Apathy and excitement: the two faces of control
How does a party maintain power and control even when its policies are failing? Our government, whether on PPE procurement, care homes or exams is certainly failing, but remains strong in the polls. How? There seem to be two factors at play, at the most general level, and neither have to do with policy. A quick review of human traits will reveal that we can at times be highly excited or, for longer periods, apathetic and disinterested. Both can be manipulated in the service of overriding our objections to poor governance. The former is the more familiar. We are used to the provocations to take sides in culture wars fomented by our Vote Leave government. The latest pointless excuse to proclaim our colours is the “ban” on Rule Britannia at the Proms. It should be obvious to anyone familiar with Cummings that this was a put-up job. It followed the time-honoured pattern of baiting, escalation and finally topping off with ministerial statements, including in this case one from the p