We all have to improve our media literacy. The Internet demands it because the traditional "authoritative voices" of professional journalism in mainstream media have all but disappeared. The old media model of delivering eyeballs and ears is falling apart in a fragmented audience that is getting used to free content on the Internet.
Reliable news sources are being lost in the noise and sensation of places like Fox News as they reach for ratings by pushing adrenaline inducing infotainment instead responsible professional journalism and informed in depth commentary. We will soon have the same kind of propaganda promoting media experience with the unleashing of Fox News North.
In American politics the vitriol and anger gets even worse, but Canada is not far behind as Harper continues to use Karl Rove wedge issues in ways the divide people and pander to fear. The political culture is beyond a conventional adversarial debate of artificial black and white issue framing that is over-simplified spin and pushed by sound bites and pithy print quotes through a compliant media.
Now the political culture is approaching fascism in some circles and with some politicians. The spin is escalating beyond persuasion into misleading half truths and outright lies - repeated over and over for effect. There is a cynical truism about this kind of pathetic political "communications." That reality is that a lie heard seven times becomes a truth to many people. In our hyper-connected and constantly "on" world we are voluntary victims of the consequences of perpetual partial attention. We don't read, reflect and try to understand content - especially on-line content that is becoming the dominant news source for most of us.. We merely scan and skim content for impressions and that has the effect of suspending our disbelief and diminishes our capacity for critical thinking. We end up with more information but become less informed.
The other disturbing trend in our political culture is the use of intimidation, coercion, bullying and innuendo by those in power against public servants and public service organizations, agencies and community based volunteer boards. Even duly elected municipal politicians and school boards are wary of bringing truth to power for fear of personal and institutional retribution from government. We become quietly complacent and compliant and avoid using our voice for fear of "consequences."
So as an introductory lesson in media and political literacy here is an "educational" video allegedly about and from the Liberal Party in Australia. It is a public service ad that every citizen needs to see, reflect on and remember as you get inundated with the Harper Conservative Party negative attack ads on other politicians.
(H/T to Daveberta for the link.)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Obama Support Rising
There is a new poll of 1000 Americans for the Wall Street Journal and NBC News saying 53% of Americans approve of Obama's performance as President. Too bad voters were not thinking that way in the November mid-term elections.
He is up 8% since December and his disapproval rating is down 7% to 41%. According t reports on the poll, Independents have not felt this good about Obama since August 2009. The other side (the dark side?) the GOP Republicans are not doing so well. 25% of Americans say they will bring the wrong kind of change to Washington and 55% said the Republicans are too inflexible in dealing with Obama. Conversely 55% said they trust - yes TRUST - Obama to strike the right balance with his opponents. Looks like Palin, Limbaugh and Beck have over played their hands? Here's hoping.
AMERICAN PROGRESSIVES WAKING UP?
Looks like Progressive in the United States have woken up to the fact that showing up, voting and winning is not enough. You have to continue to be an informed, engaged and active citizen if you want intelligent evidence-informed public policy. To stay aloof means you will be ruled by extremist ideological zealots. The President can't do it all by himself.
ARE ALBERTA PROGRESSIVES WAKING UP?
There are lessons here for progressive thinking Canadians, and even progressive thinking Albertans voting federally and provincially. Stop the fundamentalist and extremists from all stripes can ruin the country, the province and destroy a free and open society. Apathy used to be Boring. Now it is dangerous to democracy too. Alberta is waking up to this fact. Will Alberta show up in the next election to change the direction and co-create the Next Alberta?
He is up 8% since December and his disapproval rating is down 7% to 41%. According t reports on the poll, Independents have not felt this good about Obama since August 2009. The other side (the dark side?) the GOP Republicans are not doing so well. 25% of Americans say they will bring the wrong kind of change to Washington and 55% said the Republicans are too inflexible in dealing with Obama. Conversely 55% said they trust - yes TRUST - Obama to strike the right balance with his opponents. Looks like Palin, Limbaugh and Beck have over played their hands? Here's hoping.
AMERICAN PROGRESSIVES WAKING UP?
Looks like Progressive in the United States have woken up to the fact that showing up, voting and winning is not enough. You have to continue to be an informed, engaged and active citizen if you want intelligent evidence-informed public policy. To stay aloof means you will be ruled by extremist ideological zealots. The President can't do it all by himself.
ARE ALBERTA PROGRESSIVES WAKING UP?
