The Political Bubble

Alright, we all know that certain people aren't engaged by politics. Standard responses to questions as to why they don't care are:

"It doesn't affect my life"

"Nothing ever changes"

and "It's all just about personal vendettas and dramas"

Interestingly, all these accusations could be levelled at Soap Operas which, apparently, these people are very switched on to. So much so that Leeds University believes that political discussion in soaps is the answer to our current disaffection.

New research from this august institution has indicated that what we need is more politics discussed in soap operas, which will allow people of all ages to become engaged and switched on to politics.

You will excuse me if I find this somewhat incredible. The fact is that we already have a number of ways of discussing politics in a meaninglessly populist fashion in (for example) the Sun which manages to fit trite political commentary in between pictures of women having sex with eachother. If this is not designed to appeal to the sort of people that modern politics is turning off, I don't know what is.

The fact is, there are any number of people down the pub that are willing to tell you that Tony Blair is a liar, that we shouldn't have invaded Iraq and that no-one cares about the little guy any more. Insofar as this goes, therefore, it could be considered that the majority of people are turned on to politics - merely not enough to vote.

To be frank, if people think that it doesn't matter who runs the country (although presumably not the liar Tony Blair), I can't see any reason for them to vote. If people are unaffected by the infringement on our liberties, vast public expenditure wastage and chronically bad services, I cannot see what would motivate them to vote, and what it is that that vote would indicate when it was cast.

Yes, I agree that politics should be made accessible to everyone, no matter how illiterate. However, as long as political parties do their best to allow their message to be understood, I hardly think that dumbing down is the answer. The process is currently highly self-selecting. If you don't care, you don't vote, you can't complain. If people are dumb enough to allow their wants to be subborned by the state, they deserve to have it so.

Flyers and the Free Market

I have just been out to lunch on Northumbria Street (it was very nice, thank you for asking) and have returned with an armful of flyers for bars, clubs, strip joints, bake sales… You name it – it has a flyer.

You would not believe how incredibly mad this makes me. Not only does it completely invade my personal space and interrupt my significant thoughts, it also inevitably leaves a trail of flyers on the ground to choke pigeons and hinder snails.

When, when will these people realise that their inane advertising gumf will never induce me to attend their bar/club/strip joint/bake sale. In fact, should I be looking for a drink/dance/cheap thrill/doily I would walk half way round the toon (as we call it) in order to find a different establishment from which to obtain them.

The simple answer is ‘never’. Of course, economic liberals will tell you that market forces will sort this sort of thing out and that all we need to do is vote with our feet and supply will inevitably follow demand. Let me tell you, economic liberals are living as much in cloud cuckoo land as socialists and people waiting for flairs to come back in.

The fact is that these big fat-cat club owners are lazy. Spaces in the town centre are limited and there aren’t enough venues to satisfy the alcoholics/ thrill-seekers/ sugar junkies of Newcastle. Therefore, all club owners really want from their managers are to see them doing something: so they trawl their meagre intellects, trying to find something original to do, can’t find anything and so plump for flyers.

Will I ever vote with my feet?

Possibly (although most likely not)

Will it make a blind bit of difference?

No, of course not. The fact is, these places are so full, they have no possible way of distinguishing increased demand and little incentive to try.

Oh, when will you liberals learn, monopolies are like civil services except less pretentious.