Thursday 23 February 2012

Mindless wimps or mindless automatons?

"As long as some specialised class is in a position of authority, it is going to set policy in the special interests that it serves."
Noam Chomsky
From press reports in the last few days come stories that pose the question of this post heading. Consider the case of Simon Burgess and firefighters, the latter who are graded as to whether they have had training to walk through water ankle high or waist high. Consider that ITV has felt it necessary to issue an apology because one of their reporters used the word 'coloured' twice 'on air', a story commented on by Mark Wadsworth. Consider the case of Mark Jury who stopped briefly at a bus stop, having seen an old lady fall over, resulting in his receiving a £70 fixed penalty notice.

Is the world a better place because we are all exhorted to follow dictats issued by those who have built an industry out of the issuance of said dictats? Has racism disappeared because we no longer use words like 'coloured', negro, black, etc? Has our attitude towards others less fortunate than ourselves been improved by mindless bureaucracy which prevent our helping others?


Is it any wonder that as a nation we have become mindless wimps or mindless automatons? Where thoughts of possible failure are implanted in our minds the result will be failure. Perhaps we need a culture wherein constructive thoughts are the norm as from them will result positive outcomes.


Just thinking.............

2 comments:

john in cheshire said...

WfW, we need our leaders to tell us/our children what a wonderful nation we are. That's not bragging, that's fact. If we weren't so wonderful, we wouldn't be hated by so many people; and fewer of the dross of the world would want to wash up on our shores. The day we play to our strengths, rather than with one hand tied behind our back, is the day we begin to extricate ourselves from the socialist/islamic nightmare to which we have allowed ourselves to become enthralled.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

jic: The last thing I want is a leader, but if we have to have such a thing it would be preferable if he/she kept their bloody mouth shut.