Joseph Muscat: Master of the art of illogical argumentation for a largely illogical audience
Unfortunately, he used this very same completely illogical argument for an international audience during his interview with Al Jazeera.
If there is one thing that sets my teeth on edge in political discourse, it’s non sequiturs. It’s enough that we have to deal with them on a daily basis in shops, offices, bank queues, on buses, at parties, and anywhere two or more people are gathered and obliged to make conversation.
We expect better of a prime minister. Joseph Muscat used illogical soundbites – which he knew the illogical electorate would lap up and repeat – to get into power.
Now that he actually IS in power, they have no place in his public communication, and yet here he is, tweeting his non sequiturs.
Unfortunately, I have had to reach the conclusion that his use of illogical arguments and non sequiturs is not really cynical, but that this is the way the prime minister actually reasons.
Given that lack of logic and non sequiturs are a sign of poor reasoning skills and truncated intellectual development, this is rather worrying.
The banks have absolutely nothing to do with immigration. They are two completely different scenarios. But of course, we will now have people repeating this argument round the water-cooler. If you don’t want to be thought stupid and uninformed by those who are not, then don’t do the same. Have some self-respect, and point out to those who are repeating this that they haven’t a clue what they’re talking about.
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Joseph Muscat’s man-crush, David Cameron, once said “Too many tweets make a twat”. Never a truer word spoken.
The prime minister’s speech yesterday was dreadfully ineloquent and inept, contrasting disgracefully with Van Rompuy’s and with Simon Busuttil’s.
I think the whole concept of memes ties in with Labour especially well.
They come up with some cliche, teach it to the minions via Super One and all of a sudden you have ‘Stand up to be counted’ and ‘Smelling the coffee’ touted around the streets in horribly pronounced English by dim-witted people.
Some of them are still going on about the ‘siggu tal-poter’ and ‘evil clique’. for heaven’s sake. Lather, rinse, repeat.
He lacks capacity to elaboration, the same phrases used again and again.
Which also explains his curt retorts when challenged to substantiate.
The objective then is always to put responsibility elsewhere, pretty much as if he’s still leader of the opposition.
Watching him has become somewhat fascinating lately, when reading ulterior motive into him is replaced by empathic charitable understanding, the predictability of his actions remains the same.
After all, his arguments, remember Cyprus, were all consistently proved wrong to an extreme.
Still the Maltese felt safe voting him in, let’s say he actually meant what he promised, thinking this can actually be done.
Bazuzlu ghax daqsxejn babbu. I think Simon has a major inroad here.
U haga ohra, kieku fallew il-banek, falliet l-Ewropa. Konna nbatu ahna wkoll. Igifieri fl-ahhar mill-ahhar meta gew meghjuna l-banek, mhux li ma fissret xejn ghalina.
But sadly reading the comments on timesofmalta.com, Muscat is perceived as a hero and a lot of them still believe in him and think he is the next best thing to the Messiah.
Yet again, mentalita tas-rahal. Linking two totally unrelated issues with each other in order to justify your actions, or to get something out of somebody.
In a similar vein, were the numerous comments on the online Times et al during the Libyan crisis. To the effect of – You see Libya? Look how much we Maltese have helped you. Now send us a ship-load of money and cheap oil – you owe us!
Alone? This idiot should know that the EU Commission granted his predecessor 110 million Euros for our “navy”. That’s far more than he’ll ever give the Armed Forces in the national budget.
What an embarrassment.
These ignorant f*cks, spouting their sh*t and having it gobbled up by the masses are giving me a real superiority complex and it’s really not my place.
You know, being a market hawker an’all. For the first time in my life, I’m really, really ashamed to be Maltese.
Sorry about the language but that’s how we express ourselves in my trade.
I don’t get what’s all the fuss here. Joey is saying that if we rescued corporations, we have an even greater duty to rescue people. It makes perfect sense to me, for a change.
Also, banks represent the oligarchy and the middle class whose savings they hold, while the immigrants are the poorest of the poor. I see the comparison holding on that level too.
The comparison is illogical because rescuing banks is about money and pushing back immigrants is about human rights and probably torture and loss of life.
You don’t apply one to justify the other. That is why there are laws that protect inalienable rights from all other majority ‘feelings and behaviour’,
Coming from a Prime Minister such argumentation can only be intended to confuse issues to gain political mileage.
I don’t think Joseph Muscat was rattling the cage with his hands. Seriously.
Great handshake he has, as seen on page 5 of The Times today. Flaccid, and probably sweaty.
Re Aston’s quote – that’s an example of British humour; a play on words.