Most readers of this site (all six of you) will be as frustrated as I am with the circumstances which prevail in this country today. We have clear unambiguous national problems to solve but have no national leader to stand up and tell the nation what needs to be done about them. I have spent a lot of time trying to work out why no firebrand leader has appeared from the woodwork to steal a march on the spineless ineffectual head men of the main and not-so-main political parties. Where is the nasty party? Many, many people are utterly fed up with aspects of our country but there seems to be nobody who can capitalise on this for electoral gain.
Some people say that this is because politics is a stitch-up, that the political class do deals behind the scenes to ensure that their brand of mainstream fluffy liberal niceness prevails and that non-conforming views are excluded from debate. I think that is hogwash. Despite the flaws in our constitution, I see no way in which the “mainstreamists” could exclude a popular “extremist”. Even without the backing of money and organisation, a political outsider could sweep to success if the people were behind him/her.
No, the reason that the political debate is so stifled, so lacking in gonads, so totally incapable of presenting a coherent strategy for pulling Britain out of her mess is because the politicians are an almost perfect representation of their constituents. I have come to the conclusion that we have a pretty close to flawless democracy. The lack of political ambition to do anything about the nation’s gaping, glaring problems is a true reflection of the mainstream lack of the realisation that there are serious problems.
The median political opinion in Britain seems to be “meh”. So many people now live such insular, insulated lives that they don’t even realise the scale of the disasters facing the country. They spend their days actively ignoring what is going on outside their tiny patches of existence. Their houses are warm, their fridges are full, their cars have enough petrol to get to work and back. Crisis, what crisis?
Political pundits know what is going on, but the largest minority of public opinion does not know and does not want to know. They live in their bubbles of comfortable stupor and will not be roused by rhetoric or intellectual argument. The disconnect between those of us who bother to be aware of our surroundings and the politicians is caused by a kind of nationwide “I’m alright, Jack”. Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe it’s great that Britain is now so wealthy that a huge chunk of society can opt out of thinking about how the country is run.
But those of us with a bit more interest in how the universe fits together can see that the current path we are on is wholly unsustainable. The debt is impossibly large. Too many people depend for their comfort on the work of too few. Great undercurrents of dissatisfaction are just waiting to explode from the surface. These things can be tackled and could be tackled quite straightforwardly if the will was there. The will is not there. Cameron has not got it in him to address the fundamental problems with this country any more than Darling or Miliband or Balls has. A Cameron win will not set us on the road to national recovery, his government will be a tinkering, glossing, putting-off government. Whoever forms the next government will try and muddle through this crisis without even trying to tackle the underlying difficulties.
I don’t think that the British people will wake up and smell the coffee until they have had the winter duvet rudely torn away. It won’t be until the lights start to go out or the shelves start to empty that they will notice what has happened to their country. It won’t be until real, absolute poverty starts to become more widespread that they will realise that we have hit the buffers.
Which is why I can’t help wondering whether it might not be better if Gordon Brown wins the next election. Maybe the sooner we crash the sooner we can start to rebuild. Perhaps we all need to lose our shirts before sufficient numbers of people will open their eyes to see what has been done in their name. Before Britain can find in itself the energy it once had to push forward, I think we need a good big fall onto a very hard surface. The model needs to be tested to destruction before it can be banished for good.
Interesting post. I love the snow
I was enjoying the snow too, P. It’s the change in the weather that’s taken place that really matters. For instance it’s now so expensive to go to university lots have stopped considering it, but they’re hidden by the numbers kept up by those who can still afford it, getting out of their snow storm; and when people get to university the teaching is much less intensive and effective; and there aren’t many jobs or possibilities of specialisation courses when the first degree is finished. Not much chance of training while working either. People in serious debt before they even start. On Blue’s blog the snow will stop. Not going to stop snowing on life chances.
Agree with you completely, Hatters. The year after my MSc. they put it all over to coursework and many students couldn’t even speak english because the Uni got paid £6K for foreign students rather than £4K for Brits. Most of the people I graduated with went to work abroad. I noticed more respect in Germany, Austria and America than graduates get here. But here they have devalued degrees, wrecked manufacturing, funded illegal wars and as you say – introduced debt as a lifestyle for all. Tony Blair really should be taken to task for his crimes to humanity.
I’m sure that DFS is funded by the Government. The comfy sofa is what keeps the masses content and in their place.
DFS = Dole For Sitting.
Typical bigoted view.
I’ve noticed a recent exodus of bloggers too btw.
But who can tell the truth? Dave and George have a tiny hint at how hard its going to be and they start to shed votes by the % point load. So they now have to say whatever the others say and pretend that it will all be ok.
No one wants to hear it. Not home owners, nor BA cabin crew, nor politicians,postal workers or bankers.Everyone wants to carry on just as they are. So what can a realistic leader say to them?
It took the winter of discontent to change the mood last time. Labour were close in the polls up to Autumn 1978 despite everything.
The Thatcher government marked the end of the post war consensus politics that had preceded her. Are you ready for that type of divisive change BE?
“No one wants to hear it”
Err BQ that is exactly what I am saying!
“Are you ready for that type of divisive change BE?”
