Citizentalk's Blog

The political world or at least the western part of it has not been conducive to respectful political dialogue between opposing sides over the last year. In point of fact the trajectory of this technological age seems to have rewarded the loudest, angriest, and most extreme contributors to our political life.  This has had profound consequences for the ability of our democracies to represent all viewpoints and will continue to do so.

This trend needs to be tackled. Head on but with reasonable and gentle engagement. To respond with greater anger, and even louder language does not communicate to the other side, it just reinforces entrenched positions and is simply an exercise in self-congratulation.

Maybe the tried and tested method of communication, a conversation, a talk can be an answer to this increasingly uncivilized twist to our western contribution to political development.

I became a father recently. It is a very remarkable thing. All that anxiety, love, hope, wonder and joy wrapped up in that little human form. All the thought throughout time cannot fathom the depth of feeling and connection that it brings. You are a different form of adult from the second that you become a parent. Not necessarily better but very different. I am thoroughly responsible for caring for this person that I helped create. My wife and I are now a family. It is a daunting but beautiful horizon. A new day, a new beginning – the journey continues.

Settled for a generation apparently! Settled! Really?

A turnout of 85%, a result of 55% No to 45% Yes and the response from the powerful is “settled for a generation?”

Settled. What exactly do they mean by settled? I have often settled on what my wife and I will have for dinner, what movie to see, what arrangements are for Christmas holidays etc but the basic nature of a societies relationship with itself – settled! An odd word.

Settled in the context of domestic relations (apologies to partners everywhere) are rarely far from settled. In fact when man and woman have a row, rarely is the phrase “thats settled so”, more incorrect. Its almost as if by saying the word you are invoking the concept into a reality.

Maybe thats what he meant by “settled”. If its said often enough and with enough sincerity it must therefore be true and we can retreat to a comfortable reality that our society is progressing in a dependable manner.

There is no latent, fatal flaw in our polity that need radical attention before its too late. Not at all, thats just scaremongering, – after all this has been settled.

Settled!

Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeedoommm! – the last roar from a dying Mel Gibson, in that film which no doubt will be become even more quoted should a certain Celtic Nation decide to leave a so-called United Kingdom.

The panic that has broken out amongst most of the established commentariat since a single poll suggested that the Yes side might actually win has been most amusing to watch. I should of course feel very guilty about the delight I have in observing my neighbours discomfiture, but I’m not. After all, its none of my business really, and as a member of a State that has obviously failed and is being kept alive by bailouts from the boys in Brussells, I have some cheek to even comment on the constitutional status of Great Britain, Britannia, Scepter-ed Isle, et cetera, (Elgar playing in the background – you get the drift).

Firstly – I like Britain, I love and share their language, their history – fascinating, their bull dog tenacity – admirable, their inventiveness  – breathtaking, their commitment to independence – courageous. I could go on and on but I really mean it. As an Irishman I am irretrievably shaped by my relationship and view of Britain, or the collection of nations that are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  However I also acknowledge the “difficulty” of our past relationship. My States previous history as a member of the United Kingdom was, let us just say, – not a joyful experience for either party. But thankfully, in more recent times a more appreciating and genuine closeness has been achieved in anglo-irish relations. So much so, dare I say it, that I do not in the least feel guilty or worried about expressing my support for Scotlands efforts to become Independent.

Britain has always been consistent in its ever changing Constitutional foundation – and that’s without a written one! To paraphrase another scholar speaking about another Country – Britain is an exercise in Freedom, but it is a work in constant progress. It is to Britains great credit that the belief in freedom is so strong that her national character if there is one is really a constant debate on the nature and limits of freedom. However an established and secretive State and Economic apparatus has become in my view far too powerful in both of our Islands and the global economy generally. The sage and wise heads that dine together in fine rooms who are aghast at the possibility of Scottish Independence are the very reason that Scotlands grasp at freedom would actually be as big an opportunity for England, Wales and Ireland as it would for the Scots.

Personally, and as a firm believer in republican forms of Government, I have always had a soft spot for a federal relationship between these islands, with an empowerment of communities both urban and rural, and a polity that sees the citizen as centre. I not holding my breadth however…

Well, for whats it worth – fair play to Scotland and to Britain for keeping the idea of freedom – relevant and important. Whatever the result, the tenacity of even asking the question – is quintessentially and ironically – British! 

There are numerous opinions about the nature of our society – its decline, its rise, new era, bad habits, old worlds, new horizons, change, reform etc, etc. It seems like never before, have so many voices been given an avenue to vent their spleen, or preach the new gospel according to (feel free to insert ideology/religion). Dominant print and broadcast media are now struggling to cope with the online revolution in the dissemination of “news” and in most instances “comment”. So-called information is beckoned by the quick flurry of keys.

Our connected information age should be resulting in a new golden era for individual freedom and public awareness, and dare I say it, the liberation of people from the powerful elites and processes that keep too many in a subject existence, with little hope of a flourishing life.

We all know that this is not happening. Instead, and at best, we are continuously informed about how connected elites are not only ruling the roost but becoming ever more unaccountable while their wealth and power increases incessantly. The consistent and ubiquitous information to back up this fact serves only to stun the viewer or reader into submission. The scale of the inequality, waste, and destruction is so enourmous on a global scale, that it can barely be comprehended, never mind addressed. We click to other pages and live other lives to escape the reality of our powerlessness. It is better to conform as best we can, to the lie of progress, rather than despair at the truth. Those who can’t, find other ways to escape – addiction, sedation, suicide.

Whether a singularity or the apocalypse may bring a redeeming or concluding moment is moot.

Yet, in the midst of all informed progress, there exists a time to pause…,