Phatic noise

It is my habit to turn on the radio as soon as I rise in the mornings. When I was in full time work it was always local ABC – listening for anything that would divert our attentions from the defined day’s work.  In semi-retirement I switched to Radio National breathing a sign that I would no longer be bombarded with the minutiae of stories about un-mowed school ovals, closed gates, school students being refused service at the local shops, or yet another debate about dress code.

RN  gives me a good sweep of national and international events – but I am seriously considering cutting the broadcast for the next five weeks and simply reverting to reading the news on my phone, or hanging out in a cave somewhere that  has no electricity or internet service– at least there I can avoid the burgeoning diatribe that is shaping up as election campaigning.

All that shouting, pontificating, name calling, jingoistic, phatic noise that does nothing but obfuscate the landscape,  is just more than I can bear at 6:30 in the morning. Oh for the squawking birds that fly in and out of the neighbour’s gum tree making an unbelievable racket.

And if I cut off the radio, I am certain I still won’t be polled. The tally this end is that my teenage granddaughter has been polled twice in the last few weeks – even though she is ineligible to vote, and my friend has clocked up two opportunities to have her say.  Ok: the ABC did invite me to contribute to their online poll Vote Compass, but that hardly counts as it was a request to the whole nation- or anyone who was watching the telly at the time!

So what I’d like is to see policy: in black and white, that I can print out and read and that doesn’t come with continual dissection, commentary, and opinion pieces that assume I am too thick to make up my own mind. And I want a quiet peaceful place in which to read it; and a cohort of informed friends who are prepared to discuss what we think of it all, and which, if any, benefits the future of our country rather than the future of a political party.

I’ve been doing some polling of my own  lately, talking to amazing young people about how they contribute to their communities and what they get from the experience. The honesty of their conversation, the delight they display about doing something for others, the intelligence and reflection in their responses, their capacity to cogently articulate their views and commitments,  and their integrity, are mind blowing.  

I remember why I loved being a teacher.

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Art Work of the Week 

One of those squawking birds

Kioloa Tweet. Acrylic on canvas