Those who are at the top of unequal power structures always develop a mythology to rationalise the inequality. Kings were Kings because of Divine Right, etc etc.
In the modern world of business-oriented hypercapitalism, the mythology is that of productivity. You will be rewarded in accordance with your productivity – what you contribute determines your compensation.
This is a mythology. Who determines productivity? By what metric? What opportunities are given to display productivity? What else is going on in an employment relationship besides productive labour?
Alasdair Thompson has been mocked and chastised for saying a small portion of women’s lower pay is because of menstruation-related sick days. The mockery shouldn’t obscure the fact that this has revealed how the mythology is maintained. Women across all employment are paid less; therefore, they must be less productive; therefore, reasons for their lesser productivity must be found.
Thompson should be given the boot, but more urgently, his ideology – shared in toto with our current government – should be exposed to sunlight and revealed as the mirage it is. Because even after everyone agrees that, no, menstruation does not limit productivity – well, the ideology will remain in place. It was never founded on facts, and it will shift to new ground. It isn’t menstruation, then. Well, it must be because women are more emotional and not hard-nosed enough to pursue their economic self-interest. I just invented that now.
Rationalisations are easy. Shifting an ideology is bloody hard. This is an opportunity.
I gave some script notes for one 48 hour film team as they worked up the script – my buddy Jon’s team Red2 Productions. I think the finished product works very well indeed. (And man, there were some unexpected and unwarranted challenges they had to face along the way!) Here’s the entry:
(I think the opening is super-strong, actually – sets up character and motivation so deftly. And the bit of business 0:42 to 0:48 – that little reversal – works a dream. I would’ve cut that; Jon was right to come up with it in the first place, and to keep it in.)
Science laffs: another of that research genre “analyse something fictional, pretending it is real” uses Asterix and head injuries. The Daily Telegraph doesn’t get the joke. (It’d be funnier if this didn’t demonstrate how entrenched is the discourse that says scientists are clueless, disconnected from reality, and Spending Our Taxes. )
Interesting piece by Polly Toynbee on the word “chav” and how it perpetuates social division in the UK. Worth pointing out that “chav”, like the Scottish neds, aren’t just a mass of young people in general, but a distinct set with clearly marked clothing and behavioural choices, in the same way that goths are. So I don’t know if I buy the whole of this argument – but I’m certainly sympathetic to it.
Back from trip to Hastings, and into mad levels of busy right away. So only a short linky today.
Weirdest moment of week: listening to an episode of This American Life from a decade ago and hearing someone I know get interviewed. You should give this radio show a try if you haven’t already – it was the ‘Gator that introduced me to it, and I’ve been grateful ever since because it is reliably wonderful, insightful, empathetic journalism. The whole archive is free to listen – Kiwis might like to start with this one about How to create a job, given how much our govt’s job-creation promises have been in the news this week.
A friend in Syria sent me this summary of what’s been going on over there. Worth a read. I’ll copy it in full:
“Hey guys,
i know that some of you might not have the time to check on whats happening in Syria at the moment, so i’m gonna summarize it for you, i will try to make it as short as possible.
The uprising started in march and it keeps on growing despite the violent crackdown of the regime, the people are defiant and demanding the overthrow of the regime.
The death toll has exceeded 1400 including around 40 kids, more than 10000 imprisoned, many have died under torture including kids and old men, hundreds are still missing. more than hundred of army and police personnel also died, protesters and families accusing the regime of killing them for refusing to shoot at protesters, many soldier have defected but still not big thing that will turn the whole thing around.
Heavy security presence all over the country, half of the country came under attack and military deployment with tanks, thugs and security. many provinces still under siege.
No media is allowed in Syria, that’s turned all Syrians to be journalist and they are great, they film, provide information, risk their lives in ordered that the truth to come out.
Assad is still playing the trick of divide and rule and scare the people, he met during the last two and half months with delegation from each province(these delegation don’t represent the people), he is trying to make it look like local demands and not about freedom and democracy and at the same time to show Syrians that he is engaging in dialogue but he failed. He tried to isolate the kurds, he granted the citizenship to around 100 thousands kurds and some other things, but still they are protesting though they still didn’t put their complete weight into it and that for many reasons which i’m not gonna mention now for the length,(Kurds say to Assad: its about freedom and not citizenship). His latest trick, he offered a meeting with the 14 illegal kurdish parties in Syria, 3 of them declined, the rest said yes but later changed their mind after they felt the disappointment and the anger of the people. They stated they would meet in better condition, when things get better. These parties should always remember that Assad would have never offered meeting them if it wasn’t not for all these people who died.
The regime accused protesters of being sectarian, armed gangs, islamist, all sort of things but every time protesters show unity and were peaceful except for one time, they killed a Mukabrat officer after attacking them, i personally think that there might have been some incident were people killed security officers or soldiers. The amount of death, blood and torture is so shocking that might forced someone to take matters to his own hands, some people lost all their family members. but still people persist on being peaceful till the end and they will not fall into the trap of the regime and carry arms.
Reforms: some of the reforms are only on paper, lifting the emergency statues and abolishing the security court. The killing and arrest is worse than under emergency law. They offered more salaries, and eased the life of people when it come to some issues related to security permissions and some other things.They formed many committees to investigate the killing, issue parties law, media law, election law(though Baath party will stay the ruling party), all these committees are a joke and till now didn’t come up with anything but when it comes to killing they implement things very fast. People are saying overthrow of the regime and Assad says what about 1000 syrian pound more to your salary. His latest reform was so called “general amnesty”, they released some political prisoners who spend more time in person than their sentence. and a lot of criminals got out, he need more space to imprison the protesters and more thugs to attack people.
Thats enough for today, sorry its bit long.
Salam”
Something completely different – the winning mockumentary in the Edinburgh 48 Hour Film competition. Featuring my buddy Craig Oxbrow, who some of you met while he was in Wgtn last year.
From Jamie N – Supermonk! and relatedly, we can detect really really minute stimuli – but still we miss stuff. Why?
Another great Avaaz petition, this one about Bahrain’s brutal oppression of protest. Note the strategy on display, though – targeting not Bahrain, but a lucrative sporting event held there; and then, targeting just one team at the event, a prominent one with a major sponsor who plays the social media game. Avaaz has learned a lot of lessons as it’s grown so enormous over the past few years.
Far West transmedia project launches from Adamant (who did that awesome Chch relief RPG adventure) – wild west, steampunk, wuxia. Check it out just for the amazing art, stick around for the rest.
3 min short film w/ Eliza Dushku. Neatly done despite the video game violence.