The Nazi Dog Experiment

Do you know the story of the Nazi Dog Experiment? The Nazis found that if they inflicted a group of dogs with pain through electrocution, 1/3 of them would lie down hopelessly and do what they were told. 1/3 would keep a fighting spirit no matter how much pain they were put under. The other 1/3 would start off fighting, but then once more pain was inflicted, they too would give up hope and submit to the inevitable.

 

I fear that this is now the state of those working in the public sector. Today has been horrible. You see, I am watching a nauseating sense of powerlessness and hopelessness begin to smother those in healthcare, social care, local government and education. The fatigue is palpable and it is deeply saddening.

 

We have seen the desecration  of our Public Health Service, leaving Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) needing GPs to do much of the Public Health work, when they are already on the ropes. So GPs are now looking to partner with local schools. But every school in England is facing a 10% cut to their budget over the next few months. That means deep cuts to the kids who need help the most and it also means that schools now have no time, energy or resources to partner with local health services for the future wellbeing of the rising generation. A 10% cut to every school with no bail out help from local government as they too are being flogged. How is this not front page of every newspaper. What has happened to our press? Who is holding the government to account? There is something very sinister at work. A tiredness and hopelessness has set in.

 

But I will not be silent. Nor will I give up hope. The centre cannot and will not hold. We must throw off the oppressive yoke and we must throw off the shackles. I am still confident of this: top down hierarchy that eats up people like bread, holding power to itself through violence, law and debt has already lost. There is a better way. And we will see it and walk in it. It is the way of love. It is the new politics of love.

 

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