Canada's crisis of political Illiteracy
Knowing the forces that shape our society is critical to our survival. Neoliberalism is just one and has done real damage.
'Nearly half of all adults have low literacy levels ' —CCL president Dr. Paul Cappon
Canadians are now facing what has been called our most important election ever. We are living in a fast changing world, where the West is in a ongoing crisis decades in the making and will require nimble and progressive government to restore an acceptable equilibrium. There are no quick fixes. The West is exhausted from too many wars, too much corruption, too many trillions of dollars squandered on militarism, a predatory capitalism that is sociopathic, and lapsed democracy. Literacy comes in many shapes and sizes, anywhere from the ability to read and write, to health literacy, to historic literacy, to political literacy.
As Dr. Paul Cappon states above Canadians are not doing well when it comes to literacy and I think we can safely conclude this applies to other types of literacy. Canadian Historian J.L. Granatstein once wrote a book called “Who killed Canadian History?” I can give a whole list of reasons why it happened, but for the purpose of this blog I will limit myself to one biggy:— we have for too long been a colonized country and as such our history gets erased. Being colonized not only means economic servitude but cultural and historic servitude. Imperialism not only steals the economies of nations but also their collective souls.
A very old political joke is that for Canadians democracy happens every four years on election day, sounds cynical, but also true as we too often vote blind for all the wrong reasons. The vested interests that control government love it when we vote blind without an inkling of the issues. What every despot fears most is an informed citizenry.
A friend of mine once joked…. “It is better to vote for the incumbent as they have already filled their pockets; a new government will fill theirs at our expense.” Again cynical but true, as the corruptions and lethargy of government are very big reasons we are in this present mess.
On the 28th April I will be heeding my friend’s advice. When the river is in full flood it is no time to be changing horses in midstream.
Political and historic literacy does not come easily in these times as there is also a war on objective truth. Not only do the political classes wage it to cover their grand larcenies, endless lies, forever wars— the mainstream media is their willing accomplice — being prestitutes one and all. We can feel so fortunate the alternate global media is emerging where dedicated journalists are telling the true stories of our times. Their sourcing is authentic, their integrity and courage intrepid.
We have been propagandized to believe this is “the end of history”, there are no other alternatives. This is the purist degeneracy and a laughable bogus deception; because humankind can only exist where we are constantly adapting and embracing better futures. Those who claim there is no alternative are the 1% trying to preserve a degeneracy that allots them disproportionate wealth, power and privilege as a form of social parasitism, as our political classes are their bought and paid for co-conspirators.
Neoliberalism has stolen the wealth of nations so effectively that most of the wealth is concentrated at the very top. So much so the funds were available to buy up whole governments and corrupt elections according to their insatiable appetites for money and power. Getting corporate and “donor” money out of politics is a great leap forward. Muzzling lobbyists is a second one as Ottawa has 7000 lobbyists, Washington DC has an army of 12000.
We are in a time where political, historic and civic literacy are more important than ever. The quality and integrity of governance has been seriously eroded over the past hundred years. It has not kept up with the times when competent governance is more essential than ever. Too many ruinous ideologies have been recklessly introduced that fracture our societies and alienate whole populations.
Governments in their self-serving allegiance to neoliberalism (and whatever else happens along the way.) have become totally indifferent to the social impacts their policies and ideologies impose on their populations. They in turn become incompetent, suffering the arrogance of fear. They cannot manage the tangled out of control bureaucracy they have created; and eating crow is not on their diet. They then retreat into a lassitude of endless lies, deceptions and conspiracies.
At a time in world history when competent, progressive government is more important than ever, the collective West finds itself shattered, suffering from its own home-grown crisis. We are living through the accumulation of unintended consequences spanning decades, for which we alone are to blame and must take responsibility.
Scapegoating China or Russia for our misfortunes is infantile. We must address our crises and take ownership of them. War—whether economic or military—is never the solution.
Societies ultimately survive through adaptability, heightened social consciousness, and the integrity of their choices. The “games” can only be played where there is a high level of political and historic literacy and where freedom of the press honestly reflects this newfound literacy.
History’s Parrot is read in 39 US states and 52 countries world wide
Read Alex Himelfarb 's book Neoliberalism Canada's Challenge.
The ‘Samara’ graphic favours the premise that I am politically illiterate.
But this is not because …
—I refuse to vote,
—I refuse to advance my political interests,
—I am impervious to partizan propaganda,
—I refuse politically inclusive compromise,
—I refuse to work with or to recognize the regime.
I am politically illiterate because of a principled commitment to dialectical examination of the interaction of historical, material, social class tendencies. So when I read that …
‘We are in a time where political, historic and civic literacy are more important than ever.’
I reply that …
‘We are in a time where political, historic and civic literacy have never mattered less.’
TIME Canada described Canadians as ‘borderline nihilists’ in the early 1990s.
The ‘great, free, land’ creed is a propagandic lie utilized as an instrument of social control. It is based on the premise that if people think that they are ‘free,’ they will not try to BECOME free. They will be nice, quiet, manageable, doting, respectful little taxpayers—model citizens who live second hand lives, tailored to fit the interests of its ruling class.
More than one parliamentary prostitute has fled — yes, FLED — when I asked such questions as, ‘what is the foundation of political authority; what constitutes the right to speak with the expectation of obedience; where can one look to see evidence of the veracity of that answer; what MAKES it right, and exactly WHY are we obligated to believe that?
Canadians have the right to be a people. They have the right to institutions and processes of state that are truly their own. They have the right to ‘leaders’ who speak through their own lips. They have the right to create new, legal structures within the context of which, their essential material and civic interests may be articulated, pursued and realized in an orderly and responsible manner. Canadians need permission from NO ONE to do these things.
Classically speaking, three criteria distinguish illegitimate, stateless, actors from lawfully regimes with a legitimate claim to the dutiful, consensual allegiance of its those living in its borders. There must be:
1] Sufficient power to govern.
2] Sufficient commitment to justice.
3] Sufficient identification with the population.
All three of these points must be in operation at every moment of time. If even one of these three criteria ceases to be true, the state ceases to be legitimate.
All people do not make those determinations at the same time. Some require a greater burden of proof, some less. For me, it ceased to be ‘my government’ many decades ago. I have waited most of my life for the time when Canadians would find courage to face what the lordly, Canadian kakistocracy, IS.
Fat City has abandoned the citizenry to its own destiny.
The only logical response is to recognize this reality for what it is, and to abandon the kakistocracy to ITS own destiny.
For myself, I refuse to be retained as a political hostage to the machinations of an illicit, lawless regime bent on barbarity, the debasement of its population and its attacks on humanity abroad.
Why would any sentient, bipedal being do otherwise?
Bring those involved in such crimes as you name to the bar of justice.
If the courts won’t do so [and they won’t], develop new procedures, laws, courts, and such means and agencies as will do so. Begin the work of drafting a new Constitution for establishing a legitimate state.
Then, I will cast a ballot, let my name stand for public office, do jury duty, etc., etc.