The Bravest Man I Ever Knew….
….greatly expanded the power and reach of his own organization, through the stroking of pens and speaking of words. He did it, even, under a veil of secrecy. His bravery undauntable, he achieved his unprecedented expansions of his own might even though this was all exactly in line with the wishes of the person he most relies on to keep his cushy job. He did it stalwartly, uncomplainingly, despite struggling with the general adoration of all the leaders of thought and power.
He was called Ben Bernanke, and we shall never see his like again. (I hope.) The Atlantic names Bernanke one of its top 27 "brave thinkers."
For more on The Real Ben Bernanke, see the mighty Tim Cavanaugh and me in previous episodes of Reason Online.
Editor's Note: As of February 29, 2024, commenting privileges on reason.com posts are limited to Reason Plus subscribers. Past commenters are grandfathered in for a temporary period. Subscribe here to preserve your ability to comment. Your Reason Plus subscription also gives you an ad-free version of reason.com, along with full access to the digital edition and archives of Reason magazine. We request that comments be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment and ban commenters for any reason at any time. Comments may only be edited within 5 minutes of posting. Report abuses.
Please
to post comments
Got pitchforks and torches?
You guys need to hire the artist Quickhoney ASAP. Those drawings are freakin awesome.
The Bernenke worship has only just begun.
For a moment there, I thought you'd gone all mugglish on us.
"Specifically, I knew better than the countless thousands of people whose property, investments, interests and livelihoods were actually at stake. After all, that kind of omniscience is requisite for being Fed chairman."
Like you could do a better job. Leave him alone - he saved the country for fuck's sake!
Bullshit!!!
I could do a better job by doing nothing.
Can we stop considering anyone 'brave' for increasing the size and scope of govt?
Or for doing something that increases their job security and advances their personal power and self-interest?
I wish I believed in karma or some other bullshit that made me think Ben would get his eventually, but...I don't. He's not only going to get out of this, he's going to be praised. Fuck you, Ben. Fuck you, Atlantic. And fuck you too, Michael Bay.
Robot Chicken: Baysplosions!!!
"MA BA SPLOOM!"
Thanks for that!
Except for Con Air.
"The particulars of the Fed's interventions remain lamentably shielded from oversight."
"Brave", my a$$.
Can't believe I used to be an Atlantic subscriber.
>.<<br />
Good riddance!
Not sure how populist action equates with brave thinking. Barack Obama, a "brave thinker"? I can think of two things wrong with that description...
The Atlantic did have a few legitimate choices though. Frederick Dyson is a good one. Brilliant guy. Although I detest his views, Ralph Nader also fits the criterion well.
Damn it. I meant Freeman Dyson (I was also thinking Fred Hoyle should have been on there, but I guess they were only including living people).
Establishment!
Establishment!
You always know what's righhht!
The theme continued:
Unless you're G.W. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
*crescendo*
*chorus*
ssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Admit it, guys, it takes a lot of guts to destroy a nation's currency while larding up your cronies, all on camera.
Your use of the past tense had me wildly hopeful for a bit. Than I realized you weren't writing an obit. Sigh.
If you want to lift your head out of the sand, go read G. Edward Griffin's "The Creature from Jekyll Island - a Second Look at the Federal Reserve". Your view of current events will never be the same again.
G.E.G. is a conspiracist nutbag. Even when he gets something right, he has to wrap it in layer after layer of conspiracy. The bozo believes in chemtrails for crying out loud!
Freeman dyson is the man
Wow, you have to admit dude that is some pretty cool stuff dude!
RT
http://www.anon-web.int.tc
I finally learned a new word in a new language that I can use for Bernanke! Imchi!
The things you learn from intertubez buds.
"Reason Staff Paralyzed by East Coast drizzle"
-- your headline for the day.
"Ben"
(by Michael Jackson)
Ben, the two of us need look no more.
We both found what we were looking for.
With a friend to call my own,
I'll never be alone.
And you, my friend, will see.
You've got a friend in me.
(You've got a friend in me.)
Ben, you're always running here and there.
You feel you're not wanted, anywhere.
If you ever look behind,
And don't like what you find.
There's one thing you should know,
You've got a place to go.
(You've got a place to go.)
I used to say "I" and "me."
Now it's "us", now it's "we."
I used to say "I" and "me."
Now it's "us", now it's "we."
Ben, most people would turn you away.
I don't listen to a word they say.
They don't see you as I do.
I wish they would try to.
I'm sure they'd think again.
If they had a friend like Ben.
(A friend) Like Ben.
(Like Ben) Like Ben.
For you youngsters, Ben is a rat.
Thanks PL, that was pretty 😉
Christmas is around the corner: And old customers can also
enjoy the gifts sent by my company in a can also request to
our company. Gifts lot,Buy more get the more?Only this site
have this treatment
Our goal is "Best quality, Best reputation , Best services".
