Reflecting on my recent Punks Craving People Power post, and the political events of the last few days, I got to thinking (again)… How is any of this constant political posturing benefiting the people?
The easy simple answer is… it really isn’t. But neither is it helpful for all those businesses and services who are trying to plan for their future, and (in some respects) ours.
Political Posturing
Listening to all the viewpoints, on both sides of this now shambolic #Brexit debate and, irrespective of any of the passionate (ingrained) views and expectations held by so many, most people are absolutely sick to the back teeth of all this polarised opinionated head-butting.
Not only is the country drowning in the excrement of chaotic political diarrhea but also, the electorate is smelling the nasty pong of party political self-indulgence. A noxious odour that is strengthened by the sanctimonious self-promotion of ‘experts’ media commentators. I can’t imagine that any body, who cares or understands any of this, won’t be bordering on incandescence in this debacle.
Even when you get a non emotive #Brexit conversation, which doesn’t happen very often, there are still people who are incapable of adequately articulating their views an position (politically or socially) – on both sides of the debate.
Hardly surprising, especially when you consider the fact; so many of the ‘experts’ still can’t get their heads around what the fuck is going on with all this #Brexit Bollocks.
People Power (aka Mob Rule)
This is all worrying, from a ‘People Power’ perspective. So many who have ‘strong’ opinions, have developed them under storm clouds of media induced groupthink. Many have also arrived at ‘their’ viewpoints from personal perspectives, ones that rarely have much to do with what might be best for the country, or indeed the people that live in it. You could observe… that’s not very different from the politicians, is it?
A dog can learn far more from sniffing a pile of shite than humans can from reading the Daily Mail (unknown)
The term ‘best’ is a subjective adjective, one that is based upon individual desires and expectations however; when applied to the #Brexit process, it’s still mostly guesswork on the part of so many. But a lot of the sanctimonious clap-trap that’s constantly spouted by ‘expert commentators’ is little better than the political diatribe we have to endure from those in parliament. And again, a lot of which comes from inherent opinionated self-promotion.
One comment about the debate, which I found a little offensive recently went along the lines of; “shut-up, the older you get the increasingly irrelevant you’re opinion is!” Despite the fact the comment was aimed at Piers Morgan, which could make it OK (at least in part), I also think the tone is also indicative of many of the issues we are facing.
The big problem with the concept of People Power is too often; it develops into little more than mob-rule, it gets hijacked by political extremism and goes on to deliver perverse outcomes – irrespective of any valid and important social considerations within its foundations.
The current epidemic pockets of public hysteria may well be little more than fads of collective behaviour. Particular social groupings have a tendency to enthusiastically follow a socially formed impulse for a finite period, it’s often a generational thing. Yes, today’s overt trends for ‘action’ may have found their roots in a new collective consciousness however; I’m not yet convinced this bandwagon of mostly populism and crowd psychology is much more than a craze.
History is littered with well-meaning political calls to action that either didn’t end well or, failed to deliver what they actually set out to achieve. Ochlocracy, or government by the populace, may be the political ideal for some but, as with so much fickle mob-rule (mobile vulgus) in the past, their raison d’être is usually subject to change over time.
Today’s rebellious political discourse, underpinning current social movement, is based upon fallacious justification of beliefs formed within a widespread acceptance of Argumentum ad populum.
The Woodstock Weekend
So, “one of the biggest protests in British history” – perhaps. That said and as a people, we’re not really known for our our passionate social radicalism, unlike the French. From that perspective alone, I can’t honestly see real change taking place in our political structures moving forward.
We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. Albert Einstein
Perhaps what we really need now is an organic Adhocracy?
Robert Peston said this was “Extraordinary” but, like many others I expect, I also find it to be equally as worrying. Especially when you hear the creator of the petition is receiving ‘death threats for having a political opinion (see here).
And the last word goes to…
Dave's Bankside Babble 