Is he a bot or merely incapable of thinking for himself?

It seems to me like he's been given a script and will not deviate. It's almost like someone else is pulling the strings. He's not coming across as an authentic person who has faith in what he's saying. Imho

No, you don't, but it is easier if you have gained some understanding in some way. Perhaps you know of research he has been involved with.

Ian Duncan Smith was once ask to take part in a programme where celebrities would live for a period with people on benefits. He wouldn't do it. When asked why, he said he couldn't truly understand how it feels. He would know, that at the end of end of it, he would go home to money in the bank.

Daisymae

It seems to me like he's been given a script and will not deviate. It's almost like someone else is pulling the strings. He's not coming across as an authentic person who has faith in what he's saying. Imho

I think he is wary of the media picking up on and taking sentences/sound bites out of context.
He knows what he wants to say and doesn’t deviate. His party has formed the Government for a long time and he knows that their backs are up against the wall

He is on a mission of damage control. he is also cool, calm and collected.

Sorry, the quote escaped again. That was to GrannyGravy

Germanshepherdsmum

You have a warped view of Conservatism Daisy.

What has Sunak done to the poor? He has done plenty for them. Think about the cost of living payments and support with fuel bills.

Let’s be honest - no Conservative PM will ever ‘cut it’ for you.

There is a vast difference between long term initiatives to improve people's conditions (like pay rises which account for inflation) and short term temporary sticking plasters which are cut when crisis is over.

The refusal to pay public sector workers anywhere near enough to mitigate the effect of inflation, using the mendacious excuse that wage increases will contribute to inflation, seems to indicate a steadfast resolution of the government to inflict hardship on workers and destroy public services.

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

This is the latest YouGov poll
yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2023/06/22/sunak-favourability-drops-wake-privileges-committe
It may change over time, but the uphill struggle is getting steeper currently.

For your "cool, calm, and collected" read my embarrassing GG

I wonder how long the excuses will be made? He is certainly being torn apart on the internet and the interview is being played and played.

Still, with what his/your party has done to this country we need someone who tries to cheer us up. Perhaps that was what he was doing.

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Oh that’s unfair MaizieD

Not all Tories are the same just as not Labour followers are the same.

I would be mortified if I came across as uncaring…

DaisyAnneReturns

For your "cool, calm, and collected" read my embarrassing GG

I wonder how long the excuses will be made? He is certainly being torn apart on the internet and the interview is being played and played.

Still, with what his/your party has done to this country we need someone who tries to cheer us up. Perhaps that was what he was doing.

I haven’t got a party DaisyAnneReturns

I am one of the politically homeless.

I am more inclined to be right of centre, but not as is often described on here as far right

MaizieD

Germanshepherdsmum

You have a warped view of Conservatism Daisy.

What has Sunak done to the poor? He has done plenty for them. Think about the cost of living payments and support with fuel bills.

Let’s be honest - no Conservative PM will ever ‘cut it’ for you.

There is a vast difference between long term initiatives to improve people's conditions (like pay rises which account for inflation) and short term temporary sticking plasters which are cut when crisis is over.

The refusal to pay public sector workers anywhere near enough to mitigate the effect of inflation, using the mendacious excuse that wage increases will contribute to inflation, seems to indicate a steadfast resolution of the government to inflict hardship on workers and destroy public services.

How many people do you think feel better off after this government GSM. How many people do you think look forward to a more hopeful future than they did before they came on the scene? We have a whole generation whose hopes for a life even as good as their parents has been blighted, let alone one that is better than the last generation.

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Oh that’s unfair MaizieD

Not all Tories are the same just as not Labour followers are the same.

I would be mortified if I came across as uncaring…

You’re right there, or should I say, correct rather than right to avoid any confusion!
When you get to know people on here you realise just how many shades of political views there are.

GrannyGravy13

I am more inclined to be right of centre, but not as is often described on here as ^far right^

The far right Tory has risen to power in their party over the whole of this government GG, and Sunak is certainly a leading light when it comes to far right economics.

In what way have the hopes of a whole generation for a life even as good as their parents been blighted? Which generation, and specifically how has the current government blighted their hopes?

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Oh that’s unfair MaizieD

Not all Tories are the same just as not Labour followers are the same.

I would be mortified if I came across as uncaring…

You’re right there, or should I say, correct rather than right to avoid any confusion!
When you get to know people on here you realise just how many shades of political views there are.

But you are not a Conservative GG. Or so you have just declared.

Germanshepherdsmum

In what way have the hopes of a whole generation for a life even as good as their parents been blighted? Which generation, and specifically how has the current government blighted their hopes?

I have to put this new and pernickety machine on charge GSM. But read what the millennials are saying. You will not agree with them but that, against there anger, is irrelevant.

Facts please Daisy.

DaisyAnneReturns

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Oh that’s unfair MaizieD

Not all Tories are the same just as not Labour followers are the same.

I would be mortified if I came across as uncaring…

You’re right there, or should I say, correct rather than right to avoid any confusion!
When you get to know people on here you realise just how many shades of political views there are.

But you are not a Conservative GG. Or so you have just declared.

I have always voted Conservative in General Elections, Independent when there is a candidate in local/County Elections.

So by any measure I am a Conservative, but I do not recognise the party as it stands at the moment.

Unless there is a cataclysmic change they will not get my vote in the next GE.

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Oh that’s unfair MaizieD

Not all Tories are the same just as not Labour followers are the same.

I would be mortified if I came across as uncaring…

You should know by now, GG13, that I have the greatest respect for you and you are an honourable exception (I sometimes find it hard to believe you're a tory )

My feeling is that he is more like a caretaker Prime Minister, keeping everything ticking over between the last two disastrous occupants of No 10 and the next election when he can gracefully make his escape.

Do you think the political parties monitor GN and MN and other sites, to get a sense of what at least some of us are feeling? And if they do, how much impact does it have? I suppose, should they be doing this, it is all fed into the system along with opinion polls and may or may not make any difference. This is just a thought which occurred to me, reading what has been added to this thread. There may be others here who actually have an answer to this.

Yes, they will. And they will post, too.

I saw the end of a discussion about the situation in Russia on MN the other day, and from what was left of the discussion I think a bot had been identified and blocked for posting propaganda. Prigozhin is infamous for owning 'troll farms' which publish disinformation all over the Internet, so it may have been something to do with that.

On a smaller scale, 'nudge units' and media scanners definitely operate online - whether GN is big enough to attract them I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me, as we represent a defined demographic which is more likely to vote than others.

Doodledog

Yes, they will. And they will post, too.

I saw the end of a discussion about the situation in Russia on MN the other day, and from what was left of the discussion I think a bot had been identified and blocked for posting propaganda. Prigozhin is infamous for owning 'troll farms' which publish disinformation all over the Internet, so it may have been something to do with that.

On a smaller scale, 'nudge units' and media scanners definitely operate online - whether GN is big enough to attract them I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me, as we represent a defined demographic which is more likely to vote than others.

I agree Doodledog, but I do think one of the strengths of Gransnet is the ability of many of the regular posters to sniff out and report trolls. It always surprises me how extreme some peoples views are, but they are easily recognisable as ‘belonging’ in our demographic or not. Trolls aren’t generally that good at understanding how we tick.

Human trolls, no. But AI will be on the case sooner rather than later (if it's not already) and it will get increasingly difficult to spot.