23 July 2010

What Happened to Toronto?

Today I overheard people talking about municipal politics, which is depressingly rare (if not unprecedented) in my experience. However, what I overheard makes me wish that it was even rarer. This excerpt arose as they were on the topic of garbage disposal work.

Person 1: Garbage disposal is a [lucrative] profession these days...
Person 2: Miller should be shot for what he did [in regard to the garbage strike last summer].
Person 1: Yeah, I agree... Don't worry, he'll be gone soon.
Person 3: I don't know if the next guy will be much better.
Person 2: Rob Ford will clean things up.
Person 1: [Agrees, and not one of the five people present contradicts this]

What the fuck? Is the world insane? Where are these people getting their information? What twisted news media can be blamed for this catastrophe? How is it that otherwise ostensibly sane people have been beguiled by one of the worst politicians Toronto has ever seen? It's so fucking depressing that average people seem so ignorant about said travesty of a man, and that municipal political discourse has actually fallen to the level of (or, more likely, below) American conservative discourse. All that Rob Ford appeals to are the most knee-jerk, inconsiderate, selfish, base, and individualistic sentiments voters can muster. And it seems to be working. Everyone's inner asshole is emerging from the woodwork, it seems. What happened to the progressive, considerate, reasonable Toronto I’ve always loved? I thought Torontonians were so much better than this.

1 comment:

  1. if you make sure that the public is uninformed about what goes on at city hall, don't be surprised when they do wake up and realize that another "bob Rae" was at the helm.The result isn't much different than what happened provincially.Get ready for Mike Harris II?The NDP just never do learn about politics and people do they?

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