Comments on: Politics as usual must stop http://deadrobotssociety.com/2009/02/15/politics-as-usual/ Writers on Writing Fri, 18 May 2012 19:11:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Evangeline http://deadrobotssociety.com/2009/02/15/politics-as-usual/comment-page-1/#comment-911 Evangeline Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:44:39 +0000 http://deadrobotssociety.com/?p=667#comment-911 You know what Terry, I may have said you're a bit dogmatic at times, but that's not to say I don't ever agree with you! In this matter, I definitely do. Don't think that this issue is limited to US politics though - we're experiencing it on my side of the world, and it's rampant in the UK as well. (And I can only assume there are other democracies around the world suffering from it). Such intense applications of partisanship from 'the top down' sends the message that this type of behaviour and adversarial attitude is acceptable, even desirable. And it starts to permeate more than just politics - workplaces succumb, culture wars are ignited (once again!) and blatant intolerance becomes acceptable on a broad scale. For the past 12 years in AUS we suffered from exteme partisanship - it really was 'you're either with us, or against us'. We also have 'left wing' and 'right wing' mainstream media and they definitely push certain types of ideological barrows. But as far as political essays and other forms of writing goes, (here) we're starting to see a slow, tentative shift back to a more egalitarian view, which is a positive thing. One can only hope that this is a reflection of a general understanding among the people that 'black and white'/ 'it's my way or the highway' opinions are not productive. This hasn't, however, been reflected in our parliament, which is as adversarial and as full of bull as it's always been. But maybe, like you say Terry, this is the impetus for change and our respective governments will eventually become representative of the people, as they were originally intended to be. The other issue here to consider is that what affects the US economy, or the UK economy, or the German, Japanese and Chinese economies, affects us all. If the US doesn't sort out its worries, then the rest of the world will take longer to recover - ditto for all the other major players. We all around the world have a vested interest in the failure of those who employ zealot-like partisanship tactics, and the success of those who want to work together to fix this giant mess! You know what Terry, I may have said you’re a bit dogmatic at times, but that’s not to say I don’t ever agree with you! In this matter, I definitely do. Don’t think that this issue is limited to US politics though – we’re experiencing it on my side of the world, and it’s rampant in the UK as well. (And I can only assume there are other democracies around the world suffering from it). Such intense applications of partisanship from ‘the top down’ sends the message that this type of behaviour and adversarial attitude is acceptable, even desirable. And it starts to permeate more than just politics – workplaces succumb, culture wars are ignited (once again!) and blatant intolerance becomes acceptable on a broad scale. For the past 12 years in AUS we suffered from exteme partisanship – it really was ‘you’re either with us, or against us’.
We also have ‘left wing’ and ‘right wing’ mainstream media and they definitely push certain types of ideological barrows. But as far as political essays and other forms of writing goes, (here) we’re starting to see a slow, tentative shift back to a more egalitarian view, which is a positive thing. One can only hope that this is a reflection of a general understanding among the people that ‘black and white’/ ‘it’s my way or the highway’ opinions are not productive. This hasn’t, however, been reflected in our parliament, which is as adversarial and as full of bull as it’s always been. But maybe, like you say Terry, this is the impetus for change and our respective governments will eventually become representative of the people, as they were originally intended to be.
The other issue here to consider is that what affects the US economy, or the UK economy, or the German, Japanese and Chinese economies, affects us all. If the US doesn’t sort out its worries, then the rest of the world will take longer to recover – ditto for all the other major players. We all around the world have a vested interest in the failure of those who employ zealot-like partisanship tactics, and the success of those who want to work together to fix this giant mess!

]]> By: LiquidWeird http://deadrobotssociety.com/2009/02/15/politics-as-usual/comment-page-1/#comment-906 LiquidWeird Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:31:15 +0000 http://deadrobotssociety.com/?p=667#comment-906 hear hear. The news networks have thier bias, but remember their motive isn't reporting, it's advertising revenue. Sensationalism and divisive rhetoric and red-faced pundits screaming at each other and throwing around vitriolic invectives draws viewers and viewers mean ad revenue. The media does not have the public interest at heart, they have a profit motive. It's entertainment, and Bill O"Reiley and Lou Dobbs both are quite entertaining for their loyal viewers. Honest, impartial, information-based journalism is not what drives profits, sensationalism is. As long as people's political views are shaped by entertainers in suits, this problem will only worsen. hear hear.

The news networks have thier bias, but remember their motive isn’t reporting, it’s advertising revenue. Sensationalism and divisive rhetoric and red-faced pundits screaming at each other and throwing around vitriolic invectives draws viewers and viewers mean ad revenue.

The media does not have the public interest at heart, they have a profit motive. It’s entertainment, and Bill O”Reiley and Lou Dobbs both are quite entertaining for their loyal viewers. Honest, impartial, information-based journalism is not what drives profits, sensationalism is. As long as people’s political views are shaped by entertainers in suits, this problem will only worsen.

]]> By: Joe Roberts http://deadrobotssociety.com/2009/02/15/politics-as-usual/comment-page-1/#comment-900 Joe Roberts Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:44:30 +0000 http://deadrobotssociety.com/?p=667#comment-900 Well said, Terry. I didn't vote for Mr. Obama, and I don't like his stand on my pet topics of gun control and abortion. However, there are more urgent issues out there - stabilizing the economy, dealing with the war in the Middle East, just to name two - that must be dealt with. I have no intention of jostling the president's elbow while he gets on with his job and deals with these issues. JR Well said, Terry. I didn’t vote for Mr. Obama, and I don’t like his stand on my pet topics of gun control and abortion. However, there are more urgent issues out there – stabilizing the economy, dealing with the war in the Middle East, just to name two – that must be dealt with. I have no intention of jostling the president’s elbow while he gets on with his job and deals with these issues.

JR

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