There will be those who will suggest that I am calling for the various committees to be exempted from criticism, that communication should be unidirectional. Far from it, far from it. The problem is, as I have described, a multi-faceted one. However, if the relationship between reporter and audience becomes, or is even perceived to be, one of abuser and victim, the desire to communicate will be extinguished. Yes, be persistent in your questioning but also be grateful for what you get, lest it be lost.
As I said at the time, you break it, you pay for it. And I’m afraid that, with every passing day, we pay for the inability of some to understand that the world doesn’t revolve around a particularly small minority…
Thanks for this mini series of 5 postings Mark You hit every nail squarely on the head.
ReplyDeleteFor my part, any temptation i may have had to go with my instincts have been totally killed off. Damaged beyond repair by a handful of people at the totally opposite end of the party using the issue as a stick to beat me with, solely for their self gratification.
I have honestly begun to wonder why I stood for FE, the committee has had much of the power it had delegated, but we are lined up for a good kicking.
As people will note, the political content of my blog has virtually dried up, mainly because I don't want to put my head avove the parapet for hostile fire from my own side! Well they claim to be my own side.
That's sad Duncan.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I have an inverted view of the world from my treetop, but I think you should take it as a mark of respect that the critics were coming to you, even if the way they were doing so in a confrontational manner. I mean, if names are going to be called out, why is it only those names who have made themselves accessible by publishing a blog ?
Although I have a lot of sympathy with those who wish for more information I think their bad manners amounted to bad strategy - human systems are always lagging behind technological possibility, so the critics' impatience was always going to work against them. Maybe they'll begin to realise they'll get further when they start to volunteer themselves and offer constructive solutions...