Comments on: What I would like to hear from Mr Darling http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/what-i-would-like-to-hear-from-mr-darling/ Politics, brains, social action and the day to day life of the RSA’s chief executive Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:39:05 +0000 hourly 1 By: Livy http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/what-i-would-like-to-hear-from-mr-darling/comment-page-1/#comment-4154 Livy Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:28:04 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=2587#comment-4154 Steve, You almost put your finger on it. Government doesn’t trust the people because only 60% of them vote, and only half of those know why they do. Any elected official who has personally spent five minutes with average voters is secretly relieved not to be one of them, and would probably concur with Churchill’s favourite argument against democracy. Contrary to what the media thinks they’re not overwhelmingly anxious about public apathy, they sometimes count on it and often plan strategy around it. It isn’t ‘government’ people in the UK distrust; it’s the political elite who they feel are detached to the point of autism. As a nation that is predominantly left of centre or ‘progressive’ we actually tolerate a surprisingly high level of state intervention in our lives (Brown still plans to re-visit the idea of a ‘presumed consent’ law in regard to organ donation). Distrust of government usually relates to national security and our military interventions abroad; characterised most embarrassingly by the extreme sandal wearing lefties who believe things like G.W. Bush masterminded the 9/11 attacks. It’s the other way around for the right. Their distrust stems from libertarian values. So even if an‘opt out’ system for organ harvesting saves more lives, they fundamentally believe that there are some things more important than a human life. But enough of the specious arguments. Aiden, interesting take. Robert Putnam over at Harvard actually calculated that every 10 minutes of commuting to work cuts all forms of social involvement by 10% - so 10% fewer drinks with friends, family meals, social activities. Longer journeys to work and society becoming ever more atomised will just be detrimental to your ‘social capital’; the sum of all your connections and your trust in your fellow man. Bristolians always thank their bus driver, when they get on as well as off the bus. Londoners can’t even look the guy in the eye. Just a thought. As for Halpern and a ‘Happiness Index’… I’m not so sure it will make poor people feel any better unless we can also ban street advertising like Bhutan. Steve,

You almost put your finger on it.

Government doesn’t trust the people because only 60% of them vote, and only half of those know why they do. Any elected official who has personally spent five minutes with average voters is secretly relieved not to be one of them, and would probably concur with Churchill’s favourite argument against democracy. Contrary to what the media thinks they’re not overwhelmingly anxious about public apathy, they sometimes count on it and often plan strategy around it.

It isn’t ‘government’ people in the UK distrust; it’s the political elite who they feel are detached to the point of autism. As a nation that is predominantly left of centre or ‘progressive’ we actually tolerate a surprisingly high level of state intervention in our lives (Brown still plans to re-visit the idea of a ‘presumed consent’ law in regard to organ donation). Distrust of government usually relates to national security and our military interventions abroad; characterised most embarrassingly by the extreme sandal wearing lefties who believe things like G.W. Bush masterminded the 9/11 attacks.

It’s the other way around for the right. Their distrust stems from libertarian values. So even if an‘opt out’ system for organ harvesting saves more lives, they fundamentally believe that there are some things more important than a human life.

But enough of the specious arguments.

Aiden, interesting take. Robert Putnam over at Harvard actually calculated that every 10 minutes of commuting to work cuts all forms of social involvement by 10% – so 10% fewer drinks with friends, family meals, social activities. Longer journeys to work and society becoming ever more atomised will just be detrimental to your ‘social capital’; the sum of all your connections and your trust in your fellow man.

Bristolians always thank their bus driver, when they get on as well as off the bus. Londoners can’t even look the guy in the eye.

Just a thought.

As for Halpern and a ‘Happiness Index’… I’m not so sure it will make poor people feel any better unless we can also ban street advertising like Bhutan.

]]> By: matthew taylor http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/what-i-would-like-to-hear-from-mr-darling/comment-page-1/#comment-4152 matthew taylor Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:37:22 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=2587#comment-4152 Thanks Aiden. I agree. If my cold/man flu doesn't get the better of me I am flying to Stockholm tomorrow to do a speech. I am hoping to read on the way David Halpen's book 'The Hidden Wealth of Nations' which does, I think, explore the links between the formal economy and what Avner Offer calls 'the economy of regard' . Thanks Steve I agree entirely Thanks Aiden. I agree. If my cold/man flu doesn’t get the better of me I am flying to Stockholm tomorrow to do a speech. I am hoping to read on the way David Halpen’s book ‘The Hidden Wealth of Nations’ which does, I think, explore the links between the formal economy and what Avner Offer calls ‘the economy of regard’ . Thanks Steve I agree entirely

]]> By: Aidan http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/what-i-would-like-to-hear-from-mr-darling/comment-page-1/#comment-4149 Aidan Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:11:59 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=2587#comment-4149 The potential for co-production of services by citizen and state is interesting but needs to recognise the squeeze on people's time who are working, bringing up families, keeping up a semblance of a social life and volunteering. I speak as a working father of 2 toddlers who hasn't a whole lot of spare hours in the week to give. And i only work between 35-40 hours per week in paid employment, my brother in the private sector often puts in 70+ hrs per week. Government needs to realise that if it really needs citizens to give more unpaid labour to underpin the social fabric then work life balance and the culture of work needs to be addressed to allow it to happen The potential for co-production of services by citizen and state is interesting but needs to recognise the squeeze on people’s time who are working, bringing up families, keeping up a semblance of a social life and volunteering. I speak as a working father of 2 toddlers who hasn’t a whole lot of spare hours in the week to give. And i only work between 35-40 hours per week in paid employment, my brother in the private sector often puts in 70+ hrs per week. Government needs to realise that if it really needs citizens to give more unpaid labour to underpin the social fabric then work life balance and the culture of work needs to be addressed to allow it to happen

]]> By: Steve http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/what-i-would-like-to-hear-from-mr-darling/comment-page-1/#comment-4148 Steve Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:57:43 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=2587#comment-4148 I would much rather there be cuts to health, education, and policing if it means these services learn to operate more efficiently which I believe is theoretically possible. It does give of a hypocritical message as the public is being encouraged from a number of sources to cut back on all aspects of life, when the government can exempt these services. Surely a better message is to recognize how important these services are and show that they can be made leaner and still operate at the same level? Like you say a way this can be done is to engage the community at a local level. If a local community feels safer it can probably do with a smaller police presence. Parents can help support their schools with time and community spirit as much as anonymous government pounds could. Government and the people they govern should be in conversation with each other, not in conflict. It's sadly a problem at both ends. The government doesn't trust the people to make rational decisions (to be fair it is a hard thing to expect sometimes) and people don't trust the government for a torrent of reasons. That's the real problem - how can we trust again? With trust the transaction costs of nearly everything are lowered. I would much rather there be cuts to health, education, and policing if it means these services learn to operate more efficiently which I believe is theoretically possible.

It does give of a hypocritical message as the public is being encouraged from a number of sources to cut back on all aspects of life, when the government can exempt these services. Surely a better message is to recognize how important these services are and show that they can be made leaner and still operate at the same level?

Like you say a way this can be done is to engage the community at a local level. If a local community feels safer it can probably do with a smaller police presence. Parents can help support their schools with time and community spirit as much as anonymous government pounds could.

Government and the people they govern should be in conversation with each other, not in conflict. It’s sadly a problem at both ends. The government doesn’t trust the people to make rational decisions (to be fair it is a hard thing to expect sometimes) and people don’t trust the government for a torrent of reasons.

That’s the real problem – how can we trust again? With trust the transaction costs of nearly everything are lowered.

]]>