Civilisation is but a veneer that disguises the ugly, brutal nature of humanity. Crises can bring out the best in people, but they can also bring out the worst. This crisis has been an object lesson in that.
A few months ago most of the people I know were horrified at the thought of Boris Johnson securing an election victory. Most of the people I know are in favour of the EU and are predominately Labour supporters. I am the one who is out of step. There are some with whom I can have a conversation and sow the seeds of doubt, but for most, they will simply go into reboot mode when presented with a slam-dunk argument that blows theirs out of the water with facts, reason and logic. From this, I deduce that facts, reason and logic are something that most people do not do – preferring emotional incontinence.
Twenty years ago, I was mostly with them. I say only mostly, because I have long been opposed to many of the principles involved in collectivism. Also, in my early twenties, I travelled Europe – including crossing the Iron Curtain. I saw authoritarianism first hand. I have seen and experienced the “papers please” mentality so beloved of our European neighbours. But that mentality lurks here, as well.
It didn’t take much of a trigger to cause me to rethink my position. When David Blunkett proposed his identity cards scheme, I rebelled. When I started engaging with others online, I realised that there were others who thought as I did and that I was not at home on the left. That said, I am not a conservative either, but I found the conservatives were more comfortable with the principle of liberty than those on the left. When faced with reason, logic and facts that contradicted my thoughts and opinions, those opinions changed to fit the facts. So I find it frustrating having discussions when people’s response to those facts is to effectively tell me to talk to the hand, ‘cos the brain ain’t listening. I tend to give up on what is clearly a lost cause.
The people who complained that Boris Johnson is a racist (no, he isn’t), an Islamophobe (no, he isn’t) and a liar (okay, got me with that one), are now standing right behind him in locking down the country, despite only a few months ago complaining that he was a dictator in waiting. Yet now, when he actually does something dictatorial, they are cheering him on. They are all over social media revelling in the sado-masochistic destruction of our most basic liberties – not to mention our economy and thousands of small businesses up and down the land.
If you believe that this lock-down was necessary – and for the sake of argument, I’ll go along with that – then the very least position you can take is that it is a necessary evil that should be repealed at the earliest opportunity. That it is a misery we must endure for the short term. Yet what I am seeing is positive delight in the whole thing. And, worse, the willingness of the curtain twitchers to dob in their neighbours, friends and so on. The Gestapo and the Stasi would have been proud.
I am prone to an underlying sense of misanthropy. This past week it’s gone into overdrive.
It’s not just me, then. I stopped voting Liebour in Wilson’s time and having read recently what they did to Biafra I’m glad I did. I now take flak from lefties because I burst their Stalinist bubble wherever possible but do think that some functions are best carried out by the state and privatisation has gone too far. I don’t trust any politician but accept that we have to work with the system we have: otherwise we might sink to the level of the USA or South Africa.
The lockdown has been made necessary because of a mememe minority – and they are a minority – who really need to have common sense beaten into them with a cricket bat.
Tend to differ on this, the lockdown has been because of govt by hysteria and a belief in catastrophe models, which fits the mindset of the authoritarians in our midst. Just watch the slow reverse ferret with the line being the NHS can now cope etc etc.
https://hectordrummond.com/2020/03/26/the-shutdown-has-just-been-blown-out-of-the-water/
Yeah… I didn’t say I agreed with the lock-down, because I don’t and have said so on previous posts. I carefully used the expression “for the sake of argument” to qualify that.
Fair point -apologies.
It is also notable how many vile authoritarians are using this as an excuse to control how others live. Certainly illustrates how many in this country would have loved East Germany.
There have also been those who are cheering because everything is shutting down and saving the world from all those evil CO2 emissions. Yeah because all the stuff that you buy in the shops and take totally for granted grows on magic trees in the enchanted manufacured goods forest and it makes it’s way to the shelves all by itself. Effing idiots.
At least one MP agrees…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=NMygjm7LF08&feature=emb_logo
I deduce that facts, reason and logic are something that most people do not do – preferring emotional incontinence
Correct. It’s an 80/20 rule: In unexpected, emergency, crisis etc
– 80% go emotional
– 10% go catatonic/full-panic
– 10% turn off emotion and go full rational
As @Nessimmersion says “govt by hysteria and a belief in catastrophe models”
The Thin Veneer
– Today BMA tells Med students not to volunteer for NHS until they negotiate pay, pension and holiday contract for Med student “volunteers’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8159581/British-Medical-Association-tells-students-NOT-volunteer-NHS-wards-fight-coronavirus.html
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Two good articles:
Ignore the self-publicists
, nobody has been ‘vindicated’ by coronavirus
This irrationality is what happens when ‘science’ becomes
a substitute for the exercise of leadership. Primitive magic becomes the order of the day
Take a look at the latest stuff at Hector Drummond’s place. The evil bastards are out in force. Morons are suggesting that you are spreading contagion by being out in remote parts of the countryside. What if you crash your car and end up taking a valuable hospital bed from a Corona victim?
William Golding made the point regarding the thin veneer of civilisation in “Lord of the Flies” many years ago. It was true then, and it ain’t got any less true with the passing of time.
*rummages in cupboard for a conch*