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Wokeness is something we regulars on this website all detest; you know the sort of thing – political correctness, Marxist dogma, concerns about causing “offence” to weak, feeble people, shouting down others’ opinions. Capitalism is something we all support; you know the sort of thing – profit-making undertakings. Throw in some other matters such as thinking for yourself, or discussing (at least in theory) any imaginable subject in the General Debate; it results in a rather pleasant website we enjoy visiting.
There was a period when I experienced wokeness on a grand scale; even more remarkably it occurred amongst people proclaiming themselves (falsely) to be “politically incorrect” and “free thinkers” including having a magazine and radio show. Sure babe, whatever. Until the ‘real thing’ comes along and says it like it is; then all hell breaks loose. Marxist behaviour reared its head on a grand scale: all to my great amusement.
Even funnier was the ballyhooing about capitalism: safe ground you’d have thought. Except no one seemed to have ever engaged in a profit-making undertaking, or had three bucks in their pocket. As for “thinking” – rather than just mindlessly spouting dogma in cult-like fashion – well that reached breathtaking proportions: once again in a highly amusing way.
There was all the Mexican-Wave rapture about the concept of self made business tycoons; all well and good. I then proffered the observation rich businessmen will die one day and leave their fortunes to their children, who in turn wouldn’t need to work. Oh boy. Ohhhhhhhhhhh boy. Did that get the Marxism flowing (their natural state – ‘capitalism’ tub thumping, and ‘freedom’ being all an act); horror was quickly expressed at such a notion. Labour Party 101 stuff. I am not making this up folks; it “genuinely” didn’t compute with any of these (ahem) intellectuals. I shall refrain from suggesting these are the dumbest New Zealanders who’ve ever lived, but God knows what they think happens to rich people’s fortunes when they die.
Anyhoo, fast forward to last Tuesday and – against my better judgement – I finally ran out of excuses, headed to the Capital (ugh!), and enjoyed morning tea with a certain newbie Tory MP who’s been seeking propinquity for weeks. Over a nice cup of tea and muffins (the cheap bastard only gave me two!) I asked “What shall we talk about?” and he raised the topic of the money proposed for Corrections: new prisons.
I suggested it should be part of a package; not only new prisons but a new addition to the school curriculum for children – a new class teaching about prison life: how to behave, what will be expected of them; how to make a shiv; how to con the parole board bunnies; how to reoffend the day you’re released without getting caught. Well, he did ask.
Needless to say, this was greeted with stunned, speechless horror. I broke the silence by asking such questions as “So what are you building new prisons for if not to fill them up?” The spluttering continued. As did my clarifying questioning, “So will grandmothers, or wealthy farmers, or bank clerks be heading to prison?” The lack of logic is what always intrigues me with other people: 810 new prison beds but not associating that with actual criminals to fill them, then getting shocked and uncomfortable when someone asks about it. Bizarre.
