Notes On What Might Be Called Propaganda? (pt.2)

(incomplete) First Thoughts On the Better Together Website:

The first thing you see when you enter the site is a short series of images that fade in and fade out which display links to different pages. The only notable image is of the  slightly menacing (to me) “No Thanks” logo. For some reason, the logo is sort of sinister (in a subtle way). Here it is:

The thing sort of reminds me of a dead face: 

Is it just me seeing this? (It might be) 

But if the decision I had to make on the 18^th of September was based on logos alone, then I’d probably vote Yes. The word “YES” is a lot more motivational and creates more positive feelings within me than this badge which, for some reason, something about it just reminds me of death. (This isn’t me being pro-yes or anti-no, by the way; it’s merely me being pro-logos-that-don’t-remind-me-of-cartoon-corpses-or-the-inevitability-of-death).

Apart from the logo, the only thing I can really say about the website is that, frankly: it’s dull. The colour scheme, the font, the 15 ‘fact’ sheets (which I will write about in more detail in a later post), the tone of the writing - the whole thing. It’s very, very dull. I might have yawned around 34 times while reading it.

But the more I think about it, how could it really be any different? The No Campaign doesn't seem to be offering anything new (I might be wrong here and have a mind ready to be changed). They are essentially arguing for things to stay the same as they are because they think we have the “best of both worlds” if we stay in the UK. And so the campaign seems to lack the sense of excitement that the other side has (or at least the sense of excitement that the Yes campaign’s website feels you need to be constantly reminded of in the mini-essays with many of them saying how ‘exciting an opportunity this is’).

I will say however that the 'fact sheets' (although dull) have at least the initial appearance of providing information. As to the accuracy of the information that is provided, that's another issue altogether.

   

(slight digression) A WORRYING REALISATION:

I’m already beginning to get the sort of horrible feeling you get when you realise you have spent too long procrastinating before an exam and it’s now too late to study everything. 

The reality of it is is that trying to understand the details of issues like ‘The Economy’ is hard. Believe it or not, the economy is something that is actually complex, it is actually kind of mind-bogglingly complex, and, although the general issues surrounding the details are interesting, trying to understand all the particularities and intricacies of the economy can fill you with an overwhelming, crushing boredom. If I want to be remotely informed I’ll just need to deal with being bored. But I’m telling you, I really am fighting the temptation to just say: pfft, whatever, I’ll never understand this anyway, bye bye ‘fiscal policy’, see you later ‘tax rates’, I’M OFF!  

*

(image sources: 1) here and 2) here) 

The State I'm In

Imagine you’ve just been having a conversation with that person you see quite often (but not often enough to call them your friend) where you’re not really sure what to say to them next. Conversations with this person aren’t so much ‘conversations’ as they are an awkward exchange of statements being said to fill the silence. 

All the things you usually talk about have already been talked about. You’ve probably mentioned the commonwealth games – (the verdict agreed on the opening ceremony is that it opened badly but got better towards the end). You’ve probably mentioned the weather. You’ve probably begun to feel a bit bored (or anxious about being boring) and so you are grasping for subjects to talk about. Your ‘friend’ decides that the conversation should turn political:

“So, what do you think about Scottish Independence then?”

I don’t know about you but this is a question I dread. A question I hate being asked. A sort of dullness comes over me and I have a very strong urge to roll my eyes and sigh whenever I’m asked it. My reaction is mainly due to a bizarre and worrying case of Political Apathy. It is also due to a worrying case of Political Ignorance.

(This is a deadly mix: Political Ignorance makes you avoid discussions about politics because you don’t want to show yourself for what you are – completely and utterly ignorant – and this avoidance creates just the right amount of distance from political issues for the Political Apathy to kick in. This Apathy then means that you distance yourself even further from all things political because not only do you not want to reveal yourself as being Politically Ignorant, you also don’t want others seeing how little you actually care about what they’re talking about. This Apathy comes with a strong sense of shame – a good citizen is well-informed and cares about the future of the country he/she lives in, surely? The shame ultimately creates a strange kind of sadness. This process then repeats itself ad infinitum until you reach the worrying and bizarre state that I’m in. The state of being an Ignorant – with a capital ‘I’ – and Apathetic – with a capital ‘A’ – human being that the most he can do in a conversation about Independence is just say ‘awck, I know’ or ‘yeah’ in response to whatever the person he’s talking to has just said).

And with 37 days to go, this is a terrible place to be in. Everyone is talking about it. EVERYONE!

I intend to sort myself out.

* 

(Picture source: here)