Man behaving badly

Culture is something we collectively make. There is no reason to put up with a sick one.

(Chris Wallace. Culture gone feral. Canberra Times. October 13)

My obvious left wing leaning, and age, precluded me from ever being invited to a Young Liberal’s dinner. So I wasn’t there to hear what Alan Jones had to say first hand. I did however, see his on screen TV appearances where he attempted to justify his apparent lack of taste, lack of discretion, lack of sensitivity, lack of compassion and blatant disrespect.  ‘It was not a public function. I did not give permission for my words to be recorded. The event was in camera. I am being bullied’.  

Come on Alan - what’s that saying? You know the one….. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Ooh, and they took away your Merc…diddums!

I really did not need to know the content of text messages sent between Peter Slipper and his work colleague. But I have to ask: what sort of naivety or arrogance leads a public figure to think they can engage in that sort of conversation and harassment in the workplace? If I as a public servant had done similarly I would have been sacked on the spot. Peter has been a bad, bad, stupid boy.

I’m not sure whether Tony Abbot is a misogynist. But I am certain he lacks sensitivity. I actually saw the words: ‘This government should die of shame’ fall out of his mouth. I actually saw him deny that he meant to align his comments with those of Alan Jones. I’m sorry Tony. Even when you wheel out your wife to defend you, I just don’t buy it.

I don’t usually pine for the ‘good old days. I remember school milk used to be sour by the time you got it at recess having sat under the trees in the sun for a couple of hours.  But during the week my daughter posted a link to a youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdAoQvqh7eY  titled The salmon that jumps on the hook for you. It is an exchange between Paul Keeting and Alexander Downer with Keating doing the reeling in actions as Downer takes the bait. 

Men knew how to behave badly back then.

I fell upon a program on ABC TV early last week called Black Mirror. Wikipedia describes it as a British television drama series created by Charlie Brooker. He says: ‘Each episode has a different cast, a different setting, even a different reality. But they're all about the way we live now – and the way we might be living in 10 minutes' time if we're clumsy.’ In this weeks episode the ‘people’s princess ‘has been kidnapped. The demands for her release are that the British Prime Minister performs sexual congress, with a pig, on live television.  He is pressured by the Queen to ‘do all that it takes’ to get the princess released. His minders interpret that as acceding to the kidnappers demands and facilitate the process in the same way they would any other PM duty. The nation stops, tuned in for the spectacle. There is an uncomfortable mass squirm when for a split second the mob realises just what it is watching.

It was bizarre, riveting, imaginative, provocative and  left me wondering who indeed was behaving badly?
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
This week's art work
Can something grand a beautiful rise out of the tawdry? 

Phoenix. Acrylic paint and oragami paper on watercolour paper