The case not the face

[jondwhite]

The SPGB are known to argue its the case not the face which matters

This article suggests there may be more to it

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/10/who-will-win/497561/

[alanjjohnstone]

I'm not sure if it is apocryphal or not but i recall hearing about an SPGB speaker addressing an election meeting from behind a curtain. But the SPGB case is not about diminishing a speakers presence or his attributes as a debater or speaker but simply on election leaflets and online statements by not having his photo or personal extraneous details such as if he is married, how many children, what age he is, what his job is or even his or her gender if we could. The linked article does not address those issues but simply says that watching a debate live will determine an attitude towards the outcome by the participants demeanour and responses …something that the SPGB has always accepted, hence our keenness to be involved in election hustings etc. 

[ALB]

alanjjohnstone wrote:

But the SPGB case is not about diminishing a speakers presence or his attributes as a debater or speaker but simply on election leaflets and online statements by not having his photo or personal extraneous details such as if he is married, how many children, what age he is, what his job is or even his or her gender if we could.

We certainly don't, and should continue not to, put such details on our election leaflets but I don't see any objection to supplying the media with some of this info (photo, age, job) if they ask. Some branches contesting elections do this. Others don't. It's not a question of promoting the "face" but of showing that our candidate is human and just like any other member of the working class. Besides, a photo in a newspaper helps draw attention to the text underneath. No need to cut off the nose to spite the face or should that be the other way round?

[Anonymous]

ALB wrote:

Besides, a photo in a newspaper helps draw attention to the text underneath. No need to cut off the nose to spite the face or should that be the other way round?

Hmm, I suspect the party's logo, for example, in contradistinction to a photograph of yet another potential politician's face, is far more likely to draw attention to the text underneath.

[alanjjohnstone]

And a bio may very well reinforce people's perceptions that we are predominantly a white elderly male party. But is a debatable issue that should be discussed more fully….Did i ever mention that i favour a full dedicated conference on the party positions, attitudes and image….

[ALB]

alanjjohnstone wrote:

And a bio may very well reinforce people's perceptions that we are predominantly a white elderly male party.

If it's the perception that we are all "elderly" it's wrong. We're not all OAPs !  Of the 10 candidates we put up at the last general election only  3 fell into that category, 5 were middle aged and 2 were younger than that.

[jondwhite]

I suppose the point is it ought to be the case, not the face but rarely is the way voters judge candidates.

[alanjjohnstone]

I just re-watched our election video and perhaps i was a bit too premature with my criticism, ALB. We did endeavour to present a cross-section of humanity, as best we could ….

[Brian]

ALB wrote:

alanjjohnstone wrote:

And a bio may very well reinforce people's perceptions that we are predominantly a white elderly male party.

If it's the perception that we are all "elderly" it's wrong. We're not all OAPs !  Of the 10 candidates we put up at the last general election only  3 fell into that category, 5 were middle aged and 2 were younger than that.

Besides which appearances can be deceptive.  Mirror, mirror on the wall whose the fairest of us all …..?Not me for sure when it comes to looks.  But on the other hand my looks conceal my age and confuse even some socialists and always confuses the media presenters.

[Bijou Drains]

So how old are you Brian, I would have put you in your mid 90s, are you even older than that?

[Author]

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