Recently, I read an article, in a newspaper, that said that advertising is turning to make people afraid in order to get them to purchase things. For example, you will put your families health at risk unless you use this type of cleaner that kills 99% of all known germs.
As an aside, I was told the 99% bit was because, on tests the cleaner kills 100% of bacteria, it was possible that a new bacteria might come along that this cleaner is not active against, and their 100% claim would be wrong.
Anyway, back t the fear thing. Isn't politics working on the same strategy?
UKIP advises that unless you vote for them, the EU will send hoards of Europeans into this country, and take away your jobs!
The Tories say that unless you vote for them, you will let Labour back into power, and you know what a mess they made of things the last time they were in power!
Labour say that unless you vote for them, the Tories will continue to persecute the Working Class, and make them pay for the mistakes of the bankers!
Liberals say that unless you vote for them the same to-ing and fro-ing of the political see-saw will continue, which does not help anybody!
I think that appealing to people's sense of fear is a mistake. For those of you that know a bit of Psychology will realise that Freud said that if you make the Ego anxious, Ego Defence Mechanisms will kick in, and the one that is most likely to be used is Denial. "I can't be afraid, because there is nothing to be afraid of (the argument is blotted out of their conscious altogether)". This could also be one of the reasons that people do not engage with politics.
Another reason for people not engaging with politics could be the farce called Prime Minister's Questions, where the House of Commons collectively behave like a bunch of unruly yobs.
And of course the final reason is that nobody trusts politicians any more, they are too interested in what they can get for themselves. Expenses rows etc have made sure of that.
So unless there is a total change in the behaviour of politicians, 30% turn-outs at elections will be something that the political class will have to get used to. The Government being voted in by a minority of the electorate will be a feature of our politics for a long time to come.
Maybe we should change the system and make it a legal requirement that people vote, with fines to those people that do not vote. The question then becomes who would be most harmed by this? Answers please on a post card to me. However, that has got to be easier than getting politicians to be trusted again.