There are lessons here for progressive thinking Canadians, and even progressive thinking Albertans voting federally and provincially. Stop the fundamentalist and extremists from all stripes can ruin the country, the province and destroy a free and open society. Apathy used to be Boring. Now it is dangerous to democracy too. Alberta is waking up to this fact. Will Alberta show up in the next election to change the direction and co-create the Next Alberta?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Where's Raj Sherman? At an Alberta Party Event in Edmonton Whitemud!
I am more and more impressed with the way Dr. Raj Sherman is reaching out and spreading his message about the need to fix the current mess around health care and then fixing the system.
Tomorrow night he is attending the organizing meeting of the Edmonton Whitemud Constituency for the Alberta Party as a guest speaker on health care. He was invited by Don Schurman, a mutual friend and former head (retired) of the University Hospital to come to the Alberta Party meeting tomorrow night and speak on health care. Don is one of my fellow Instigators of Reboot Alberta, also a former PC and a newly engaged member of the Alberta Party.
Raj continues to connect with a wide range of people across the entire political spectrum, throughout the wide range of the health care system and now is heading into communities all over Alberta with his message, working in collaboration with the Friends of Medicare.
He shows up in the NDP - Wildrose Alliance spoof video collaboration for the Legislature Press Gallery Christmas party too. It is not all serious stuff.
We need more of this kind of non-ideological political conversation that focuses on the greater good in the public interest and not just silly scoring political points in snippy sound bites. By the same token political parties have to learn to drop the destructive command and control top down democracy debilitating approach to politics too. We need more integrity, accountability, honest, responsibility and transparency in our provincial politics.
Raj is getting very good at doing that everywhere and that is a good thing that is resonating with thinking Albertans. Now if we can clone that political attitude and change the political culture so we have more adult political conversations. We need policy conversation with a long term public servant perspective that reflects a values approach. Maybe then we will find Albertans prepared to return to a sense of citizenship that is active and informed. Only with this king of political participation can we preserve, protect and promote our democracy, express our rights and enjoy our freedoms.
Good government is not one that is so small and starved for resources, including a professional civil service, that it can't do its job in the service of citizens and taxpayers. Dr Sherman is showing a new way of thinking and of doing politics in Alberta. As an Alberta Party member I also want to see politics done differently. Dr. Raj Sherman is an inspiration. But we need others to inspire us in other public policy spheres. Raj has a laser-like focus on health care and while it is important it is not enough to change how politics are done in Alberta. He sets an example and is showing us a way to do politics differently. That has to be a good thing if only others in political office and influence or who aspire to political office and influence take a lesson from him.
Thanks Don Schurman and thanks Raj Sherman for helping us realize we can and must do politics differently. I am out of town tomorrow night otherwise I would be there. I hope to hear all about the Edmonton Whitemud Alberta Party constituency event and about Raj's contribution on how to fix the crisis in our cherished public health care system the when I get back.
Tomorrow night he is attending the organizing meeting of the Edmonton Whitemud Constituency for the Alberta Party as a guest speaker on health care. He was invited by Don Schurman, a mutual friend and former head (retired) of the University Hospital to come to the Alberta Party meeting tomorrow night and speak on health care. Don is one of my fellow Instigators of Reboot Alberta, also a former PC and a newly engaged member of the Alberta Party.
Raj continues to connect with a wide range of people across the entire political spectrum, throughout the wide range of the health care system and now is heading into communities all over Alberta with his message, working in collaboration with the Friends of Medicare.
He shows up in the NDP - Wildrose Alliance spoof video collaboration for the Legislature Press Gallery Christmas party too. It is not all serious stuff.
We need more of this kind of non-ideological political conversation that focuses on the greater good in the public interest and not just silly scoring political points in snippy sound bites. By the same token political parties have to learn to drop the destructive command and control top down democracy debilitating approach to politics too. We need more integrity, accountability, honest, responsibility and transparency in our provincial politics.
Raj is getting very good at doing that everywhere and that is a good thing that is resonating with thinking Albertans. Now if we can clone that political attitude and change the political culture so we have more adult political conversations. We need policy conversation with a long term public servant perspective that reflects a values approach. Maybe then we will find Albertans prepared to return to a sense of citizenship that is active and informed. Only with this king of political participation can we preserve, protect and promote our democracy, express our rights and enjoy our freedoms.
