And so it continues…. life getting faster and faster, with less and less time for reflection. I have seen lengthy discussion threads in online forums, that contain no words, just a continuous exchange of images. I suspect that some txt msg conversations are like that.
Actually I do think it’s partly a reality. It doesn’t mean there’s no reading of lengthy pieces going on, and no reflection. But there is a speeding up of communications.
Overall it does mean many people reflect less. On the other hand, it means people need to express themselves more succinctly in order to convey the same amount of ideas than done previously. That is a good thing.
It’s a recognised thing in academic circles, that peer reviewed articles are more often expected to be shorter on average than a few decades back, This is because of the increased volume of material to read.
It’s also pretty well recognised by film and media scholars that length of shots in movies have got shorter & shorter since the 70s. Films have basically speeded up in terms of the length of time before a change of scene, perspective or between bits of action. Ditto for TV news, etc.
It is also something that many scholars of media and politics discuss: i.e. that there has been an increasing shift to communication via images than in recent decades. This results in less reflection on politics and more opportunities to use images for political manipulation. See also Walter Benjamin on the aestheticisation of politics.
Hmm. Good point about the taxes, though I expect the majority pay some small amount of tax on legally under-declared hoardings & income, if only to be able to then claim their taxes shouldn’t be spent on the unworthy. So far, none have managed to avoid the death outcome.
Sort of ignoring that for a brief window of maybe 30 years in the 19th century literacy was at an all time high due to improvemnets in education and befor ethe existence of mass broadcast technology – hence the flourishing of the novel as a literary form – and also ignoring the fact that such addresses were performative (a la the roman rhetorical tradition) and intended to be heard, not read.
The development of the printing press is generally seen as a democratising technology. Although, the benefits have probably been exaggerated as much as the democratising potential of the Internet is today.
With each new technology, providing access to communication for the (almost) whole population, TPTB begin to develop ways to control/regulate it: it’s an ongoing struggle.
The 19th century novel had those like Dickens who used it to expose the nasty aspects of industrial capitalism in the UK. Other novels served to reinforce the logic of the UK class hierarchy and, to cheerleader British imperialism.
Pros and cons to each new technological development, but they do bring changes in practices and modes of thought and communication.
P1 – a chart of declining speech grade level doesn’t “ignore” anything. It just shows that presidential speeches have been aimed at less intelligent and less educated audiences over a real and long term trend.
Who were the Presidents talking to over time? Wasn’t voting quite restricted in some places until the civil rights movement? When did presidents realise they’d have to appeal to the voters who weren’t the educated middle-class types?
Does France, for example have the same ‘dumbing down’ of presidential speeches, with universal (male) suffrage being clearer earlier in the political history of the country? I understand New Zealand Prime Ministerial trends are similar to the U.S. ones, but is this just an English language issue? (I’m not going to call it a problem), or does it happen in other, non-English-speaking countries? Have we just decided to speak more clearly?
So many questions that a simple graphic doesn’t answer.
If you read some of the sample sentences, doesn’t the modern speech phrase the point more precisely? (and I don’t consider myself entirely thick, but there are some earlier sentences in earlier times that use a lot of words to say not much).
Work will set you free was not written for those who were to read it entering the camps, it was written to emphasis surely that by keeping Germans distracted in activity the Nazi could free themselves of the Jewish (and others) people. Going to far, either information overload, or the protestant work ethic, or even the greed is good (of our times), all taken to the extreme are distracting to the societal group think, and allow for those with power to extend and abuse.
When a worker works more than 40 hours, unpaid overtime, then we should all be very worried for our democracy.
Very interesting that people were thinking these things in the ‘olden days’.
Issues of perception are fascinating..And time comes into perception. eg How an Eskimo views the Arctic landscape vs how an oilman views the landscape – or how a polar bear views that landscape ….same land presumably but very different ‘landscapes’ and lives….and values …..
Another example….bike through NZ or ride a horse through NZ a hundred years ago …very different from motoring through NZ or flying over NZ…..
Yogis are concerned with perception and their pace of life is slowed right down.
It’s not just perception, but that they are related to technological change. I’m interested that the quotes in the post cover the late 19th century and early 20th century: a period of significant change in industrial society & its techonlogies in countries like the UK and the US.
