DIVISION!!!!! POLARISATION!!!! HATRED!!!!

Posted on by Opher

As the reign of Trump and the advent of Brexit proceeds it is increasingly clear that we are living in highly volatile, divided and polarised countries.

People live in their own bubbles. They select what they believe from sources that only reflect their views. Friends who think differently are dumped. Families are split and people who hold opposing views are ostracised, ignored, stereotyped and ridiculed.

In the USA a whole range of issues have become totally politicised: Immigration, the environment, global warming, gun control, abortion, contraception, Muslims and hunting come to mind.

In the UK it is Immigration, Muslims, Tommy Robinson, sovereignty, nationalism, race, rape, terrorism and the EU.

The strength of emotion is extreme. The vitriol and rancour is evident.

People are no longer thinking about issues. They decide on a side and then accept the view put out by that side via the websites that feed them the raw meat. It is an emotional choice.

The prevailing view is that everybody is lying. Everything is fake news. You can’t trust the experts. Scientists are in the pay of various groups. So people can believe what they want.

In the States there are those who believe Trump can do no wrong and those who believe he is the epitome of evil.

In the UK we are split into those who believe Brexit will deliver a better Britain and those who believe it is a total disaster.

There is no compromise! There is no middle view! There is no debate!

Tommy Robinson is either the peoples’ champion or a fascist Islamophobe.

Global warming is a liberal globalist plot or a looming disaster.

The level of division and hatred is unparalleled. It is exemplified by the change in attitudes in the USA:

in 1958 – only 4% of Americans approved of interracial marriages. That has risen to 87% approval.

28% of Americans were against marriage between political parties. That has risen to 63%.

That means that only 1 in ten Americans would be unhappy if their daughter married someone from a different race but 6 out of ten would be unhappy if their daughter married someone from a different political party!!

The bad feeling between Republicans and Democrats has never been as bad.

In Britain – it is probably as bad between Brexiteers and Remainers. But we don’t have guns!

So where does this hate and polarisation lead?

In Britain it will come to a head when Brexit is finally out of the way. But I’m not sure that will solve too much. I suspect that if the country either prospers or languishes it will unleash a backlash of blame and recriminations. The anger will persist.

In the USA I perceive it to be even worse. There are people talking about revolution, civil war and we now have pipe-bombs being sent.

I suspect that there is going to be violence. The sides are irreconcilable and the politicians of both sides are whipping it up for their own ends.

Dark forces have been set loose.

I know who I blame!!

What were the drivers for Brexit, Trump and the rise of the extreme right?

Posted on by Opher

It is easy to look back at the factors that have brought us to this state of affairs. There was a great number of major problems that were not addressed by the politicians that resulted in the situation we find ourselves. I’ll focus on Britain but similar factors were at work within the USA and other European countries:

  1. The wars, poverty and overpopulation in many Muslim countries resulted in mass migrations to Europe.
  2. Terrorism and radicalisation in many Muslims resulting in callous bombings, beheadings and other atrocities.
  3. The grouping of immigrants into various places in large numbers.
  4. The springing up of mosques all over the country and perceived intrusion into our Western culture of an alien culture.
  5. The wearing of burkas and niqabs reinforcing this feeling on intrusion and alien unWestern culture.
  6. The extremism of some Muslims stridently calling for sharia law.
  7. The rise in sex crimes, rapes, knife crime and gang activity blamed on Muslim and Eastern European immigrants.
  8. The mass immigration of people from the Eastern European countries and their congregation into certain areas.
  9. Hearing so many foreign languages on the streets and seeing so many shops opening up catering for Easter European tastes.
  10. They felt our social services, schools, NHS and other services were being abused by immigrants.
  11. The undemocratic nature of the EU.
  12. The laws that were passed by the EU without Britain having control.
  13. The aims of the EU in creating greater unity well beyond trade.
  14. The right-wing nature of the EU.
  15. The perceived extensive bureaucracy of the EU.
  16. The overbearing nature of the EU as exemplified by its treatment of Greece.

The result of this was that many people felt that we were being swamped with foreigners and our culture was in danger of being displaced.

They were concerned that terrorists and religious extremists were coming into the country under the guise of refugees.

They thought these people were taking jobs that British people should be doing.

They were fearful for their safety as crime increased.

They distrusted the EU.

Of course the right-wing and populist politicians took these fears and exaggerated them for their own ends.

Our politicians were far too slow at dealing with the problems and allowed them to fester.

The result is Trump, Brexit and the rise of the extreme right-wing. They promise to deal with these problems with black and white solutions:

a. Stop immigration – build walls

b. Deport immigrants

c. Ban burkas and deport radicals

d. Dump the EU and get back sovereignty.

e. Isolate and bring back nationalism.

They hark back to a nostalgic golden age (that never was) when we did not have these immigrants, were in charge of our own destiny and everything was rosy. That was never the case.

I would ask if there isn’t another, a better way of dealing with these problems???

 

These are some of my beliefs – what does that make me?

Posted on by Opher

I welcome all views on this blog and like an argument or two. Only by talking things through with people who think differently can you gain other perspectives. That challenges our own views, forces one to think and helps one keep an open mind.

For myself I don’t label myself in any corner but seem to have a tendency towards left-wing philosophy. That comes from my strong belief in fairness, tolerance and justice. But I temper that with a strong belief in individuality, free speech (apart from hate speech and incitement to violence) and democracy (in one form or another).

I believe that a civilised system required excellent education, health care and social services; that there should be safety nets for the unfortunate and a compassionate structure to society.

I believe in an outward society and a global perspective. I am not in favour of free markets or huge inequality. Trickle down is a con. Tax cuts for the rich is immoral. I want bridges, not walls.

I want a global approach to deal with the most pressing issue of all – the protection of nature and conservation of species. I want central regulation of pollution and ecological destruction. I want universal human rights and a universal approach to taxation. I want a progressive taxation system and an end to war, poverty and nations.

On a national level I want nationalisation of essential services – NHS, Education, Transport, Energy, Police, Army, Prisons and Post. I don’t want these institutions being run for profit for the rich.

I want high taxation and excellent public services and quality of life – like I have experienced in Scandinavia. I support democratic socialism as providing a more equal society with a great quality of life for all people.

Yes I can see the dangers of  a global regulation system but I believe we can build in safeguards to prevent dictatorships and corruption. Only a global system can address global issues such as the multinationals (which I believe are running roughshod over the world playing one country off against another), tax evasion, starvation, drought. climate change, war, mass migration, ecological disaster, overpopulation, deforestation, overfishing, pollution and poverty. It seems imperative to me that these are addressed.

I believe we have the means to provide all people with a good standard of life and it is not right for a tiny number to live in ridiculous opulence while half the world starves. That is immoral.

I am a tolerant Antitheist who believes all religion is manmade, divisive, the cause of trouble, and a poor, ambiguous way of establishing morals. We have far better ways of establishing a clear morality than by reference to archaic writings from thousands of years ago laced with abhorrent cultural baggage. But I believe faith is a personal thing and shouldn’t be imposed.

I strongly oppose fascism, racism, white supremacy and misogyny.

I put my faith in the idealism of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

I believe in One People – One Planet.

I also believe that if something hasn’t worked in the past that means you have to try harder, do it better and keep on until you get it right. We learn from mistakes.

I do not align myself with any political party or movement but I broadly support Corbyn and, to a lesser extent, the Democrats.

I think Brexit is an absolute disaster and Trump is even worse.

I am an optimistic idealist with pragmatic, problem solving skills.

I’ll live with whatever that makes me and listen to any argument that anybody wishes to put forward. I like to clarify my own thinking and have been known to change my mind.