Democracy Has Jumped The Shark

[poliphilo]

I am sick of reading political news and comment.

It used to be the first thing I did every morning after making breakfast. I'd call up my on-line Guardian and flick straight to Comment to find out what those clever folk in Lunnon were saying about smiley Mr Blair or grumpy Mr Brown.

I won't say I never do it any more, but the fun has gone out of it.

These characters bore me. It's like soap opera. The same stories keep coming round. The shark has been jumped.

And I begin to understand why 17 year olds, interviewed on the street, can't name the leader of the conservative party.

Politics used to be about ideology. That ended with the defeat of socialism. Now everyone's a little Englander and mildly racist and equally afraid of Rupert Murdoch.

The next election will be a contest between clones. It doesn't matter who wins because either way the product will be the same.

It's like All-Saints v the Spice Girls- only with ugly men in suits.

Comments

[sorenr.livejournal.com]

I look forward to the Danish election being over tomorrow evening. We're going to continue with this horrid government, but at least I won't have to consider, every single day, the stupity of my fellow Danes...

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

For your consideration, the Simpsons episode in which candidates Clinton and Dole were kidnapped by space aliens, who took on their appearance and went to the debate:

"Abortions for some, no abortions for others, and small flags for all!" they both said.

"And always twirling! twirling! towards freedom!"

The aliens told their audience that it really made no difference who they voted for, as the results would be the same.

[solar-diablo.livejournal.com]

I suspect much of the apathy the young feel here towards the political process is based on the same sentiment. Candidates all look the same, their platforms are different on at the surface, and the vicious bipartisan fighting gets tiresome. And this is just for the national election. Many can't be bothered with local politics, where they could effect the most significant change if they thought about it.

Took me a good five minutes to recognize where "jumped the shark" came from. Now I just feel old. :P

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I'd wager to say that seventy five percent of my college age group couldn't identify the U.S. Senate and House leaders. Wait a minute, who are they again?

[morrison-maiden.livejournal.com]

It's like All-Saints v the Spice Girls- only with ugly men in suits.

Hehe, you are so right.

I can relate to these kids. I mean, I'm over 17, but I know how and why I felt that politics were boring. It was always between two white men who wore dull suits and spewed lies like the little girl in the Exorcist spewed pea soupl. And I never know how to trust them. They all seem like liars. Some are just better liars than others.