Friday, 17 November 2006
"A shrill discourse of demands"
We are, it seems, the problem, not the solution:
Tony Blair's outgoing chief strategy adviser fears the internet could be fuelling a "crisis" in the relationship between politicians and voters.
"At a time at which we need a richer relationship between politicians and citizens than we have ever had, to confront the shared challenges we face, arguably we have a more impoverished relationship between politicians and citizens than we have ever had. It seems to me this is something which is worth calling a crisis."
The internet, he told the conference, was part of that "crisis". "The internet has immense potential but we face a real problem if the main way in which that potential expresses itself is through allowing citizens to participate in a shrill discourse of demands. If you look at the way in which citizens are using technology and the way that is growing up, there are worrying signs that that is the case.
"What is the big breakthrough, in terms of politics, on the web in the last few years? It's basically blogs which are, generally speaking, hostile and, generally speaking, basically see their job as every day exposing how venal, stupid, mendacious politicians are."
Yup.
There's no doubt that blogs such as this one (though I'm sure I fall well below Mr Taylor's radar) can be "shrill" and "hostile" a lot of the time; simply put, I don't regard it as my job to be constructive. Maybe I should. But if we believe our politicians to be venal, stupid and mendacious, it is because we are fed a daily diet of evidence that this is so. I think there is, indeed, a debate to be had about the role of blogs in public life; but as I am about to jump on a train to Glasgow to go to, well, a debate, it will have to be left to others to explore, for the time being at least.
It is instructive, though, that Tony Blair's strategy adviser chooses to focus on the shortcomings of the public rather than his own boss, recalling the old maxim of Brecht's about dissolving the people and electing another in their place. The reason people like me feel rage is not because we are "demanding", but almost exactly the opposite; we want to stop government from interfering with our lives and are infuriated at the slow creep of the public into that which we feel should be private.
I demand very little of Tony Blair, actually; restrict your scope of activity to a few things, and do those things better. I'm not asking you to set up a centralised DNA database, or NHS database, or identity database, or children's database, or screen boyfriends for past convictions, or stop us all from drinking/eating/smoking ourselves to death. These things are none of your business, and I hereby absolve you from any responsibility for my impending cardiac arrest and gruesome death. Leave me alone. If you choose, instead, to expand government's competencies in reaction to every tabloid scare story and departmental request for more powers, and nanny people in every area of their behaviour and actions, you must expect the brickbats when government fucks things up. As it inevitably will.
Blogs are merely loudspeakers through which ordinary people voice their frustrations with the way they are governed. And those who choose to sit at a keyboard to air those views are actually a more representative sample than you might think. If you're going to be tough on shrill, be tough on the causes of shrill, too.
Comments:
<< Home
When I read Matthew Taylor's comments, I almost - almost - laughed. How is it possible that someone who clearly MUST be intelligent on some level or other - intelligent enough to dress and feed himself and to intelligent enough to keep a job down - can have the situation so utterly arse-about-face?
Bloggers are the symptom of a fundamental failure of the system, not the cause. In the last 18 months I (and just about everyone I speak to it seems) have been filled to bursting with a seething hatred of the foul duplicity of that smug bunch of warty cock-ends that make up the governing classes.
I'm angry enough to read about it every day, just on the off chance that I'm not actually angry enough and need some more anger.
This sad little twat Taylor tells us all we need to know about the world in which these people dwell.
Righteous anger is too good for these people. They need burning. It's about time we had a good riot.
Bloggers are the symptom of a fundamental failure of the system, not the cause. In the last 18 months I (and just about everyone I speak to it seems) have been filled to bursting with a seething hatred of the foul duplicity of that smug bunch of warty cock-ends that make up the governing classes.
I'm angry enough to read about it every day, just on the off chance that I'm not actually angry enough and need some more anger.
This sad little twat Taylor tells us all we need to know about the world in which these people dwell.
Righteous anger is too good for these people. They need burning. It's about time we had a good riot.
"..allowing citizens to participate in a shrill discourse of demands..."
Well! Fancy allowing citizens to do anything not approved of by politicians....! Where will this lead....?
Well! Fancy allowing citizens to do anything not approved of by politicians....! Where will this lead....?
Hmmmm.... and scandal after scandal, whether under the Tories, Labour or even Lib Dems has nothing to do with the public's contempt for politicians?..
As Yates of the Yard closes in on Mr Taylor's ex-boss, no wonder he's looking for scapegoats. Just as well Angus Brendan MacNeil, the Western Isles MP, exposed the corrupt parliamentary systems that is turning the Mother of all Parliaments into the Whore of all Democracies!
As Yates of the Yard closes in on Mr Taylor's ex-boss, no wonder he's looking for scapegoats. Just as well Angus Brendan MacNeil, the Western Isles MP, exposed the corrupt parliamentary systems that is turning the Mother of all Parliaments into the Whore of all Democracies!
Look on the bright side; it shows we (the Queen's subjects) are winning and they (the Queen's government) are rattled.
Good article I like your idea that as the competency of the state expands so too does the failure of governments. There is some interesting stuff in Hayek as well about the bigger the state, the less democratic it is.
Actually, I like to devote quite a large portion of my blog to showing how venal, stupid, mendacious NuLabour politicians are. The cunts.
I really hate those fucking cunts.
maybe when we start gutting them on westminster bridge they'll get the fucking message
maybe when we start gutting them on westminster bridge they'll get the fucking message
Bloggers only have the ability to influence and shape opinion. Politicians have responsibility and accountability to govern. This mans opinion is entirely egg before the chicken. Nothing like blaming the little chicken who wont lay for the failure of the chicken farm.
Bloggers are the symptom of a fundamental failure of the system, not the cause.
I started Blogging because I was tired of shouting at the TV, and my wife was bored of listening to me rant. To my delight, I found a body of like minded folk.
If politicians were ever to become wise paragons of virtue, I am sure that Blogging would completely disappear.
Post a Comment
I started Blogging because I was tired of shouting at the TV, and my wife was bored of listening to me rant. To my delight, I found a body of like minded folk.
If politicians were ever to become wise paragons of virtue, I am sure that Blogging would completely disappear.
<< Home