Good government is not one that is so small and starved for resources, including a professional civil service, that it can't do its job in the service of citizens and taxpayers. Dr Sherman is showing a new way of thinking and of doing politics in Alberta. As an Alberta Party member I also want to see politics done differently. Dr. Raj Sherman is an inspiration. But we need others to inspire us in other public policy spheres. Raj has a laser-like focus on health care and while it is important it is not enough to change how politics are done in Alberta. He sets an example and is showing us a way to do politics differently. That has to be a good thing if only others in political office and influence or who aspire to political office and influence take a lesson from him.
Thanks Don Schurman and thanks Raj Sherman for helping us realize we can and must do politics differently. I am out of town tomorrow night otherwise I would be there. I hope to hear all about the Edmonton Whitemud Alberta Party constituency event and about Raj's contribution on how to fix the crisis in our cherished public health care system the when I get back.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Peter Kent Steps In It Over Oil Sands & It Will Stick to Him
UPDATE: Here is another link to the Saturday Globe and Mail on "Harper's Oil Sands Muse" that supports my concern in this blog post.
Here is a very important story out of the Hill Times about Minister of the Environment Peter Kent that is worth reading and reflection. It is about the simplistic opening comments by Peter Kent the newly minted Harper Minister of the environment. Mr. Kent is a seasoned and competent journalist but as a politician, not so much.
It appears that the primary briefing book for Mr. Kent in his first foray on to the Harper front benches was Ezra Levant's oil sands book "Ethical Oil." The Hill Times story says Mr. Kent was staking out his position on oil sands to align with the uber-conservative Mr. Levant before he even considered the larger picture of the challenges and opportunities inherent in the oil sands. Don't get me wrong, Ezra's book makes a good point but one that is insufficient to justify free market unfettered development of the oil sands. Being the best of a bad lot is not good enough. Geopolitical issues around oil production and marketing are significant to Albertans and Canadians. But that does not absolve Albertans as owners of the oil sands from our responsibility to be concerned for the environment, social, habitat and other consequences of oil sands development beyond getting rich quickly.
I am a big fan and supporter of oil sand development but recognizes we can and must exploit this resource more responsibly and in so many ways. I have no problem with the Minister of Environment quoting from books written on themes within his jurisdiction. Might I suggest (by way of shameless plug) that he also read Green Oil by my business partner Satya Das or Peter Silverstone's "The World's Greenest Oil" for a broader deeper understanding of the problems and positive possibilities of responsible and innovative oil sands development. Full disclosure, I published Green Oil. I admire the initiative of super-citizenship Dr. Peter Silverstone. He is a psychiatrist who takes time to be an active Albertan and is one person who realizes his personal responsibility as an owner of the oil sands. By writing his book, he has shown what engaged informed citizenship really is all about and what a difference one person can make.
So why would a guy with Mr. Kent's credentials, experience and journalistic ethic be caught taking an obvious pre-emptive political strike position in his new portfolio that is purely ideological and tactical? Why would he be caught commenting the way he has on the oil sands before having the advantage of a full briefing on the topic? why would he not give himself a chance to grasp the complexities and nuances of his portfolio, especially relating to oil sands?
Is this a cost of doing business that if you want to sit in the Harper Cabinet, you have to toe a line? Is this just the most recent example that a Cabinet Minister's Job #1 in the way Harper rules is about pursuing political positioning and running roughshod over any aspiration of good governance? Was that homage to Ezra's "Ethical Oil" the price Kent had to pay to be in Cabinet? Was this the initiation test of his allegiance to the Prime Minister and a condition of his appointment? Makes you wonder what other explanations there could be for such a misstep by a sophisticated experienced journalist must know a thing or two about abuse of power.
Good government is always good politics. Pure politics is hardly ever good government. I wonder if this kind of political push by the Prime Minister for propaganda over policy is the real reason the former Progressive Conservative Jim Prentice prematurely quit politics. We will never know but we ought not to be so naive that we don't consider that as a real possibility. Sad isn't it!
Mr Kent first utterances has to be a serious disappointment to the oil sand industry too. His political and governance missteps may impact his future in the next election but so what. Politicians are notorious for thinking short term and for personal political advantage. Industry, however, has billions of long-term dollars invested. They are at risk over volatile prices, world-wide recessions, environmental policy uncertainty and the rise of alternative energy sources. Uncertainty and risk management are facts of life for the oil sands industry, now and well into the future. They also realize the depth and breadth of their struggle to justify their social license to operate in this complex social, economic, ecological and political culture.
