Conquest, Comedy, and Politics
Apr. 9th, 2023 08:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tcpipThe last three days have been spent almost entirely at Conquest, Melbourne's Easter weekend gaming convention that has been running for some thirty years or so. The RPG Review Cooperative had a stall, where our members have the opportunity to sell their old games to an enthusiastic public and, as has been the case with other conventions, there were plenty of people and plenty of enthusiasm. This was a great opportunity to engage in old conversations with like-minded friends on the finer points of game design, and various publications, and catch up (albeit often briefly) with some old friends. For what it's worth, proceeds from my sales from this event are directed toward Effective Altriusm who note that the most effective donations you can give to save and extend lives are for anti-malarial and vitamin supplements for children in sub-Saharan Africa.
In the evenings of this weekend, I made my way to two comedy events. Saturday night Liana F and I went to see "Comedy Zone" at Trades Hall which provided several excellent presentations of which Alexandra Hudson's curious observations of the world from a person with cerebral palsy was a personal favourite. The evening previous I went out with Erica H., to see yet again, that rather famous upwards-punching stirrer FriendlyJordies as he described his recent experiences in the High Court for defamation. There's a rather good youtube video of the story that led up to the show which is thoroughly recommended. As political comedy the topics of substance of are no laughing matter; the fact that it's presented to illustrate absurdity and incredulity through irreverence is quite a successful formula.
Prior to this weekend, I managed to get a few words in regarding politics; the first was the article on Australia's truly ludicrous decision to spend $368bn on submarines. My article, "A Subservient Decision" outlines the awful opportunity costs and tragic ineffectiveness of this very poor decision. Further, last Tuesday, I was interviewed by John A., on Sydney's Radio Skid Row's "Roving Spotlight" on the topic of Hannah Arendt's approach to truth in politics and the structural causes for totalitarianism. When I get time this coming week I'll also put finger-to-keyboard about the proposed constitutional change for an indigenous voice to parliament; in the meantime, I am watching the LNP continue to drift further out-of-touch with public opinion and prosaic facts on the matter.
In the evenings of this weekend, I made my way to two comedy events. Saturday night Liana F and I went to see "Comedy Zone" at Trades Hall which provided several excellent presentations of which Alexandra Hudson's curious observations of the world from a person with cerebral palsy was a personal favourite. The evening previous I went out with Erica H., to see yet again, that rather famous upwards-punching stirrer FriendlyJordies as he described his recent experiences in the High Court for defamation. There's a rather good youtube video of the story that led up to the show which is thoroughly recommended. As political comedy the topics of substance of are no laughing matter; the fact that it's presented to illustrate absurdity and incredulity through irreverence is quite a successful formula.
Prior to this weekend, I managed to get a few words in regarding politics; the first was the article on Australia's truly ludicrous decision to spend $368bn on submarines. My article, "A Subservient Decision" outlines the awful opportunity costs and tragic ineffectiveness of this very poor decision. Further, last Tuesday, I was interviewed by John A., on Sydney's Radio Skid Row's "Roving Spotlight" on the topic of Hannah Arendt's approach to truth in politics and the structural causes for totalitarianism. When I get time this coming week I'll also put finger-to-keyboard about the proposed constitutional change for an indigenous voice to parliament; in the meantime, I am watching the LNP continue to drift further out-of-touch with public opinion and prosaic facts on the matter.
