The Aussie spirit of fair play

- bit of a dream in the real world?

ELECTIONS

                                                                            jmodra

The spirit of fair play runs deep in our sense of what is important as Australians . In fact it might be considered one of our foremost values.

• we insist on testing for drugs
• we send people home if they cheat
• we speak against some cultures who say its more important to win  ----- at any cost

Still its clear that there is opposition and resistance to such ideas. This comes home when you actually meet  people from overseas. 

• some consider Australians naive
• some consider the idea of drug free culture simplistic, even plainly hypocritical
• the dominant culture of the market  does not always distinguish between genuine and painted up performance.
• infact some of the biggest margins and economic industries are built on dressing up mutton as lamb. "You can't dress up milk mate!"
• overseas leaders have trouble not laughing when Aussie leaders expect so called "fair play on free trade" - "you mean the market doesn't really operate like the fine machine of virtue our leaders have been promoting it as. Is there some inconsistency here?
• whose the innocent party!!
• Are we trying to play moral guardians of our big brothers. Are we bits of innocents who believe the only  game going should be one promoted by the TV-that of the consumer.  The TV moguls must be very pleased!
• Mind over matter or matter over mind?

Are the values of fair play really outdated in the modern world of gene determined self interest ? Idealistic and unrealistic ? Even Self-righteous, arrogant , unnecessary?

Maybe such bits of innocence help explain why our leaders are not taken seriously in calling for "free trade" by most of the developed world who are clearly are not convinced about the power of these automatic ethical imperatives. -."What law do you mean?-one for us and one for them". "These laws of fairness work automatically do they?" -since when have laws not needed judges and is our leadership really serious about handing more matters to international courts of justice- like they believe in fairies too!

Are we the biggest pack of innocents around

If not , how can our concern for fair play be better translated into the real world. Your turn...........................

Next time

The myth of automatic fairness is dependant also on putting all industries in the same bundle. The reality is that in that ,even if only three of the basic   sectors were talked about (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary) the rules  would vary for each.

Just as in a household, the privileges, opportunities and cross subsidizations vary.  So too in modern economy or is Australia running some other agenda? 

Are we a team ,a family or following the self centered imperatives of spoilt children?

We are anything more than consumers of fat and sugar?- mere consumers.

Some members of our household are producers and its right that minorities can be given special treatment.  How much longer will our leaders pretend that life is a series of simple games  which they now get paid to watch -if not to play anymore.  What a copout!

"The common expectation in Australia that fair play will go on into the future without its traditional support mechanisms is  a false hope.

Unless the real cause for the rise of the twin evils of thuggery and woosiness is understood and rooted out, the cancerous and round in circles  reactions will continue.  We'll continue to get such nonsense as "level playing fields "and "no umpire necessities" undermining what has worked for centuries. 

The doctrine of self centered bullheadedness has for just a few recent decades been accepted as morally correct under the guise of genetic, social and economic imperatives. Shoddy thinking and moral weakness over this issue  has allowed this doctrine to breed the  blunt  thuggery and  woosyness that we see on a  daily basis."

Games are for fun and entertainment.

Nearly every action has to be predictable and be carried out within defined limits and relationships with other actions- "the rules"

The real world is not so simple.

Games are the training ground for real life. not a mirror of it.

Are "The Games"  a practical working model of how fair play can operate in the real world?

What do you need to have fair play ?

- Very clearly defined ends

-More judges than participants

-Everybody watching

-Very very low cost effectiveness per player

Only on the TV ? and who said that' s real?

Nearly everyone behaves well under such intense light!

Where are the rules that ensure one man does not exploit another and who administers them? And what happens in the dark----------- you innocents!        

What are our leaders saying we should trust in?

"not in governments ..they are corrupt, inefficient and ineffective...... we should trust in the marketplace" The TV?

YET Recent World Economic Forum in Melbourne  said very clearly that Governments have a important dual role. 

SO How far behind are our leaders?

Why do our leaders have to push for free trade if its an automatic imperative of survival in the marketplace?

Shouldn't we just switch to "auto" -Just open the doors and what’s happened?

Traders in a weak bargaining position  like ourselves get exploited !

Politicians should do a least do  a semester at the Emperors academy where  the study of economics means more than learning how to make money