Australian democracy has been declining since the onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020, particularly under Andrews in Victoria, with his suspension of Parliament; unilateral control by Andrews; division of citizens; police violence.

Federally, there is a special attack on democracy via the proposal to give an EXTRA 'voice' to one small group of people only. Racial/identity politics at their worst.

What activists and too many politicians want for one certain race/group of people is a SECOND voice to Parliament. The proposal is for TWO voices for a minority.

Australians connected to aboriginality already have a voice to parliament, just like all other Australian citizens of all races.

A NO vote to a change in the Constitution will help to protect representative democracy for everyone and show that we are concerned about the obvious change in our politicians and their growing contempt for democracy, and for us.

Hey ttbn,
I oppose in principle the idea of special treatment for one group of people.
- But I'm not opposed to indigenous people getting a fairer deal in so much as having a say in their own futures.
Anything so that we can put the past and all this divisive animosity behind us.

But if Labor can't give a full detail of their plan, or alternatively an indigenous person doesn't knock on my door explaining exactly why this is a good deal for them that will finally put all the issues to rest once and for all.
(which I'm skeptical of because it may in fact entrench the resentment and divisiveness between the two opposing parties forever).
- Then, even as someone who has a lil bit of indigenous in me, my answer has to be a no.

I'll make up my mind AFTER I see the definition of indigenous that will be used.

AC

They get the same deal as everyone else; and like everyone else, they don't all think the same way. I'm not interested in details, it's a big NO from me.

Hasbeen

I don't think that you have to be cynical to think that there is something very 'iffy' about that number of people identifying as 'aboriginal' these days.

In 1971, the Census showed that there were 155, 993 such people. The latest Census showed 812, 728 claimants to aboriginality.

That's an increase of 7 times, while the general population increased by only 2 times in the 50 year period!

What passes for Aboriginal ‘culture’ today is an invention of the last 50 years.

The aboriginal industry is loaded with ill-informed, urban myth-makers and illusionists.

Self-determination for aboriginals, real and make-believe, means that they will do what they like, and the rest of us will pay for it. It also means they want to colonise us, and take control of everything that whitefellas have provided, while they give nothing. It always was and always will be, about money, power and control.

Australian place names are also rapidly being overwritten with Aboriginal names, most of them made up just recently.

Recognition and the rest of the Voice and the rest of the bull has nothing to do with respect of aboriginal culture; it's about claims to ownership, and sovereignty that never existed; it's about takeover. If the Voice doesn't work - which it will not - something else will be thought up.

The Left is always telling us that we should catch up with modern Australia. How about aboriginal-identifiers doing the same thing!

WTF?

Here is an anecdote from many years ago when I worked as a teacher for a few years in northern QLD.

The school had a much higher percentage of Indigenous students than would be found in Brisbane and larger rural cities.

Each year a sum of money was provided specifically to target the needs of Indigenous students. These days it would fall under the umbrella of "Closing the Gap".

At a staff meeting the principal outlined how this money was placed in general funds. His logic was that the school already provided a quality and fair education for all students.

There would be no special group at that school with no EXTRA funding for that group.

As I waited for the obvious outcry from the more experienced staff members who would point out how completely immoral and fraudulent such an approach was I looked around the room and only saw nodding heads.

When I asked around I was told that that was the way it was always had been. Everybody seemed fine with it.

At the very best the principal could be described as paternalistic and misguided. At worst he was a fraud who cared little for the responsibilities of his role and the students he was paid to serve.

Now consider if that practice was taking place in a majority of schools.

Now consider if that practice was taking place in a majority of government departments.

Now consider if these practices were taking place over decades.

I completely understand why Indigenous Australian want more of a say in the governmental decisions that directly involve them.

Good on the principal. He could be accused of misusing the extra funds, of course, and probably should have said that they weren't needed because all kids were getting the same deal. But, given the bureaucratic mind, that would have been futile.

That sort of thing will happen as we get more like the Soviets and the Chinese: keep quiet and go 'underground'.

WTF?

ttbn - you previously stated in another thread -"There are many, many organisations which all claim they are doing a great job on indigenous matters. The government has poured billions into helping remote disadvantaged Aboriginal communities."

