<iOne thing that never gets commented on in opinion polls and surveys, is
how the steady and relentless drip, drip, drip of right wing media
propaganda affects the thinking of the general public.

On the contrary, this is a complaint made over and over on the Guardian’s CiF by people who of course consider themselves immune to media propaganda, but bemoan its influence on the ‘brainwashed’ proles.

Mass media is in decline…

Yes, and has been for a decade or more. The Mail and Sun have never had a smaller grip on the public attention, and there are ample information sources from all political angles. Maybe, just maybe, there are things about Labour currently that the public has made its mind up about fairly independently… and doesn’t much like.

Or you can keep telling yourself that there is nothing wrong with Labour, and that if only the public weren’t brainwashed they’d think just like you.

They would be commenting on how they actually saw things for themselves, not on how they are usually told how things are.

Do you realise, despite your view of the masses as political zombies, there is quite wide awareness out there that many on the left despise them as ignorant, brainwashed, racist etcetera.? It’s one of the reasons Labour isn’t as popular as it might be. They know you think they are brainwashed fools – and not surprisingly they don’t like you and won’t vote for you.

How awful that non-Labour supporters even get to vote. If only it was left to people like yourself who know what is best for everyone, eh?

“If only the electorate was as well educated as us”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-public-wrong-about-nearly-everything-survey-shows-8697821.html

“For the last 30 or 40 years, British people have been told that socialism (the left) is bad and Capitalism (the right) is good.”

Actually they’ve been told that since at least the invention of the printing press. I finally got around to reading “The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists” this year, (written in 1910) and every one of the working-class Tory/UKIP arguments is present and (in)correct:

Wikipedia: “The hero of the book, Frank Owen, is a socialist who believes that the capitalist system is the real source of the poverty he sees all around him. In vain he tries to convince his fellow workers of his world view, but finds that their education has trained them to distrust their own thoughts and to rely on those of their “betters”.”

Nice , subtle bitch slap.

If they can’t organise a Leadership contest and credible leaders, they clearly can’t be trusted to run a Government.

They are clealry carrying on the tradition of Ed Miliband..

Thanks Alan. I had always wondered why all that Kazakh money kept landing in my current account, but now I see that Tony has my back. I will be sure to send him a Christmas card with my rictus smile on the front. I am not sure it counts as ‘cautious’ to ask the Labour Party to recognise properly the enormous influence of pro-austerity sentiment, or to convince voters that it is a viable party of government. In any case it would be perfectly possible to read my post above and come to the conclusion that Corbyn is the man to do both of those things, wouldn’t it? This is not my own view, but I tried to write the piece in a way that was realistic about the problem rather than dogmatic about the solution. I’m glad to see you have taken it in this spirit!

Thanks for your comment Robert. In answer to your question, the argument that Corbyn would benefit from a headwind of public opinion on key issues is fairly common in pro-Corbyn articles and blog posts. The Independent article which I used as a starting-point for this post is commonly cited as evidence in favour. That was why I wrote this. My point was to highlight the problems with this kind of argument. Corbyn supporters can make other arguments, as you have rather eloquently. All I am asking here is that they recognise the size of the mountain they would have to climb — particularly on the core attitudes towards taxation and spending, but also on lots of other issues where the public is openly tacking in an entirely different direction (e.g. immigration). Personally I am sceptical that even a respected conviction politician like Corbyn would be able to change minds on this, although I wholly agree that some of the other candidates would do well to learn from his evident sincerity and independence.

Gotta counteract the firehose of Tory bullcr@p spewing over the electorate at all times thanks to the likes of the Daily Heil & the Scum somehow. It’s that or concede & present 3 flavours of Tory every election time.

Keep it ‘smoke and mirrors’ shallow. It’s all to be presented in the style of the suit and the haircut. Oh, and keep it light, speak in the language of those who oppose you. And, whilst you’re at it, Jeremy, why not become just another cloned politician? God help us!