funkydita

Well, “Build back bitter” seems terribly apt and on brand.

I was served a pre-roll ad on YouTube the other day by The State of Israel, justifying their actions and stating they’d continue to defend themselves against Hamas. It took me by surprise, it’s the first time I’ve been served a social ad by a foreign government. I wish I knew enough to have a fully informed opinion about such a nuanced and complicated situation.

I think the next couple of decades are going to be interesting, particularly with seemingly more socially conscious young people reaching voting age, I wonder on what basis they’ll cast their votes eg economic v progressive social issues? Also how will the landscape change as ageing voters (literally) die off?

The CCJ is hilarious. I would be mortified if I had a CCJ issued against me. His credit rating must be worse than the country’s.

Viable alternatives are a real issue. I voted Lib Dem in 2010 because of Iraq and the cunts formed a coalition with the fucking Tories. Never again. Tactical voting is the only way forward unfortunately. Also, that Hartlepool clip you shared is really apt. It exposes two issues for me, the lack of understanding of local v national politics and policy and the fact that you vote Labour “because you’re working class” - without understanding or being aware of the manifestos and policies that reasoning wears thin with time. As does not voting Tory because you’re gay. SIGH.

Sorry I didn’t reply sooner. I think it’s a really complicated issue without a clear answer. Labour have been really confused and confusing for decades, I’d say. They did such a volte face during the Blair years that they lost their clear distinction, be that by building on Thatcher’s legacy or the Iraq war. Blair, essentially their most successful PM, is now seen as a war criminal worth tens of millions. Historically a party for the working class, Brexit was incredibly difficult for them with a working class diminished by years of Tory rule that had been conditioned to feel that “immigrants are taking our jobs”, at odds with urban liberals who passionately wanted to remain in the EU. Leaders like Corbyn and Starmer are seen as metropolitan Londoners who have no connection to the wider working class experience across the country. They’ve also been at war with themselves for years with internal politics and divisions, played out in the open, massively hindering them. Socially too it’s been tricky e.g. a Tory government (historically overtly anti LGBT) ushered in gay marriage (I’m astounded at the number of openly Tory gay voters I’ve known over the years) or the badly handled accusations of Labour anti-semitism. I also think people have become more insular and self-serving e.g. those pesky gay Tories who now happily vote Tory as they’re not seen as homophobic. “For the many, not the few” doesn’t resonate hugely in a society that’s been splintered into often single issue causes. Labour also have a messaging and positioning problem, I’m not sure many would be able to tell you what Labour now stand for and what their key policies / manifestos or points of difference are. Unless they’re able to consistently articulate their position they won’t be seen as a viable alternative. And so on and on…

HUNS. I was really sad not to grab tickets when they reformed with Siobhan. Yes, I read that Leanne lost her seat, at least (sort of) she lost to Labour. Being from a staunchly Plaid family in a Welsh speaking and Plaid voting area, I’ll never understand the self-flagellation of voting Tory in Wales (let alone the Welsh Brexit voters from areas subsidised by Europe). Regarding England, have to say, I mostly blame Labour for the latest shitshow, they’ve been such an imploding and aimless mess for years. It feels like we’re operating without an Opposition. I do wonder to what extent the pandemic has oddly helped the government, irrespective of the absolute fuckery, sleazy corruption and, y’know, DEATHS, their profile this last year has been omnipresent and the narrative felt like it shifted considerably after the vaccine (giving ammunition to the Brexit lot and making it seem like Johnson had some kind of purpose). I also wonder if the weaponisation of “woke” and fuelling of culture wars by the socially conservative media, particularly with regards to gender, race and fucking statues has caused a doubling down of older and more socially conservative voters? Add to all of that an ageing population and apathetic younger voters, the results aren’t a huge surprise. The fear is that we’re now stuck with the cunts. As an aside - I thought this article gave an interesting perspective on the influence of age in the current voting situation.

Because everyone’s numb to it after decades of Tory rule and ideology (considering “New” Labour’s essentially Thatcherite politics). Society’s become overly commercialised, materialistic and competitive. We’re insular, siloed and selfish with little true regard or empathy for our fellow man and the society that Thatcher denied and ultimately dismantled. Add to that the outdated perception of us as a world leading empire *salute*. Sprinkle endless invocations of a war that started almost 100 years ago *double salute*. Stir with a toothless media, mostly controlled by the filthy rich and run by the sneeringly NIMBY middle class, and you end up with the current apathetic shitshow as everyone, including an “aspirational” and “socially mobile” working class, sighs “oh well” and plays along in the misbegotten hope of becoming a one-percenter. I have high hopes for Gen Z though.

A rare sighting of our very own @Kim

Based on the evidence, I’m considering moving from a glass of red wine with food to crack (I’m not).

Yes cannabis should be legalised and, as a recent ex smoker, I’m certainly no fan of tobacco (a horribly insidious drug) but interestingly not seemingly as dangerous as alcohol. https://www.vox.com/2015/2/24/8094759/alcohol-marijuana

We need to resurrect the cry of “TORY SLEEZE” from the 80s/90s. I think the issue is that it’s just become par for the course at this stage and so wholly expected and deeply embedded that people are terminally indifferent to it all.

One for wank bank. Not having read the source material, I’d assumed that was satire!