“Look” they say, don’t they? People generally and Australian media figures particularly – politicians, experts, opinion mongers. It’s the verbal equivalent of grabbing the listener by the lapels. “Look mate, it’s like this…” meaning, “your arguments, facts, whatever are all very well; but look at things from my perspective and you’ll see.” It precedes not a rebuttal or refutation (that would be “No, mate…” and might lead to genuine debate) but a hijacking of the argument. See things from my perspective; you can’t argue with that. And why argue anyway? What a waste of time.
My friend Anthony plays piano, saxophone, and bass guitar. It’s quite a sight. Not much of a sound mind you; you’d hesitate to call it music. Undoubtedly it is music; for if one person says it is then that’s enough; it’s music. And Anthony at least insists that it is – loudly, repeatedly, between blairs on the sax. We, the listeners, say “That’s enough” – but he ignores us. And who are we to argue with art?
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