Thanks Lyn for an accurate synopsis of Abbott.

'Abbot has relentlessly without any conscience, Christian or otherwise, falsely branded a price on carbon as a terrible impost on ordinary Australians.' Couldn't agree more

I'm another who saw him as phoney Tony from the outset. He won't change his spots.

Now that Gillard and Rudd, who he and the combined might of the corporate (Murdoch) media vilified for years, have gone, the electorate will focus on him and his phoney unworksble policies.

I, like millions of others will 'maintain the rage' - against him and what he stands for.

If this is the level of understand one gets from studying psychology in our universities it is time we shut down the courses.

Graham, these rants by this woman really are below the standard we expect from OLO.

I didn't know you could read minds or see into the future Lyn?
As insightful as anyone might be, none of us know ahead of time, what Tony might do. He has just arrived and like any new leader, deserves a fair go!
If you want a particular outcome Lyn, it is as simple as persuading the public, and therefore, causing the politicians to follow where you lead?
Endless criticism won't do it!
In fact, just the very opposite!
In any event, returning someone like Mr Rudd, was simply impossible and or unimaginable!
Of more interest, should be what Mr Rudd intends to do?
Given he has, according to very cogent reports, almost single-underhandedly, acted to destroy a once great party. Therefore, should his reported treachery be rewarded?
And as long as he remains, continues to threaten more of the same, simply to serve, his own unrequited ambitions and massive ego?
Rhrosty.

With articles and opinions like this circulating we will probably see Abbott as PM for about 3 terms. The "progressives" simply do not respect their opposition. They paint them as "simplistic" or racist, sexist, xenophobic or whatever other slogans appear trendy at the time. Until "progressives" cease to think of themselves as harbourers of intellectual supremacy and respect their opponents, they will languish in opposition.

On a side note, I didn't know psychology was predicated on "change". Doesn't this make it a discipline concern solely with normative morality, rather than understanding the psyche? Under such a view, the psyche would only ever be viewed as "something that it ought to be", and never "what it is". It's little wonder then that "progressives" live in the ideal and not actual.

I agree with Roses1 - a fine essay indeed. Far supertior to the hairy-chested triumphalism in Walter Lohmans posting. And to most of the hairy-chested (three ceers for Tony) stuff that has been written by those on the right side of the culture wars

The tone and content is really not that much different than that expressed by Greg Craven in his fine essay too, except that Lynn provides more contexts for framing her argument.

I liked the way that Jason Childs mentioned the work of both Tony Judd via his superb book Ill Fares the Land, and the work of David Harvey and his comprehensive critique of the toxic legacy of Friedrich Hayek.

Re the despair featured in Rebecca Griggs fine essay, these words were written by Jules Henry in his 1963 book Culture Against Man. Slightly modified by me.

"In Western Culture today one must make a distinction between the culture of life and the culture of death. In the minds of most people science and the culture created in its image has become synonymous with destructive weapons, i.e, with death....
Where is the culture of life?
The culture of life resides in all those who, inarticulate, frightened, and confused are quite rightly wondering "where it will all end". Thus the forces of the Universal Death Machine are confident and organized while the forces of life - people who maintain some kind of feeling-sensitivity to what is actually going on and who thus long for peace - are, for the most part, scattered, inarticulate, and wooly-minded, overwhelmed by their own impotence and the sheer horror of the global situation.
Death struts about the house while Life cowers in the corner."

Not only that it has benighted champions such as Walter Lohman who champion the Universal Death Machine as the pen-ultimate achievement of humankind - the "triumph" of the West. Or as Margaret Thatcher famously said "there is no alternative"!

And contra Hasbeen, congratulations to Graham for featuring such fine writers as Lynn.

Abbott is the thug who stood over Graham Edwards and bullied him in Parliament - Graham had both his legs blown off in Nam due to an Australian mine.

Abbott is the thug who abused and denigrated Bernie Banton three days before he died of mesothelioma and it was Abbott trying to prevent legislation for further compensation for such sufferers.

Thugs cannot change into decent people.

And for the record, the main parties in this country this year at this election gained less than 70% of the primary vote between them, the Senate vote it was 67% between the two major parties.

Which means over 30% of the country said "neither of the above"" and in many Western Boganstan seats the donkey vote was as high as 13%.