Hey kids! Gather 'round the radio. The Prime Minister is going to talk to us!This is the oddest reaction to a disinterested population that I can think of: the PM is going to speak to us every week through an address being picked up by private radio stations. Lord knows Canadians love being addressed like the Queen does every Christmas Day. The children hardly recognize Santa anymore filled as they are with the anticipation of the royal talking head.
I think this idea is not that different from Stephen Harper's failed BBQ 2005 Tour as it misunderstands what most Canadians want from politicians. Unlike the UK we do not consider them our natural betters and unlike the US we do not consider them some sort of example of what hard work can get you. We consider them people hired to run the public realm and that takes some pretty boring skills. They ability to maintain attention through long committee meetings. The knack of spending no more than you have to spend and spend it reasonably sensibly. Keep us from invasion and deliver us from tyranny. Good people doing administrative things well. And that is about it.
What the heck is he going to say that he thinks I will be interested in?
Comments
Arthur - October 30, 2005 8:30 am
We consider them people hired to run the public realm and that takes some pretty boring skills.
Sounds like Superman to me...
Alan - October 30, 2005 8:32 am
Superman had it pretty dull when you think about it. Plus he had to deal with the whole bodysuit thing.
Life of the party - October 30, 2005 8:49 am
disinterested
should be uninterested; 89 percent of people surveyed agree.
I'm the kind of person who looks forward to the PMs address. It will provide a nice break in my Sunday CPAC habit.
Boo. :)
Alan - October 30, 2005 8:55 am
<i>Disinterested</i> is a great word properly applied. See meaning #2:<blockquote class="smalltext">(a) Not interested; indifferent: “supremely disinterested in all efforts to find a peaceful solution” (C.L. Sulzberger).
(b) Having lost interest.</blockquote>2(b) is likely what has happened though 2(a)(i) "indifference" is less accusatory.
Alan - October 30, 2005 8:58 am
The 1992 printing of the <i>Concise Oxford Dictionary</i> also contains the second meaning "uninterested". Shouldery banished!
Alan - October 30, 2005 9:05 am
Furthermore, consider the dual aspect of the implication based on the two meanings in the context of the need to broadcast this only on private stations due to its deemed partisan nature under law. I actually really can't get much better than this in word selection when you think about it.
Arthur - October 30, 2005 9:48 am
Hey. I learned a new word today...
'nee - October 30, 2005 11:28 am
I think our PM should have to don a bodysuit for any administrative proceedings. Just so we know which old guy he is. Also, he should have to do backflips around the commons in order to call for a recess. Let's inject some fun into our political process.
Alan - October 30, 2005 12:09 pm
<i>Now</i> we are getting somewhere!
optimus - October 30, 2005 12:44 pm
what, he aspires to be FDR? i have better things to do than tune in to his fireside chat.*
* where better things = reruns of 'CSI miami'
Arthur - October 30, 2005 7:14 pm
he should have to do backflips around the commons
Uh. PrimeministerMan, is that you?
Mike - October 31, 2005 12:10 pm
"Disinterestedtarianism" -- I like it.