Civility

It’s a strategy that President Obama’s spin team employed when he was neck-deep in political hot water over an incredibly unpopular health care policy – demonise the critics.

Sorry, but isn't this just democracy? Photo: Scott Sady, AP.

Instead of addressing valid criticisms, damn the people making them.

Witness the way the groundswell “Tea Party” movement was wrongly characterised by most of the mainstream media in the US and here as well.  There’s a derisory edge, almost a snigger, whenever the media discuss this significant political movement. 

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  • acotrel says:

    05:22am | 10/03/11

    @Laura The poison you’ve displayed in your post is the very reason women have a problem being accepted as equals with men in Australian society!  Its the same sort of stuff Germaine Greer came out with when she shit-canned her own mother on national TV! Some of us won’t cop… Read more »

  • Steve of Cornubia says:

    04:59pm | 09/03/11

    I’m not sure you’re wrong, but I’m not sure you’re right, either. From what I recall of Rudd’s election platform, a lot of it was “Whatever Howard can do, I can do better” He deliberately campaigned on a ‘Me Too’ agenda, the only difference being “I’m not John Howard”. Read more »

 

A radio personality returned to the air this week after time out to recover from an unfortunate incident arising from a social disability before now not previously categorised – he is, I have concluded from the incident and his lack of remorse, ‘civically challenged’.

Kyle in the car

The ‘civically challenged’ person is so self-absorbed or insensitive as to be oblivious to the social and cultural impact of his or others’ egotistical or crass behaviour.

He or she behaves in a way that weakens civic virtue and sensibility. A pattern of such behaviour can desensitise others to the harm being done, normalising what in a moment of shared reflection would obviously be deemed unedifying at best. 

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  • JA says:

    03:48pm | 29/09/09

    Kristy, there’s little denying that FCUK is using shock value to promote itself.  I agree with Chris about this, it’s the sort of marketing dreamed up by 15 year old boys with still-developing brains and little understanding of the world or their actions.  Unfortunately there are too many twits like… Read more »

  • Kristy says:

    02:53pm | 29/09/09

    Just FYI, FCUK is actually an abbreviation of the clothing company French Connection UK. Therefore, while it may look offensive to some (and no doubt that’s the reason they use it on their clothing) it’s actually just the same as someone wearing a t-shirt with Nike or Billabong across the… Read more »

 

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