Comments on: Rudd the t-shirt! http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/ Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:08:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: David http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82560 David Thu, 09 Aug 2007 02:37:55 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82560 Hey look I'm all for getting excited about politics. I didn't say there was a problem with being American or slightly cheesy! Hey let's get involved. I suppose the problem with the American model is that it is actually more about getting excited about celebrity politicians and figureheads, rather than with politics itself. The problem with this is that wealth, image and prettiness become the arbiters of political power. You tend to get airhead politicians who get selected simply because of their popularity in a completely unrelated field. This is already a problem for the ALP, who has actually preselected parachuted-in 'celebrities' (defined very loosely) who couldn't name a single ALP policy, or say why Labor was better than the Liberals. Obviously you can imagine how this could backfire on the campaign trail or once they got into parliament. Moreover, celebrity politics tends towards non-participation of the average member (who can't compete in the image stakes). I think the Americanisation is all part of a trend towards obsessing over style rather than substance. Unfortunately, the long term consequences of this are depoliticisation, rather than excitement about politics. But hey you gotta do what ya gotta do, and I'm completely with the Labor campaign - I just want them elected. Hey look I’m all for getting excited about politics. I didn’t say there was a problem with being American or slightly cheesy! Hey let’s get involved.

I suppose the problem with the American model is that it is actually more about getting excited about celebrity politicians and figureheads, rather than with politics itself. The problem with this is that wealth, image and prettiness become the arbiters of political power.

You tend to get airhead politicians who get selected simply because of their popularity in a completely unrelated field. This is already a problem for the ALP, who has actually preselected parachuted-in ‘celebrities’ (defined very loosely) who couldn’t name a single ALP policy, or say why Labor was better than the Liberals. Obviously you can imagine how this could backfire on the campaign trail or once they got into parliament. Moreover, celebrity politics tends towards non-participation of the average member (who can’t compete in the image stakes).

I think the Americanisation is all part of a trend towards obsessing over style rather than substance. Unfortunately, the long term consequences of this are depoliticisation, rather than excitement about politics. But hey you gotta do what ya gotta do, and I’m completely with the Labor campaign – I just want them elected.

]]> By: Aristotle http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82559 Aristotle Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:54:15 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82559 As soon as I saw those "Kevin 07" t-shirts, I was reminded of the "it's time" t-shirts (pollbludger site has a photo of Gough Whitlam wearing one). Then as now, the perception was one of new, fresh, and focused on the future, as opposed to the stale and tired government. I think it will be very effective. As soon as I saw those “Kevin 07″ t-shirts, I was reminded of the “it’s time” t-shirts (pollbludger site has a photo of Gough Whitlam wearing one).

Then as now, the perception was one of new, fresh, and focused on the future, as opposed to the stale and tired government.

I think it will be very effective.

]]> By: Liam http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82558 Liam Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:29:12 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82558 <blockquote>I would be interested in some feedback…. I’m still waiting to hear back from the ALP. :)</blockquote> I reckon you might hear from their lawyers, Adrian.

I would be interested in some feedback…. I’m still waiting to hear back from the ALP. :)

I reckon you might hear from their lawyers, Adrian.

]]> By: Adam Gall http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82557 Adam Gall Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:15:23 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82557 Said Adrian, shamelessly plugging his product. Said Adrian, shamelessly plugging his product.

]]> By: FDB http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82556 FDB Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:10:08 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82556 "With fluffy dice. Ahh, those were the days." Kevin's in the backseat of my panel van Let me take you there Yeah, yeah “With fluffy dice.

Ahh, those were the days.”

