General Election 2010 vs. Reality Television

Last week Wednesday, I was on the phone with another blogger in Trinidad and Tobago. We were discussing the elections, the lack of real discussion on the issues by politicians and so forth. We wondered, the two of us, how it is that there are people who don't seem to care about it. After all, we said, everyone we knew was saying the same thing.

I made the point that we have an affinity for likeminded people. Everyone does. And because of that, we have a tendency to surround ourselves with the people who agree with us - or, at the very least, don't disagree. It bugged me enough to go outside of my usual circle, even as Paolo Kernahan made the very same point the next day. Issues, Smissues. Indeed. But then I read Paolo regularly because I agree with Paolo. So what about people outside my circle? I got gonzo. 

Striking up conversations wherever I ended up - and I ended up all over the place - I found that people really were doing something extraordinary. They were saying that the issues weren't being discussed - and, separately, rationalized their decision or indecision on the election based on anything but the issues. So I asked a few that if they had a chance to discuss the election based on issues... would they support either of the choices? The answer: No.

The La Romaine rumshop on Friday had lively discussion, segmented as people rotated in for drinks and outside for cigarettes. Everyone seemed to agree that the election is about picking the lesser of two evils with everyone agreeing that the lesser of two evils is still evil. One man made a valid point about how voting PNM was simply voting 'for the devil he knew'. And while an avid supporter of the PNM, he easily admitted the wrongs of the present PNM administration - from UDECOTT to crime. There was even a quip about Patrick Manning needing viagra to debate Kamla in public that he gave us.

Some PNM people showed up in their loud-speaker enhance vehicle, stopping for something to drink and... while wearing orange jerseys (the UNC colour), inviting people to some PNM rally. One person told them it was a UNC bar, that they should leave, and that person was actually shouted down. Someone in the back said it.

'Dis is an issues bar. We have issues. You have answers?'

After that solid mock, the politically supersized speakers on the car found themselves hurtling down the road. I wondered if Paolo inspired that person at the back of the bar or if Paolo, myself and others are actually getting the pulse of the election.

I don't know why I'm double guessing so many who agree with me. Am I worried about being wrong or being right? Likely both.

The bookstore this weekend saw me discussing the election with 3 young women who worked there, some more young than others (if you catch my drift). And everyone was talking about... issues. And how miuch they wished those silly issues would be discussed.

Not wanting to follow up on Paolo's writeup with only a nod, I left the thing sit on the backburner instead of writing it. Shelved. And every day since then I've heard some reiteration of the same feeling, not in letters to the editor but from people of every creed and race. In fact, if there is a uniting force in this election it is that the issues aren't being discussed. Hardcore PNM and UNC/COP supporters might actually be able to hold hands and march on the Red House if they could get past the carefully sewn and watered divisions.

'It's the same colonial style government', a person said on Sunday, 'when the English pulled out, black people took over. And by black I mean anyone who isn't white.' People listening nodded.

So, today, while ordering the cholesterol bomb at Burger King, I found myself waiting. And someone struck up a conversation with me about how inefficient the service was. So I pointed out that they appeared short staffed and that it happens fairly often. Like most things brought down, it starts off well enough - but then the same things happen. People stop showing up for work, calling in. Other people end up working harder for the same amount of money while their coworkers - or un-coworkers - go do whatever it is that they do. And the service suffers, the people working there suffer and get abused because they have the right work ethic. Really. We abuse people for showing up to work because others don't. And by doing that we reinforce the people who don't show up - we basically tell people that they shouldn't have a strong work ethic.

And then I thought of some experiences I have had with government workers in the past. If at home, I might have jumped out of the bath shouting, 'Eureka'. At Burger King it wouldn't have been appropriate.

As I walked out of the place, brown bag of suicide in hand, I heard someone ask: "You know what de difference is between de election an' reality television?'

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

"Wit' reality television, yuh could vote people off de damn island!"

Hear, hear.