random

A common topic for discussion these days is a reduction in of people's interest in politics and the political process. This is variously ascribed to the smaller gap between the major parties' policies, particularly economic, the ascendancy of 'spin' over substance, broken policy 'promises', and so on. In fact I had just such a discussion this morning.

The thought has been chasing itself in the wide brown vacant areas of my brain that maybe one could apply Simon's theory of 'satisficing' to this phenomenon. This theory has it that people will preferably look for an easy first best choice rather than expend lots of energy in seeking out the optimum choice. In an environment where the choice is seen to be becoming smaller, why waste your effort? Presumably any such trend would be backed up by a rising informal vote and the extent to which voters go to the trouble of allocating preferences, where they have such a choice. I might check that out later and update, after I've done tonight's work.

You'd kind of expect that, over time, parties would respond to any such indicators. Regrettably, I see the dominance of the current accepted wisdom - budget surpluses, less investment in infrastructure and increasing fees for service, more cost-shifting onto the consumer - as continuing. The minor parties should fill this gap, but get demonised by the majors. Even moreso now with the passing of Don Chipp. His loss just makes the Democrats easier targets for the headkickers of the Coalition and Labor.

Somewhere else in the aforesaid wide brown vacant land was the original point I was going to make. But there has been a duststorm that has blown all the thoughts away.

A bit more on classical music, listening to, in car. After decades of listening to rock, you forget how powerful a symphony orchestra can be and also the dynamic range between the soft bits and the bits where they all give it the guts. On the way home I was listening to Haydn's Symphony No 57 in D Major (had to look on the CD cover for the title!). Wow baby. I did have the stereo screwed up but you don't need that unless you want to blow your ears off (and let the wide brown bits out). Good stuff. I liked the last movement, the Prestissimo (you can guess the nature/mood) - lots of sizzling violins. I interspersed that with some of my favourite jazz, Jacques Loussier, who I can listen to all day.

For an ever so random diversion into what people think about the world of politics, go here.