People do tend to be resistant to change. Many of the 19th century changes in technology were beneficial to society in terms of increasing ease of travel and communicating across distances and amongst a greater number of people. It’s easier to get help in a crisis, etc. Democracy can be encouraged with the printing press and mass communications: ditto today with the Internet.
Technological changes, do bring changes in perception. Travelling at increasing speed across the countryside, means we get to become more aware of contrasts and changes in terrain. But it also requires less engagement with locals as we travel.
Each technological change has it’s up and downsides. And the changes in perception are part of that.
A news photo, or online video, can communicate the reality of a disaster, riot or war more quickly & graphically than a print article. (The US government learned that during the Viet Nam War, thus aiming to control such communications during the first Gulf War). But also a print article can explain more of the background to the image, and create a more in-depth argument.
It’s important to be aware of how changes in technology, and in communications influence perceptions (Walter Benjamin again).
Hmmm. Heidegger & Walter Benjamin were the same generation in Germany. So they were probably dealing with similar issues and debates. Heidegger associated with Nazi1izm (rightly or wrongly). Benjamin was Jewish and a lot of his work focused on the evils of fashism. Hence his concern about the “aestheticisation of politics” – the way image and propaganda can appeal to the emotions etc. Many see the 20th century as an increase in the aestheticisation of politics.
The way to counter it is the politicisation of aesthetics: ie political popular culture that makes people sit up and take notice, by drawing attention to propaganda and dictatorial practices.
Um no – that way lies kitsch, which the Naz1s were very good at, or mind-numbing propoganda a la the Soviets. Best not to let aesthetics and politics mix at all, I reckon.
Given that the media is the new soapbox, and for all it’s faults and conventions it isn’t going anywhere, I would still say it’s best not to let the two mix overmuch. Though seriously you are well OTT to be comparing the Naz1 nationalised cultus/mythos that Benjamin was on about with the media here. Especially as our media is too arrogant to think it needs to obey the whims of politicians when it smells blood.
Clue: critical theory is a useful tool, but it isn’t a solution, and like economics often has little relationship with reality.
Yes we are stuck with the media, though now it is complicated by digital media, providing more means to talk back tot the journalist, albeit often from a less powerful position.
And democracy needs more coverage of, and critical debate on issues that impact on the general population.
You assume that politicians, in total separation from the corporate world, are the new rulers of the world. The corporate media, driven by ratings and the profit motive, make a major contribution to the aestheticisation of politics: it is seen on their preference for drama and conflict, and simple stories divorced from background context.
It was seen in Gower’s grandstanding at the Labour Party Conference last year.
Goebbles would have been impressed by the manipulations of late 20th and early 21st century media.
So, instead, we should build a big wall against,what is generally presented as the greatest evil of human society, and never make comparisons between other ways ordinary people become part of such an evil?
The case for Goebbels leading the way to 21st century political propaganda is argued in many credible texts on the development of propaganda and persuasion methods over the course of the 20th century. He is especially referred to in relation to his approach to using the mass media. Goebbels said in his dairy:
the best form of newspaper propaganda was not ‘propaganda’ (i .e ., editorials and exhortation), but slanted news which appeared to be straight . (“Goebbels’ Principles of Propaganda, ” in Schramm, Process and Effects of Mass Communication, p. 524)
Generally, the advertising and political PR strategists have gone on to develop more sophisticated ways of achieving manipulations of the masses, but, obviously, without the death camps and other brutal ways of enforcing the regimes dictatorship.
Same underlying methods, implemented in slightly different and more subtle and sophisticated ways.
I can’t accept the Marxist version of socialism reducing society to a patronising, ignorant blob of the “masses” – that smacks of a control fantasy. I see socialism as a way of supporting people who can’t help themselves for whatever reason or who have been temporarily placed in a difficult position. The assumption that the overwhelming majority of the population is too stupid to pick up on manipulation or to have calid reasons for their decisions, is offensive.
Bah, humbug. The ancient Greeks and Romans would complain about the hoons on horseback and the clowns on chariots. The world was going to the dogs then. Nothing has changed.
Mac1. What the hell are you on about. The ancient Greeks and Romans were spot on. Didn’t you notice that both civilisations fell and much of their knowledge lost or discarded.
