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11.10.16

Brexiters and Trumpeters and the future of Political Discourse

Ok I've just had a rant and I need to rant a bit more. I am sick of the impoverishment of this debate between the opposing sides on Brexit and the American election. It appears to me that a sneering arrogant response to the opposing view is nothing more than a sign of a mind, closed off to other points of view-a mind full of its own import and undeniable truth. If politics becomes simply a row then it becomes a slanging match-meaningless except to the twitterati and the facebookers - which media encourages the mindless sarcastic quip fronted by some partial video clip. Rather than a provocation to understanding the other it is a trumpet call to battle and slaughter. The whole point of democratic politics is to take account of the other-to respect and consider it with care and attention. And of course to attend to the texts that underpin the other viewpoint and not the mindless videoed soundbites that populate these social media spaces with their growling and negating.
The mass disavowal of Trump is classic. The man is merely a beacon for many Americans who feel dispossessed and hopeless and powerless at the change rolling down the tracks. For fuck's sake lets have some more understanding of that collegiate of ordinary people for whom Trump is their only hope rather than this relentless focus on the man's idiocies. The fact that he is the repository of their fears is a sign of the failure of democracy to take account of the marginalised. The same was true of Brexit. Lets stop focusing on Trump the man and let's start focusing on why so many ordinary people feel he may be the answer to their fears-likewise Brexit-and maybe we could leaven our caustic wit with some compassion while we're about it. I hate the mob-mentality and this social media shit seems to encourage it.
Blessings upon you- you frail and fuck-witted humans!

6.10.16