The
prospect of the Coalition collapsing not over Europe, the Budget, Defence, the
National Health Service or any major responsibility but because of a rift about
privacy and state control of the press and others really does suggest that our
political elite are off their respective trolleys.
Long ago in
the West End there was always a good selection
of low farces with other higher grade comedy on offer in the theatres and
around. They allowed us all to realise
and understand the relentless stupidity of our species and especially those who
attempted to rule and control it.
Where have
they gone? Given the chaos in government
and the unerring talent of both politicians and senior civil servants to make a
botch even of the simplest tasks and routines the answer must be they have all
moved down the road into places like Downing Street, the Palace of Westminster
One can
understand the manic attention to “privacy” amongst the elite. Given what we know about their management of personal
finances, expenses claims, social habits and predilections and the rest there
are questions in our mind.
So when the
several gruesome elements amongst the “Hacked Off” groups, in panic that more
of their stranger and rather anti-social activities will attract interest lobby
furiously to see blanket regulation, restriction and control of the media it is
a matter of seeking honour amongst thieves.
It has been
pointed out in some parts of the web that the anxiety to put this in place is
stimulated by the proposals of the EU to do the same in order to “thought
police” any opposition or enquiry into any wrong doing, fraud and
corruption.
As this
kind of activity is no longer at the margins of the EU but has moved to the
central authority they are very anxious to shut criticism, enquiry and
complaint well and truly up. Equally, it
is valid to suggest that the UK
What is
ironic about those who live and die by their status as a celebrity is that
while they will court milk the media for all they can get out of it and almost
demand and insist on attention, like certain politicians, as soon as the media
ask awkward questions or suggest any criticism they want silence enforced.
There is an
interesting item from the world of science on some of this and it is that when
it comes to privacy we may well be our own worst enemies, see this Science
Daily link:
In the past
this blog has commented that our Western notions on this are strange. We believe it is a “human right” when for
most in the world it is impossible.
Also, in our own past it was very difficult to have any such privacy and
what is demanded today would have seemed almost inhuman, never mind anti-social,
unless it was impelled by a special devotion, such as the Anchorite in the
picture above.
There was
once a Royal Naval submarine called HMS Anchorite, but I doubt if there was
much privacy to be found there.
No man is
an island.
"They allowed us all to realise and understand the relentless stupidity of our species and especially those who attempted to rule and control it."
ReplyDeleteIt's something I've been thinking about recently too. The pursuit of high-level success seems to be a real problem. Maybe it always has been, but the internet shows up the problem much more starkly.