Why the Educated Left can't green society
August 4th 2009 13:50
My new life in the leafy burbs has provided me with this inisght: No one gives a rat's tail about the environment, as long as their local park/beach is pretty enough when they want to use it.
After eleven and a half years sheltered in inner Melbourne, a demographic of yuppies, students, arty farty types, wannabes and immigrants, I felt like I had been in a cult but hadn't realised it after arrving in a wealthy part of suburban Brisbane. The cultural change reminded me of the 2004 Federal Election when many inner Melbourne greens, political activists, and leftist academics were shocked that Mark Latham was defeated and John Howard won in a landslide. The reason they were so shocked was that inner Melbourne is full of other people who share the same views on environmentalism, refugees, worker's rights and welfare. They drink at the same pubs and cafes as each other. Different shops get branded as their own. There is a snobbery in inner Melbourne hippy leaning culture, that their views and way of life are more enlightened than mainstream Australia. Thus, many don't mix outside their circle in case they become enraged by the backward, racist, redneck, stupid, ugly and boring ways of the mainstream. When a Prime Minister they dislike such as John Howard is elected, they can't believe that they may be a minority.
And hence a journey in diplomacy and self expansion following my immersion myself in inner West Brisbane life with a mix of upmarket 'chardonay socialists' and conservative rich and plain redneck which Queensland has a reputation for.
My customers (and relatives) tell me the following: Why should anyone have to spend any more money when they pay taxes and rates? This enviro stuff is just another example of academics without a clue of the reality running the world. Overpaid overeducated idiots who got to where they are off the backs of taxpayers. It's the angry pettigoat brigade that has hijacked poltical power, dictating you switch of the TV after using instead of using the remote. Why should the consumer have to pay more for an Xbox or plasma or appliance just becuase some researcher who's never had a real job recommends it?
My personal favourite is 'not everyone wants to work hard for a living, you work 9 to 5 hours, you get 9 - 5 wages.' That was very different from 'follow your dreams and don't worry about money.'
Amidst some of the really racist and sexist views were things that made sense. Things that were a very validy perspective. The Greenies need to stop preaching to the converted if rapid progress is to be made in environmental practices.
After eleven and a half years sheltered in inner Melbourne, a demographic of yuppies, students, arty farty types, wannabes and immigrants, I felt like I had been in a cult but hadn't realised it after arrving in a wealthy part of suburban Brisbane. The cultural change reminded me of the 2004 Federal Election when many inner Melbourne greens, political activists, and leftist academics were shocked that Mark Latham was defeated and John Howard won in a landslide. The reason they were so shocked was that inner Melbourne is full of other people who share the same views on environmentalism, refugees, worker's rights and welfare. They drink at the same pubs and cafes as each other. Different shops get branded as their own. There is a snobbery in inner Melbourne hippy leaning culture, that their views and way of life are more enlightened than mainstream Australia. Thus, many don't mix outside their circle in case they become enraged by the backward, racist, redneck, stupid, ugly and boring ways of the mainstream. When a Prime Minister they dislike such as John Howard is elected, they can't believe that they may be a minority.
And hence a journey in diplomacy and self expansion following my immersion myself in inner West Brisbane life with a mix of upmarket 'chardonay socialists' and conservative rich and plain redneck which Queensland has a reputation for.
My customers (and relatives) tell me the following: Why should anyone have to spend any more money when they pay taxes and rates? This enviro stuff is just another example of academics without a clue of the reality running the world. Overpaid overeducated idiots who got to where they are off the backs of taxpayers. It's the angry pettigoat brigade that has hijacked poltical power, dictating you switch of the TV after using instead of using the remote. Why should the consumer have to pay more for an Xbox or plasma or appliance just becuase some researcher who's never had a real job recommends it?
My personal favourite is 'not everyone wants to work hard for a living, you work 9 to 5 hours, you get 9 - 5 wages.' That was very different from 'follow your dreams and don't worry about money.'
Amidst some of the really racist and sexist views were things that made sense. Things that were a very validy perspective. The Greenies need to stop preaching to the converted if rapid progress is to be made in environmental practices.
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