For you to just shrug your shoulders and not recognise the relevance to ourselves is a bit funny.
It’s all in the way we choose to see the world, as I said. What partly informs my view is that of my historical training. We are all individual grains of sand in the great shifting dune of history.
Partly also that of my literature background.
“Latter Day Geography Lesson” – Allen Curnow, parodying Macauley.
“here boys, ere disaster
overtook her, in splendour there lay
a city held empires in sway
and filled all the earth with her praise :
this quoth the Eskimo master
was London in English days.”
And partly that of my musical background.
“It’s the same the whole world over,
It’s the poor wot gets the blame;
It’s the rich wot gets the pleasure,
Ain’t it all a blooming shame.”
But I’m sure that Horace and Juvenal said it better.
CV, you wrote “and much of their knowledge lost or discarded.”
I’m glad we lost all that Greek and Roman stuff about slavery, militarism, crazy sexually predatorial leaders, and conquering countries to feed the one’s own economy, “vae victis” and all that, eh…………
CV, you wrote “and much of their knowledge lost or discarded.”
I’m glad we lost all that Greek and Roman stuff about slavery, militarism, crazy sexually predatorial leaders, and conquering countries to feed the one’s own economy, “vae victis” and all that, eh…………
We’ve only just figured out some fundamentals about Roman building techniques using concrete. 1500 years after it was common knowledge but then lost for over a millenium.
As the old saying goes, we’re aware of the things we know, we’re aware of the things that we know that we don’t know, but we also have to be aware of the things that we don’t even know that we don’t know.
In Istanbul twenty years ago, in a city that has had continuous occupation for two millennia, they discovered a huge underground cistern that was built by Diocletian from memory and had been forgotten. It, too, used Roman concrete technology to build the cistern and to hold water for all that time. I was lucky enough to go there and see it a few years ago. If I’d travelled there as a young man, I’d have missed it, let alone appreciated what I was seeing in all its historical, engineering and aesthetic glory.
My understanding of a Marxist view of history, shows that some underlying structures remain the same: ruling classes and subject classes
But the make up of those classes and their systems and technologies of production, change as a result of the outcomes of the ongoing struggles between ruling and subject classes.
My understanding of technological change and social change, shows me that they are interwoven, and with these changes, come changes in the dominant culture and practices.
I think my question would lead to the same place. If some/all things are getting better, then why? If some/all things are getting worse, then why? Then what changes can we make for betterment?
Sound bites…stunts… …showmanship…attention grabbing ….forging identification with the masses of voters you wish to represent…..media savvy
Why cant Labour get a leader to do the same?…( Cunliffe would be better than Shearer )
Media savvy is a neutral tool ….but a very powerful gift in the age of televised debates.( I am sure that heroes/heroines of the people ..the Left as opposed to the Right…. used it in the past eg John A. Lee on his soap box and the suffragettes with their chains !)
These days it is sheer incompetence and negligence for a major party on the Left …Labour….not to have a leader who performs well in the media.!
( Of course any thinking person can see through the media….and a boring inept politician who is totally incompetent with the media may have great attributes never-the -less……but to make them leader in this era of the media, is suicide for their political party)
Well, I think the left needs more politicians like Cunliffe, who can communicate well via our currently inadequate media, while also having substance behind the rhetoric: ie he speaks in a way that highlights the realities.
But, for democracy to thrive for the long term future, we need an MSM that doesn’t do like it does now: ie in it’s methods and motives, serves ultimately to reinforce “neoliberal” values via distraction, celebrity culture etc.
And I agree, the left will never thrive with the likes of Shearer at the helm.
In 1890 it was predicted that at the then current growth rate of horse and cart the entire surface of the planet would be covered in six feet of horseshit.
That didn’t happen of course but we still ended up with everything covered in six feet of horseshit due to the unending growth of politicians..
ON the subject of the ‘aestheticisation of politics’ . This puzzles me….surely it does the word ‘aesthetics ‘ a disservice……I thought aesthetics was all about art and appreciation of beauty.
Also isnt the concept ‘aestheticisation of politics’ used as a pejorative term a tad old fashioned……
It is inceasingly being recognised that we think largely in metaphors , especially the more complex the thought becomes. This also applies to science.
