From the equality of rights springs identity of our highest interests; you cannot subvert your neighbor's rights without striking a dangerous blow at your own. Carl Schurz

Friday, June 12, 2015

The Timid Canuck

For most of my life I have bristled at the notion that Canadians are a timid, staid bunch, however, of late I've come to see that as true.

What is commonly seen as apathy is actually fear, fear of change, of upsetting the status quo. No matter how much we detest it.

Name an issue and that timidity shows itself in our reaction. There is not an issue too pressing to force us into action. 

Abolish or even reform the senate, too damn hard so why even try

Electoral reform, too damn complicated 

Remove a mile of underused freeway, too change-y

Climate change, yeah it's killing our planet but fixing that is too scary

Et cetera Et cetera Et cetera

We are stuck in a world that we detest but are too timid and fearful of change so we mutter on in our comfort zones desperately clinging to what we know, even in the knowledge that doing so is not in our best interests.

The worst part though is that politicians like Harper recognise this and use it to their advantage.

Ironically our need for the status quo, the known, is used against us to bring about what we fear the most, radical change.



4 comments:

  1. Disciples of Leo Strauss believe we have neither the wherewithal to govern ourselves nor much interest in what governments do in our name ; thus they provide us with the noble lie, the puppet show, to spare the people’s feelings and to protect the elites from reprisals. Eventually we are going to have to stop complaining about being governed by LeoCons and ask ourselves some hard questions about whether their assessment of us, and therefore the justification for their actions, is for the most part accurate.

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    1. I'd say at the moment their assessment is entirely accurate but surely at some point self interest has to become enlightened

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  2. .. Canadians just need to recognize Harper, his government, Party, PMO, apparatchiks, enablers etc for what they really are... rather than according Harper some sort of polite political status, position and responsibility.
    There was a brilliant coup, scooping the Conservative Brand via MacKay, then careful manipulation, which was grooming for election fraud.. and then with a majority, some 6000 votes.. Harper began experimenting in full at the same time as his failures became impossible to hide. He's painting his very own insipid toxic legacy every day.. and so are all of his quislings.. They're all well on their way to infamy

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    1. While I agree with what you say the issues is bigger than one man, one party Our systems are antiquated and corrupt Unless we change those nothing changes

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