I don’t want to give up my comfortable life any more than anyone else does, but there is a big difference between being unwilling and being deliberately ignorant of the necessity.
couldn’t agree more – let the wheel fall off and let everyone see not only how bad it is but how bad it has been for so long wth so many people striving to keep everything going despite the best efforts of the communists/socialist/government arseholes to destroy the country.
MCM! Thought you might
What relief in Westminster to know Mr Apathy fares well.
I really must go Blue, the Vogon Christmas Poetry X Factor Show has just started.
I have some faith in the ability of the incoming cons to start putting things to rights but I have been planning for quite some time now against the consequences of potential dire problems ahead, I can only hope for the best but plan etc etc.
Don’t worry, Gordon’s portfolio of zombie banks will save us! That or ‘carbon’ trading.
[...] I’m expecting this state of affairs to continue more or less until Christmas, at which point I’m off to Norway for a few days. In the meanwhile UK’s situation continues to deteriorate – and nothing much is done about it. I was particularly struck by this post. [...]
I reckon you’ve hit the nail right on the head! As with most of this country’s probs, nobody is even slightly interested until they, themselves, are directly affected. And by then…………..
I wholeheartedly agree with you BE, there is a culture of “meh.”
But I’m also of the opinion that the ruling classes and the State are actively engaged in furthering this mindset, because as you point out, it means that they can do what they want with no fear of repercussion.
As you say, “so many people now live such insular, insulated lives that they don’t even realise the scale of the disasters facing the country. They spend their days actively ignoring what is going on outside their tiny patches of existence.”
We are all aware of the breakdown that has ccurred within people and communities in every sense, not just the commonly used racial and ethnic communities. There is a lack of care towards other individuals in society, we don’t really care about our neighbours anymore, we just walk on by.
And who is the beneficiary/cause of this? The ‘state.’ If there is a problem in the community, do you fix it yourself? Thanks to a raft of mind boggling local bureaucracy and confusing legislation-no. You’re probably breaking some law, or putting yourself in line to be sued if you do something, who do you turn to? The authorities. And if they can’t/won’t do something, what can you do about it. Complain? How much time do you have in your life to dedicate to this, to following it up? Hours and hours of phonecalls, letters, emails taking up your life, and for what end? Does anything really change? So you do nothing, and life goes on because you’re powerless to do anything about it. You’re cowed.
Anti-social behaviour? A clip round the ear from a neighbour or relative would have sorted it ourt years ago? Now? Illegal. Do it and get a prison record. The state has sought to replace the individual, and has done so successfully. Whether it is doing a good job is of no relevance.
So there is a culture of helplessness and an inability to act (if you actually care).
Combine this with a culture of people demanding money and rights without any responsibilities and you have a society that is too broken to act. The people that do care have their hands tied by the state and it’s regulations, while those that don’t care and what something for nothing are now dependant on the state.
It all adds up to the same thing-just walk on by and make sure you’re ok, because trying to get involved and ‘do something’ will amount to nothing but dead ends and a lot of wasted time.
Ted, I often wonder about this but I honestly don’t think that our “rulers” are that conspiratorial. I may be wrong. I would like to take this issue up but I’ve have a few “wines” so I better not right here right now.
O.K here is replying to Blue eyes re “conspiritorial rulers”.
You don’t think every bit of “security” law, since 11/09, or the fact that Britain along with many others have been led by the nose into TWO wars by “Oooohhhh PLEASE do THAT to me again George, sweetie!” Blair, has been a “conspiracy”?
If ONE M.P tells a newbie how to fiddle his claims form, THAT is a conspiracy.
They are ALL at it.
No, I think that the numpties who sit in the Commons feeling all self-righteous listen far too much to their leaders and whips. I don’t think they are all singing off some confirmed hymn sheet, I just think that too many of them are stupid or naive.
XX Bill Quango MP
15 December, 2009 at 7:14 pm
But who can tell the truth? Dave and George have a tiny hint at how hard its going to be and they start to shed votes by the % point load. XX
It is the “Daily Mail comments page” syndrome.
The truth in a comment is directly proportional to the amount of “red arrows” (or “dissaproval points) the post gets.
And that is Britain all over. You tell them they are shite, or their work, or “Government”, or ANYTHING, and either they hang you from a lamp post, or go running to report you for some kind of public order/discrimination “offence”.
They just HATE being told the truth.
Gah! Wouldn’t it be good if some political people said what they actually thought and hang the “polls”???
So what you’re saying is, apathy breeds apathy..?
Fight Apathy!
Or Don’t.
Whatever.
LOLA SNOW! Welcome.
Err…………………….
No.
Was that in reply to my post?
It would be rEALY helpful if people said WHICH post they were refering to.
Na. O.K see the problem “Reply” appears not to work. That was answering/asking Area Trace No Search.
Que? Check the “indents” mi amigo.
I DID. Thats why I posted the secon post in explanation. I do not know if it is the fault of my adding machine, or what, but for me, the “reply” either does not work, or does not show.
VS – or you could just decide to make clear to whom you are addressing your reply…
THIS time the bugger worked!
I blame “Opera”.
Yes, a strange form of music which has sent many quite quite mad.
Tchaa – money is just bits of paper or some electronic digits – time we ignored it. You can say X has a million pounds – not if nobody accepts it he doesnt. Its just a weirdly over amplified deified concept… very odd to see so many clever people upset about something that doesn’t really exist. We need a new reformation to end the worship of money.