The New Observer

The Panopticon

I thought this was a nice example of the panopticon. “We’re looking out for you… whether you see us or not”. I.e. they can see you but you can’t see them. The machine of the Panopticon. Foucault’s analysis was spot on.

Covid tyranny

The current lockdown laws prohibit political protests. In the first lockdown gatherings were banned but there was a specific exemption for political protests so long as they were conducted with ‘social distancing’ in mind. This exception was explicitly removed in the second lockdown. This means that the government has banned any public political protest against its decisions. This of course is tyranny. It doesn’t matter that many of the people who want to protest are ‘eccentric’ or ‘misguided’ or not well-informed about the science of the epidemic (or the vaccines). When government and the police decide that people are “idiots” and “mindless” (police words) for carrying out a political protest against a government decision we are in effect like China.

This is the result.

Covid Christmas

The UK government has announced some kind of 3 family ‘bubble’ for Christmas. [1] In effect the recommendation is to mix young people (such as students) – with their elderly relatives for 5 days. Just about the right time to absolutely ensure transmission. Of course a lot of people are going to die.

This is another (and entirely predictable) bungle in the series of already deadly bungles committed by the reckless people in charge.

There are 2 reasons for this insane (from a medical point of view) decision. Firstly; all modern governments in the UK are continually desperate to connect with the people, to find a populist touch. (Johnson in particular seems to avoid taking any decisions which could make him unpopular). “Giving” the people Christmas is just such a populist touch. No matter that, in reality, they are giving the people Covid.

England – the land of the petty official

It didn’t use to be this way. Not so long ago bus conductors, ticket inspectors, and the guy who checked your passport at Dover were polite and courteous.

Now, they are vulgar and dripping with power. They speak to you crudely in an ugly tone devoid of respect. They speak to you not as someone who understands that it is their job to help you but as an enemy. They understand that they work for the state and that the population is there to be controlled.