I assume that most people, yourself included, would want the public servants tasked with the distribution of said billions (not just for those in remote communities) to ensure the money is directed in those areas for which it is allocated.

When I point out a very common fraudulent misuse of some of those funds from a public servant you say "Good on" him.

It is very easy (in QLD at least) for a principal to make all sorts of claims around fairness and student progress without it necessarily being true.

Welcome to South Africa.

Climate change hysteria is also anti-democratic, as is all fear-mongering. Covid manipulation has lost its impact, so climate is going to be the main "opportunity" (the word of the Great Resetters) for controlling us. And, if you think the Great Reset is a joke, or it has no power, it is already at work. Klaus Scwab is already referring to certain country leaders as 'one of ours': the Canadian PM being one of the more obvious.

What about Ockernese? He is an obvious target for reset lunacy, with his interference in the free market, one of the bases of democracy, and his weaponising of of energy.

Then there is the push for 16 year old voting, supposedly demanded by 16 year olds themselves. How come these kids, that surveys show are not interested in democracy, suddenly want to vote? They don't. They are having their strings pulled by evil, scheming Leftists who are moving on from the now passè Greta Thundermouth after she showed them how useful exploiting kids can be.

Today, it has been announced that Ocker will boost welfare payments to 'young people and students'. His use of immature kids is so blatant.

Shaming is the name of the game. You have to be ashamed of your country's history. If you don't vote yes in the upcoming race-driven referendum you will not be "generous", according to Ockernese. Shame on you! He and his kind started to try shaming people for not wearing masks, not getting vaccinated, and avoiding the Big Brother QR Code surveillance. Now it is the 'wickedness' of people you never knew, doing things to other people you never knew, a couple of centuries ago.

And, the only people who could have saved us from the ravages of totalitarian Socialism, the Coalition, signed up to the same bastardry, and are now convinced that all they have to do to get re-elected is move further left and have more women candidates!

Australia is well and truly rooted

The same old from the 'Same Old', Dan Andrews the terrible 'Ogre of the South'. ttbn and his ancient history, if you hadn't noticed Dan Andrews just pulled of a stunning democratic victory in Victoria. Overwhelmingly returned by all those Victorians who hate Andrews and the Labor government. Where is the Tory Opposition now, on the political scrap heap that's where, along with the irreverent mob from the extreme right.

As for the 'Voice' we've had several threads and articles on this subject recently, this is yet another opportunity for the old bloke and the like minded to "cry in their beer".

Armchair Critic & Hasbeen are right on the money. Paul1405 is just his normal pointless & vindictive self !

Australians used to pull together; but now we don't. As Lily Steiner says ('Pull it together, Australia!', Spectator, 29/12/22), "Australia is in a crisis but we are pulling apart and not together". There are so many different splintered groups popping up that it is "hard to remember them all". Politically, sexually, how long we have been here, whatever, we all have to be categorised. Ideology has made us so angry and hateful that we forget we are "bloody lucky to live in Australia and enjoy life here".

I would add, 'up to now' to that statement.

Steiner blames our government and politicians. They don't "get it". They are "trying to pull us apart". That makes sense to me. I think they've been at it since the demise of the Howard government, the last mob to understand liberal democracy.

The Voice comes up, with race politics referred to as a rort by politicians and their mates for special treatment, rights and favours; and the author believes that aboriginal Australians are no different from the rest of us, who also have problems with alcoholism, poverty and abuse, and no respect for elders . And the government is not improving things by dividing and "nanny-nursing" us.

Ttbn

Your love of Howard is blind. Howard did more than most of his predecessors in destroying representative Democracy, and landing this electorate into the sloth of political irrelevance than most before him.

Here is a copy of my post on the front page, and saves me the wasted effort of repeating it all:

*… How many of us watched as the Liberals tore down the one true peoples representitive party, the Union movement, a peoples solidarity movement, a truely representative movement with a history of struggle over many years grounded in listening to the voice from an electorate which is now generally ignored.

The Liberals were pretty much responsible for working against the electorate it now pretends to serve; but it doesn’t at all represent a majority of the electorate below the management class.

Both major parties have ceased their relevance to the battlers, the vast majority of the population.

