Author Speaks Sense

"Society is, always has been and always will be a structure for the exploitation and oppression of the majority through systems of political force dictated by an élite, enforced by thugs, uniformed or not, and upheld by a willful ignorance and stupidity on the part of the very majority whom the system oppresses." ~ Richard Morgan


(Thanks to Jim B for sending me the quote)

Governmental Infallibility

"La, la, la, not listening..."

Democracy is all about listening to other people's opinions, right? Respecting them even if we disagree and all that, ye? Getting a vote and a say in things.

If the above is true then democratic governments need to be open to criticism if nothing else. Not necessarily my kind of criticism agreed, but you would at least expect them to be able to take some pointers from a guy who ran a government watchdog for ten years? Wouldn't you?

Apparently not.

Sir Jonathon Porritt gave the government a well-deserved kicking as he left office. He ran the Sustainable Development Commission so has, I suspect, a pretty good idea of parliament machinations and departmental in-fighting.

The main thrust of his attack was, unsurprisingly, that this government has put consumer-driven economic growth before all else and has utterly failed to meet many of it's own targets, particularly on child poverty and fuel poverty, while wasting billions in Iraq and Afghanistan. While none of this is breaking news the fact that this guy said it is. It required a response.

And what did it get?

The usual blah, blah, blah quoting percentages and targets and figures from some Energy Department flunky. It is always the same: deflect the criticism with statistics. Divert attention away from the 'bad things' by quoting some chart which shows some 'good things' (the old adage about "lies, damned lies and stastistics" notwithstanding).

And here's my point.

Time and again various government 'watchdogs' (sheesh) advise them on policy and time and again the government steamrollers them with numbers or just plain ignores them. Surely when a government ceases to listen even to it's own appointed critics, never mind the voting populace, then it can hardly be called a 'democracy'?

Size Of An iPod 2

Voices Of Sanity

It is always disappointing, as a Blogger, when some anonymous or other leaves a comment clearly in disagreement with my own point of view, receives a lengthy response and then fails to follow it up.

In this case I gave 'anon' two responses and the choice of responding to either or both - I clearly hadn't considered the option of a complete lack of response which was a bit remiss. One was rude in a similar manner to the original comment and the second was more considered. I had hoped to enjoy a healthy debate but sadly, no. Surely if blogging is about anything then it has to be at least partially two-way? Otherwise it boils down to me spouting off with nobody challenging or asking questions or even vaguely participating.

Anyway, in the first response I directed 'anon' to a blog called 'spEak You're bRanes' (which I must have highlighted before but can't recall) as they had suggested, if I like socialism so much, that I go and live in North Korea. Pointing out the similarity of that statement and the URL of spEak You're bRanes - ifyoulikeitsomuchwhydontyougolivethere.com - was too good an opportunity to miss. The blog exists purely to extract the maximum amount of urine from those deluded souls who populate the crowded, yet lonely and desolate, (cyber)space that is the BBC's Have Your Say message boards and I felt, perhaps harshly, that 'anon' would be right at home there.

Now spEak You're bRanes is good but to really get down and dirty with the committed HYS'ers, you have to tap into the source direct. For an excruciating high you need an injection of pure blended hatred, bile, racism and xenophobia coursing through your synapses. I find that if you then top this heady mix with a joint comprising the odd voice of sanity amidst the anger then it takes the edge off a little. So unzip your belt and get it round your arm, start tapping those veins (or the keyboard will do) and prepare for your first hit. Todays special: 'Is the government doing enough to cut knife crime?' This one's on the house but if you need anymore, you know where to come and who to ask for...

Hot Air

Surely one of the most irritating facets of modern life is the overwhelming preponderance of "business speak" creeping into every corner. It's the underlying, with the emphasis on lying, ethos of the market made flesh. This carefully constructed language mirrors the (capitalist) system that gave birth to it and is filled accordingly with empty promises and delusional contradictions.

It's your manager asking you, just like he did 18 months ago, how we could "do things better round here" and you replying that he could implement the changes you suggested 18 months ago, knowing that in another 18 months you will hear exactly the same question again. It's hearing "our people are our greatest asset" while seeing wages slashed and jobs offshored (to a cheaper labour supply). It's all about your choices whether it is the NHS with their compare hospitals widget ("hmm, now, which A&E shall I attend for my slashed wrists?") or choosing your child's school from a league table (guess what, the 'good' ones get booked up fast!). It's the triumph of presentation over substance - from politician's promises to their crooked expenses, from the oversized wrapper protecting the undersized contents to the beautiful people billboard looming over a run down inner city.

