...there was a viaduct in a poor neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas, on which someone had spray-painted "Russia Iran Disco Suck." Driving underneath it on my way to and from a debate tournament one day, I gloried in the succinct eloquence of this bit of proletarian wisdom. The logic was flawless. As sucked disco, so sucked communism. So sucked Iran. Even more inspiring was the unspoken corollary: as rocked Van Halen, so rocked Ronald Reagan.
—Thomas Frank, What's the Matter with Kansas?
Liking someone because of their flaws? I can't take that in anything but the worst way possible. What, do you like how ugly I am because it makes you feel more beautiful? Do you like how physically weak I am because it makes bullying me easier? Is it my chipped tooth? Does that make you laugh? […] It's never a good thing when somebody likes you for your flaws. It either means that they're taking advantage of you or you're funny to them.
