Activist "academic" invents reasons to ignore criticism.
QED.
QED.
https://twitter.com/StephenElstub/status/1417140099448557576
This is the basis of the claim... A failure to differentiate between govt' departments and the select committees that seemingly hold them to account.
A typo in a summary, in other words.
A typo in a summary, in other words.
https://twitter.com/StephenElstub/status/1417144503773847555
That kind of pseudo-academic wankery always reminds me of this Eddie Izzard sketch...
Academia is today little more than a glorified establishment think tank, it's "methodology" being nothing more than extremely expensive self-justification.
It exists far apart from the rest of society, which has to pay for it.
It exists far apart from the rest of society, which has to pay for it.
Method:
1. Stick finger in air... See which way wind (funding priorities) is blowing.
2. Stick head up arse.
1. Stick finger in air... See which way wind (funding priorities) is blowing.
2. Stick head up arse.
If you want the skinny version of my report, the IEA asked my to produce an overview.
(I am not now and never have been hired by the IEA in any capacity, and some of them will disagree with me about CAs).
iea.org.uk/citizens-assem…
(I am not now and never have been hired by the IEA in any capacity, and some of them will disagree with me about CAs).
iea.org.uk/citizens-assem…
The arguments as stated may not interest the 'academic' who cannot parse any prose without a statement of 'methodology'.
But they will in due course explain to many millions of people why they have been lumbered with vast, unpayable bills, lost their jobs and material freedoms.
But they will in due course explain to many millions of people why they have been lumbered with vast, unpayable bills, lost their jobs and material freedoms.
This is one such 'academic'.
He claims to be interested in "the theory and practice of democracy, democratic innovation, public opinion, political communication, civil society and citizen participation ... through the lens of deliberative democracy".
ncl.ac.uk/gps/staff/prof…
He claims to be interested in "the theory and practice of democracy, democratic innovation, public opinion, political communication, civil society and citizen participation ... through the lens of deliberative democracy".
ncl.ac.uk/gps/staff/prof…
Notice the caveat: DELIBERATIVE democracy.
The obvious presupposition of which is the public's competences not being sufficient for democracy, thus creating a role for 'academic' as supervisor.
Don't expect to get a grant to point out the problem with the presupposition, though
The obvious presupposition of which is the public's competences not being sufficient for democracy, thus creating a role for 'academic' as supervisor.
Don't expect to get a grant to point out the problem with the presupposition, though
It is a historic development.
It is the dismantling of the principles of the democratic tradition, to suit the political needs of 'governance', not to better represent society's needs to society's decision-makers.
It is the dismantling of the principles of the democratic tradition, to suit the political needs of 'governance', not to better represent society's needs to society's decision-makers.
It is categorically 'post-democratic'. It is an idea born out of the paralysis caused by consensuses being developed across political institutions, by which the public is excluded from politics. It creates a huge gulf between the establishment and the public.
It is also necessarily therefore 'post-ideological'. It imagines itself to have transcended ideologies, such as those that dominated the early C20th, and that there remain no significant constituencies or tensions in society that need to or can be mediated by representation.
But it has not transcended 'ideology'.
It is as determined and ambitious to assert its designs for society as any early C20th ideological movement. And its designs are no less radical.
Citizens Assemblies are arguably merely 'soviets' by another name.
It is as determined and ambitious to assert its designs for society as any early C20th ideological movement. And its designs are no less radical.
Citizens Assemblies are arguably merely 'soviets' by another name.
And that is why we can very easily see the functionaries involved in the Climate Assembly so easily taking such liberties with the Assembly's 'recommendations'.
Democracy without caveats would make this impossible.
Democracy without caveats would make this impossible.
Academics are not disinterested, objective, detached observers.
They are interested parties. They represent special interests and ideological movements. That is the basis of their employment contracts.
They have not eschewed ideology. They have embedded it.
They are interested parties. They represent special interests and ideological movements. That is the basis of their employment contracts.
They have not eschewed ideology. They have embedded it.
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