[ShepherdsDog]

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/09/10 ... de=1497733

[Zipperfish]

Reason is overrated. Populist parties know this. People react much more viscerally on an emotional level. With so much data today, such a barrage of information, there are so many facts that you can select a few to support virtually any viewpoint.

It's the post-objective society. There os no appeal to authority anymore: the Church, science, medicine, the media, politicians. All are just seen as peddling their particualr viewpoint--and perhaps they are. With the barrage of information these ays, you can assemble a few select facts to support any viewpoint.

The downside is a general demoralization. Where is the truth? Is there truth? And a demoralized people cannot make a decision no matter how much information he has. And the level of cynicism increases. Harper is a master at it, but it isn'r peculiar to him.

[sandorski]

Great speech. Thanks for linking it.

[BeaverFever]

For the Conservatives whk have been saying for years "where's Harper's so-called secret agenda Leftys keep crying about?" I think this article is a pretty decent catalogue of it.

[Proculation]

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

Reason is overrated. Populist parties know this. People react much more viscerally on an emotional level. With so much data today, such a barrage of information, there are so many facts that you can select a few to support virtually any viewpoint.

It's the post-objective society. There os no appeal to authority anymore: the Church, science, medicine, the media, politicians. All are just seen as peddling their particualr viewpoint--and perhaps they are. With the barrage of information these ays, you can assemble a few select facts to support any viewpoint.

The downside is a general demoralization. Where is the truth? Is there truth? And a demoralized people cannot make a decision no matter how much information he has. And the level of cynicism increases. Harper is a master at it, but it isn'r peculiar to him.

You summed up well the thinking of the 30-35% of Quebecers still voting for the PQ. Mostly baby boomers hanging on their dream that will never come, no matter the reality of 2012.

[Proculation]

Add to that the language barrier for the ~60-65% of unilingual francophones in Quebec who can't get world information outside the 2 mainstream french news channel.