wibble Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Politicians - not a chance. The 2 party stitch up means that they are happy to bend over for the highest bidder. Newspapers - no way Television - BBC are good overall, but tow the government line. The rest are 100% untrustworthy and generally lightweight, afraid to tackle any real issue. Doctors - most of them are trying to get you on a prescription rather than cure you or improve your health. Pushers for the drug industry. Scientists/researchers - they have proven that they are either cooking up WMD reports or fudging results to back up theories - like politicians their opinions are for sale to the highest bidder. Big business - I don't even need to start. Police - No longer able to respond in short time to incidents. My point is that as a mere pleb in society we have no control or influence over these people/organisations. Who is looking after your best interests these days? Government was created to offer the public a mechanism to make society as "liveable" as possible - to create a generally high standard of living and quality of life for all citizens. These days the public are last in line. Things are going to get tougher. Isn't it time that the good of the individual came before the good of the drug company, the oil company or the bank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cade Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Politicians - not a chance. The 2 party stitch up means that they are happy to bend over for the highest bidder. Newspapers - no way Television - BBC are good overall, but tow the government line. The rest are 100% untrustworthy and generally lightweight, afraid to tackle any real issue. Doctors - most of them are trying to get you on a prescription rather than cure you or improve your health. Pushers for the drug industry. Scientists/researchers - they have proven that they are either cooking up WMD reports or fudging results to back up theories - like politicians their opinions are for sale to the highest bidder. Big business - I don't even need to start. Police - No longer able to respond in short time to incidents. My point is that as a mere pleb in society we have no control or influence over these people/organisations. Who is looking after your best interests these days? Government was created to offer the public a mechanism to make society as "liveable" as possible - to create a generally high standard of living and quality of life for all citizens. These days the public are last in line. Things are going to get tougher. Isn't it time that the good of the individual came before the good of the drug company, the oil company or the bank? In all honesty MJ, it has always been the case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Kilpatrick Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I trust Vladimir Romanov. He's always consistently stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicTs Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Tiger Woods ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auld Reekin' Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Politicians - not a chance. The 2 party stitch up means that they are happy to bend over for the highest bidder. Newspapers - no way Television - BBC are good overall, but tow the government line. The rest are 100% untrustworthy and generally lightweight, afraid to tackle any real issue. Doctors - most of them are trying to get you on a prescription rather than cure you or improve your health. Pushers for the drug industry. Scientists/researchers - they have proven that they are either cooking up WMD reports or fudging results to back up theories - like politicians their opinions are for sale to the highest bidder. Big business - I don't even need to start. Police - No longer able to respond in short time to incidents. My point is that as a mere pleb in society we have no control or influence over these people/organisations. Who is looking after your best interests these days? Government was created to offer the public a mechanism to make society as "liveable" as possible - to create a generally high standard of living and quality of life for all citizens. These days the public are last in line. Things are going to get tougher. Isn't it time that the good of the individual came before the good of the drug company, the oil company or the bank? Was this ever the case? I fully agree that this is what a government should provide and that this should be their reason for existence, but has one ever truly done this? In answer to your last question: yes it is, but no political or social movement, revolution, or philosophy has successfully achieved this before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wibble Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 Was this ever the case? I fully agree that this is what a government should provide and that this should be their reason for existence, but has one ever truly done this? In answer to your last question: yes it is, but no political or social movement, revolution, or philosophy has successfully achieved this before. I do think that historically government has, at times, made progress towards improving the lot of the average person. Things like the introduction of free education, the health service, the 40 hour working week etc. were all brought in under various governments. Can you even start to imagine a government bringing in something like that now? While capitalism is always pushing for more blood from it's workers there was a time when government reigned that in a bit. Now government is doing the squeezing on behalf of the bosses. In the past companies complained that governments were holding them back. That was a good thing. If capitalists were smart they would realise that this is what kept the workers relatively happy with their lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auld Reekin' Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I do think that historically government has, at times, made progress towards improving the lot of the average person. Things like the introduction of free education, the health service, the 40 hour working week etc. were all brought in under various governments. Can you even start to imagine a government bringing in something like that now? While capitalism is always pushing for more blood from it's workers there was a time when government reigned that in a bit. Now government is doing the squeezing on behalf of the bosses. In the past companies complained that governments were holding them back. That was a good thing. If capitalists were smart they would realise that this is what kept the workers relatively happy with their lot. I'm not disputing that various governments of various countries have, at various times, done many good things for their ordinary citizens; what I disagree with is that any system of government was actually created to care primarily for the welfare of the majority of the people it governs. Even where it's possible to argue that this was the case - in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, for instance - the reality of what resulted was an utter perversion and corruption of the high ideals of Marxism. I don't know if it's down to human nature, the corrupting influence of power, the humdrum practicalities of trying to run a country, or the realities of operating within a world-wide system of commerce and trade, but any geniune concern about the well-being of the ordinary citizen seems to disappear all too quickly and be replaced by cynical pragmatism and the desire to retain power and privilege. