This is what the reaction word cloud looks like for the Rachel Maddow Show online community:
Methodology:
It turns out, it was easier to copy whole pages of responses and then delete out the names and time stamps than it was to copy each word one at a time. So I expanded the whole Facebook thread and copied the pages of comments from the original blog post and pasted into a Notepad document. I then used ctrl H to replace repeated unwanted text with blank spaces. Even using as much bulk cleaning of the text as I could it was still pretty labor intensive. I stopped when my eyeballs started to make sandpaper noises in my skull - but still, we have a bigger sample than the Washington Post/Pew poll: 1,796 words.
If you're doing the math on the difference between the number of replies and the number of words, a bunch were cut for being curses, ridiculous made up words, or full comments.
I assume the folks at Pew took only the most common responses to make their cloud. In the early goings I wondered if we'd have any pattern at all in our words as it seemed like everyone was giving a different response. As it is, some words, including my favorite of the night, Legerdemain, aren't even visible.
I didn't realize Wordle differentiates based on capitalization. "Sucks" would probably be bigger if SUCKS, Sucks and sucks were all counted together. Likewise for "crap." Meanwhile, the font I chose for this display doesn't make a distinction between capital letters anyway. Humph.
In the mid-to-upper right is the word "unerican." That's supposed to be un-American but the "am" was deleted when I was cleaning out the time stamps. As far as I can tell, that's the only significant casualty of that process.
Leave a Comment:
Yes, disappointing should be a big one. I know clouds are all supposed to have a silver lining, but I'm too disappointed after seeing President Obama kowtow AGAIN to recognize one yet. I honestly never thought I'd say it, but this has caused me to lose a lot of faith in his ability.
That may be true but my question to use is do you want a Replucian in the White white house when the next supream corts need to be picked
President Obama is a pragmatist. He does what he must for the good of the country. The GOP has been willing and in some cases eager to hurt the country just to cause colateral damage to the President.
We need to give him a better hand to play next deal. If the GOP can cause this much damage and chaos with only a fraction of control imagine them in charge. No, actualy just remember them in charge.
Uh, we've been hearing this for the past half-dozen-plus years. First Democrats had to take Congress back. So people went out and worked their butts off and it happened. But they still "couldn't" do anything, and of course Pelosi immediately took impeachment right off the table, so Democrats were told, we need a Democratic president. Once more they got what they asked for, and even with a Democratic president and both houses of Congress they still could barely do anything, so maybe people got sick of the spiel and stayed home. (I didn't, as it happens, because I was brought up to vote no matter what.) The math in this next election means that there's no way that the Senate majority, at least, could even be anywhere near what it was before 2010, so, since Harry Reid made a "gentlemen's agreement" with people who are no gentlemen, the filibuster will still be available to the Rs even if the Democrats do take back the House.
Maybe they're waiting for the type of majorities FDR had, but if so, it's not going to happen - at least not next year and probably not afterward.
Stxd3
That may be true but my question to use is do you want a Replucian in the White white house when the next supream corts need to be picked
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No, of course not. I'm disappointed, but not delusional yet...I hope! President Obama still has my vote because no decent alternative exists at the moment. And while I fear for all of our futures right now, I do feel badly for him as well.
I've steadfastly given him the benefit of the doubt until now, but I'm finally beginning to accept that he's just overmatched. He's an intellectual who only knows how to approach problems from a reasonable, cerebral perspective, while the opposition continues to devolve, right before our eyes, into a wild eyed, gibberish sputtering bully mob that cannot and will not be reasoned with.
Now, I don't fault Obama for being what he is. I admire that he can keep his head while those all around him seem to be losing theirs. But the disgraceful debt deal that he just rolled over and saddled us with has finally convinced me that brains are just not enough in Washington. I was wrong. It takes brawn too. In a nutshell, he's too nice, and too smart, and yes, that even sounds dumb to me.
But what we need is someone who's also not afraid to stand up and fight for our well being when it's necessary. Most sadly, and most regretably, I'm finally convinced that Obama is not, and cannot ever be, that person.
Leslie,
I don't disagree with you. All we can do is what we can do. Politics is way behind the curve of history. The world changes more rapidly every day. Technology expands at an exponential pace. I am sitting in a room conversing with someone I never have met. We share only the words in these little boxes. I do not know where you are, your race or even your gender. It's not just you and me connecting here though. Millions of people are all sending out these thoughts and ideas.
