Former Liberal Staffer, Mark Scott fires back I hope no one wants the A B C to be a State broadcaster
Totalitarianism is concept of a political system in which the state holds total control over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever possible...
Since ancient Athens free speech has been at the heart of political freedom. “Free men have free tongues,” as Sophocles said, for freedom depended on citizens empowered to speak freely in the public deliberations about policy and the laws through which they governed. That’s why the Founders wrote the First Amendment, to prevent force from trumping law by silencing dissent. That’s also why the enemies of political freedom always try to destroy free speech.
I thought about this concept as I participated in a debate relating to Westconnex. At a time when European and American cities, even the symbol of capitalism of private cars called Los Angeles are reducing expenditure on roads and investing in other alternative such as public transport with huge and free parking facilities, cyclying, walking, yet in Sydney the totalitarian thinking of government knows the best starting to take roots.
It is testament not only to Orwell’s talents, but to the unhappy state of the human race that his name tends to be used as reference in our discussions today. The totalitarian drive, cloaked in cant, platitudes and lies, is more vigorous than ever before, which explains why it is that Orwell’s Cassandra cries resonate to this day. Frankly, how much better to live in a world where Orwell gathers dust on the shelf, an antique with nothing to say to us. But that, of course, would be a state of ordered liberty
Through Orwell's Eyes
... Refusing to conform to such demands could have serious consequences, just as it did in the Soviet era. As Proffer observes, Brodsky attempted to “revolt against the culture of ‘we,’ ” believing that “a man who does not think for himself, a man who goes along with the group, is part of the evil structure” of totalitarianism — and wahs exiled from the Soviet Union in 1972.
It would appear that NSW is moving ever closer to a dictatorship, but the electorate’s attention seems to be on other things, this state of affairs should be of concern to every Resident that values his/her freedom.
It’s very disheartening to see the lack of concern that many have for the direction our government is going in, there is no holding our representatives responsible for their contributions to "crazy" (as suggested in the RBA assessment) prices people pay for a roof above their head in Sydney and the way we urbanise everything. We built roads and more roads when it really is on par of a telling the fat man not to lose weight but to but bigger trousers and wider belt ... Which side would Orwell be if he saw WEstCOnnex arguments ...
Westconnex without the logic of sustainable ideas
While the rise of violent Islamism has transfixed the world, another, graver threat—21st-century autocracy—is gathering strength. In the long run, it is sophisticated autocrats, not bearded zealots, who pose the greater menace to democracy.
Democracy has lost its confidence, giving way to a new high-tech and savvy totalitarianism.
Modern Autocrats Are on the March
Micro Totalitarianism
Vladimir Putin is a holy alliance of one.
Putin and other Totalitarians Want To Party Like It's 1918In his 1970 treatise “Exit, Voice, and Loyalty,” Albert Hirschman considered the three options that people have for responding to dissatisfaction with organizations, firms, and states: They can leave, demand change or concede. In the 45 years since the publication of his book, Hirschman’s framework has been usefully applied in an extremely broad array of contexts. Likewise, using it to understand current Russian politics yields important insights.
Russians Totalitarianism version 2.0