To a large extent the public arena is all about offering takeaway opinions as opposed to the much more troublesome pursuit of veracity. Veracity has become more of a specialist pursuit, not necessarily intended for public consumption.
At a personal level it is always possible for people to degrade the value of their personal veracity via the easy route of takeaway opinions. We see it all the time, people who have clearly adopted takeaway opinions and tacitly rejected the tedious task of pursuing veracity as their own route to a more personal viewpoint.
As we also know, opinions may be manipulated by partial veracity, or lying by omission as we usually call it. Opinions with gaps perhaps, but the point to be made is common enough and always worth making again. In the public arena, veracity has little intrinsic value to governing elites when compared to manipulated opinions.
Political parties favouring takeaway opinions over veracity have a major advantage over the few who make at least some attempt to raise the value of veracity. These latter political parties are bound to be branded as extreme in one way or another, as they must be if opinions are to be manipulated successfully by the others.
Commercial activities and the permanent administration behind government do have a use for veracity, but not usually for public consumption and not without those gaps. For the public it is takeaway opinions almost every time.
Selling takeaway opinions is the job of politicians, it’s what they are there for. The major political parties don't even try to hide it.
As we also know, opinions may be manipulated by partial veracity, or lying by omission as we usually call it. Opinions with gaps perhaps, but the point to be made is common enough and always worth making again. In the public arena, veracity has little intrinsic value to governing elites when compared to manipulated opinions.
Political parties favouring takeaway opinions over veracity have a major advantage over the few who make at least some attempt to raise the value of veracity. These latter political parties are bound to be branded as extreme in one way or another, as they must be if opinions are to be manipulated successfully by the others.
Commercial activities and the permanent administration behind government do have a use for veracity, but not usually for public consumption and not without those gaps. For the public it is takeaway opinions almost every time.
Selling takeaway opinions is the job of politicians, it’s what they are there for. The major political parties don't even try to hide it.
4 comments:
I'll have two number 9s, a number 9 large, a number 6 with extra dip, a number 7, two number 45s, one with cheese, and a large soda.
~ Big Smoke in Grand Theft Auto
It might be that purveying standardised opinions has become the main role of the political parties. Minority parties like the Greens and Lib Dems are certainly not selling anything else; they have no chance of power, yet insist on explaining what they think about Ukraine, Taiwan, and taxes on private equity companies. And it's increasingly obvious that the main parties are not selling a share of their power in office, because they can't achieve anything due to globalisation, The Blob, and their own incompetence. Furthermore, when they actually get into power, they are much more concerned with our opinions (thought-crimes and hate incidents) rather than real problems.
That's all they do. Articulate a range of ideas for the hard of thinking, and package them ready for parroting down the pub or for mulling over in times of idleness.
Must be why I don't buy any.
DJ - he sounds like a computer game character. I'll guess he's a takeaway fan.
Sam - yes the main parties are mass market outfits only interested in the same markets and the same opinions promoted by mass media. It would be a surprise if party machines see it in any other way in their internal discussions. It relies on a lack of discrimination by voters which probably explains why it's a reliable approach.
Tammly - we don't buy any either, it's not appealing.
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