Hypocrisy 2012

Almost as sickening as the revelations of widespread hacking and phone tapping used as a matter of course by journalists of the tabloid press and sanctioned by their masters, are the professions of shocked disbelief and disgust emanating from their readers.

 

Similarly, in the context of the French presidential elections, we are told that the public is "sick and tired" of the petty abuse and name-calling to which all the candidates are now resorting. The experts tell us that the electorate wants a calm and reasoned discussion of the issues, not the trading of insults. On the contrary, I think the possibility of a punch-up is the only reason most of us in this post-democratic, entertainment-addicted age bother to watch the endles series of election programmes at all.