Just saw a fluff piece on TV. A UK farming organisation (The Linking Environment And Farming organisation) has done a survey. It seems many British people have no idea where a lot of what they eat comes from. Many didn’t know that produce such as bacon, porridge, bread and beer comes from farms.
It seems some 22% of the adults questioned didn’t know that bacon and sausages come from pigs on farms and some 47% of people didn’t know porridge's main ingredient comes from farms.
What is horrifying is that these people can vote. The horrifying part is that they will decide how to cast their vote without basic information that should make a difference on how they vote in relation to issues that impact, on say, farming for instance.
How can someone, so lacking in basic facts about life, have any chance of making a reasonably informed decision? What other basic, but vital, information don't they know?
Making decisions based on partial information and inadequate knowledge would give a massive boost to the law of unintended consequences. Under the wrong circumstances it could actually be dangerous. How can people sleepwalk through life like this?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hi, Stainless,
we get the goverment we deserve: people vote for a party, no longer - if ever - for a manifesto. People don't want to "waste time" weighing up what the mainstream politicians might be telling (or selling?) us; far easier to vote as previously. Likewise, despite the rise in popularity of organic produce, too few people stop and think - or frankly care - about where exactly their food comes from, whether biologically or geographically speaking.
The information to enlighten people in their decision-making is, more than ever before, out there - obfuscated, in some cases, 'tis true - but mental inertia is a powerful factor in today's helter-skelter world where time - especially to reflect before making decisions - is precious. Far easier to do what one has always done... chiz chiz
Ah! Chike. It is an honour.
Your comments only confirm my pessimism. It’s like democracy is in the process of stepping in front of a truck whilst in thrall to it’s collective iPod .
All because the people can’t really be bothered enough to pay attention to what’s going on around it.
Still one feels bound to Shout “Watch out!” if only for the sake of decency…
Post a Comment