Getting to the real 'truth' of any matter debated in our newspapers, on TV or online, is an incredibly difficult task. Just watch any debate on Newsnight, Question Time or 10 O'Clock Live and you'll hear a number of seemingly valid viewpoints that leave you merely wondering who you should believe.
Take the ongoing debate over the UK's public spending cuts: According to the Government, without attempts to reduce our spending we are likely heading towards a Greek style economic meltdown.
Those on the left, alternatively argue that reduced spending and widespread cuts will likely send us heading towards an Irish style economic meltdown.
It's no wonder so many are turned off by politics. As a species, humans like debates to be black and white, narratives to feature clearly defined goodies and baddies. However, true to my contrary nature, it's the need to 'analyse' all this rhetoric which I'm finding fascinating.
So who is right on the whole economic debate? Quite frankly, I just don't know. The truth, most likely, lies somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
In the recent UK Budget, George Osborne reduced his 2011 economic growth predictions from 2.1% to 1.7% but this hardly seems like a justification of the Labour naysayers, at least it's not enough of a revision to prove that the Government's course of cuts is definitely damaging recovery. It may be slowing the recovery of course but we'll probably never know one way or the other.
As much as I hate to say it, all the evidence suggests to me that, for a period at least, it probably would be advisable to reign in the spending. However, this doesn't necessarily mean we need to go about attacking the public sector in the manner in which the Coalition are currently.
Knee-jerk reactions hardly ever seem advisable in any walk of life, yet this is the impression one gets of the current policy, plus it's who the cuts affect, and the potential political agenda associated, that causes the greatest concern.
Of course, I, like so many others, haven't provided a valid alternative to cuts here (although raising taxes and larger levies on the banks are obvious alternative fund raising methods).
So where does this leave us with our quest? Often in the search for truth I resort to instinct, an instinct which I'm well aware can lead me down the garden path, so when faced with this web of uncertainty, it only emphasises the need to treat all commentary objectively.
It's an obvious truism but socialists, no matter how much I might admire their political leanings, can sometimes paint distorted pictures just as well as any elitist Tory.
In other words, trust no one. Least of all yourself.
Take the ongoing debate over the UK's public spending cuts: According to the Government, without attempts to reduce our spending we are likely heading towards a Greek style economic meltdown.
Those on the left, alternatively argue that reduced spending and widespread cuts will likely send us heading towards an Irish style economic meltdown.
It's no wonder so many are turned off by politics. As a species, humans like debates to be black and white, narratives to feature clearly defined goodies and baddies. However, true to my contrary nature, it's the need to 'analyse' all this rhetoric which I'm finding fascinating.
So who is right on the whole economic debate? Quite frankly, I just don't know. The truth, most likely, lies somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
In the recent UK Budget, George Osborne reduced his 2011 economic growth predictions from 2.1% to 1.7% but this hardly seems like a justification of the Labour naysayers, at least it's not enough of a revision to prove that the Government's course of cuts is definitely damaging recovery. It may be slowing the recovery of course but we'll probably never know one way or the other.
As much as I hate to say it, all the evidence suggests to me that, for a period at least, it probably would be advisable to reign in the spending. However, this doesn't necessarily mean we need to go about attacking the public sector in the manner in which the Coalition are currently.
Knee-jerk reactions hardly ever seem advisable in any walk of life, yet this is the impression one gets of the current policy, plus it's who the cuts affect, and the potential political agenda associated, that causes the greatest concern.
Of course, I, like so many others, haven't provided a valid alternative to cuts here (although raising taxes and larger levies on the banks are obvious alternative fund raising methods).
So where does this leave us with our quest? Often in the search for truth I resort to instinct, an instinct which I'm well aware can lead me down the garden path, so when faced with this web of uncertainty, it only emphasises the need to treat all commentary objectively.
It's an obvious truism but socialists, no matter how much I might admire their political leanings, can sometimes paint distorted pictures just as well as any elitist Tory.
In other words, trust no one. Least of all yourself.
No comments:
Post a Comment