Where are the Nutters?

The whole all-pervasive consumerism of modern Ireland/the western world is, to me in 2018, pretty extreme. Mainstream is often extreme; the same views a generation later can be seen as extreme. The Nazis were by far the most popular party in Germany in the March 1933 election with slightly under 44% of the vote (most governments of the western world would be lucky to get that vote today; Fine Gael got 25.5% of the vote at the 2016 general election)

When an almighty recession happens, it will test the multiculturalism which the economically rightwing "liberal" elite have promoted for the poor (more immigrants = cheaper labour costs/more profit and to hell with social consequences), whose economic position is always the first to be challenged by newcomers. Since the early 1970s the economic centre in the west has unquestionably moved far further to the right in economic terms. Whether it's the state not building social houses (and indeed privatising the small bit of it that happens), taxes on the rich being far smaller than they were in 1970, the now indisputably extensive reduction in economic equality in the west, or the enormous amount of crap food pushed in all our faces be it in all supermarkets or on the myriad forms of advertising, consumerist fundamentalism and that hilarious misnomer "the free market" determines far too much of what happens in our "mainstream" societies in 2018. Democracy itself is under threat from it, and sometimes not so subtly anymore.

Saying this does not mean one supports Trump, Farage, Brexit or the rest of the opportunist economically rightwing parasites who have arisen as a reaction to the same old so-so policies from the economically rightwing ("liberal") consensus since the 1970s. The fact that most people in After Hours manage to blame "the left" for all these incontrovertibly rightwing economic policies since the early 1970s reflects their inability to think for themselves about things as basic as who benefits from this relentless "mainstream" shift to the economic right since the early 1970s.

dxhound2005

Before Armageddon comes, people here should just enjoy the fact that they are living in one of the best places in the world, in the very best times in history.

4068ac1elhodqr

dxhound2005 wrote: »

In the case of Brexit why not go for best of three. The Brexiteers never accepted the democratic vote of the 1970's, in which the Remainers had a much bigger majority than the Leavers in 2016. And you can be certain that if it was 52% Remain in 2016, the Brexiteers would have demanded further votes.

Sure let them go for best of 7 or until one side acheives 100%.
17.4m voted to leave 2016, 17.3 voted to join in the 70's.

If the UK 'was' part of the EU since the 70's and still currently are until exit day, perhaps that is in fact some indication of acceptance.

When they did join in 73 along with Ire, what they joined, does not represent the today's EU27 (and expanding towards the Western Balkans) group anyway.

dxhound2005

Lila Ancient Architect wrote: »

Sure let them go for best of 7 or until one side acheives 100%.
17.4m voted to leave 2016, 17.3 voted to join in the 70's.

If the UK 'was' part of the EU since the 70's and still currently are until exit day, perhaps that is in fact some indication of acceptance.

When they did join in 73 along with Ire, what they joined, does not represent the today's EU27 (and expanding towards the Western Balkans) group anyway.

I think the same electorate should be given the choice of accepting or rejecting what ever settlement is reached. As it stands they are removing any possibility of future generations rejoining. The EU could not take the chance of readmitting the UK. Whereas if the vote had been narrowly to Remain, the Brexit campaign would still be viable, and they would demand further votes.

Agricola

I don't think we can do "nutters" here.

Watching the British Brexit coverage, there's a sort of theatre everyone engages in from the politicians, to the media to the common pleb. It's like some kind of knowing nonsense that everyone plays along with.
It reminds me a lot of British football supporters, the bile and fury that can rain down from the stands, especially on derby days, veins popping in heads everywhere and then 90 minutes later everyone's off home for a brew and a biccie after a nice day out at the footie.

Places like that generate nutters because they have a willing audience for them. They love a bit of WWE melodrama as long as it all in good sport.
Here at home, we don't really go in for all that bollox. It's sorta like, we had the 800 years and the famine, and terrible recessions and all kinds of hardship........so just stop acting the cnut and cop onto yourself.

For Forks Sake

Annoying local radio hosts with their nonsense.... https://www.oceanfm.ie/2018/09/27/spoil-your-vote-and-support-gemma-odoherty-for-president-urges-donegal-campaign/

Dick Swiveller

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

Their founder (David Quinn) is right-wing on economic matters, and also on immigration - tried to blame immigrants for the housing crisis this week. Big fan of Israel too, which is always a good litmus test for wingnuttery.

The Iona Institute are a complete non-entity obsessed over by a few people on the internet. Most of their membership are elderly religious people. What is the obsession about? It's very strange

Dick Swiveller

jjpep wrote: »

I think there are three main reason's why extreme views in politics haven't taken hold here:

1. Standard of education. We have a pretty decent education system which covers a lot of different subjects. Most people who go through our education system have at least some knowledge of history and critical thinking.

2. History of immigration. Many Irish people have lived in other countries and have experienced different cultures first hand.

3. The north. The majority of people in the country lived through the troubles and while only few of us ever were directly affected, we've seen up close the human cost of political extremism.

Really? I'm always stunned by the complete lack of knowledge possessed by our young people when it comes to this country's history. Maybe we meet different people.

Yer Da sells Avon

Stoolcup wrote: »

The Iona Institute are a complete non-entity obsessed over by a few people on the internet. Most of their membership are elderly religious people. What is the obsession about? It's very strange

They get mentioned a lot because for such a tiny group, they get a crazy amount of access to the national airwaves.

Dick Swiveller

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

They get mentioned a lot because for such a tiny group, they get a crazy amount of access to the national airwaves.

Some of their members are journalists with national newspaper columns. There's hardly hundreds of socially conservative commentators to choose from.

Pero_Bueno

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Nearly all on the left. There’s no public support for far right wing groups. Yet boards is fairly right wing.

Yeah but what is right wing nowadays ?
anyone slightly to the right of Stalin ?

diusmr8a504cvk

Give me a few minutes to rub one out and I'll nut, that makes me a nutter yeah?

storker

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

Their founder (David Quinn) is right-wing on economic matters, and also on immigration - tried to blame immigrants for the housing crisis this week. Big fan of Israel too, which is always a good litmus test for wingnuttery.

Hmmmm...define "fan of israel"?

Chris_Heilong

Nitrogan wrote: »

We're a democracy so if you don't like the rules you can try to change them.

Actually we are not a democracy......we are a Republic, hence the name.
https://www.diffen.com/difference/Democracy_vs_Republic

Hector Bellend

Triangle wrote: »

Someone once said that housing should not be an economic commodity. This is a nut idea in my opinion.
Felt like buying them a ticket to Cuba to show them what happens in states like that. But who am I to judge.....

Do you see the point I'm trying to make?

I don't really know what the original point was but you have already written it off as nutty.

What does not making housing an economic commodity actually mean?

Capt'n Midnight

Bloke on the bus he gave me a really weird look as I sat down.

Just my luck the bus is empty and still I end up sitting next to the nutter.

uptherebels

Stoolcup wrote: »

Some of their members are journalists with national newspaper columns. There's hardly hundreds of socially conservative commentators to choose from.

I'm not to much in the know on Iona members, but when you say journalists do you mean actual journalists or do you mean columnists?

GMSA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Dick Swiveller

uptherebels wrote: »

I'm not to much in the know on Iona members, but when you say journalists do you mean actual journalists or do you mean columnists?

Columnists.