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Monday 29 October 2012

Political Catch Phrases

No comedian or entertainer, 
with any self respect,
my granddad told me once,
would ever go on stage
without a catch phrase - and
expect success.

     Can you hear me mother?
     and
     Didn't he do well?

The audience was trusted to react
like Pavlov's dogs reacted to their bell.

The catch phrase has been hijacked.
It's men of state who use it these days...
a tad less catchy than it was...
stretched out a bit beyond a phrase
but trotted out ad nauseam.
It's all political and thorny now, like:

     Lessons will be learnt!
     and 
     We shall make certain sure
     that nothing of this sort
     can ever happen again!

How can they?
Who are they
to make such promises?

11 comments:

Cait O'Connor said...

Very true.

Brian Miller said...

smiles...they are the man who wants to win and is willing to say anything to get there...and by the time you realize he is a liar it is too late...

Anonymous said...

Ha! Lessons are rarely learnt! But this is also people's fault, as well as politicians. People really do like to stick to in-built ideas. (Me too.) It's very hard to switch. I love the catch phrases you have here - can picture the entertainers - (I also imagine a big hook in the background for when the catch didn't catch!) k.

kaykuala said...

It's a 'shoot first' syndrome. Get the cake and worry about it later. Some of them think once elected they are there forever. They don't realize they can get in and can be kicked out too! Nicely Dave!

Hank

Tommaso Gervasutti said...

I agree so much...being Italian I have a terrible experience of politicians and their fake world of vain promises and all the airs and graces they regularly put on themselves...

Cloudia said...

Loved the look into 20th Cent. British Music Hall / entertainment culture, and where you took us in this piece. Right ON!




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Mary said...

So true, Dave.....

I am reminded of 'the war to end all wars.' Ya, right!!

Unknown said...

I hear you, the catch phrases are everywhere. Very true.

Elephant's Child said...

'We have been given a mandate' is one of the catch phrases that has me hissing from the sidelines. It is not only our politicians, but lazy journalists who trot out tired catch phrases to us - far too often.

Sabio Lantz said...

It is all manipulation -- but to expect otherwise is a naively I see in myself over and over.
Yet choices matter -- the problem is, we can't predict which choice will do what! :-)

Dave King said...

Cait
I get quite heated about it sometimes!

Brian
I counted the other day, the exact same phrase was used of four different sets of circumstance.

manicddaily
Beautiful. I love the thought of your big hook!


Hank
Or they're hanging on tooth and nail!

Tommaso
Ah, interesting - We don't get to hear/see much of Italian politicians - until there's a scandal, naturally!

Cloudia
Well spotted. Thanks for.

Mary
Right! Overlooked that one - a classic example.

Fred
And the same one - very often. Thanks Fred.

The Elephant's Castle
Spot on. The mandate one has had a good airing of late. And yes, I agree, it is the journalists as well.

Sabio
No, that's true. I think the reason we don't learn from history is that history has nothing to teach us except not to expect things to come out the same as last time!