The Virtual Gigolo

So we see that the RMT is planning more strikes – as they do so enjoy doing. Of all the dates they could have chosen they decided to choose the day when it would annoying the public more than ever, what isn’t clear is whether they want public support behind them because it does seem unlikely that they’ll have it. As it is people have suggested that drink driving will increase this New Year as a result of the ban, which seems to be no surprise… as this drink driving will partially be a result of the ban, does that mean we can charge the tube drivers with manslaughter? Shifting the blame onto their leadership might work as charging ALL tube drivers would be difficult, but it could work.

Alternatively maybe the general public should start treating the drivers harshly; that is not to say they should be attacked, but it should be made very clear to them that their selfish behaviour has made them hated by the London public. Although, if they haven’t worked that out already then they might not only be selfish, but intellectually substandard as well.

It was suggested to me recently as part of the ongoing debate about “Intelligent Design” in US schools that maybe teaching of the subject should simply be allowed, as that’s what the public wants. Is what the public wants really in the best interests of the public though? It is clear that in an extreme form this is a highly elitist attitude, but at some level it must also make some sort of sense. In the case of schools, for example, it is quite clear (and not really elitist) that the a majority general public is not in a position of knowledge about any single school subject, they didn’t all study biology at university, say, so they cannot possibly be experts in biology. It makes no sense to suggest that non-biologists should have a say over the biology curriculum at schools, as they realy don’t know what they’re talking about (myself included, I’m not a biologist). Where do we draw the line, though? If the public shouldn’t have final say on school subject, should they have final say in so many other areas? Taxation isn’t an area where the public have any real knowledge, I don’t understand most of it – that’s what economists and accountants are for, they’re qualified, so should taxation be left entirely to accountants? It’s difficult, obviously, because it’s not only the accountants who are affected. In the case of schools the clash is slightly different, the voters are not going to be affected, it is their children who will be – should we be protecting the children from their own parents’ ignorance?

More difficult questions, they never end.