It's a really weird political situation at the moment, isn't it?
As we can see in matters of science (climate change) and economics (rabid anti-Keynesianism and massive over simplification about debt and taxes), large slabs of the Right have gone all "ideology over evidence", which was something that the Left formerly specialised in.
We can clearly add to this list "self pitying victimhood" as shown by Andrew "I lost a court case and I risk losing another one if I don't do better research - you need to change the law" Bolt; Gerard "why won't the ABC put on a conservative host?*" Henderson; and Chris "people might really think I would have sex with a dog!" Kenny.
In fact, all of the Coalition moaning about the ABC is victim mentality.
Sure, sure: when it comes to sexuality, the Left has victim claiming status for that still firmly aligned with them.
But to a very large extent, the Right wants to feel sorry for itself: probably because (as they have just realised) they are not all that intrinsically popular. People do actually want centrism. ** It must be the ABC's fault, then, for not hosting a conservative show.
To be fair, as much as I hate doing so with him, Tony Abbott looked positively embarrassed about Andrew Bolt getting upset on his behalf last Sunday about Abbott's wife getting stupid criticism from Tim Mathieson. (Yes, I did watch Bolt for the first ten minutes because Abbott was there from the opening.) So I don't actually think that Abbott is so much into this victimhood thing - but it is obvious that a huge slab of his strongest supporters are.
Update: I forgot to add to this "victimhood" business on the Right the way they demand that every single Left sympathetic voice in the land join in condemnation of sexism, even when it is made by someone on the Right (like Clive Palmer). Not enough that the Leader makes a quick and unqualified attack on Palmer - every single person who ever agreed that Gillard faced sexist attacks is now supposed to find a media outlet to say "Oh, and it is also wrong against Credlin". Give me a break, and get a life.
* I don't know if Henderson reads Catallaxy, but it is widely acknowledged, even in that collection of Boltheads, that the one prominent Right wing show on TV is often pretty awful due to his poor broadcast media skills. Henderson himself is clearly not capable of the job, and in fact I have no knowledge of any likely conservative figure who has an obviously appealing media presence. This fact is resolutely ignored by those calling for a "conservative" show.
** thanks to monty for indicating this was an interesting post.
In fact, all of the Coalition moaning about the ABC is victim mentality.
ReplyDeleteZing! I don't think the Right appreciates how pathetic they sound when they keep whining about the ABC.
Palmer chose a bad example with Credlin but the outcry is ridiculous. Just look at what was said about Gillard.
Bolt didn't do his homework - again - the dinner was not planned and Bolt just raised the issue because like many coalition devotees he does not like Turnbull.
There is nothing stopping conservatives setting up their own program on the commercial channels. For all the bullshit criticism of the ABC and Q&A, the fact remains that no-one in the commercial world ever set up what has become the most prominent debating forum in the country. The ABC did it and then doofi like Rowan Dean insist that the commercial stations can do better. Nonsense, they didn't, the ABC was first out of the gate and now the Right will come up with some pathetic remark about "crowding out". Crap, the commercial stations are more interested in advertising than democracy.
Good post Steve.
I did? It was interesting, can't recall where I posted about it though.
ReplyDeleteIn a comment here yesterday you said that Elder compared Morrison to Reith, which led me to Google Elder's post.
ReplyDelete