Lives that must revolve around Politics

😁

Churchview

Furret

Trouble is … by not taking an interest in politics we handover power to certain types. Parish, Town, District, County Councils are finding it harder to get volunteers to stand for election.

The very people, ordinary citizens like many on here, who are representative of their communities, who know what needs doing, really don’t want to stand.

Pity.

I am very active on environmental issues and especially plastic waste getting into the sea. As a result I've attended several meetings of our local town council and made contributions. Every time I go they ask if I will stand for election but it's such a time consuming and thankless task anyone who does it deserves a medal.

I have to say too, that a lot of the time it is a group (of mostly older men with very set views) chatting amongst themselves and not really getting a lot done. I can understand why people wouldn't want to give up their time to this.

Very true. Retired, white, middle class men.

But the Green Party is. starting to see more young (30-40) people taking an interest. Our council now has a majority of Green councillors many of them young.

Yes, young blood is what's needed Furret . People with energy and who are busy so to cut the chat and get stuff done pronto so they can be on to the next thing.

nanna8

PoliticsNerd

As it's not running down the UK nanna8, you could give it a miss.

I will, mate. Don’t worry yourself.
Just quietly, I think the UK is a wonderful place but I don’t like the people in charge . I suppose that is too hard to grasp, never mind. No point in arguing. Have a lovely day .

😂
I love the way you tell ‘em.

Whitewavemark2

As opposed to an unhealthy interest?

How would I recognise an unhealthy interest?

Maybe you wouldn’t.
I would say that an unhealthy interest in a subject is one that appears to consume somebody, so that they burble on constantly to others about it and it dominates their life.

Churchview

Yes, young blood is what's needed Furret . People with energy and who are busy so to cut the chat and get stuff done pronto so they can be on to the next thing.

Very true 👍🏻

English speaking people are funny. They get very defensive and put out if they are criticised for taking an exceptional interest in something, especially politics. Other nations embrace it, they talk excitedly about their passion or their ardour, then off they go to shout about something else with exactly the same fervour and enthusiasm.
Be proud of being a nerd if that is your thing!

Oreo

Whitewavemark2

As opposed to an unhealthy interest?

How would I recognise an unhealthy interest?

Maybe you wouldn’t.
I would say that an unhealthy interest in a subject is one that appears to consume somebody, so that they burble on constantly to others about it and it dominates their life.

I don’t actually know anybody who does that in real life, except on the local community Facebook page, where some seem obsessed with criticising absolutely everything about our (very nice) local town. I imagine most of us steer clear of obsessives, so they must lead lonely lives.

criticising absolutely everything
That's when people really do appear obsessed and blinkered. Heaven help any friends or relations they have!

As a result I've attended several meetings of our local town council and made contributions. Every time I go they ask if I will stand for election but it's such a time consuming and thankless task anyone who does it deserves a medal.

I have to say too, that a lot of the time it is a group (of mostly older men with very set views) chatting amongst themselves and not really getting a lot done. I can understand why people wouldn't want to give up their time to this.

But you continue to criticize those who do.

I think it’s easy to stand on the sidelines and criticise, and some obviously do get a weird kick out of it. I wish they would just be more constructive, because out Town Council tries really hard to make it a better place to live, they are proactive and hardworking, but it just gets thrown back all the time by the same obsessives moaning on all the time about everything from free dog poo bags, to pedestrianisation, to ‘the wrong’ type of shops opening etc. ad infinitum.

Casdon

I think it’s easy to stand on the sidelines and criticise, and some obviously do get a weird kick out of it. I wish they would just be more constructive, because out Town Council tries really hard to make it a better place to live, they are proactive and hardworking, but it just gets thrown back all the time by the same obsessives moaning on all the time about everything from free dog poo bags, to pedestrianisation, to ‘the wrong’ type of shops opening etc. ad infinitum.