Your satisfaction is our main pursue. You can find the best
products from us, meeting your different needs.
http://www.icfshop.com
New to Hong Kong : Winter Dress
---**** NHL Jersey Woman $ 40 ---****
NFL Jersey $ 35
---**** NBA Jersey $ 34 ---**** MLB
Jersey $ 35
---**** Jordan Six Ring_m $36 ---**** Air Yeezy_m $
45
---**** T-Shirt_m $ 25 ---****
Jacket_m $ 36
---**** Hoody_m $ 50 ---**** Manicure
Set $ 20
HOT SELL Product Brand is below:
Nike Air Jordan(1-25)/Jordan Six Ring/Jordan
Fusion/Nike Shox/Air Max/AF1/Dunk: $32
Polo/Ed Hardy/Lacoste/Ca/A&F ??T-shirt:
Coach /Gucci/Lv/Ed Hardy/D&G/Fendi ??Handbag:$35
Christian Louboutin/Lv/Ed Hardy/Gucci/Coach/Lacoste/
Timbland??
True Religion/Coogi/Evisu/Ed Hardy/Prada ??
Jeans:$30
New era/Gucci/Ed hardy ??cap : $13
Okely/Coach/D&G/Fendi/Gucci/Armani ??sunglass:$15
Nike shoes: 32$, True Religion jeans:30$, Ed Hardy,
t-shirts:12$, NFL Jersey:20$,Boots UGG:50$
http://www.icfshop.com
Christmas is around the corner: And old customers can also
enjoy the gifts sent by my company in a can also request to
our company. Gifts lot,Buy more get the more?Only this site
have this treatment
Our goal is "Best quality, Best reputation , Best services".
Your satisfaction is our main pursue. You can find the best
products from us, meeting your different needs.
http://www.icfshop.com
New to Hong Kong : Winter Dress
---**** NHL Jersey Woman $ 40 ---****
NFL Jersey $ 35
---**** NBA Jersey $ 34 ---**** MLB
Jersey $ 35
---**** Jordan Six Ring_m $36 ---**** Air Yeezy_m $ 45
---**** T-Shirt_m $ 25 ---****
Jacket_m $ 36
---**** Hoody_m $ 50 ---**** Manicure
Set $ 20
HOT SELL Product Brand is below:
Nike Air Jordan(1-25)/Jordan Six Ring/Jordan
Fusion/Nike Shox/Air Max/AF1/Dunk: $32
Polo/Ed Hardy/Lacoste/Ca/A&F ??T-shirt:
Coach /Gucci/Lv/Ed Hardy/D&G/Fendi ??Handbag:$35
Christian Louboutin/Lv/Ed Hardy/Gucci/Coach/Lacoste/
Timbland??
True Religion/Coogi/Evisu/Ed Hardy/Prada ??
Jeans:$30
New era/Gucci/Ed hardy ??cap : $13
Okely/Coach/D&G/Fendi/Gucci/Armani ??sunglass:$15
Nike shoes: 32$, True Religion jeans:30$, Ed Hardy,
t-shirts:12$, NFL Jersey:20$,Boots UGG:50$
http://www.icfshop.com
Christmas is around the corner: And old customers can also
enjoy the gifts sent by my company in a can also request to
our company. Gifts lot,Buy more get the more?Only this site
have this treatment
Our goal is "Best quality, Best reputation , Best services".
Your satisfaction is our main pursue. You can find the best
products from us, meeting your different needs.
http://www.icfshop.com
$50 UGG BOOT, $30 nike shoes,air jordan shoes,nike shox shoes,gucci shoes
$33 true religion jeans, ed hardy jeans,coogi jeans,affliction jeans, Laguna Beach Jeans
$16 ed hardy T-shirts,Coogi T-shirts,Christian Audigier T-shirts,Gucci T-shirts,Polo T-shirts.
$30 coach handbag,gucci handbag,prada handbag,chanel handbag,$15sunglasses,$9 caps.
http://www.icfshop.com
Ben is a rat.
But he's *our* rat. He's the best rat for the job.
And he strives to be the best, most rattish, rat he can be, every day, in every way.
Did someone from the Obama administration visit you and knock you into line or something? lol
Rat on!
How on Earth can they think of him as "brave"? The quotation the give as evidence of bravery -- about how we can't let these banks fail -- is obviously an expression of fear, which I think is sort of the opposite of bravery.
No, cowardice is the opposite of bravery. Brave people often feel fear, but they don't let it prevent them from doing what is necessary - a coward would.
Indeed, letting banks fail would be a far braver act.
Bernanke brave? This is akin to those piece of shit organizations that laud politicians for their "courage" to raise taxes.
"...stroking of pens..."
LOL at that
Wow you right dude that guy is somethin else aint her!
RT
http://www.true-privacy.net.tc
Well I think he is not a brave man. He is messing up with the US economy.
http://next-world-war.blogspot.com
the stroking of pens and speaking of words.
I think you're missing a vowel in there somewhere.