If we think largely via metaphors then it is crucial any leader is adept at positively using the media to get his/her campaign off the ground as a winner, because the media is all about evoking metaphorical thinking.
In Benjamin’s conception, he uses aesthetics to mean any art form or cultural construction – as translated from his original German. (It’s not about beauty as such, but the seductive powers of art and pop culture). In this term Benjamin is arguing that art/artiface/media is used to manipulate people, while masking the true intent to work in the interests of the ruling class.
He contrasts this with the revolutionary potential of the “politicisation of aesthetics”: here the idea is to use the media, popular culture etc (film and popular music in Benjamin’s day) to convey a revolutionary and democratic political message, challenging the dictatorship of the ruling classes.
But, I agree that, today, there’s not a clear separation between media manipulation by the elites, and media used to challenge the elites. Although, today, the elites tend to own and control the media.
The pop/rock scene is very adept using the media to powerfully challenge elites…eg John Lennon
…..Not that every political leader can or should be a rock star , although it may help ( eg Peter Garrett, Midnight Oil , Australian politician)
But at the very least we can hope for…. is for a political party to put forward a leader who is their best at handlling the media and gives their party a powerful media image, draw card….This the Labour Party have failed to do!
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
And so it continues…. life getting faster and faster, with less and less time for reflection. I have seen lengthy discussion threads in online forums, that contain no words, just a continuous exchange of images. I suspect that some txt msg conversations are like that.
Or rather it’s all an illusion promulgated by old farts
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Good_old_days
Actually I do think it’s partly a reality. It doesn’t mean there’s no reading of lengthy pieces going on, and no reflection. But there is a speeding up of communications.
Overall it does mean many people reflect less. On the other hand, it means people need to express themselves more succinctly in order to convey the same amount of ideas than done previously. That is a good thing.
It’s a recognised thing in academic circles, that peer reviewed articles are more often expected to be shorter on average than a few decades back, This is because of the increased volume of material to read.
It’s also pretty well recognised by film and media scholars that length of shots in movies have got shorter & shorter since the 70s. Films have basically speeded up in terms of the length of time before a change of scene, perspective or between bits of action. Ditto for TV news, etc.
It is also something that many scholars of media and politics discuss: i.e. that there has been an increasing shift to communication via images than in recent decades. This results in less reflection on politics and more opportunities to use images for political manipulation. See also Walter Benjamin on the aestheticisation of politics.
Or rather it’s all an illusion promulgated by old farts
Which my father was, I will become, and you will one day be 🙂
Burn out or fade away 🙂
The only things that are certain are death and taxes 🙂
unless you are among the corporate elite, then taxes are avoided and maybe some even think they can cheat death?
Hmm. Good point about the taxes, though I expect the majority pay some small amount of tax on legally under-declared hoardings & income, if only to be able to then claim their taxes shouldn’t be spent on the unworthy. So far, none have managed to avoid the death outcome.
Faster and dumber…since the 1800’s: US Presidential address reading level
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2013/feb/12/state-of-the-union-reading-level
Sort of ignoring that for a brief window of maybe 30 years in the 19th century literacy was at an all time high due to improvemnets in education and befor ethe existence of mass broadcast technology – hence the flourishing of the novel as a literary form – and also ignoring the fact that such addresses were performative (a la the roman rhetorical tradition) and intended to be heard, not read.
The development of the printing press is generally seen as a democratising technology. Although, the benefits have probably been exaggerated as much as the democratising potential of the Internet is today.
With each new technology, providing access to communication for the (almost) whole population, TPTB begin to develop ways to control/regulate it: it’s an ongoing struggle.
The 19th century novel had those like Dickens who used it to expose the nasty aspects of industrial capitalism in the UK. Other novels served to reinforce the logic of the UK class hierarchy and, to cheerleader British imperialism.
Pros and cons to each new technological development, but they do bring changes in practices and modes of thought and communication.
P1 – a chart of declining speech grade level doesn’t “ignore” anything. It just shows that presidential speeches have been aimed at less intelligent and less educated audiences over a real and long term trend.
Who were the Presidents talking to over time? Wasn’t voting quite restricted in some places until the civil rights movement? When did presidents realise they’d have to appeal to the voters who weren’t the educated middle-class types?
