Flat Earth News by Nick Davies...

[kenneal - lagger]

Miserable cynics!

[emordnilap]

The only answer is to shun them and not vote. There are much better things to do with one's time.

On that basis, you, and all those of that ilk, can't really complain about what comes around, can you?

I hear this argument a lot, and it makes no sense to me.

Sure, caspian, you are perfectly entitled to complain about those in charge (and the government ) but if you don't actually do anything - however little that may be - about the wrongs, then your complaints lack a certain force.

Something like, "The potholes in the road are damaging my car's suspension and I'm going to complain like mad about the council but the only guy who promised to do anything about potholes lost out by a single vote in the last election."

No offence intended at all but if caspian doesn't vote, someone votes on caspian's behalf.

[sweat]

Sure, caspian, you are perfectly entitled to complain about those in charge (and the government ) but if you don't actually do anything - however little that may be - about the wrongs, then your complaints lack a certain force.

Something like, "The potholes in the road are damaging my car's suspension and I'm going to complain like mad about the council but the only guy who promised to do anything about potholes lost out by a single vote in the last election."

No offence intended at all but if caspian doesn't vote, someone votes on caspian's behalf.

He didn't say he didn't do anything, he said he didn't vote. Choosing not to take part in that particular farce does not discount you from taking part in actual meaningful political action.

[emordnilap]

Sure, caspian, you are perfectly entitled to complain about those in charge (and the government ) but if you don't actually do anything - however little that may be - about the wrongs, then your complaints lack a certain force.

Something like, "The potholes in the road are damaging my car's suspension and I'm going to complain like mad about the council but the only guy who promised to do anything about potholes lost out by a single vote in the last election."

No offence intended at all but if caspian doesn't vote, someone votes on caspian's behalf.

He didn't say he didn't do anything, he said he didn't vote. Choosing not to take part in that particular farce does not discount you from taking part in actual meaningful political action.

That's fair enough if someone tries to influence policy. However, whoever is being influenced is going to be miffed if the lobby-er didn't actually vote for the lobby-ee. "You want me to do something for you but you don't want to vote for me?"

In an election, my final point still stands.

[JohnB]

Is there a difference between someone who doesn't vote because they can't be bothered, and someone who doesn't vote because they can't support any of the candidates (as there isn't a none of these tossers option on the ballot paper)?

[Tawney]

Is there a difference between someone who doesn't vote because they can't be bothered, and someone who doesn't vote because they can't support any of the candidates (as there isn't a none of these tossers option on the ballot paper)?

I think so.

The apathetic (“can’t be bothered”) non voter just doesn’t turn up at the polling booth; they rarely express their non voting intentions to others in person and and on public forums like this. Lower social economic groups are more heavily represented amongst unregistered and 'no show' voters. The “I’ve been disenfranchised by lack of choice - they're all tossers” non voter probably makes a loud noise about it in advance - and afterwards - and is more likely to influence others. Also, despite what they say before hand they usually end up voting!

[RenewableCandy]

You can always turn up, get yer ballot-paper and write something on it. It won't be a vote, but all the candidates have to look at all the "disputed" ballots so it will, in a way, be a statement.

A popular one 'round here recently was "Justice for Jarvis workers". I was at the count.

[AndySir]

Two of the most memorable disputed ballots I've seen were the old woman who emphasised her vote for the BNP by making a swastika instead of a cross and the fellow who voted for our Green candidate as "Charles Darwin: The natural candidate".

[the_lyniezian]

You can always turn up, get yer ballot-paper and write something on it. It won't be a vote, but all the candidates have to look at all the "disputed" ballots so it will, in a way, be a statement.

A popular one 'round here recently was "Justice for Jarvis workers". I was at the count.

I was just thinking of the idea of spoiling the ballot paper.

I've been told (I think by some of my SPEAK friends) that they have to count even the spoiled ballot papers, so at least it could influence the turnout figures.

[caspian]

The trouble with spoiling your ballot is that you're still taking part in the phoney democratic process, and therefore you're effectively endorsing it (because, as Lyniezian said, the spoiled ballot still counts in the turnout figures). By withdrawing your vote completely you are taking a stand against the system itself, albeit only a tiny stand. Of course, the problem with this tactic is that it's not clear to the politicians why you're not voting.

[Adam Polczyk]

[sigh]

For anyone still interested, the book explains how the aggressive corporatisation/commercialisation of the last few of decades has left the news media significantly weakened and much more susceptible to commercially/politically motivated PR and strategic information.

Maximising profit has created a 'News Machine' that tells it’s audience the stories that it believes they want to hear, while reducing costs to the point where breadth, depth and accuracy are irrevocably undermined. At the same time 24 hour rolling and online news has massively increased the volume needing to be generated. The result is “Churnalism” – a flood of thinly reworked, unchecked/unverified material direct from a single Wire Agency. In-depth analysis of complex or controversial stories that challenge the official line are costly and risky to produce. Why bother when they can simply churn out whatever everyone else is already saying.

People with awareness of Peak Oil naturally wonder why it is that such an important story is seldom given the attention it deserves in the mainstream media. This book provides a more complete understanding of why this is the case.