Being careful what you wish for

Toastmaster's Icebreaker Speech 10 April 2014

While I can comfortably opine many topics, largely at ease among strangers and friends, this expectation to speak of myself has succeeded in striking me with dread. So I figured you’ll get an insight of me if I speak about people, because I’m one too.

Truth is I’m just like you, just like all of you here at Toasters, in Hokianga, in all New Zealand. Complex.

Often we hear of people described as being like an onion.  I’m unsure if that means the more layers we peel back the more tears there are, but it’s supposed to be about getting to the heart of the matter.

So, people are supposed to be like neatly layered onions. That calls for a Tui, Yeah right!  Maybe after they've been through the mincer. Along with some beetroot, broccoli, a peach or two and possibly even some sour grapes.

People are more like a splatter painting.  A rich intense impasto thick skinned and calloused in some areas, thin and delicate in others. 

So back to me, a splodge about me is that I’m interested in people, or more correctly in the general public to which we all belong and the groups that mesh and form society. And with that an interest in governance, the ways in which we choose to organise ourselves.  

So policy, not politics! Although they’re often hard to separate.  

To be a little more specific, my interest is in informed policy in the democratic pluralistic society. Luckily this is the system New Zealand has. Well, we have the system anyway! Informed policy is another matter, and that makes me a technocrat.

Complicated?  Kind of. Winston Churchill once said Democracy is the worst form of government except all the others, he also said the problem with democracy becomes apparent within five minutes of speaking with the average voter. Once past the hyperbole of Churchill, it’s less a declaration of voter ignorance but of acceptance of human self interest.

Humans are self interested utility maximising individuals who rationalise their choices based on the situation they’re in and the information they have. While the decisions may make no sense to others they’re perfect for that individual at that time.

A couple of behavioural economists advocate that the best safety device in cars would be a sharp spike in the centre of the steering wheel.  Imagine how carefully we’d all drive if any mistake meant our own instant demise.  

But the more familiar we are with something the less risk we perceive it to have. Although we’re one hundred times more likely to die by toaster than shark, the Jaws theme still plays in my head when I jump off a boat. It’s because I don’t jump off a boat everyday, but back when I had power I certainly used a toaster most days.

With familiarity reducing the perceived risk, it also increases comfort and security.  Think of ‘trusted’ brands, not just items and services, but ideologies and beliefs. They’re all sold to you. Nothing is left to chance.

While we hear the denigration of the use of the campaign advisor Crosby Textor, the opposition are using Saatchi & Saatchi. The tactics to get us to sell our votes to the highest bidder with dreams of our ideals because that person truly believes they have the magic answer.

But it’s not. It can’t be. My ideal is not your ideal and nor should it ever be made to be. Just in New Zealand, there’s around 4 million others ideals and, sadly there’s enough despots at rule around the world.

Gosh. I may sound cynical and jaded. But I’m not. Along with my interest is in people is my belief in them. We’re wonderful! My ideal is that people believe this and take charge of themselves.

It was Thomas Jefferson who said, A government big enough to give you everything you want, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have.