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wibble Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 I'm not disputing that various governments of various countries have, at various times, done many good things for their ordinary citizens; what I disagree with is that any system of government was actually created to care primarily for the welfare of the majority of the people it governs. Even where it's possible to argue that this was the case - in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, for instance - the reality of what resulted was an utter perversion and corruption of the high ideals of Marxism. I don't know if it's down to human nature, the corrupting influence of power, the humdrum practicalities of trying to run a country, or the realities of operating within a world-wide system of commerce and trade, but any geniune concern about the well-being of the ordinary citizen seems to disappear all too quickly and be replaced by cynical pragmatism and the desire to retain power and privilege. Maybe it's just because I'm older and more jaded now. I do believe there was a time when people went into politics because they felt they had something to offer. These days most politicians choose politics when they are still at school and go into Uni with the express objective of becoming a politician. What this means is that both sides of our 2 party system is staffed by people who have been educated in the same schools/unis and fed the same ideologies and influenced by the same people. None of them have real life experience in business or in the workplace and so they have no real idea of what government needs to do to make life better out there in the real world. They also have no fall-back career, so success in politics is essential for them. They will do anything to stay in power because it is all they have. Like someone once said "Anyone who wants to be a politician should be immediately banned from ever being a politician." Government is now so remote from the people that the only way forward is a complete change in the way countries are governed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommythejambo Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I trust these men. With my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain America Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I trust Thierry Henry, he would never do anything dishonest would he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Ratbaggy Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 At least you have a semi decent state government unlike the gangsters currently running my benighted state (NSW), we've just had the third unelected premier in five years. Hangings to good for them.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Doctor Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 No place for trusting ministers these days then? Not even worth a mention? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wibble Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 No place for trusting ministers these days then? Not even worth a mention? Tin hat on I hope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Kilpatrick Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 No place for trusting ministers these days then? Not even worth a mention? My trust in them disappeared at the age of 15 when it turned out our 'confirmed bachelor' Church of Ireland rector was caught cottaging in toilets and subsequently committed suicide by jumping down a well! Then a local Presbyterian minister decided that unless people attended church on a suitably regular basis, their children couldn't be baptised. It transpired of course that he had started as a Methodist, become a Baptist and then become a Presbyterian. If you need to connect with God, read the sacred text of your choosing and cut out the middleman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjambo Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 My trust in them disappeared at the age of 15 when it turned out our 'confirmed bachelor' Church of Ireland rector was caught cottaging in toilets and subsequently committed suicide by jumping down a well! Then a local Presbyterian minister decided that unless people attended church on a suitably regular basis, their children couldn't be baptised. It transpired of course that he had started as a Methodist, become a Baptist and then become a Presbyterian. If you need to connect with God, read the sacred text of your choosing and cut out the middleman. If you need to connect with God, talk with him/her directly and cut out both the sacred texts and the middleman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckandcover Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Trust no one. I learnt that when my own mum shafted me for money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trotter Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Fellow engineers (and i mean proper engineers not "Your photocopier is broken, we'll send an engineer" spanner monkey-type bloke. We have to deal with most of the OPs list on a daily basis and put up with loads of them talking out of their arse to suit their own agenda with no real appreciation of the world around them. Engineers simply take an idea and make it reality. Nice and simple, and we all read from the same page, we can ignore everyone else if we so choose!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbodog Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 . . . <------ I trust him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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