July 30, 2009
Probably Away
I’m probably not going to be able to blog for a while.
That’s OK, because possibly the most important blog post in the UK of the last month has already been written by Richard Murphy, so you don’t need anything from me.
Everyone needs to read this. Because numbers don’t lie.
Richard Murphy said,
July 31, 2009 at 8:30 am
Paul
Thanks for the kind comment
The right will try to deny the reality of this data
The truth is simple: for most people it’s tough in the UK. But even when they get angry about it they get the likes of Prof Richard Layard saying a little cognitive behavioural therapy will help you reframe and accept the fact that you’re living in a crap situation with no way you can see out of it – which is why you’re depressed
That’s a policy for denying the truth. I don’t ant denial. I want people to be angry about the fact that they’re being told to accept crap. And I am interested in solution focussed therapies which ask ‘what’s the way out of here’?
I’ll tell you – redistribution is a massive answer
And stopping the madness of our consumer based society – which is deliberately, day in, day out designed to create unhappiness through the medium of advertising – which is designed to make us dissatisfied with what we have – and celebrity profiling – which is designed to make us feel inadequate in others shadow – is the another way.
This is possible.
These figures show the need
And we have to achieve this, because I’m angry that people are exposed to this crap when a better option is available
Have a good break
Richard
Paul said,
July 31, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Richard, I agree entirely.
Except I would go further regarding the rise of the celebrity culture society. It’s not just designed to make us feel inadequate, it’s also designed to make us believe that *anyone can make it*. All you need is to go on reality TV, and hey *you too* can be rich and famous.
This masks the brutal reality: most people cannot make it, because they are too poor, too ill-connected, too-unlucky, or too naturally lacking in the talents that market-based capitalism rewards with material gain. In masking the brutal reality, people are kept morose, quiet and supplicant.
It’s not the Big Brother society Orwell envisaged…but it’s an unpleasant and distasteful one none the less.
measured said,
August 1, 2009 at 8:54 am
I agree. Linking back to your previous post, it leaves me thinking that this culture is simply a modern day version of the way the Church achieved the compliance of the people. I should now be left feeling guilty I have a comfortable income but it is most definitely better than being poor.
Richard Murphy said,
August 1, 2009 at 11:09 am
There’s nothing wrong with being comfortable – although what is comfortable is in no small part a matter of perception over which those in the market want to limit your choice
The issue is the opportunity to be comfortable – and that we actually deliver it to as many as possible
Equality is an input and an output, and the current structure of society and the form of market it prefers seeks to deny both equality of opportunity and outcome