Does France, for example have the same ‘dumbing down’ of presidential speeches, with universal (male) suffrage being clearer earlier in the political history of the country? I understand New Zealand Prime Ministerial trends are similar to the U.S. ones, but is this just an English language issue? (I’m not going to call it a problem), or does it happen in other, non-English-speaking countries? Have we just decided to speak more clearly?
So many questions that a simple graphic doesn’t answer.
If you read some of the sample sentences, doesn’t the modern speech phrase the point more precisely? (and I don’t consider myself entirely thick, but there are some earlier sentences in earlier times that use a lot of words to say not much).
Indeed – simplistic graphics are not helpful without full context
You try telling the young people of today that.
…and they won’t believe you…
Aye 😉
There will only ever be one ‘Jokerman’; God rest his soul.
ever.
Work will set you free was not written for those who were to read it entering the camps, it was written to emphasis surely that by keeping Germans distracted in activity the Nazi could free themselves of the Jewish (and others) people. Going to far, either information overload, or the protestant work ethic, or even the greed is good (of our times), all taken to the extreme are distracting to the societal group think, and allow for those with power to extend and abuse.
When a worker works more than 40 hours, unpaid overtime, then we should all be very worried for our democracy.
This is looking like this thread overlaps with the “Slogan politics” post thread.
Very interesting that people were thinking these things in the ‘olden days’.
Issues of perception are fascinating..And time comes into perception. eg How an Eskimo views the Arctic landscape vs how an oilman views the landscape – or how a polar bear views that landscape ….same land presumably but very different ‘landscapes’ and lives….and values …..
Another example….bike through NZ or ride a horse through NZ a hundred years ago …very different from motoring through NZ or flying over NZ…..
Yogis are concerned with perception and their pace of life is slowed right down.
It’s not just perception, but that they are related to technological change. I’m interested that the quotes in the post cover the late 19th century and early 20th century: a period of significant change in industrial society & its techonlogies in countries like the UK and the US.
People do tend to be resistant to change. Many of the 19th century changes in technology were beneficial to society in terms of increasing ease of travel and communicating across distances and amongst a greater number of people. It’s easier to get help in a crisis, etc. Democracy can be encouraged with the printing press and mass communications: ditto today with the Internet.
Technological changes, do bring changes in perception. Travelling at increasing speed across the countryside, means we get to become more aware of contrasts and changes in terrain. But it also requires less engagement with locals as we travel.
Each technological change has it’s up and downsides. And the changes in perception are part of that.
A news photo, or online video, can communicate the reality of a disaster, riot or war more quickly & graphically than a print article. (The US government learned that during the Viet Nam War, thus aiming to control such communications during the first Gulf War). But also a print article can explain more of the background to the image, and create a more in-depth argument.
It’s important to be aware of how changes in technology, and in communications influence perceptions (Walter Benjamin again).
Yep.
Heidegger was very interested in these issues ie how technology affects perception and values and quality of life….He wasnt optimistic.
Hmmm. Heidegger & Walter Benjamin were the same generation in Germany. So they were probably dealing with similar issues and debates. Heidegger associated with Nazi1izm (rightly or wrongly). Benjamin was Jewish and a lot of his work focused on the evils of fashism. Hence his concern about the “aestheticisation of politics” – the way image and propaganda can appeal to the emotions etc. Many see the 20th century as an increase in the aestheticisation of politics.
The way to counter it is the politicisation of aesthetics: ie political popular culture that makes people sit up and take notice, by drawing attention to propaganda and dictatorial practices.
oooh, wonder how we might do that… 😉
Be like Public Enemy?
Fashism is a good name for the evils of fashion.
take care, gotta go and cook a wintry meal for a gay friend.
Um no – that way lies kitsch, which the Naz1s were very good at, or mind-numbing propoganda a la the Soviets. Best not to let aesthetics and politics mix at all, I reckon.
So, you reckon politicians should just explain themselves by standing on a soap box on a street corner?
Clue: Once the media is involved, there is some aestheticisation.
