8 years ago Freedom, Politics

The Revolution Happy Meal: Instant Dependency

The Revolution Happy Meal: Instant Dependency

I could start this post with ‘The people are taking back power in Greece!’, but that’s a bit presumptive, so how about:

Are people taking back power in Greece with the rise of Syriza? Is Spain next to address corruption and look out for ‘the poor’ with one year old political party Podemos? Why are the Irish marching against water charges, with Sinn Fein (political wing of terrorist organisation the IRA) just about the most popular party?

The common element in each of these cases is they all hold extreme socialist policies. So when the people get angry and feel dis-empowered, they veer Left. So is this the revolution that has been in the air? Will these politicians remove the stranglehold of power and massive wealth from the 1%, to use the language of the day?

Marching is not enough, protesting is not enough. Waving a flag and demanding someone else make the important decisions does not make you a revolutionary.

Continue Reading

8 years ago Awakening, Economics, Freedom, Politics

The Lies of Politicians And The Media

The Lies of Politicians And The Media - The Media

Why do we give these strangers, who make money by ratings not by trading information, our attention and at face value believe what they say? Living in Ireland I see the vast majority constantly believe what RTE (state broadcaster) tells them, and Sky News, an English equivalent to Fox News owned by Rupert Murdoch. Shock and outrage generate ratings, Shakespeare knew that four hundred years ago. I see many Irish people who despise the state broadcaster, yet willingly believe whatever it peddles as news, or certainly, the more shocking the news story, the more acceptable it is. News looks easy, spend money for a smart studio train everyone in Neuro Linguistic Programming and just add an audience. This seems to be all it takes to be considered an authority. The masses don’t think, the masses don’t question, the masses are hypnotised by the flickering box. Why oh why do the masses continue to believe the lies of politicians and the media?

Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it. - Hitler (That is indeed if he even ever said it, if you see my point.)

Continue Reading

8 years ago 2 Comments Privatisation

The Problem With State Provided Healthcare

The PRoblem with state Provided healthcare

Whether the public health system in your country is amazing or useless is irrelevant in this post. The point is the right to choose. Even if a public service is good enough why should people be forced to pay for it? Surely if the service is great value and highly efficient people will line up and gladly pay for it?

Regulated products kill millions of people every year, having a licence is no guarantee that a holder will act honourably or lawfully.

Continue Reading

8 years ago Freedom, Politics

Free Speech And Charlie Hebdo

Free Speech and Charlie Hebdo- what's popular today?

With the attack on the Paris cartoonists the masses have taken to the streets, airwaves and interwebs to wave some pencils and make their well meaning although somewhat lame and confused voices heard. What happened in Paris, if true, is obviously abhorrent. Right now I am more concerned with the reaction by the public and political world, what is unfolding and where this may all lead.

Free speech is a wonderful thing, where and when it occurs. There are many variants, in that not all of us feel empowered or free enough to state our views, fear of ridicule or social exclusion runs through the human make-up. So it’s much easier to express, freely, popular opinions, beliefs etc. than to go against the socially accepted views. There is a need for humans to feel part of the tribe, to feel accepted in our community. In the past exclusion could result in enforced isolation, starvation or even death. Life is hard enough without being excluded from ones social circle, community or family.

The demand for newspapers to be policed by government is laziness on behalf of the public.

Continue Reading

8 years ago Politics

Government Cannot Serve ‘The People’

Before we begin: There is no ‘The People’. There are six billion individuals with very similar needs but differing interests and desires. Sure we all need food but some want a vegan diet and others love a good burger. ‘The people’ is a meaningless undefined term, like ‘the poor’ and ‘the rich’. People vote and protest yet have not realised that this is all energy wasted, the government cannot serve 'the people', because 'the people' do not exist.

The slaves have yet to realise there is too many of them with too varying interests to be properly served.

Continue Reading

8 years ago Economics, Politics, Privatisation

Irish Water Cronyism

Irish Water Cronyism - What Is It?

The main news in Ireland for many months revolves around Irish Water Cronyism. It is a state company that uses tax payers money to establish itself, pay wages, possibly upgrade the water infrastructure etc. Regardless of making a profit or loss, this company can feed off the unlimited purse of the tax base. It might be a voluntary company as in consumers can opt out, but it is a monopoly so consumers will struggle to pick an alternative.

This is not privatization. This is not a private company.

Continue Reading