And so it should be entirely predictable then that less than a week after environment secretary Ed Miliband fluffed his way through an ongoing commitment to wind energy, we see the occupation of the Vestas factory on the Isle of Wight by the workers. This factory makes wind turbines but was due to close this month, despite Ed's 'commitment' to renewable energy sources, with the owners citing "a lack of political initiatives". Around 500 jobs would be lost thanks to the nonsensical capitalist system, with those workers joining the ever lengthening queues wandering aimlessly along the never-ending path to Ed's prophesied 'green revolution' and those mystical 1.2m jobs that it will create. Aaah, wage-slavery Nirvana.

Zig Zag May 1984 - Dead Can Dance, Dead Man's Shadow, Dormannu, Sunglasses After Dark & Si Ord

500th Post

My union are campaigning at my work.

As part of that campaign I wrote to my MP requesting he write, in support, to the company bosses expressing his concerns.

He did.

The second letter I received from my MP indicated he had sent a copy of my letter to the company, along with his own presumably, and enclosed their reply.

The companies reply referred to my letter, my name and parts of our campaign.

I wasn't impressed.

For all I know, the company CEO plays golf with my MP of a Sunday afternoon...

"Did you get that letter I sent from that Bolshy union rep?"
"Yes, I did. Thanks. I'll sort him out."
"Goodo. Fore!"

Then I just thought I was being paranoid.

Anarchy

Anarchy

Ever reviled, accursed, ne'er understood,
Thou art the grisly terror of our age.
"Wreck of all order," cry the multitude,
"Art thou, and war and murder's endless rage."
O, let them cry. To them that ne'er have striven
The truth that lies behind a word to find,
To them the word's right meaning was not given.
They shall continue blind among the blind.
But thou, O word, so clear, so strong, so pure,
Thou sayest all which I for goal have taken.
I give thee to the future! Thine secure
When each at least unto himself shall waken.
Comes it in sunshine? In the tempest's thrill?
I cannot tell - but it the earth shall see!
I am an Anarchist! Wherefore I will
Not rule, and also ruled I will not be!

John Henry Mackay

Can't Keep It In

I sometimes wonder at the indefatigable resilience shown by those workers who, no matter how many times they get kicked in the balls by their employer, persist in their 'I'm-alright-Jack-the company-will-look-after-me' attitude. Irrespective of the number of management knives sticking out of these guys backs as they wander around the place, they still see the Union as the troublemakers.

You can see their glazed over expressions reflected in their monitors as they swallow the latest company mail about cost cutting or managerial to-ings and fro-ings....

"Oh, what's this? The companies doing rather well. That is good news. I hope it's reflected in my pay rise."

Some weeks later...

"What have we here then? The company has instigated a pay freeze across the board due to the current economic downturn. Well, I'm sure they had to do it. For the good of all of us."

Some weeks later...

"Another company mail. Now, what's this one about? The expenses policy has changed. I can now work a 13 hour day with approx 6 hours of travel included and not expect any additional payments. Well, that won't affect me as I don't have to go to sites."

Some more weeks later...

"Let's see. The company want to close the final salary pension scheme. Those union troublemakers say it is effectively a 20% pay cut, what do they know? The company wouldn't do it if they didn't have to. At least I still have a job."

You get the gist...

"Some of my team are being made redundant? I'm sure its probably best for all concerned. I just hope they don't go to the union and make trouble for the rest of us."

(In order for me to achieve maximum Get This Off My Chest benefit, you need to imagine my voice rising to a crescendo for this rant please)

Huh? What planet are you on? It isn't the union imposing a pay freeze despite healthy profits. It isn't the union fucking up your expenses policy to your detriment. It isn't the union closing your pension scheme because it can't be bothered to keep up with the payments and it most certainly fucking isn't the union making anyone redundant!

Twat.

Statement Of Fact 4

Zig Zag Jan 1984 - The The, Bruce Foxton & The Prisoners