Given that the media is the new soapbox, and for all it’s faults and conventions it isn’t going anywhere, I would still say it’s best not to let the two mix overmuch. Though seriously you are well OTT to be comparing the Naz1 nationalised cultus/mythos that Benjamin was on about with the media here. Especially as our media is too arrogant to think it needs to obey the whims of politicians when it smells blood.
Clue: critical theory is a useful tool, but it isn’t a solution, and like economics often has little relationship with reality.
Yes we are stuck with the media, though now it is complicated by digital media, providing more means to talk back tot the journalist, albeit often from a less powerful position.
And democracy needs more coverage of, and critical debate on issues that impact on the general population.
You assume that politicians, in total separation from the corporate world, are the new rulers of the world. The corporate media, driven by ratings and the profit motive, make a major contribution to the aestheticisation of politics: it is seen on their preference for drama and conflict, and simple stories divorced from background context.
It was seen in Gower’s grandstanding at the Labour Party Conference last year.
Goebbles would have been impressed by the manipulations of late 20th and early 21st century media.
I assume nothing, and Goebbels might have invented the technique but to make the comparison is a big fat Godwin
It’s nothing of the sort, fool.
We are actually allowed to “mention the war” you know.
What are you even on about? No, nevermind. Shhhh, grownups talking.
Its the fucking pretend grownups which have led us to this mess.
So, instead, we should build a big wall against,what is generally presented as the greatest evil of human society, and never make comparisons between other ways ordinary people become part of such an evil?
The case for Goebbels leading the way to 21st century political propaganda is argued in many credible texts on the development of propaganda and persuasion methods over the course of the 20th century. He is especially referred to in relation to his approach to using the mass media. Goebbels said in his dairy:
Generally, the advertising and political PR strategists have gone on to develop more sophisticated ways of achieving manipulations of the masses, but, obviously, without the death camps and other brutal ways of enforcing the regimes dictatorship.
Same underlying methods, implemented in slightly different and more subtle and sophisticated ways.
I can’t accept the Marxist version of socialism reducing society to a patronising, ignorant blob of the “masses” – that smacks of a control fantasy. I see socialism as a way of supporting people who can’t help themselves for whatever reason or who have been temporarily placed in a difficult position. The assumption that the overwhelming majority of the population is too stupid to pick up on manipulation or to have calid reasons for their decisions, is offensive.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
Yes, that’s what John Key counts on – Minister of the sound bite.
Bah, humbug. The ancient Greeks and Romans would complain about the hoons on horseback and the clowns on chariots. The world was going to the dogs then. Nothing has changed.
If that’s the way you want to see the world.
Indeed – one need only read Juvenal and Horace.
Mac1. What the hell are you on about. The ancient Greeks and Romans were spot on. Didn’t you notice that both civilisations fell and much of their knowledge lost or discarded.
For you to just shrug your shoulders and not recognise the relevance to ourselves is a bit funny.
It’s all in the way we choose to see the world, as I said. What partly informs my view is that of my historical training. We are all individual grains of sand in the great shifting dune of history.
Partly also that of my literature background.
“Latter Day Geography Lesson” – Allen Curnow, parodying Macauley.
“here boys, ere disaster
overtook her, in splendour there lay
a city held empires in sway
and filled all the earth with her praise :
this quoth the Eskimo master
was London in English days.”
And partly that of my musical background.
“It’s the same the whole world over,
It’s the poor wot gets the blame;
It’s the rich wot gets the pleasure,
Ain’t it all a blooming shame.”
But I’m sure that Horace and Juvenal said it better.
CV, you wrote “and much of their knowledge lost or discarded.”
I’m glad we lost all that Greek and Roman stuff about slavery, militarism, crazy sexually predatorial leaders, and conquering countries to feed the one’s own economy, “vae victis” and all that, eh…………
We’ve only just figured out some fundamentals about Roman building techniques using concrete. 1500 years after it was common knowledge but then lost for over a millenium.
As the old saying goes, we’re aware of the things we know, we’re aware of the things that we know that we don’t know, but we also have to be aware of the things that we don’t even know that we don’t know.
In Istanbul twenty years ago, in a city that has had continuous occupation for two millennia, they discovered a huge underground cistern that was built by Diocletian from memory and had been forgotten. It, too, used Roman concrete technology to build the cistern and to hold water for all that time. I was lucky enough to go there and see it a few years ago. If I’d travelled there as a young man, I’d have missed it, let alone appreciated what I was seeing in all its historical, engineering and aesthetic glory.
