His Master's Voice: The Corruption of Public Debate under Howard

[samvara]

A public lecture delivered by David Marr. He's articulate, charming and a good public speaker.

John Howard has the loudest voice in Australia. He has cowed his critics, muffled the press, intimidated the ABC, gagged scientists, silenced NGOs, censored the arts, prosecuted leakers, criminalised protest and curtailed parliamentary scrutiny. David Marr, "His Master's Voice"

In this explosive "Quarterly Essay", David Marr examines the ongoing corruption of public debate. He argues that though touted as a contest of values, this has been a party-political assault on Australia's liberal culture. Marr argues that this corruption of public debate has happened because we let it happen. He examines why historically we aren't the larrikins of our imagination but an orderly people, who love authority. How once again, Howard has shown his superb grasp of Australia as it really is. In "His Master's Voice", David Marr investigates both a decade of suppression and the strange willingness of Australians to watch, with such little angst, their liberties disappear.

This lecture follows the publication of Marr's essay, in the "Quarterly Essay" Issue 26 to be released 1 June 2007. Books will be available for sale by the Co-op Bookshop.

David talked about the Australian tendancy to ban things, about our authority loving country, about techniques for silencing public debate and about how our politicians can tell lies and not end their careers.

I wasn't aware that representatives from various Australian media organisations have formed a group to publicly lobby for the government to "relax some of the hundreds of bans preventing you from knowing about the way you are governed". I'm appalled.

It was a strange to talk to go to because we are the converted and rather than heading off to discuss for the next several hours, we nodded, said 'ain't that the truth brother' and went home.

I lie; maharetr and I then spent the next hour batting back and forth different experiences of truth telling and engagement and speculating about Australian Cultural inhibitions.

Comments

[missyjack.livejournal.com]

David Marr is a great thinker and charismatic speaker, but yes last time i heard him speak, it was very much a feeling of 'why aren't the people who don't understand this here"?
will definitely buy the next Quarterly essay.

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the demographic was very much older people in comfortable clothes - given it was based at UWA I'd say it was mostly composed of academics and those of us who are in the loop on public lectures there.

We picked up a copy too so I'll have a read over the week - cupidsbow says it wasn't cheerful reading.

In terms of practical responses to the situation David describes I'm thinking some letters to the Office of the Auditor General wouldn't hurt but overall - how do you change a culture of passivity?

[mynxii.livejournal.com]

Sounds very interesting -the article was in any case.

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

Hell yes.

[cupidsbow.livejournal.com]

Just finished reading the essay; it's even more depressing and rather harrowing. :(

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

Is there scope for practical responses by individuals like us?

[cupidsbow.livejournal.com]

Not really. The picture he paints in terms of the ineffectiveness of protesting, and the police bullying of protesters, makes it seem a high price for no gain. Speaking out with any kind of authority is likely to get your reputation ruined by ad hominem attacks. Organised resistance would come under the sedition law, which means you can be locked up indefinitely without charges and the press can't report it.

:(

Speaking out and being prepared to be ignored or vilified seems the only marginally effective option... but then I think of Pauline Hanson. As I said the other day, I think her racist rhetoric sucked, but 2 million Australians didn't, and in a democracy that should have guaranteed her a voice, not a prison sentence.

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

Well that's just creepy.