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Obama’s McLandress dimension

John Kenneth Galbraith’s book The McLandress Dimension was published pseudonymously in 1962. The title “essay” concerns a measurement, supposedly devised by a “psychometricist,” which  gives the time span for which a person is able to focus his attention on something other than himself. Richard Nixon,  at three seconds, had the lowest McLandress dimension on record. (It’s interesting to realize that the book was probably written shortly before Nixon’s “last press conference.”) Now that Obama’s treatment of his “enemies” is drawing comparison with Nixon’s, it occurs to me to wonder how he compares in this category.

Comments 10

  1. fuster wrote:

    With all of you against me, who’s got time to foc

    October 24th, 2009 at 4:51 pm

  2. Zoltan Newberry wrote:

    Without you here, there’d only be a mutual admiration society and no one to splain things to, Fuster.

    Today, we’ve been discussing our take on what seems to us to be the arrogance of the leaders of The 0bami.

    Even though my domicile in Chicago’s South Side, has left me with lots of locally known lore to rely on, not everyone for sure may think to ask you some questions:

    What do you think Michelle meant when she said,
    -”HE (Mister Peanut) WILL MAKE THEM WORK!”
    -”Where is MY trustfund?”

    And, what do you think he means when he tells The obami to “GET IN THEIR FACE?”

    October 24th, 2009 at 5:02 pm

  3. fuster wrote:

    @ Zoltan Newberry: I haven’t any idea what Michele Bachmann ever means.
    But if you can explain these things you list to me a bit, I’ll listen.

    October 24th, 2009 at 5:35 pm

  4. fuster wrote:

    Peter, was the book worthwhile?

    October 24th, 2009 at 6:56 pm

  5. Peter Shalen wrote:

    @ fuster:
    I read and enjoyed the reviews when it came out. It seemed like one of those books that would be disappointing to read after the reviews—like one of those movies that aren’t as good as the previews.

    October 24th, 2009 at 7:30 pm

  6. fuster wrote:

    @ Peter Shalen:
    Thanks. Kinda what I was thinking.

    October 24th, 2009 at 10:38 pm

  7. J.E. Dyer wrote:

    Obama is the most humblest Obama that ever made a weird speech in Berlin, an empty and yet off-the-wall speech in Cairo, and a downright offensive speech to the UN General Assembly, and then went on to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Bescheidenheit. We are measuring humility in “Obamas” now.

    Who cares how long he can go without thinking about himself? McLandress sounds like a racist to me.

    October 25th, 2009 at 2:02 pm

  8. CK MacLeod wrote:

    @ J.E. Dyer:
    I agree with J.E. Johnson.

    October 25th, 2009 at 2:32 pm

  9. fuster wrote:

    @ CK MacLeod:
    Out of Johnsons, come order.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B2beNInTHc

    October 25th, 2009 at 2:52 pm

  10. CK MacLeod wrote:

    Rereh!

    October 25th, 2009 at 2:56 pm

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