“I think we have the balance right”. If a politician says this, it means “this is as far as the focus group…
“I think we have the balance right”. If a politician says this, it means “this is as far as the focus group polling and party donors will allow us to go.”
Two things will prevent action on Covid, climate change or anything else. /1
1) The ‘economy’ won’t allow it. The economy is a set of indicators deliberately invented to favour existing wealth and privilege. If you doubt that, give an example of one important thing that needs doing, which the economy will actually allow.
/2
2) Elections, popularity. No modern politician will do anything that damages their popularity and thereby votes. This is perfectly rational behaviour, the problem is the system itself. Making popularity the gatekeeper to ultimate power. /3
You can make anything popular. It’s called good marketing. The people with the most money will be able to do the best and most marketing. So they will win the most votes, and therefore have the most power. This is where 1) meets 2). /4
Those with the most wealth will fund the electoral popularity contests, to ensure they also gain political power. This includes the framing of ‘the economy’, which will ensure their interests are looked after even when no election is due, and even when their team loses. /5
Like I’ve Tweeted a lot, we’ll get nowhere until that loophole in democracy is closed - elections. It’s the way wealth and influence games the entire system. Select leaders at random, and remember politicians don’t ‘run’ countries. Tens of thousands of skilled officials do. /6
This is all so obvious, that all that keeps the whole stupid thing going is that we actually LOVE popularity games. It’s high school carried into adult life. It’s why people won’t give up social media, even though it’s a wrecking ball through societies. They love the likes. /7
It’s social heroin. They also love being connected, but don’t stop to wonder why the only way to do that in an economy is now platforms, owned by the people who own the economy. Popularity is our poison. Public policy has been replaced with what’s ‘trending’. /end