One of the problems with this blogging lark is that is a little incestuous, a great deal of preaching to the choir goes on, and there's very little 'engagement' (to hijack a horrible peice of nu-speak) outside of those who share your beliefs.
I'm used to getting strange looks when I start ranting about this, that and the other. 'Don't worry, it's just Wolfers going off on one again,' is the view amongst my friends whenever the subject of politics raises its head. To be fair it is normally me that raises the subject as well.
My phone and Facebook have been glowing red-hot for the last few days. The message? 'I get it now. I understand why you're always so angry.' They seemed puzzled when I would respond to their shrugged shoulders and claims of it being none of their business with cries of 'Oh just go and watch bloody Eastenders.'
Now 'they' are angry. Not just us sad little bloggers railing against the world. People who have never shown the slightest interest, those that have always voted the way they vote, regardless of what the parties say or do. Those that have always considered voting to be a waste of time, or something they don't want to get involved in, they are really pissed off.
A number of these people have been chatting with me throughout the last few days, and they're going to vote, alright. None of them seem too keen on voting for the big 3 though, all of them seem very keen in voting to give the 'little parties' a chance. And not just next month, they can't wait to dish it out in the 'proper' election when it comes.
UKIP
BNP
Green
Libertarian
English Democrat
Monster Raving Looney
Socialist Raving Looney
Badger Underpass Indie Raving Looney
Whether I agree with some, all or none of those listed above is irrelevant. The important thing is that they're not those greedy fuckers draining a moat or having a second home re-furbed at my expense to the tune of £10k.
Just watch that 'others' column on Euro & local election night, just watch the minority share of the vote leap up. The same will happen in the General Election, the media will play ball, newspaper sales must be through the roof. Bugger partisan loyalties, they could actually make some money, all they have to do is keep the anger bubbling away.
Protest vote? You bloody bet. Not brought about by indifferent mis-trust, this is all out hatred, and they hate every last one of you. As Old Holborn is fond of saying; 646 of them, 60,000,000 of us. Well, the 60,000,000 have just done the maths. Let the games begin. . .
1 comment:
I was at a friend's flat about september time and had a group of friends of friends captive whilst I put the world to rights. I mean the works: Welfare state, taxes, the dire evils of socialism, being a libertarian, small state good, big state bad, human resources departments yadda yadda yadda.
Mrs Slug told me later that I was rather entertaining, because aside from being enraptured by my breathtaking charisma, apparently splitting from the mainstream view of "your choice of 3 different flavours of big state" is a bit of a radical camp to be in, and a bit quaint.
A couple of those people caught up with me recently and were amazed by my prescience regarding recent events, and apparently gave more weight to my commentary.
My ranting on tax reform is, however, considered as tedious as ever.
For good or bad, we live in interesting times. At least people are fighting through the apathy to hold the filthy 646 to account.
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