@thebartermyth
@hexbear.nethttps://redsails.org/water-droplets-drilling-through-rock/
I like this extended metaphor and it's pretty easy to use both in and out of context
Uh actually this is a scheduled medication, so I'll need to meet you in person and cough directly into your face for half an hour. And if you ask me to mask I'll diagnose GAD. Being physically in the same space as you makes sure I can monitor for any suspicious fidgeting which could indicate drug-seeking behavior, a thing that is definitely not made up by insurance companies and the DEA.
Terrifying and irrational state enemies are evil-y mustering their forces... Anyway, that's why the highest levels of our government secretly formed a plan to literally nuke their countries.
Perfect framing, thank you
Mallory Stewart, the assistant secretary for arms control, deterrence and stability at the State Department, said in an interview that the Chinese government is “actively preventing us from having conversations about the risks.” Instead, she said, Beijing “seems to be taking a page out of Russia’s playbook that, until we address tensions and challenges in our bilateral relationship, they will choose not to continue our arms control, risk reduction, and nonproliferation conversations.”
Gee, no clue why they wouldn't play ball.
deeply unserious
The balancing act of capitulating on the little things so that they can achieve some important thing breaks down with the realization that the important thing is "people in power ask for my opinion".