Mood meter gauges |rising bile
Perhaps it is time for The Nation to drop the "Mood Analysis" polling on its website - it seems so meaningless. Better still: let's have a full explanation of what the editors really expect from it.
For any given letter or article, I might experience all of the moods listed on the meter, depending on different parts of the article. For example, reading a letter or article about the proposed submarine purchase, I could feel “happy” or even “inspired” that someone has the courage to write about such a contentious subject. I could also feel “amused” at comparisons with the white-elephant aircraft carrier and the dismal failure of the military dirigible. I could also be “surprised” that The Nation printed the article, risking being summoned for “attitude adjustment”. And I would be “sad” that the government might opt to waste so much money that could be better spent on, for example, education. And I would certainly be “angry” that the government appears to bend to the wishes of the Navy, which wants more boy toys for its senior lads to play with.