If it weren’t such an ideological pig, amusingly, the ABC would
Make for a more representative political party.
That sadly is no joke

…:

Where aboriginal Voices in other nations have given status independent of a public election, they have been run by activists and have demonstrated preference over the settled population.

Australia at present has Eleven aboriginal voices in Federal Parliament and note who has come from a remote community with disadvantage? They all have different voices, and another bureaucratic organization based in Canberra is not a grass root organization based in the bush but a head office in a first World location - Canberra. They will not be experiencing the disadvantage they are supposed to be representing. It will be an elite group living a high life off Taxpayer money.

Dan

I don't "love" Howard, but I can't agree that he 'destroyed' representative democracy; he was the only PM since Menzies who knew what it was about, and knew what people wanted. He did go off at the end, and paid for it by losing an election and his own seat. Multiculturalism, particularly the Chinese component of that stupidity, did for him.

I can't say that I agree with you on unions, either, although I'm not particularly anti-union, and agree that those who actually do what they are supposed to do (very few of them these days) they are good for employees. And, in my 13 different jobs over the years, I was a member of all the relevant unions.

I am no friend of the Liberal Party; and I think that they have been rubbish since Howard. Now, they are beyond rubbish, and beyond redemption under the present leadership. Dutton is an even bigger disappointment than Abbott. I have read their response to the election loss, and what they think that should do, and it is another step towards them disappearing altogether. They have absorbed the core policies of the other side, bringing the differences between the two parties close to zero.

Nice to hear from you. There's a lot we agree on.

Josephus

All true. But it doesn't fit the ideology of the Leftists who are determined to continue with the politics of fear and division.

There's a massive difference between what people want, what they deserve, what they can handle & what their merit affords them !

Dear Armchair Critic,

The plan has a hell of a lot of detail already. 272 pages to be frank.

This was co-designed with the Liberal Kew Wyatt as the lead.

https://voice.niaa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-12/indigenous-voice-co-design-process-final-report_1.pdf

Let me know if you have any questions after you have read it.

Hi SteeleRedux,
Thanks for sharing the link, I'll try to flick through it in the coming days when I have spare time.
I didn't want to be close minded about it from the onset;
- Even though I am skeptical whether it's the right path forward, for reasons already given.
I wanted to a least have a look at the details in an open-minded way first.

Indyvidual

True. I'm not sure that modern Australians know what they want or if they are prepared to fight. They seem to like the nanny state, but don't understand what it's going to cost them in the way of freedom. Perhaps they believe that they can 'own nothing and be happy'.

ttbn,

"I'm not sure that modern Australians know what they want or if they are prepared to fight."

As your Lovely Pauline would say, please explain! What do YOU mean by "fight". Given those you support, have little to no success under the democratic process at the ballot box, "fight" must mean pursuing some other avenue in your mind. Pray tell what is it!

Pray tell what is it!
Paul1405,
Asks the most answer-avoiding, non-sensical poster on this forum !

'own nothing and be happy' [Rolls eyes]

Own nothing and be miserable, more likely.

Our country has problems, they give me a chill
But I know it'll get better, I know that it will
Try not to worry or let it get you down
Smile, keep your chin up, get rid of the frown

We've survived some hard times
We've done it before
We'll do it again
Of that I'm quite sure

Take one day at a time and treasure each day
We can work together because that's the best way
Don't let hate determine how you act
Instead open your heart and don't attack

Let's make sure that our country is the best it can be
Our success lies in the achievements of you and me
Let's end this hatred towards our fellow man
We'll all feel better if we linked hands!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to one and all!

It certainly won't get better Foxy, while we keep importing more trash to fill up the housing we don't have for those already here.

Democracy is not just about voting every three of four years.

Hassy, still in favour of a preemptive nuclear strike on Pakistan, where you could wipe out 200 million innocent men, women and children as you once proposed on this very Forum? On the grounds of "get em' before they get us"! Now who is the "trash" old cock. Skulk away and don't answer, as you have done in the past when I ask that very question of you.