Do you live in the same town as me?
The local FB page is just whinge, whinge, whinge then, if someone writes about a genuine concern, they get trolled.

I was going to ask Casdon if she lived near me, too😀.

Moaners will moan, and critics will criticise. It’s what they do. Our local FB page is hilariously awful too. Everyone seems to want someone else to make things better, but can’t be bothered to do it themselves. Why has XTown got one of those and YTown hasn’t? (asked on XTown’s page, set up by XTown people) is a favourite. Well, because it was someone from XTown who set it up, obviously. If you want one in YTown, crack on and start your own! But no. People prefer to snipe from the sidelines at what hasn’t been provided for them, rather than putting themselves to the trouble of providing things for others. And it’s not always about lack of time - as often as not it’s the busy people who find time to do more.

eazybee

As a result I've attended several meetings of our local town council and made contributions. Every time I go they ask if I will stand for election but it's such a time consuming and thankless task anyone who does it deserves a medal.

I have to say too, that a lot of the time it is a group (of mostly older men with very set views) chatting amongst themselves and not really getting a lot done. I can understand why people wouldn't want to give up their time to this.

^But you continue to criticize those who do.^

It's an observation from personal experience and I thought it was a balanced assessment with both praise and criticism. Knowing several people on the council and having spoken to them about it I know they share my opinon. They wish more could be done but there are limitations.

I do a lot for the town in terms of organising and volunteering. Also practical work like litter picking, Britain in bloom work and am on the committee of various groups. I attend council meetings, pick up tasks from them and contribute.

Why should I not be entitled to an opinion?

Well, I've just had a look on the local FB page and there's been no whingeing for some time, 😯 except for one big whinge which is entirely justified and needs to be publicised.

Oreo

Whitewavemark2

As opposed to an unhealthy interest?

How would I recognise an unhealthy interest?

Maybe you wouldn’t.
I would say that an unhealthy interest in a subject is one that appears to consume somebody, so that they burble on constantly to others about it and it dominates their life.

That simply begs another question. What is your measurement that shows someone is "consumed".

You don't know each person.
You quite don't know exactly how their time is spent on GN
You certainly don't know how their time is spent away from GN.

Isn't it possible that what is only a biased opinion is formed, by the person expressing that view, is actually measured by the time they spend on GN reading the posts relating to political questions?

Allira

Well, I've just had a look on the local FB page and there's been no whingeing for some time, 😯 except for one big whinge which is entirely justified and needs to be publicised.

So whingeing is only whingeing when you font agree with it? How much more biased can an opinion be?

You quite don't You quite obviously don't

PoliticsNerd

--You quite don't-- You quite obviously don't

You quite obviously don't have a clue what I'm talking about!

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Oreo

Whitewavemark2

As opposed to an unhealthy interest?

How would I recognise an unhealthy interest?

Maybe you wouldn’t.
I would say that an unhealthy interest in a subject is one that appears to consume somebody, so that they burble on constantly to others about it and it dominates their life.

How on earth would you know that they burble about it constantly and that it dominates their life???

Perhaps that says more about you than about them? Talk about being judgemental in the extreme, and a tad obsessive too. Unhealthily so, I'd say.

PoliticsNerd

Allira

Well, I've just had a look on the local FB page and there's been no whingeing for some time, 😯 except for one big whinge which is entirely justified and needs to be publicised.

So whingeing is only whingeing when you font agree with it? How much more biased can an opinion be?

Politisnerd

I was responding to a couple of other posters about comments on FB pages, no idea what you are talking about, except that it's yet another attack on anything I post.

It was quoted above my post Allira, but I'm happy to repeat it for clarity.

" Well, I've just had a look on the local FB page and there's been no whingeing for some time, 😯 except for one big whinge which is entirely justified and needs to be publicised."

Oh, you've obviously missed the previous posts.

But it's not unexpected, I'm getting used to it. 😂😂😂

What are you getting used to I wonder? I was aware it followed on from previous posts.