My understanding of a Marxist view of history, shows that some underlying structures remain the same: ruling classes and subject classes
But the make up of those classes and their systems and technologies of production, change as a result of the outcomes of the ongoing struggles between ruling and subject classes.
My understanding of technological change and social change, shows me that they are interwoven, and with these changes, come changes in the dominant culture and practices.
karol, Juvenal couldn’t have said it better. 😉
Are we changing for the better?
However I don’t think the goal is to have a hierarchy-less society, because I don’t think that human systems can ever work in that way.
Having a social system where accident of birth/class does not determine your future is crucial however.
Are we changing for the better?
I think that’s probably the wrong question.
We should be asking, how have these changes impacted on culture, society & the economy? How has this influenced political processes?
I think my question would lead to the same place. If some/all things are getting better, then why? If some/all things are getting worse, then why? Then what changes can we make for betterment?
Sound bites…stunts… …showmanship…attention grabbing ….forging identification with the masses of voters you wish to represent…..media savvy
Why cant Labour get a leader to do the same?…( Cunliffe would be better than Shearer )
Media savvy is a neutral tool ….but a very powerful gift in the age of televised debates.( I am sure that heroes/heroines of the people ..the Left as opposed to the Right…. used it in the past eg John A. Lee on his soap box and the suffragettes with their chains !)
These days it is sheer incompetence and negligence for a major party on the Left …Labour….not to have a leader who performs well in the media.!
( Of course any thinking person can see through the media….and a boring inept politician who is totally incompetent with the media may have great attributes never-the -less……but to make them leader in this era of the media, is suicide for their political party)
Well, I think the left needs more politicians like Cunliffe, who can communicate well via our currently inadequate media, while also having substance behind the rhetoric: ie he speaks in a way that highlights the realities.
But, for democracy to thrive for the long term future, we need an MSM that doesn’t do like it does now: ie in it’s methods and motives, serves ultimately to reinforce “neoliberal” values via distraction, celebrity culture etc.
And I agree, the left will never thrive with the likes of Shearer at the helm.
In 1890 it was predicted that at the then current growth rate of horse and cart the entire surface of the planet would be covered in six feet of horseshit.
That didn’t happen of course but we still ended up with everything covered in six feet of horseshit due to the unending growth of politicians..
Ha ha…about the horse shit!
ON the subject of the ‘aestheticisation of politics’ . This puzzles me….surely it does the word ‘aesthetics ‘ a disservice……I thought aesthetics was all about art and appreciation of beauty.
Also isnt the concept ‘aestheticisation of politics’ used as a pejorative term a tad old fashioned……
It is inceasingly being recognised that we think largely in metaphors , especially the more complex the thought becomes. This also applies to science.
(See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lakoff)
If we think largely via metaphors then it is crucial any leader is adept at positively using the media to get his/her campaign off the ground as a winner, because the media is all about evoking metaphorical thinking.
In Benjamin’s conception, he uses aesthetics to mean any art form or cultural construction – as translated from his original German. (It’s not about beauty as such, but the seductive powers of art and pop culture). In this term Benjamin is arguing that art/artiface/media is used to manipulate people, while masking the true intent to work in the interests of the ruling class.
He contrasts this with the revolutionary potential of the “politicisation of aesthetics”: here the idea is to use the media, popular culture etc (film and popular music in Benjamin’s day) to convey a revolutionary and democratic political message, challenging the dictatorship of the ruling classes.
But, I agree that, today, there’s not a clear separation between media manipulation by the elites, and media used to challenge the elites. Although, today, the elites tend to own and control the media.
You have really got to get past this block of not seeing the internet as mainstream – these days it’s probably more mainstream than broadcast.
The pop/rock scene is very adept using the media to powerfully challenge elites…eg John Lennon
…..Not that every political leader can or should be a rock star , although it may help ( eg Peter Garrett, Midnight Oil , Australian politician)
But at the very least we can hope for…. is for a political party to put forward a leader who is their best at handlling the media and gives their party a powerful media image, draw card….This the Labour Party have failed to do!