Innumerable were the little groups which had broken away from the larger ones to hold semi-private debate on matters which demanded calm consideration and the finer intellect. From the doctrine of the Trinity to the question of cabbage versus beef; from Neo-Malthusianism to the grievance of compulsory vaccination; not a subject which modernism has thrown out to the multitude but here received its sufficient mauling.
George Gissing - The Nether World (1889)
Gissing offers us fictional but familiar debates about the advantages of a veggie diet, Neo-Malthusian angst and compulsory vaccination - all taking place as recently as 1889. Even now in our world of online vacuity this is too familiar. Core anxieties of middle class politics haven't changed radically since Gissing’s day.
One which appears to have evolved is what Gissing calls Neo-Malthusianism. This one seems to have grown into something remarkably akin to a global political business. This not quite imaginary business is global Malthusian politics owned and managed by the higher social classes. Naturally it is a limited liability business for those classes, but unlimited liability for everyone else.
A fanciful notion perhaps, but it is worth allowing the imagination cast a different light on old issues. We could easily picture a world trending quite rapidly towards a monopolistic global political business. You buy our politics with your taxes or you do without those things we control. That means you do without everything.
A key feature of the Malthusian business is that its narratives are relentlessly driven by public relations, not information. In dutiful support of this trend, mainstream media headlines are more akin to political advertising than news.
A global political business may be a somewhat fanciful idea, but not entirely so. We are already familiar with official narratives and media output which are as informative as toothpaste ads but coy as to ingredients. The ingredients are in the small print you aren't supposed to read or understand.
A fanciful notion perhaps, but it is worth allowing the imagination cast a different light on old issues. We could easily picture a world trending quite rapidly towards a monopolistic global political business. You buy our politics with your taxes or you do without those things we control. That means you do without everything.
A key feature of the Malthusian business is that its narratives are relentlessly driven by public relations, not information. In dutiful support of this trend, mainstream media headlines are more akin to political advertising than news.
A global political business may be a somewhat fanciful idea, but not entirely so. We are already familiar with official narratives and media output which are as informative as toothpaste ads but coy as to ingredients. The ingredients are in the small print you aren't supposed to read or understand.
Exhibit 1.
Nick Clegg gets bigger role at Facebook owner Meta
Nick Clegg gets bigger role at Facebook owner Meta
There are many more exhibits of course. The trend is there and at the moment our destiny appears to be cabbage rather than beef.
7 comments:
If Clegg's involved the vegetable metaphors should be arriving thick and fast
See definition of clegg.
Basically a blood sucking bug that leaves you with irritating pain.
I've argued before that the EU was a New Hanseatic League - where politics was subordinated to the trading needs of the larger traders.
Well you could also extend that argument to most of the Western world and the position of the Silicon Valley mega corporations. "You buy our politics with your taxes [subscriptions, consumption of advertising] or you do without those things we control. That means you do without everything."
We either get controlled by politicians, or by corporations. For the time being, corporations are a better option for the consumer, because there is still choice over what we might use (Apple or Microsoft? McDonald's or KFC?) and they have a complaints department. That usually gets you nowhere, but there is not anything like that for the state.
The sanest situation is where the state does very little - defence, currency, justice, and basic welfare - but does it for all, no matter what. No hope of that in the UK.
If only.
"EU was a New Hanseatic League": if only.
Jannie - I wonder how Facebook shares will fare now?
Doonhamer - and isn't choosy about the blood.
DJ - I don't think the EU was ever intended to be that loose though.
Sam - yes it's the sanest solution but beyond their own remit bureaucracies aren't particularly sane.
Tammly and dearieme - indeed.
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