The oil sands industry, like politicians, are charged, tried and convicted in court of public opinion. Industry has more at risk as I see it. There is an allure of short-sighted expediency but they realize they have to take a more complex world view in what they do and how they do it. Industry must take a long-term perspective to justify the large up-front investments and taking on inherent duties like reclamation. That is a complex current responsibility but decades away from being delivered and that is even more uncertainty. The oil sands operating culture is more complex and controversial than superficial gamesmanship artificial chaos of power politics that we see as core characteristics of too many of our so-called political "leaders."
Being cozy, co-operative and collusive with the federal and provincial governments has worked for the industry up to now but it is an obviously mistaken and insufficient industry strategy going forward. My work with the industry tells me they get this. They are adapting appropriately, and cautiously, to appeal directly to the citizens as owners of the oil sands as they attempt to justify their social license to operate and exploit this valuable resource for the benefit of employees, shareholders, suppliers, citizens and future generations.
My betting is behind industry to do the right thing on their social license sooner than later. Unless we change governments or our government change their political culture I despair that they will ever do the right things for the right reasons in the right way at any time soon. Citizens have to insist that our industry tenants and our government property managers start doing a much better job of serving the greater good and not just serve their self-interests as they develop our oil sands property. Time for Albertans as owners to raise the expectations bar on themselves too. We have to get better informed, effectively active and unshakably insistent that the oil sands development is done right. After all it is all being done in the name of Albertans and Canadians.
Here is a very important story out of the Hill Times about Minister of the Environment Peter Kent that is worth reading and reflection. It is about the simplistic opening comments by Peter Kent the newly minted Harper Minister of the environment. Mr. Kent is a seasoned and competent journalist but as a politician, not so much.
It appears that the primary briefing book for Mr. Kent in his first foray on to the Harper front benches was Ezra Levant's oil sands book "Ethical Oil." The Hill Times story says Mr. Kent was staking out his position on oil sands to align with the uber-conservative Mr. Levant before he even considered the larger picture of the challenges and opportunities inherent in the oil sands. Don't get me wrong, Ezra's book makes a good point but one that is insufficient to justify free market unfettered development of the oil sands. Being the best of a bad lot is not good enough. Geopolitical issues around oil production and marketing are significant to Albertans and Canadians. But that does not absolve Albertans as owners of the oil sands from our responsibility to be concerned for the environment, social, habitat and other consequences of oil sands development beyond getting rich quickly.
I am a big fan and supporter of oil sand development but recognizes we can and must exploit this resource more responsibly and in so many ways. I have no problem with the Minister of Environment quoting from books written on themes within his jurisdiction. Might I suggest (by way of shameless plug) that he also read Green Oil by my business partner Satya Das or Peter Silverstone's "The World's Greenest Oil" for a broader deeper understanding of the problems and positive possibilities of responsible and innovative oil sands development. Full disclosure, I published Green Oil. I admire the initiative of super-citizenship Dr. Peter Silverstone. He is a psychiatrist who takes time to be an active Albertan and is one person who realizes his personal responsibility as an owner of the oil sands. By writing his book, he has shown what engaged informed citizenship really is all about and what a difference one person can make.
So why would a guy with Mr. Kent's credentials, experience and journalistic ethic be caught taking an obvious pre-emptive political strike position in his new portfolio that is purely ideological and tactical? Why would he be caught commenting the way he has on the oil sands before having the advantage of a full briefing on the topic? why would he not give himself a chance to grasp the complexities and nuances of his portfolio, especially relating to oil sands?
Is this a cost of doing business that if you want to sit in the Harper Cabinet, you have to toe a line? Is this just the most recent example that a Cabinet Minister's Job #1 in the way Harper rules is about pursuing political positioning and running roughshod over any aspiration of good governance? Was that homage to Ezra's "Ethical Oil" the price Kent had to pay to be in Cabinet? Was this the initiation test of his allegiance to the Prime Minister and a condition of his appointment? Makes you wonder what other explanations there could be for such a misstep by a sophisticated experienced journalist must know a thing or two about abuse of power.
Good government is always good politics. Pure politics is hardly ever good government. I wonder if this kind of political push by the Prime Minister for propaganda over policy is the real reason the former Progressive Conservative Jim Prentice prematurely quit politics. We will never know but we ought not to be so naive that we don't consider that as a real possibility. Sad isn't it!
Mr Kent first utterances has to be a serious disappointment to the oil sand industry too. His political and governance missteps may impact his future in the next election but so what. Politicians are notorious for thinking short term and for personal political advantage. Industry, however, has billions of long-term dollars invested. They are at risk over volatile prices, world-wide recessions, environmental policy uncertainty and the rise of alternative energy sources. Uncertainty and risk management are facts of life for the oil sands industry, now and well into the future. They also realize the depth and breadth of their struggle to justify their social license to operate in this complex social, economic, ecological and political culture.