Hi Hassie,

I don't know who you're referring to as "trash," we're
all human beings with more in common than most of us
realize. It's simply a matter of getting to know each
other to realize that.

cont'd

I remember when I was growing up the falsehoods that
were spread around about the so-called migrants then
and the "peculiar" food they supposedly ate. Today
that food - like pickles, sour-cream, yogurt, and
different breads, and meat varieties - are the norm
and fully acceptable. If only this was true with people.

Democracy is the path for stupidity to gain the upper hand !

How little the right to vote has to do with democracy - now more than ever that there is only a scintilla of difference between the major parties - is evident after each election, and right up to the next one - is what they DON'T do that they said they would before the election, and what they DO do that they didn't say they would, before the election. It's not hard to find many examples.

Are elected politicians even part of democracy any more? We seem to be increasingly told what to do or not do by unelected bureaucrats, activists-judges, and extreme minority groups. In the case of the latter, no institution has escaped from an onslaught of propaganda about homosexuality, transgenderism, critical race theory, cultural Marxism, racial divisions, feminism and how bad white men are.

What do all governments do? Not even nothing: they join in.

Anyone who does try to object is accused of 'hate speech', 'racism' and called a Nazi by nutters too nutty to realise that Nazis/National Socialists were people just like themselves. If they don't like your religion, they call you a hater - and are joined in the hissing and pissing by the Victorian Premier and the Federal Opposition Leader. Earlier than that by an ex-Prime Minister who was accusing soldiers of war crimes prior to any enquiry, and apologising to a female claiming to have been raped pre-trial. The same female has now been awarded an alleged $3 million (still no trial) without so much as a 'by your leave' to the citizens and voters doing the paying? Democratic?

Politicians seem to serve the bad and the ugly in Australia these days - not the majority, no matter how they vote. They are covered by the disgraceful ABC (at your expense) and the Leftist mainstream media, free unless you pay for the rubbish.

And, you know what? The wimpy population isn't going to do a thing about it; and soon, they won't even have to bother with voting.

The New Year is almost here. Out with the old, in with
the New. And what have we got to look forward to? Well,
so many Australians are able to flock to the cities this
year to bring in the New Year. So many will be celebrating
the end of a tumultuous year - with the hope that the new
one will be better. Hope springs eternal as they say.

We have a new government trying to clean up the mess that it
inherited. And so far it's doing quite well. Yes things will
be hard for a while. Miracles don't happen over night and things
may get worse before they get better. But they will get better.
If we don't give up hope. Voters made their feeling clear in the
last election. The same political tactics of attack no longer
hold much sway with voters. Change has arrived and politicians
risk their own futures if they ignore the message.

While we raise our glasses as we look towards reeling in the
new year - let's give thanks that we live in a country where
we can express our feelings, where our votes do matter, and where
we can implement change at the ballot box.

Happy New Year to all!

Have a Happy New Year Foxy, Paul and All.

Here's a very moving, downbeat then optimistic, New Year tune:

"Ring out, Wild Bells" http://youtu.be/dbnsIydaYYg

with lyrics by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, sung by Canadian by Alana Levandoski http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alana_Levandoski

The Englsh and Canadian New Year are of course, in cold mid Winter

Lyrics are:

"Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be."

Cheers Mavs

Thanks Mavs, happy New Year to you, and all the 'Forumites'.

ttbn; "The wimpy population isn't going to do a thing about it" How about an explanation as what you mean by "FIGHT". I don't expect you'll be down there manning the barricades personally, or anything like that, more likely directing operations from afar.

I like a bloke who makes a very suspect claim then when asked to explain, does not do so.That's you all over ttbn.

Thanks Maverick for the beautiful poem and your
well wishes and to you as well Paul. And all Best
Wishes to everyone on the Forum.

May the New Year bring us a Happier Time and Lots
of Good Health, and Good Times with Family and
Friends!

All The Best!

Thanks Foxy and Paul

Here's a song more upbeat

John Lennon's "So this is Christmas and A HAPPY NEW YEAR"

Hoping the Ukraine "War is over" Next Year 2023

with Lyrics and all http://youtu.be/mK9Gwn8_BsQ

Mavs

Me buzi now wit me Nu Year selebrations. Real HOT here n Rio

Fergie thrusting er well-turned out butt upside me, like dis http://youtu.be/FTuzSFKvZeo?t=2m57s

Can't talk, gurgle GuG!