These millions of connections will change the world. Our representative form of government was based on the idea that all men could not gather to decide on the course of a government. That situation no longer exists.
Your voice is being heard. So is mine and so are the others. Change will come, that is certain. I don't know how it will play out but I plan on being involved as much as I can.
The only other choice is too sit idly by while others choose my and my childrens fate.
A rich man can amplify his voice with money and they have done so and continue to. To him this is only a game , a way of winning, of amassing a fortune beyond a gluttons dream.
For the millions its not a game. It's food on the table and job to pay the bills. It's about the doctor bills. One day there will be a spark that lights up this country like the middle east.
The ancient Chinese Curse is stated as, "May you live in interesting times." We are living in the most interesting times. I continue to hope for the best and work for the best. It's all I can do.
Good morning. I can't see who posted this entry, but I wanted to let you know. If you take your final text document, copy it into Microsoft Word and select "All capitals", then back in Notepad, then on to wordle, it should combine all like terms ... grouping "SUCKS, Sucks and sucks".
Thanks. I knew there was a trick but I couldn't remember it at that hour of the night/morning so I convinced myself it added a poetic repetition. :)
Now that I'm thinking about it more, I wonder if I could have found something to alphabetize all of the words as well, which would have allowed me to group similar words and get the actual count of specific words.
You could easily alphabetize by putting all the words into a spreadsheet and sorting the column.
hunh! "capitalizing all" that's a good trick to know for the next time! don't feel bad about not remembering it -- sometimes it's hard to think over the noise created by scratchy tired eyeballs. And it was SURE FUN to look at the cloud! thanks! :D
Word will also let you sort a column. Just need to use convert a text (one word per line) to table. Then table sort. I would love to see the results of an updated Wordle!
If you put the data into a spreadsheet as Cora suggests, then just run a simple pivot table and you can see the counts. The pivot table will alphabetize for you.
Will, do you get paid by the hour, by how late you're up? :P
It may seem like Obama and the Democrats are capitulating repeatedly but keep in mind that "peace is stronger then war because it heals. War is division, not increase. No one gains from strife." Those who repeatedly engage in war-like activities will never find inner peace.
All things seen within misty clouds of division as hate filled vaporous illusions vanish as words of peace are spoken. For all thoughts of peace come from within us all as our higher knowing.
Sorry, but the citizens of the United States of America are not at war with one another, the elected representatives (of all 3 parties) are the ones who declared war on the middle class 30 years ago and on August 2 the Democrats officially surrendered. So now the rest of us meekly bow down to our elected and corporate masters and be happy with whatever we have left. Its not like there is going to be any big uprising, the American people have consistently demonstrated they will continue to muddle along despite having to work harder to stand still.
Well, I don't think this "peace" is healing much. I think it is hurting a HUGE percentage of our nation, and will continue to do so for decades to come. I actually don't view this as peace, I view it as a war on the middle class which we seem to be powerless to resist.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but President Obama has proved to be a crushing disappointment. He has abandoned the middle class and bent to every wealthy segment of society. It is a heartbreaking betrayal.
Inner peace is not the same as the outer world's interpretation of the day's events. It comes from an inner knowing that you are doing the right thing for the greater good despite the seeming short term appearances of capitulating. I think within his heart President Obama also knows that no one gains from strife and those who engage in it feel it first within themselves and then project it out on others. In this case the Tea Partiers who think that everyone needs to feel their guilt, pain and sacrifice are projecting their self-inflicted self-destructiveness within themselves on to whoever thinks they deserve to it. It need not be received as sent unless you want to join in their pain.
Thanks to Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont, and others, for trying to push for a Clean Bill.
But I guess, like so many others, I'm a little disappointed no one chose to break out their Superman cape for a single-handed bipartisan save.
Wow, we are a melodramatic bunch, aren't we? ;)
But in all seriousness, the word cloud does kind of reflect my feelings. Then again, we have only ourselves to blame - we voted for these folks. I just hope this debate and deal don't drag the economy into oblivion, which is what I fear will happen.
Watch it you wrote something I wrote. You will be deleted for expressing a view that lays blame at someone else than PBO.
You might have a larger sample than the Washington Post survey, but your sample can't be generalized to the U.S. population. Your sample only includes Facebook fans of the Rachel Maddow Show, and readers of Maddow Blog. This group definitely does not represent the views of the U.S. population.
Yeah, that would be the "our" part.
