Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by WillG on May 10, 2013 at 5:16am

Because he is an average American?

Paul Gnarlo said:

why does this man hate both exercise and efficiency so much?

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Permalink Reply by WillG on May 10, 2013 at 5:20am

It's always helpful to remember that he is a (social) dinosaur. And like all (social) dinosaurs, he will eventually die, his kind will go extinct, and the rest of the world can continue.

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

Engaging Kass is like engaging a toddler throwing a fit. There's no reasoning with him, but as long as you keep trying to reason with him he'll keep screaming. Ignore him and he'll cry himself out and move on to a new topic where he can get a rise out of people. I'd wager that if he wrote a column about bikes that didn't get a single letter, tweet, or noticeable rise in page views it would be the last column he ever wrote about bikes. The silent treatment is the worst thing that can happen to a guy like Kass.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Blumenthal on May 10, 2013 at 6:36am

I've met Kass on several occasions and read his column regularly.  I do think his latest was over the top. Rather than worry about what he said, I think the discussion should be on what he is talking about.  My guess is that he is correct about the new administration's bike friendly Chicago will come at a cost.

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Permalink Reply by Chicago Bike Law Firm on May 10, 2013 at 7:20am

Ugh... his columns about cyclists are only as bad as his columns about pretty much everything else.  His is a reactionary, anger based world view-- yes its very profitable, and yes he knows that.  And so does the Tribune.  I would never try to discourage anyone from trying to discuss anything with anyone else, but it seems like the possibilities of a meet up with him are 1) you don't change his mind or 2) he does what he can to use you as an example of why he was right to begin with.  

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on May 10, 2013 at 7:57am

Kass is just a troll. Don't feed him, even with logic. We win when people stop reading his garbage. Linking to it here just makes the matter worse. This is one problem that actually will go away if ignored.

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Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on May 10, 2013 at 8:01am

+1

just ignore Kass

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

Engaging Kass is like engaging a toddler throwing a fit. There's no reasoning with him, but as long as you keep trying to reason with him he'll keep screaming. Ignore him and he'll cry himself out and move on to a new topic where he can get a rise out of people. I'd wager that if he wrote a column about bikes that didn't get a single letter, tweet, or noticeable rise in page views it would be the last column he ever wrote about bikes. The silent treatment is the worst thing that can happen to a guy like Kass.

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Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on May 10, 2013 at 8:55am

Kass brings the clicks to the paper, do not read or engage with. It's not even some matter of "this person will not listen to reason," this person is commodified trolling and is paid, specifically, to do this thing, in order to bring in revenue. 

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Permalink Reply by Mr. Ray Joe Hall on May 10, 2013 at 11:30am

Why the hell would anyone who rides a bike want to do that??  Every sentence he writes is designed to get you to flame him, which he then takes to his editor and says, "see, I'm worth every penny you pay me."  Your righteous indignation is his lifeforce.  Along with nicotine and aspartame.  Do Chicago cycling a favor and ignore John Kass.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Nedza on May 10, 2013 at 11:45am

Wow, where do you get my "righteous indignation"?  I simply asked him to have a discussion and invited him to ride a bike.    

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Permalink Reply by Mr. Ray Joe Hall on May 10, 2013 at 12:15pm

Don't take it personally.  I didn't see anywhere in your original post about just wanting to have discussion with him.  Haven't read any of the other posts.  But if the past reaction from many to his columns is an indication...

The thing about Kass is, he probably is a decent person (Ha!) but he doesn't give a rat's ass about common sense when it comes to his paycheck.  

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Permalink Reply by Vitaliy on May 10, 2013 at 3:04pm

I love John Kass! Ive done a few writing analysis projects on his articles; love his writing!

But I think he can get very sarcastic with serious topics. He could potentially spin the wrong thread.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 11, 2013 at 2:25am

Kass and the Trib have a staff watching where hits on that article come from and searching the 'net to see where he gets mentioned in discussions.  A multiple page thread all about John Kass and what he says is the desired result of his style of writing.  Everyone who participated in this thread, and to a even higher degree those who commented on his article or e-mailed him, you are a part of the problem.  Without a reaction to his work for him to fight against he has no story.  If he does not have two sides; one to rally against and one to support he has no subject matter. 

If you stop arguing with him in for bikes and stop commenting on his articles about bike laws he will stop writing them because they will not generate the strife gain the attention he needs to get paid for his words.

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