Post - The Second

While flicking through the channels on free to air television I noticed there was very little on. There are good shows like 4 Corners, but they dont have topics every week that I am interested in. There is a show with the British Nanny who looks stern and scary and has christmas hams for forearms and why wouldnt children and adults do what she says?

     She will eventually have an army. Of this I am sure. She inspires fear in viewers with the forcefield of the television screen between. If she asked me to join her army then the best I could hope for would be to undermine her serruptitiously if I could unbrainwash myself.

     And on another channel Jason Akermanis is putting forth his opinion and getting paid for it. (I feel certain he would do it free of charge.) And yes or no as the only answers to intricate debates is promoted. 

     Vote Yes. Vote No. Where do you stand? Maybe if we are lucky there would be a third option. Undecided. I once heard a radio host put forward the following question for the Herald Sun Voteline:

Are you stupid enough to ring up to vote on this question? Yes or No.

     Since when is a debate decided by a yes or no? Since when were we marshalled into two sides only? Those who vote yes, can they please stand to the left. Those no, please to the right. Those unsure, wait until you work out which side has more and then gravitate towards that side with small shuffling and sheepish steps until you become immersed and anonymous with your opinion.

     I think it should be at least like a clockface with only the twelve numbers marked. Agree with most of what is said? Go to one oclock. Disagree with most? Go to five oclock. Not sure? Then stay in the middle. 

     But in reality it should be more like the points of a compass. Infinite points on which you could stand. Everyone's opinion given just as much weight as the newspaper's and the reporter's and the minister's who commented and the shadow minister's who countered and the redneck's from nextdoor who thinks that islamic fundamentalism is to blame and the libertarian's from work who thinks everyone's opinion should be given equal weight.

     I dont mean to contend that experts are not more qualified to comment but that opinions generated thereafter should be given equal weight.

     Of course after all this Mediawatch was on and its final story was about a hacker who had sullied the results of many of News Limited's online polls and claimed to have done one of Fairfax's. An editor responding suggested that news Limited would no longer be writing articles about the outcomes of polls. No longer!!

     Dont even know what to say about that statement.

     Until das naechstes mal,

Tom

Do you agree with Tom's opinions?

Vote Yes or No. You decide!