Sunday 14 February 2010

So, if you could be a dictator

what would you do? Ms Whirlwind put the question to me yesterday while we were in the supermarket. Apparently the subject is under discussion at school. I wonder what else is discussed at school these days but I promised to give it some thought. I did not think my immediate thought, "Get rid of this queue" would be considered an adequate response.
Ms Whirlwind asked my father the same question and his response was, "Close down all the television stations and shut the video shops for six months." "Why?" "It would give people the opportunity to find out how to entertain themselves." "You would still have the internet." "Not quite the same thing." True. She went off to think about that.
I thought. I am still thinking. I asked some people. Someone I know only through internet contact said, "I am a dictator. I am a mother." The same contact said her husband would ban news items which begin, "The Government will announce today..."
I also got, "Raise the school leaving age to 18 and reintroduce technical high schools." "Raise the driving age to 18 and the drinking age to 21." "Raise the voting age to 26 - well may be 21 - but let anyone in the armed services vote." "Get rid of compulsory voting but educate people about the importance of voting." "Put in place a programme that required the government to plant at least one tree for every person in the country every year." "Make politicians learn English." "Require everyone to invest in solar energy." "Increase public transport and make it an offence to drive your car to work unless you need it to do your work." "Make everyone walk everyday for exercise."
I will put these ideas in front of Ms Whirlwind today. If anyone would care to add to them I will be pleased to pass them on.
Myself? I am still thinking.

7 comments:

Old Kitty said...

Introduce a four day weekend and a 21 hour working week...

:-)

On full pay.

Oh and free broadband for all.

And free sanitary pads/tampax for women.

Take care
x

catdownunder said...

Ooohh...I'll go along with the first and the second, a bit old for the third!

Anonymous said...

Pass a law that everyone be nice to each other!

Cardownunder said...

You don't want much do you?

catdownunder said...

I was going to say that Ciaran! That's a very dictatorial comment Judy!

Anonymous said...

1. Politicians must only be allowed to announce a new initiative once. I am sick to death of "new" funding being announced, when in reality it is just spin on old funding.

2. Compulsory reading for thirty minutes a day.

3. Chocolate should be free!

4. Better care for the elderly.

catdownunder said...

I agree with (1) but with (2) only so long as it not lessons in harming each other!
(3) Will there be a weight problem? Ah, so what Nicola Morgan and other chocoholic writers will be happy and great good books for (2).
(4) Goes without saying in my book!