And how do you determine that we are not representative, Mr Counter? And are you counter to everything or just this cloud?
Thank you, I see my word made it in, which kind of gives me a bit of peace - after this totally frustrating process ended with working Americans taking it in the short hairs!!
Ok, yes I'm disappointed, frustrated, and ready to scream, angry at both the President for being just way too conciliatory and "bi-partisan" (I hate that word), along with democrats in congress that still haven't discovered their spine or a cohesive message along with the rethugnikans that have again held the economy hostage to enable looting by the Oligarchy that "sponsors" them!!!
My favorite: "Really? REALLY?"
Oops. Sorry for my posts to the other thread. I somehow missed this. Likely because I was looking for it... ;)
Again, this is a great idea for a regular (semi-regular? it sounded laborious) feature.
Thanks for the effort!
Obama is a poor negotiator because he is in with the rethugs.
He is coming after our entitlements with this super-congress. Bolt the door.
I'm assuming you removed curse words? Either that or other Rachel Maddow viewers aren't as foul-mouthed as I am.
Yes, curses removed.
I'd love to get t-shirts made with this word cloud covering the whole front, and then go visit Congress in September with about 100,000 other like minded people wearing same.
Great idea, I'm in.....Hey Rachael want to help US out????? :)
I am glad to see that Treason was included.. Because that is what this is.. Usurping the constitution to be able to blame a failure on someone else.. stupid.. and the whole dang thing was Treason..period.. threatening to undermine the sovereignty of the Union IS treasonous.. Period..
I'm surprised Douchebaggery is as large as it is. I need to go up north more often I guess.
That was mine... Originally from upstate NY. Good call.
I wonder how much the results were affected by the fact that people could read other responses before deciding on their own word. Could people have seen douchebaggery in the list and thought, "oh! good one" and replaced what they would have written on their own.
@Will also by the Post/Pew's word cloud in the original blog entry.
Aww, look at the cute little "necessary!"
I for one am amused by the tineh tineh "UGH" peeking out from under the huge "DISAPPOINTING".
There were a lot of sound words like bleh and urg and stuff like that.
And meh.
Anyone may be disappointed (or whatever you are) with the President, but just remember...what are your alternatives? Do you *really* want the GOP to regain the White House? Really? You have to work with what you have here...send the Pres an email, send one to your representitive, your senators....and for pete's sake VOTE!
If you want the Dems in power again...VOTE! It was the lack of dem votes in 2010 that put us in this place....our progressive agenda has NO CHANCE if we don't VOTE in 2012!
So, instead of word play (my word NECESSARY did make the cloud BTW), quit whining and get out and WORK for your cause! That is what this mom and environmentalist does......and my daughter will vote for the first time in 2012, so be sure your adult kids are registered and encourage them to vote their mind. It is THEIR future after all!!!!
What Dems? Sorry, for 45 years I allowed myself to be duped by the Democratic Party, I gave my time, my money and my votes and in that entire time there has only been one Congressman, Senator or President who's actions matched his words. I'm too old, have experienced too much and been crapped on too often to have any faith left in the Democratic Party. If it comes down to having to vote between the lessor of two evils, I may swallow my disgust and vote for a democrat, but I'm going to be real tempted to write in "NONE OF THE ABOVE"
well, Republicans are already running the country, so so what if they have the WH, too? at least then, there would be a clear excuse for our ruination.
certainly i plan to vote, but last night i may have decided to do so on everything except the presidential ballot, or possibly write in "Hillary Clinton" again. i think i could live with losing the WH but having a super-(duper-)majority in Congress, something that looks like that CNBC Hot Map-thingy from last night but with blue overwhelming a piddly amount of red.
.
Spell check probably really hated my "tthhhhhhhpppppptttttt!"
treasonous, un-American activities....let's go McCarthy on the Teapublican Taliban Terrorists...they want war, let's give it to them!
Dumbass deal!
It's Great to Have you Return......We surely Missed You.....If you don't mind....would you please ad your expertice, to the final decision caused by the rambunksious butt holes in the Senate/Congress/High Dollar Community....Please..?
Brilliant!
So now you're stealing the schtick of Keith Olbermann?
Really?
I like "unerican." Ranks up there with Colbert's "truthiness." Rachel, define it and use it until it's in the Congressional Record.
If nothing else, it unerican could be anything Eric Cantor dislikes or disapproves of, i.e., anything good, decent, fair...