Happy NY Mavs :)

Democracy in the area of climate and energy has been replaced by the eco-fascism of the Left.

Some of these loud and nasty environmentalists believe that only dictatorial governments have the necessary power to change people to carry out the "necessary" change via mass theft of property, human rights, and freedoms.

The Leftis lunatic, Marcuse, admitted in his last days that Communism/Socialism could never be achieved through the ballot box.

They are having a good try, though, in Australia and the West generally, with Nanny handing out (borrowed) money left, right and centre: even after the anti-democratic Covid big spending, policing and totalitarianism. More and more people are willing to sell their votes to the highest bidder.

Even within our own Commonwealth, we have PM Trudeau saying, "There's a level of admiration I actually have for China. Their basic dictatorship is actually allowing them to turn their economy around on a dime". A bit odd for a Westerner who pays lip-service to the environment to praise an economy making a country filthy and unhealthy; but Western politicians seem to be getting more desperate, and they probably secretly yearn to be able to dodge voters every now and again to get what they want.

The increasing 'public-private' shenanigans need to be watched. We'll never be able to vote out the corporates and big businesses that are doing the government’s dirty work in the cause of Woke. They couldn't have done without the corporates during Covid - and, guess who is funding the YES case for the divisive Voice referendum. The Left, not the Right, is now in cahoots with Big Business and Big Money - and certainly up with the powerful big- timers who head to Davos each year.

And, it’s now pretty obvious that the Coalition will come out at the next election wanting a piece of action that has little to do with all the people still voting for them. They are not going to save you from Green Labor.

ttbn,

With your fanatical ranting and raving about eco-fascism and the threat of communism at every turn, you slander of the democratically elected Premier of Victoria as Dictator Dan, who needs bringing down is worrying. Your love for the extreme of politics in Australia, its not implausible to judge you as one that should be of some concern, a possible "nut job' in society. Your call for a unexplained "FIGHT" on this thread by society against our democratic leadership, does smack of 'Capitol Hill', 6th January stuff. For all we know you may well be a 'Proud Boy' in waiting, even if you are well past it as far as youthfulness is concerned.

Scuttle away,don't reply, others can judge you for what you are.

One regular commentator whose identity I will protect from the lunatic name callers, suggests that the NSW Premier, an alleged conservative leading a government that is in no way conservative, is under the control of the Leftist Pope Francis. Both of them love a Left wing cause.

My money is still on Extreme Green Kean. Perrottet might as well stay in bed. As my source says, he is conservative in name only, and actually doesn't believe in anything he 'says or does'.

All part of the decline in democracy, with self-servers not doing what they were elected to do, and not believing in anything but themselves. It is also alleged Perrottet has links to Opus Dei, the only group who defends this "misfit" of a Pope: That must confound the screechers: a "hard right" setup defending a Pope who is ultra-Leftist, globalist, green, feminist and well and truly woke.

Just another example of West reverting to a splintered society in which a tiny group of elites rules over the disconnected mass. A society in which the nutty President of the country that once led that society, has handed out New Year pardons to people convicted of murder and drug and alcohol charges.

What will happen when prosperity falters and the lights go out is anyone’s guess

There are people who over dramatize.
Who tell us consistently that the country
is collapsing and that immigrants are turning
the country into a third-world country. Yet they
can't come up with a realistic plan to be prepared
and protect themselves and their assets.

They do nothing about it. If this is such a terrible
place why don't they leave?

And now more doom and gloom is being produced, Our
governments, our politicians - all supposedly rotten
to the core. These doom and gloomers have been
nit-picking for decades but still not leaving.
If it's really all that bad - get moving.

Put your money where your mouth is. Do what's right for
you rather than stay and continue predicting doom for
an entire country that the rest of us love.

All together now, children - cover your ears with your hands and say, very loudly la la la la la so that the can't hear the bad man say bad things that you don't want to hear.

Dare to have balls when surrounded by lies
And don't succumb to the naysayers cries
Constructive critique should be welcomed by all
But need to be slammed if you're made to feel small

People who consistently seek out faults are not nice
And being a naysayer is one nasty vice
So to all brave, ass-kickers galore
Keep up the good fight you won't be ignored.