The oil sands industry, like politicians, are charged, tried and convicted in court of public opinion. Industry has more at risk as I see it. There is an allure of short-sighted expediency but they realize they have to take a more complex world view in what they do and how they do it. Industry must take a long-term perspective to justify the large up-front investments and taking on inherent duties like reclamation. That is a complex current responsibility but decades away from being delivered and that is even more uncertainty. The oil sands operating culture is more complex and controversial than superficial gamesmanship artificial chaos of power politics that we see as core characteristics of too many of our so-called political "leaders."
Being cozy, co-operative and collusive with the federal and provincial governments has worked for the industry up to now but it is an obviously mistaken and insufficient industry strategy going forward. My work with the industry tells me they get this. They are adapting appropriately, and cautiously, to appeal directly to the citizens as owners of the oil sands as they attempt to justify their social license to operate and exploit this valuable resource for the benefit of employees, shareholders, suppliers, citizens and future generations.
My betting is behind industry to do the right thing on their social license sooner than later. Unless we change governments or our government change their political culture I despair that they will ever do the right things for the right reasons in the right way at any time soon. Citizens have to insist that our industry tenants and our government property managers start doing a much better job of serving the greater good and not just serve their self-interests as they develop our oil sands property. Time for Albertans as owners to raise the expectations bar on themselves too. We have to get better informed, effectively active and unshakably insistent that the oil sands development is done right. After all it is all being done in the name of Albertans and Canadians.
Creativity, Sir Ken Robinson & Co-Creating the Next Alberta
Here is a link to pointed and informative video by Sir Ken Robinson on creativity in the STEM subjects-science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/askskr-question-8-creativity-is-not-just-for-the-arts
Sir Ken is in Red Deer on February 9th and I will be there with some guests who will no doubt report on their reactions to his lecture on his new book The Element. The event is sold out with 700 people coming from all over Alberta. You can see interest is great and a new organization called Creative Alberta is forming. .
There is another public lecture and conversation featuring Michael Adams author and pollster in Edmonton at the Sutton Place Hotel in the evening of March 17, 2011. His latest book is on the values and attitudes of Baby Boomers in this stage of their lives called Stayin' Alive: How Canadian Baby Boomers Will Work, Play, and Find Meaning In the Second Half of Their Adult Lives
We will also have Jean Twenge. Professor of Psychology from San Diego State University speaking at the same public lecture speaking on themes of her new book the "Narcissism Epidemic, Living in the Age of Entitlement."
All event of this is part of the Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta project I am involved with in partnership with the Alberta Teachers' Association. Check out more on this exciting initiative about the emerging roles, relationships and responsibilities of public education in Alberta at www.learningourway.ca
You can get tickets for the Michael Adam / Jean Twenge lecture on line very soon at WWW.LEARNINGOURWAY.CA Visit the site often to be part of the conversation about what Aspiring Albertans can do to co-create the Next Alberta.
Follow what is happening on Twitter at #creativealberta and #abfuture
http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/askskr-question-8-creativity-is-not-just-for-the-arts
Sir Ken is in Red Deer on February 9th and I will be there with some guests who will no doubt report on their reactions to his lecture on his new book The Element. The event is sold out with 700 people coming from all over Alberta. You can see interest is great and a new organization called Creative Alberta is forming. .
There is another public lecture and conversation featuring Michael Adams author and pollster in Edmonton at the Sutton Place Hotel in the evening of March 17, 2011. His latest book is on the values and attitudes of Baby Boomers in this stage of their lives called Stayin' Alive: How Canadian Baby Boomers Will Work, Play, and Find Meaning In the Second Half of Their Adult Lives
We will also have Jean Twenge. Professor of Psychology from San Diego State University speaking at the same public lecture speaking on themes of her new book the "Narcissism Epidemic, Living in the Age of Entitlement."
All event of this is part of the Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta project I am involved with in partnership with the Alberta Teachers' Association. Check out more on this exciting initiative about the emerging roles, relationships and responsibilities of public education in Alberta at www.learningourway.ca
You can get tickets for the Michael Adam / Jean Twenge lecture on line very soon at WWW.LEARNINGOURWAY.CA Visit the site often to be part of the conversation about what Aspiring Albertans can do to co-create the Next Alberta.
Follow what is happening on Twitter at #creativealberta and #abfuture
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