Speech Comm

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

 [On her desk is a vase with beautiful red calla lillies]


201--Speech

Please deliver your speeches to the class that were assigned on Tuesday.
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301--Interpersonal Communication

Today, in our family unit, we are going to do a game. Please seperate yourselves into two groups. Gravitate toward who you feel would be a functional family member. Then discuss amongst yourselves the reasons you chose one another.




((ooc: Mun's day from hell...you guys are on your own...mostly))
((OOC: ETA--fortune favors the...me. One class cut short and the other cancelled Woohoo!))

Comments

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

_{Oh, mannn...}

Politics. Are necessary, evil, and persistent, not because we need to elect a government or find people to commit to public service. No, politics are what they are, because people enjoy drama.

Whether you live in a monarchy, oligarchy, or society nominally ruled by a representational government, the question of *who* makes decisions is not usually decided solely by the so-called voting bloc or those in power, nor is it based on logic, or the priorities of the public. Decisions are made based around the need to keep the structure of the society as a whole intact. The actual material demands of the people are secondary to the perception that "all is well", and in order to facilitate this, we have politics: deal-making, back-stabbing, influence-peddling, prestige-garnering, and image-enhancing. Through these mechanisms, emotional juice is generated, outrage is manipulated, but the security of the voters is by and large, maintained at the same level.

Why are politics evil? In and of themselves, of course, this secondary level of power manipulation is not evil. I would posit that it's decency becomes compromised when either those in power, or the process itself, becomes too clouded by rhetoric and secret agendas for the public to have *true* vision of precisely how decisions are arrived at, or the character and motivations of those involved in public office. The irony is that the public's demands for full disclosure and complete honesty keep those with a realistic view of themselves and any sense of privacy from competing in this arena, but reward those who are masters of the game of spin, compromise, and trade-offs.

The persistence of politics is one which Plato himself forsaw; a true democracy and ideal society can only persist when all take personal responsibility for their part in the decision-making process. By placing the responsibility for decisions in the hands of *any* representative, no matter how well-elected nor essentially honest, the body politic can shirk their own awareness of the difficulties of public management, have a scapegoat for crises which may be unavoidable, and enjoy the catharsis of public drama. Until the public changes, politics will always contain an element of theatre that is basically false.

Thus I despair of any future in politics based around politicians whose first interest is to serve their constituency. While many honest and hard-working individuals will idealistically attempt to serve, the system favors those who, whether or not they hold public office, are adept at manipulating those less aware or ruthless than themselves.

*sits down, crosses her arms, looks grim and depressed*