Based on your little poem above Foxy,
- What should I make of your last comment to me exactly?

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=10013&page=0#342563

I think the correct term is 'Hypocrite', would you agree?
It's funny how you preach all this well meaning bs,
But seconds later you're doing the exact same thing you proclaim to oppose.

'Full of shite', is what I'd call it.

Armchair Critic,

Go and read my reply to you on that particular link.
It may clarify things for you. I certainly seem to have rattled
your cage.

Don't judge all of us from your point of view
None of us are perfect - not even you.
The wimpy, complacent ass-kickers galore
I'm sure would be happy to just be ignored.

I don't really care for your silly little poetic end rhymes,
- and I'm not going to waste more of the few comments I have on that thread on you.
Do you think your comments have more impact when you talk this way?
It seems somewhat feeble-minded.

Maybe you should go occupy yourself with some knitting or crochet or basket weaving or something...
All you do is make rhymes and 'cut and paste' anyway.
- But you don't seem to interest yourself in any shared facts or produce real comments of substance based on morals and ethics or display any true character of your own.

- Stop virtue signalling others when your own hypocrisy is called out.
Go whinge some more about Trump or something...

Armchair Critic,

I can see that I've upset you. That was not
my intention. And, I shall certainly give your
heartfelt advice to me the attention that it
rightly deserves. Except for taking up knitting,
basket-weaving or crochet. I prefer curling up with
a good book.

As for being feeble-minded? You can't blame me for
your lack of comprehension skills. That's not fair.
Don't forget I worked full time, raised a family,
and managed to acquire several degrees - so I'm no
slouch.

Virtue signalling? No. I merely responded to what
I read being posted in this discussion by people
who consistently only see negativity in everything.
I tried to say something positive. I guess I
failed.

But thanks for your concern. It is appreciated and
very thoughtful of you to draw my attention to it.
Anyway, Thanks for pointing out my faults and giving me
such wise advice.

"I can see that I've upset you. That was not my intention."
No, I'm not upset, but maybe a little annoyed.
"You can't blame me for your lack of comprehension skills."
What's your intention with that comment exactly?
- This is the type of petty smarmy crap that I have little time or tolerance for.

You wanted to have a big mouth and call me out on the other thread
and then 2 seconds later dish out this virtue-signalling tripe about 'Constructive critique should be welcomed by all
But needs to be slammed if you're made to feel small'

Q. Did I not do what you suggested?
A. Yes or No

And then when called out for the hypocrite you are;
- You can't accept it, you can't own it, or apologise and then leave things be.
You don't take responsibility for your own words,
- But still want to find a way to sling the shite and find a way to come out on top, neither acknowledging anything or apologising for anything.

"Don't forget I worked full time, raised a family, and managed to acquire several degrees - so I'm no slouch."
- Yes and? What's it got to do with anything?

"But thanks for your concern. It is appreciated and very thoughtful of you to draw my attention to it."
- Don't patronise me.

"Anyway, Thanks for pointing out my faults and giving me such wise advice."
- You're welcome, but I'm doubtful any of it actually sunk in.

Hi Armchair Critic,

I can see from your responses to me that you don't know
about all my other faults. Otherwise you wouldn't have
mentioned only these. (smile).

I know that people have been trying to teach you how to post a link properly for years but you still cant work that out.

Successful democracy depends on the people.
When they understand its benefits, they will naturally support it.
Alternatives are far too harmful and destructive to be entertained seriously.
But it seems public thought is being diverted away from common sense?
This is attributable to a public under stress?
The latter brought about by the struggle to survive in these challenging times?

Stress shows up frequently in speech.
No more: 'John and I went shopping today.'
Now it is: 'Me and john went shopping.'
Or worse still: 'Myself and John went shopping.'
The focus of people is shifting to their own person first.
Those around them are becoming secondary.
Social 'niceties' are disappearing.

We know all people are different.
Different outlooks and approaches to life.
what suits one won't suit another.
So to make a decision which suits all is probably impossible.
However, a consensus of the many can have something of benefit for everyone.
And if this time a decision really doesn't suit you, next time it probably will.
So allowing a majority to make the decisions is the best way forward.