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Unjabbed Folk Devils

In another thread @JackieL picked out the dog whistle phrase “cuck muzzles” in an on-the-spot report from Ottawa that I pasted into the discussion. I hadn’t picked it up but agree that this is not skilful speech (samma vaca) and may undermine an otherwise valid narrative perspective. (As do certain flags, planted or otherwise)

I also pointed out that the openly abusive discourse directed at the non-compliant, with enthusiastic support from seemingly large swathes of the vox populi, will have alienated people and some have struck back by using speech acts such as that exemplified. This is not to condone that vengeful discourse.

Its one of those old games like Let’s You And Him Fight

http://changingminds.org/explanations/behaviors/games/common_games.htm

Anyhoo… here’s a recent piece from HART backing Gary Sidley’s request for nudging to be looked at properly and for lessons to be learned.

A lengthy postscript to the above, my ‘best bit’ is:

[I] believe that vaccinated healthcare workers will not quit should their unvaccinated colleagues be allowed to stay on, since many will have been vaccinated precisely so they could keep their jobs. If they were genuinely afraid of the unvaccinated in their ranks, they would have quit already. No, the rational position would be to call the bluff of those baying for blood who have not demonstrated anything like the moral conviction of the unvaccinated, for reasons outlined above. But the reality is there is no political will to do so because public sentiment has been poisoned against the unvaccinated. The scapegoating mechanism wants to see these people punished…

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Thing is Karen, there is no hatred and scapegoating of the ‘unvaccinated’ going on in our everyday experience. But there are plenty of people/organisations that would like to whip it up. Is HART one of them? HART sponsored a ‘Freedom Conference’ in Manc. on Saturday (12th.) that consisted of a series of testimonies from health service workers who had been victimised for non-compliance/ whistleblowing. The message was one of ‘look what they’re doing to us’ and not one of ‘what do we do about it?’ or ‘look how we’ve won this one’.

All a bit behaviouristical eh?

I hate to say it but giving the appearance of the UK being hopelessly divided serves all sorts of purposes, and you’re right @AlanG it seldom matches day to day reality.