Two Hells.

international | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis Saturday August 07, 2004 20:41 by Sean Crudden sean.crudden at iol dot ie Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth. 042 93 71310

Tempora Mutantur?

How much does fashion determine politics? Will right wing politics go the way of drainpipe trousers and velvet collars?

The following couple of paragraphs stand out in an article headed "We must recognise the contribution of non-career women" in The Irish Times on Saturday (today):

"Women cannot easily access business networks which are primarily male. As a result, women are largely excluded from much of the socialising that strengthens professional relationships. This is a widely quoted disadvantage for women aspiring to the top.

But this networking smacks to me of cronyism. In the world of the second-rate, hob-nobbing, clubs and golf assume greater importance."

I think I know what the writer is talking about and, candidly, I think that this "culture" is as much to the detriment of golf as it is to public affairs.

The author of the very readable article is Niamh Brennan, Professor of Management, UCD. Some of your readers may have spotted her on TV in connection with the "Brennan Report" which was about some aspects of the health services. She is the wife of Micheal McDowell TD.

Reading on the same page of the same newspaper Breda O’Brien, writing about the November election in America, has an article headed "At least we know where President Bush stands." The article concludes with the following two striking sentences:

"Americans have an unenviable choice. A choice between two hells, perhaps?"

Frankly, my opinion is that Bush may win. Right wing politics have a certain appeal in our own country but not as much as they have in America. It does not take much to open the cage and let the bully out (in what are basically weak-minded and cowardly people).

I felt clearly the surge of aggression and jingoism that was let loose in The United States when I was there at the time of the "9/11" tragedy. The word "war" was on the lips of every politician who appeared on local television in the state of New Hampshire where I was staying at the time. The fashion and passion for that militaristic stance has remained largely intact over the last few years and through the rather ambivalent "successes" in Afghanistan and Iraq.