signal"
Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
#146This name is obviously a joke name that probably shouldn't be used. Yes, there is a responsibility to maintain a democracy by the governing body. But shouldn't there also be a responsibility on the governed to take voting decisions seriously?
I would guess that the name itself was put forth as a signal to the organizers that "we know your public vote is bullshit, and this will prove it", and every vote in favor was saying "we triple-dog dare you to prove us wrong, and actually give up that meaningless iota of control to the people".
I think that everyone already knew that the poll was nothing more than a meaningless diversion, and "Boaty McBoatface" was just throwing it back into the organizers' faces. Everybody knew this would happen, and that was the entire reason for the joke names. If it doesn't matter anyway, it's at least good for a laugh or two.
Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
#147Earlier quoted context omitted.
The point of the boat isn't to be a Budgie the Helicopter style cash machine, is it? It has a serious purpose. Why does it have to appeal to 4 year olds, who have zero understanding of or interest in what it does? Why does it require an infantile name to appeal to kids who are old enough to be interested in what it does? The only reason this is even any kind of issue is because of the way internet works, where all ki…
Yeah, serious new Royal Navy boats need serious names, like its predecessors HMS Speedy, HMS Child's Play, HMS Happy Entrance, HMS Arrogant (later renamed HMS Insolent)...
Makes me wonder if any of these were part of the inspiration for Iain M. Banks ship names.
Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
#148This is the country of the author who gave us ship names such as Gunboat Diplomat , You'll Thank Me Later , and (my personal favorite) I Blame Your Mother . You'd think the NERC would understand that it's all in good fun and would have the grace to use the name chosen by us unwashed masses. I mean, it's irreverent, but it isn't obscene, so who cares?
Reusing a Culture ship name would have been a great tribute, now that I think of it :(
Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
#149What's wrong with Boaty McBoatface? I think it's kinda cute.
Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy
#150I don't agree with a lot of the conclusions of this article. E.g. they propose that voting "probably" works the same way in all other countries as the US. There are plenty of objections to be made against that. E.g. 1) the US being a two party state means that getting representatives which represents the great variety of voter opinions is exceedingly difficult. 2) US elections are so dominated by advertisement, expen…
>2) US elections are so dominated by advertisement, expensive campaigns and donations
By outspending his opponent over 2:1 and still losing by a large margin, Bernie Sanders has proved that money can't buy an election.