Conversation Killer

I've been meaning to complain about this for a while. The problem with politics and news is that there's just so damn much of it. It takes a long time and some serious dedication to read through the bare minimum required to merely keep up to date with the world. As soon as I come across a subject upon which I know practically nothing, I'm really rather screwed. By the time I've done the necessary catch-up reading, the world has moved on, and I'm left scrambling trying to get back to grips with the day-to-day event-reading that I neglected in order to make the time to do the extra reading.

It doesn't normally take long before my sporadic waves of enthusiasm are quashed, and I become demoralised with the whole idea of social awareness, conscience and involvement. It just turns out to be too much effort, and gives very little reward. Apart from me making an idiot of myself. Yup, that seems to happen pretty much every time I attempt to get opinionated.

Everybody seems to be talking about either New Wave Labour, or the big conversation. I just tried to read the conversation starter feature. I've come to the conclusion that it's not a conversation starter at all, but a definite conversation killer. Considering it's suggested as a piece for people who "don't know where to begin," it seems dead set on being as intimidatingly long and formal as possible. I thought the whole point of this conversation thing was to get people talking rather than to scare them off.

Everybody seems to be talking about it, but only if they already know what they're talking about.

I've read the first few chapters, but I'm leaving the rest of it for a braver day. Maybe I just need to get used to only reading one article at a time. It's a particularly bad habit of mine to be reading a news article, a blog, a fic, message boards, and my email all at one time. Sometimes there are two message boards. Sometimes there are three different email accounts. Strange really, as I've always almost religiously only ever had one book going at a time. It probably comes from not quite having adapted to broadband and unlimited internet access. At home I always used to read something else whilst the other page loaded, because otherwise I would run out of time.

If I do end up finishing it, which I doubt now will happen, I expect I'll be so zoned out by the end that in all likelihood I won't have anything to say. Personally I find this a bit of a shame, as I would very much like to have some Informed Opinions on some issues. Some of my very own, to love and to nurture, and possibly to yell of at the top of my voice in a public place whilst being carted off by the police to be thrown in the back of some van where I will sing inspiringly out of tune with my fellow comrades.

Actually, apart from the last bit that sounds very similar to what I plan to do at the Leicester Square LotR premiere.

To quote some west wing:

Decisions are made by those who show up. So are we failing you, or are you failing us?

As Bartlet says on the show, it's a little bit of both. This is something I'm trying to do for myself more than anyone else, but it sure as hell isn't being made in the slightest bit easy for me.

[update]: Someone else is also less than impressed.