It is to state the obvious that politicians and their party apparatchiks are practiced manipulators. They target their demographic, employ experts to craft messages to that demographic and, sadly, seem to expend a disproportionate amount of time on the art of politicking at the expense of true democratic representation. Managing optics, not formulating principled policy, has become the raison d'être for far too many.
Combine this with an increasingly credulous and partisan populace, and you have a recipe for a decidedly unhealthy democracy. It is one in which increasing numbers of voters are forsaking critical thinking and the kind of challenge and critical analysis offered by traditional media for the much easier task of cheering on their favourite 'team' while embracing the animus directed at their opponents, skillfully cultivated by hired talent who see politics as a game to be strategized, with nary a thought for the public good. There are only Winners and Losers in this world of black and white, and the biggest loser is, of course, democracy's health and vitality.
Start at the seven-minute mark of the following news report, and you will see that the base art of manipulation is alive and well in Canada.
.. thanks.. tho a dispiriting topic to say the least..
ReplyDeleteDoes connect to other recent posts.. such as Mound's re fascist 'technique' versus actual ideology. There was another recent post.. not sure from whom, which discussed relationship of information & truth - to democracy. Thus attacking, diffusing or muddling truth with disinformation is a favored strategy. Paul Godfrey of PostMedia is a willing enabler of this & has also ensured the Sun rags are bastions of partisan 'opinion'.
I have been quite abrasive re the practice of evading & weakening mainstream media by spoon feeding them only select tidbits from closed session events & 'broadcasting' slanted documentary via social media.. Stephen Harper was a classic 'fail' at this with his ludicrous 24/7 adventures.. but that was a trap, produced dirtbag cheap at approx zero cost to lure & deter the other parties into attacking cost.. Deary me, could they not perceive what mindless chaff it was ?
The favored strategy will still remain - to eliminate votes, discourage opposition voters, by any means of course. The GOP has written the bible on this.. and the ReformaTorys, so called Conservatives embrace every nuance, every scam, every electoral finesse glommed from the GOP. Live & robo call barrages, black ops, gerrymandering, selective riding attacks, vote moving, mysterious scrutineers who only speak certain languages at voting stations, then disappear into the night.
We are seeing guerrila strategies to counter this stuff. But hearing that MP Leona Alleslev suddenly embrace Andrew Scheer's 'values' is a classic example of contemporary 'public service' - She now claims overwhelming support from her riding electorate.. suggesting a majority of constituents suddenly swung pro life, pro guns, pro resource stripping & pollution and now favors Rob Ford's archaic sex ed ideology. And we have the private packaged 'newfs' to thank for the enlightening understanding of this wondrous political evolution
It seems, Sal, that our politcos have abandoned all pretense of leading and inspiring. By playing to their base, they are confirming the cynical suspicion that political life is one of the last bastions of scoundrels.
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