Thickos


It is common knowledge, to me only, that middle class Labour supporters, despite being city dwelling, news-reading types, are often very much thicker than Conservatives. I really liked this blog post and the comments afterwards, as it got me thinking about why it is that so many of my contemporaries so blindly trumpet the New Labour line, when it seems obvious that many of them have never really asked themselves why. I hadn't considered that many people simply choose to become left wing through peer concensus, due to not really having a clue what to think, and so, frightened to offend, take the path of least resistance...with a subconcious groupthink feeling that to be left wing is to mark yourself out as 'a nice person', thus the choice of being a Labour supporter is almost a consumerist one.

6 comments:

Brit said...

Not all left-wingers are groupthink thickos, but it's always suspicious when someone has the complete off-the-shelf package of Guardianist views.

Mind you there are similar right-wing packages.

Gareth Williams said...

I've been considering recently how important the state is (or seems) when you live in an urban environment. So much around you is furnished (and obviously so) by some public body. It's a lot easier to imagine - and prefer - a small state when you live in the country, a village or a small town than it is in the city.

I think this partly explains how leftish, pro-state politics is more likely to be adopted across the urban classes.

worm said...

Brit- you're right, there's plenty of lazy right wing views to latch onto too, within the pages of the Daily Mail I suppose

and gaw - I agree, but don't you think that this reliance on the state by urbanites is a form of insidious infantalization? "It doesn't matter if I make a mess, because I know that someone will be here shortly to clean up after me"

Gareth Williams said...

It's more a concern that litter bins won't be emptied, squares and parks not maintained, graffiti not be cleaned off, streets not brushed, etc., - i.e. all the small details that determine whether an environment feels safe and decent or not.

I don't see how that is a form of infantilisation.

Susan said...

Not wanting to get embroiled in a political debate, but love the directness of your terminology - thickos - is the opposite thinkos? And the less straightforward guardianistas - is that as opposed to telegraphistas? Doesn't quite work, though I'm sure there must be a curiously appropriate alternative..

worm said...

arn't they called 'retired majors'?