Oh dearie dearie me. Oh dearie me!

Oh dearie dearie me. Oh dearie me!

The world has gone mad.

I was looking up the concept of fascism and why it is deemed so terrible. Lots of aspects of it seem to exist here in my very own country of the UK. The thing that is lacking is State encouragement of National Pride. Here, that idea seems completely missing.

So Fascism is not what is hapenning here.

Are we Totalitarian? No - I don't think so. But wait. Mmmm.

	Totalitarianism	Authoritarianism
Charisma	High	Low
Role conception	Leader as function	Leader as individual
Ends of power	Public	Private
Corruption	Low	High
Official ideology	Yes	No
Limited pluralism	No	Yes
Legitimacy	Yes	No

We live in an Authoritarian State?  Feels more like it.

I majored in History and remember one lecture where we followed how most Governments in the Western World became more Authoritarian - even Dictatorial, before the second world war. It seemed a "fashion" that swept through many Nations at that time. People felt "safe" that way.

Something is sweeping through the world now. And I don't like it. I don't feel "safe" - not at all.

Are we becoming blind to the fact that we are less and less free, imprisoned in cages made for us by legislation of control?

Today I read that New Zealand is bringing in "plain" packaging for cigarettes. Oh dearie me.

I believe that the use of nocebos and subliminals in this way is morally despicable. It does not promote health - but illness.  Smokers, already disadvantaged by the fact that they smoke are being made more ill by the constant repetition of these "mantras". They should be getting sicker quicker. Also, the messages are not true, they are only possibilities. Abusive images on "plain" packs are re-enforcing these possibilities to become true. This is NOT for anyone's good. It is a crime, and psychologically abusive to everyone  - smokers and non-smokers alike.

I believe this to be true for any kind of visual warnings on food and drink too.


If this Authoritarian "fashion" of "plain" packaging that carry deadly messages spreads from the antipodes to the Northern Hemisphere, I will feel far more unsafe than I already do.

Words and images are being used, not to uplift, strengthen or inspire, but to depress, repress and down tread us. And sicken us. And they come from those who Govern us. Is this Totalitarian, Authoritarian or Fascist? Oh dearie, dearie me!