Vote Beef Stew with Greens!
Kokamo's Pacifc Meanderings
Tom and Rachel
Tue 4 May 2010 20:34
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I have to admit to feeling a certain smugness in
being quite so far removed from the General Election back in the UK. The
snippets of news we get seem to give it a gloss of excitement - but a bit like a
trashy movie trailer, I suspect the reality might not live up to the hype.
And much as I'm sure I should feel engaged with it all, I'm quite happy -
if I'm honest - not to be spending my time trying
to decipher the truth behind the incessant party sales
pitch.
Of course, we have our own political process on
board our own little world, currently bobbing around halfway between NZ and
Tonga. It's not a democracy in the traditional sense - but there is one
part of life on board where universal suffrage is vital. In fact, so
crucial is it to contentment on board, that mutiny may ensue if this one
inalienable right is removed: the right to vote on what to eat for
dinner.
It strikes me that there is a lot that
other political systems - from disillusioned western democracies to
blighted martial dictatorships - might gain from
adopting this 'dinner democracy.' We have a strong fiscal policy -
with much considered debate about whether broccoli or courgettes are better long
term investments, and whether to spend pre-cooked beef stew, while reserving the
vacuum-packed steaks against future shortfall. There is a clear social
policy - a fully stocked cupboard of snacks available to all between meals; and
a libertarian approach to business - anyone who catches a fish, does not have to
cook it (although they do have to gut it). [It maybe a sign of diminishing
ambition in todays population, but so far, noone has even attempted to fish on
the passage]. We even have full, 24 hour employment (sole employer:
the watch rota) and extra (compulsory) community contributions such as
cleaning the heads and checking the bilge.
But best of all - apathy ridden
post-industrial nations eat your heart out - is our level
of voter engagment. We have 100% turnout for every dinner
poll (ie.3), and what is more, everyone claims to be happy with the
results. In a nutshell, if only political systems provided a daily
democratic vote on what everyone wanted for high tea (and kept
their promise) all would be happy, government could be hugely slimmed down,
and the House of Commons could be turned into an all-you-can-eat
diner.
On a less esoteric note: we haven't had much wind
for the last 24 hours, motoring for a bit, trying the gennaker for a bit -
slightly frustrating. But in the last couple of hours we've picked up 20
to 25 knots from the East and are blasting along at 7.5 knots.
Fingers-crossed - it looks like we're in the tradewindsT
PS. Rachel has just pointed out that she
prepared the meal plans for the passage and knows where most of the food is
stashed,and that if dinner is so important, she is effectively in
control. We may therefore be living under a (cleverly veiled) dinner
dictatorship, and I'm not so sure I like the theory after all....
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