By Kyran O’Dwyer
WTF?
There was a yarn I heard some years ago about a fellow listening to the morning news. The ‘lead’ item was about a car travelling the wrong way on a freeway. Knowing that his friend was going to be on that freeway that morning, he called the mobile and said to his friend “Mate, you’d better be careful. There is some idiot driving the wrong way on the freeway.”
A few seconds elapsed and all he could hear was his friend yelling profanities, with background noises of tyres screeching and horns blaring. His friend eventually responded, somewhat breathlessly, “One idiot? There’s fucking thousands of them.”
I recalled the yarn after reading Mr Lord’s article, “Day to Day Politics: Will someone please fix this?” In that article, he makes reference to ‘trust’ and ‘democracy’, amongst other values and aspirations. The article troubled me for a reason that didn’t become clear immediately. It took me quite some time to work out that, in the article, there was an implied interdependence on ‘democracy’ and ‘politics’, both of which are underwritten by trust and validated by truth, apparently to lesser degrees.
As a cynic of some vintage, it took me quite some time to work out that ‘politics’ is what ‘politicians’ do to ensure they remain privileged and protected, all the while hiding behind any criticism with the blanket disclaimer “This is democracy in action.”
It took me even longer to work out the other bit that troubled me. It was the heading. I’ll get back to that.
So, I reflected a little more on the yarn. In our brave new world, there would have been helicopters launched within minutes of the incident being reported. There would be live footage of ‘the idiot’ and the carnage surrounding the idiocy. There would be wild speculation about the idiot’s identity, colour, ethnicity, motivation, background, religion, intent, etc. And it would be a relentless frenzy.
All the while concentrating on the idiot and ignoring the fact the idiot was going the wrong way, ignoring the masses going the right way.
Without wanting to sound too simplistic, our politicians are idiots. They are the ones going the wrong way, dazzled by oncoming headlights and media attention, delusions of relevance, all the while ignoring the oncoming traffic. After all, they only have to take that punt every few years.
The political reality in Australia is that you can pick Liberal or Labor every few years. Of course there are minor parties and independents, if you wish to make a protest vote. Or you can ‘not vote’. In any event, it becomes the voters fault. The paucity of options is, apparently, no excuse for not participating.
Isn’t our reality that we live in a ‘politocracy’ (it’s not a word, it’s a board game. Google it, you’ll get my drift) rather than a democracy?
Our democracy is not broken, but it is in need of a hand. Imagine if the Australian Electoral Commission had the conduct of our system? They could canvass the planet for the best voting system, impose the rules to which our elected representatives would abide and ruthlessly enforce those rules.
Of course, that’s fanciful. Under our current system, our politicians would need to propose such an idea. It’s a bit like the notion of ‘ICAC’. It’s not in their interests. They’ll just keep ducking and weaving the oncoming traffic.
It’s a bit like climate change. Most people in Australia may not know the science, but accept that it is real and it is happening now. That nigh on 97% of relevantly qualified scientists support them, is of little solace. The fact is our politocracy, the idiot driving against the traffic, is in charge. All of the focus is on the errant idiot, not their ducking and weaving of oncoming traffic. The real issue.
It’s a bit like ‘universal health care’. Most people in Australia understand they pay the Medicare levy which allows them access to health care. Our politocracy, the idiot driving against the traffic, is imposing all sorts of terms and conditions onto what is essentially a social contract. Fully paid for by the ‘patient’s’.
It’s a bit like education. Or equality. Or worker’s rights. Or the NBN. These idiots are driving against the traffic, all the while basking in the glow of a compliant media and oncoming headlights.
Every so often, you get a glimmer of hope. Our First People didn’t issue a threat, an ultimatum or an edict out of the Uluru Conference.
They offered a solution.
They were offered ‘Constitutional Recognition’ by a PM who is infamous for the fact that he lead the charge for the last change to the Constitution. How the heck did he stuff that up? It’s not like it was an NBN.
Maybe. Just maybe. Our First People know what they need. Know what they want. It’s not like they have been around for tens of thousands of years, with their own education, health, legal, trading systems in place. It’s not like they care for country.
Maybe. Just maybe. Our First People will not be a catalyst for ‘Constitutional Reform’, but the catalyst for ‘Constitutional Replacement’.
All of the issues I have mentioned are now urgent, in so many ways. I left out quite a few.
Here’s the thing. I don’t trust politicians to make any change, other than that which suits them. Idiots, driving against traffic. Politics V Democracy.
Another yarn I recall is the one about the Engineer, the Prostitute and the Lawyer, arguing about which is the oldest profession. The prostitute argued that “When order came to society, my profession blossomed. We could satisfy the needs of a new world.”
To which the engineer said “Who do you think created the order? We saw a world in chaos, and brought order!”
To which the lawyer said “Who do you think created the chaos?”
Back to the headline; “Will someone please fix this?” With the greatest of respect to Mr Lord, it’s on us. Outside of the electoral cycle. I think it was Harquebus who posted a comment some time ago, advocating participation at a local level.
From little things, big things grow.
Surely, it’s time to ignore the idiots, and get on with the job.
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