"...a sort of meerkat approximation of Justin Timberlake..."

[chaletian]

This morning I was idly glancing across at my neighbour’s copy of Metro, and noticed a couple of bits about David Miliband. Apparently, he’s been heaping praise upon Gordon Brown at the Labour Party Conference and being all smiley and stuff. Ah, I thought cynically, nice try; position yourself as the nice chap, get some press coverage, and then disclaim politely when the rebel element in your party propose you as the new leader, before graciously agreeing. Anyway, Miliband was going on about Brown’s contribution to international development policy etc, and I thought (in my mind), you know what, I don’t have a clue about half the stuff the Government’s done, because it doesn’t really interest me. I keep track of the things that *do* interest me, but a lot of stuff I don’t bother about, and I imagine lots of people are the same.

And the thing is, give me late C19th British politics, and I can give you chapter and verse (please note: this is actually a lie. Ten years ago I could have done; not any more) on the people and the legislation and the political shenanigans and the ins and outs of the various groups and parties. I knew what happened when, and who was involved. I knew (insofar as anyone could) why people chose the actions they did, and why they supported the legislation that they did. We can build up such a clear idea of it all, not only from books, but from the press of the day, and Hansard, and private correspondence and diaries and all that. It’s funny to think that a hundred years hence, people will have a better understanding of the politics of our day than we do ourselves.

Also, moving on from that, how much are we at the mercy of the press? Really, all we know is what they tell us. And you can manipulate that a bit by choosing your sources of information, but only a little bit. It’s slightly freaky. Huh. Anyway, that’s today’s thought of the day.

In other news, I have a couple of genius links to share (that will have already been on some people’s flists, but whatevs):

Barack Obama chats to Jed Bartlet, courtesy of Aaron Sorkin

Hamlet’s Facebook

Simon Pegg writes the end of Spaced

Also, it has been brought to my attention that I do not have a tag for Katie. Please do not think FOR ONE TINY SECOND that this does not mean she is not AS IMPORTANT AS GOD. Clearly, she is. I just don’t bother to tag her as it would be a little redundant given that she appears in practically EVERY POST EVER. Glad we’ve cleared that up. *g*

Comments

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

Hm. Any time anyone mentions the press having differing slants always puts me in mind of the following Yes Minister (or Prime Minister, I can never remember which) quote:

Jim Hacker: Don't tell me about the press. I know exactly who reads the papers:

* The Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country;
* The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country;
* The Times is read by people who actually do run the country;
* The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country;
* The Financial Times is read by people who own the country;
* The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country;
* And the Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is.

Sir Humphrey: Prime Minister, what about the people who read the Sun?
Bernard Woolley: Sun readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits.

[morganmuffle]

David Milliband needs to learn to look over his shoulder before saying things...

But very much yes about the press (and in fact I was about to go looking for that Yes Minister quote before I saw it'd already been posted *g*)

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

Vis a vis David Milliband, someone said on Sky last night that he has "the sort of face you'd love to punch" which does, just about, sum him up.

And great minds clearly think alike ;)

[ungratefulwench.livejournal.com]

I really don't need to see David Miliband's creepy smiling face beaming out at me from newspapers and television screens. It makes me hugely uncomfortable.