I used to be apathetic...now I just don't care

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 09 December 2010 16:32:13

Looking at this article on protest I realise I am sooooo old skool.

Didn't manage to get a picture of the snowmen holding placards that some people had put up around Durham, but they were my favourite bit of protest about the events unfolding.

Me, I am ashamed to say I am at the point of cynical acceptance. I know my daughters future in many ways is being fucked with; I know that the arts and humanities in this country are being screwed with what they're doing to education; I know so, so many other poor and/ or creative people in different areas are being shafted by the current New Right approach. I teach the theory; I know the unfounded assumptions and twisting of data many of these decisions are based on. Osbourne clearly subscribes to the view of the country put forward by Murray, Phillips, et al. See the Civitas document on Underclass theory for more of an outline. It's dated but it gives a detailed outline of the ideological view that is influencing them.

Yet, I feel totally powerless and increasing apathetic about protesting or indeed about anythingwhen I fear all it will result in is increasing tightening of our civil liberties. We have an ineffective Labour Party which needs to take its time in opposition, we have a Lib Dem Party in disarray which has betrayed and sold out many of those who gave them power and as for the Tories....well. I know the quote about it being when good men do nothing that evil prevails but at the moment I feel that there is nothing good men can do that will change everything.

Interestingly, the danger of this feeling of cynicism and disillusionment (and indeed disenfranchisement) is something Civitas seems to also be acknowledging in this post. Yet, they must be smiling because as they point out the anger directed against the Lib Dems means the Tories are getting away with implementing this policy (and others) without feeling the majority of the heat.