Kevin’s in the backseat of my panel van
Let me take you there
Yeah, yeah

]]> By: Adrian http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82555 Adrian Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:01:44 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82555 I actually think what Kevin has done is great. I believe Kevin07 will get more people, especially young people interested in politics. The liberals are complaining because they are so out of touch with the youth of Australia, they wouldnâ??t dare try to do something similar. As for the complaints that Kevin07 is too â??Americanâ??, whatâ??s wrong with the American â??lets get excited about politicsâ?? model? Shouldnâ??t a more engaged population, ultimately deliver us more engaged politicians? Anyway Iâ??ve gone ahead and created my own Kevin07 gear. I personally do not like the t-shirt style and wanted something more of my style. Check out my link to see what I have done. I would be interested in some feedbackâ?¦. Iâ??m still waiting to hear back from the ALP. :) I actually think what Kevin has done is great. I believe Kevin07 will get more people, especially young people interested in politics. The liberals are complaining because they are so out of touch with the youth of Australia, they wouldnâ??t dare try to do something similar. As for the complaints that Kevin07 is too â??Americanâ??, whatâ??s wrong with the American â??lets get excited about politicsâ?? model? Shouldnâ??t a more engaged population, ultimately deliver us more engaged politicians?
Anyway Iâ??ve gone ahead and created my own Kevin07 gear. I personally do not like the t-shirt style and wanted something more of my style. Check out my link to see what I have done. I would be interested in some feedbackâ?¦. Iâ??m still waiting to hear back from the ALP. :)

]]> By: David http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82554 David Wed, 08 Aug 2007 06:28:30 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82554 I dig it... I dig it…

]]> By: Mark U http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82553 Mark U Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:08:40 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82553 How about "Thank heaven for Kevin 07" ?! How about “Thank heaven for Kevin 07″ ?!

]]> By: Danny http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82552 Danny Tue, 07 Aug 2007 08:42:47 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82552 Some meta-notes: <a href="http://www.kevin07.com/myblog/welcome-to-the-kevin-07-campaign-blog.html" rel="nofollow"> K07 Comments</a> aren't a complete luvvie-fest, a couple of stray disenters have snuck thru the censors. <a href="http://trevorcook.typepad.com/weblog/2007/08/kevin07-publish.html" rel="nofollow">Trevor Cook </a> reckons (theALP's) "..willingness to publish criticism on its own site.. might prove to be a breakthrough" Different story over at the ninemsn portal poll, sans minders. As of 6 pm, google blogsearch says there are about 50 blogs posting with the kevin07 string. (Aside: I wonder what meme has had the fastest uptake in blogstralia? Any hazarders?) Google news search has about the same number of outlets picking up the story, at that time point ( sorted by date, with duplicates). Obviously there is a inter-masthead syndication cross-post degeneracy factor there, , but i see that under the one masthead, the smh puts the same copy under two different urls, with the only difference being the ads. They get twice the advertising revenue opportunity/story that way? You couldn't do that in hard copy publishing. In fact, the smh has managed to squeeze 6 pages so far from the meme. No flies on fairfax. Lets see how it percolates overnight. Some meta-notes:

K07 Comments aren’t a complete luvvie-fest, a couple of stray disenters have snuck thru the censors.
Trevor Cook reckons (theALP’s) “..willingness to publish criticism on its own site.. might prove to be a breakthrough”

Different story over at the ninemsn portal poll, sans minders.

As of 6 pm, google blogsearch says there are about 50 blogs posting with the kevin07 string.

(Aside: I wonder what meme has had the fastest uptake in blogstralia? Any hazarders?)

Google news search has about the same number of outlets picking up the story, at that time point ( sorted by date, with duplicates).

Obviously there is a inter-masthead syndication cross-post degeneracy factor there, , but i see that under the one masthead, the smh puts the same copy under two different urls, with the only difference being the ads. They get twice the advertising revenue opportunity/story that way? You couldn’t do that in hard copy publishing.

In fact, the smh has managed to squeeze 6 pages so far from the meme. No flies on fairfax.

Lets see how it percolates overnight.

]]> By: David http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82551 David Tue, 07 Aug 2007 07:18:26 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/08/07/rudd-the-t-shirt/#comment-82551 Very American... very cheesy... but hey I'll jump on the bandwagon providing Labor WIN. Very American… very cheesy… but hey I’ll jump on the bandwagon providing Labor WIN.

]]>