Am I alone in here?

The world outside seems quite demented. Sixty-one million people (or more) in this country hold separate, though not necessarily individual, opinions about the world and his father, and ALL of them are right.  They must be. Nobody in their right mind holds on to a false/wrong opinion, do they?  Unless they aren’t in their right minds, that is.

Except, some of them must be wrong.  And if it isn’t me, and they don’t agree with me, then it must be them.  So, if I’m always right and they are always wrong, I truly am very alone in here.  I wonder if Hitler had thoughts like these when he was young?

We seem to have entered into the Summer silly season (as opposed to the Christmas silly season) and our newspapers and broadcasters gladly reflect it.  They spend huge amounts of money, time and effort in trying to tell us that history is news.  It isn’t, of course.  When we break with history – THAT will be news!

It isn’t news to be told that some bankers are criminally inclined and that they see little wrong in stealing from their customers, or even their fellow bankers. Dogs do that. Money lenders and their ilk have had a poor reputation going back to Bible days.  There is nothing newsworthy there.

It isn’t news to print stories that highlight that some politicians are liars and cheats, interested in themselves firstly, secondly, and last.  But you don’t often read that sort of thing about statesmen. A definition of ‘politician’ can be:

1. a person who is active in party politics.

2. a seeker or holder of public office, who is more concerned about winning favour or retaining power than about maintaining principles.

3. a person who holds a political  office.

4. a person skilled in political  government or administration; statesman or stateswoman.

5. an expert in politics  or political  government.

I hesitate to accept the nouns ‘statesman’ and ‘stateswoman’ in this context but my same source defines them as:

‘Politician or statesman refers to one skilled in politics. These terms differ particularly in their connotations: politician is more often derogatory, and statesman laudatory. Politician suggests the schemes and devices of a person who engages in (especially small) politics for party ends or for one's own advantage: a dishonest politician. Statesman suggests the eminent ability, foresight, and unselfish patriotic devotion of a person dealing with (especially important or great) affairs of state: a distinguished statesman’.

Am I alone in here in noticing that neither politician nor statesman gives much time to representing the voter?  

Thus, it is clear that a person can be either or both a politician and statesman and not be a democrat or a believer in democracy. Of course, but why does that come as such a surprise?  It has ever been so.

Consider a person who is active in party politics.  Ah, ha!  Political parties represent themselves, yes?  Why else would all our political parties favour representative democracy?  They favour it because once they’ve won our vote, by whatever means, and gained power, they don’t have to concern themselves much about the voter and his/her opinions until the next election or, more accurately, the immediate run-up to the next election.

We know all this, don’t we?  So why do we shun the lowly Independent who stands alone in trying to represent his principles to you and, if you will allow him, to represent yours to the rest of the world?  Why do we choose to vote for a party which has no greater purpose than to serve itself?

I think we do it because we need to be in a crowd, in a herd.  In a herd nobody is really a leader but the herd can be swayed and directed this way and that and do untold damage through sheer weight of numbers.  Put your hand up if, in your mind’s eye, you have a picture of cowboys on a range ‘Yee-ha-ing’ the herd to go where the cowboys want them to go. Psychologically, we don’t like to be alone in here.  But moving with a crowd, in a crowd, isn’t necessarily right or good, so it’s a good thing that I’m right.

In years gone by it took weeks and months to spread news.  By the time the news got there, it was history.  Today we can tell our news to the other side of the planet in seconds and it is still history.  And that’s because there isn’t anything new under the sun.

Our politicians aren’t to be trusted; our bankers aren’t to be trusted; our lawyers, well, say no more; our police are little better.  Too often have clergymen proved their frailty; scientists change their minds with each supposed advance; husbands deceive wives and wives deceive husbands and media glories in bringing the tale right into our living rooms.  It’s what you want, isn’t it?  Well, it sells papers and advertisers will pay the broadcaster to be allowed to fill in the gaps.

But, hurrah, and God Save the Queen for another 60 years. And hurrah for England when they play football, cricket, rugby, but especially when they win. And hurrah for Andy Murray.  And hurrah for Wimbledon, Euro 2012, Formula One Grand Prix racing, the London 2012 Olympics, and Test cricket.  Hurrah, I say, just to be part of the crowd.  But, I’m not. I believe that I really am alone in here.  And it is a lonely place. - MD