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There's a powerful, powerful instinct for people to form their political opinions starting with emotion. One that I've recently observed is understandable, but truly pernicious—
"How can I best interpret the world so that I can maintain a positive attitude?"
"How can I best interpret the world so that I can maintain a positive attitude?"
Now, don't get me wrong—I'm an advocate of maintaining a positive attitude. I have equal disdain for the political opinion that emerges from—
"Unless politics is a desperate, enraging and hopeless struggle, I probably don't care enough about the world."
"Unless politics is a desperate, enraging and hopeless struggle, I probably don't care enough about the world."
My point is that we should look at observed reality first, and ways to maintain a positive outlook second.
Why should we have a positive outlook? Because righteous anger, doomed negativity and blind fury are not effective emotional states for sustaining effective resistance.
Why should we have a positive outlook? Because righteous anger, doomed negativity and blind fury are not effective emotional states for sustaining effective resistance.
Observed reality tells me that we have a regime that has handled the COVID19 crisis ineffectively.
It also suggests that it displays (at best) alarming casualness and (at worst) deep corruption, in secretive, unaccountable deployment of public money.
It also suggests that it displays (at best) alarming casualness and (at worst) deep corruption, in secretive, unaccountable deployment of public money.
Further, observed reality suggests this regime has scant regard for honesty and fair play in elections, no realistic, formed plan for future UK trade and foreign relations, and has engineered to develop and negotiate them in secret. I infer this opens up scope for corruption.
This is alarming, frustrating, and makes me angry.
How can I maintain a positive outlook, without denying the observed facts?
One thing that gives me hope is the facts. The UK has now suffered more COVID19 deaths than the whole of the EU.
How can mass death give hope?
How can I maintain a positive outlook, without denying the observed facts?
One thing that gives me hope is the facts. The UK has now suffered more COVID19 deaths than the whole of the EU.
How can mass death give hope?
While it is truly tragic, it is also undeniable proof that the regime is ineffective in governance.
I predict that its future trade and foreign relations policies will be similarly factually ineffective, leading to acute crises, ongoing supply shortages and national decline.
I predict that its future trade and foreign relations policies will be similarly factually ineffective, leading to acute crises, ongoing supply shortages and national decline.
That this regime's central, defining policy is proving to be a hopelessly unnavigable mire is a gift.
Were a secretive, corrupt and authoritarian regime to take over, yet its policies be so diabolically cunning that the nation thrived, democracy would be in even bigger trouble!
Were a secretive, corrupt and authoritarian regime to take over, yet its policies be so diabolically cunning that the nation thrived, democracy would be in even bigger trouble!
