For all their supposed sophistication at managing dissent and controlling the information available to the electorate [here and here], this election has revealed a glaring weakness in the ruling party’s capabilities.
They simply don’t know when to keep their mouths shut.
In particular the one most guilty would be this certain man who’s title is named after a round chocolate candy. Despite his much vaunted cross-examination skills as a lawyer, he seems to have forgotten one cardinal rule of cross-examination, which is to know when to shut up and stop asking questions. Perhaps the lack of trial by jury and due process laws protecting defendents have made the practice of cross-examination in Singapore too easy.
The men-in-white certainly have come out of this election looking bad. Firstly, the mainstream media have lost almost all credibility when compared with grassroots journalism in new media. Perhaps they might try to legislate this problem out of existence. The key word is try. The unfortunate fact for them is that technology always trumps law, regardless of what they might think.
Secondly, they have (at least some of them have) persisted in negative campaign tactics, by attacking people harshly whenever they spot an opportunity. This is extremely stupid, to say the least, as nobody likes a bully, and to make things worse, it dilutes their own message of what they stand for.
Reform as a process of self-renewal
1. They need to include more young, progressive minds, who also know how to manage their message to the media into their circles of power. This is necessary and crucial. They might know how to talk up their experience, but the oldies in the party certainly seem to have no idea how to manage the public’s perception of themselves. It appears that ‘experience’ becomes a liability when an old dog doesn’t learn new tricks, and only plays the same old ones again and again.
2. The party that tries to be all things to everyone will end up satisfying no one. I think the rulers have to face the uncomfortable fact that as Singaporean society progresses, people will become ever more diverse and segmented. Trying to cater to every single voting demographic will be untenable. Even worse, will be CLAIMING to represent every single voting group while actually failing to do so.
3. Don’t make promises you cannot keep, especially those which you are powerless to do. If you control everything and anything, when something fucks up, people will still blame you, even if its not your fault. This is the single most compelling reason why the nanny state should let go. When the media you control praise your infallible godhood and your financial tentacles control more than half of the economy, its no surprise that people start blaming you for high oil prices and dips in global business cycles. More good years? What were you thinking?
They probably won’t listen to me anyway
Because experience is a liability, and old dogs can’t learn new tricks. The old-timers think they know best, so they will play the same poisonous game every time. Down this path lies the road to ruin.
AIR-CONDITIONED NATION - Calibrated Coercion
Talk Rock: Mandate what cheebye mandate?
