The toxic fumes of democracy
by Michael Cook, MercatorNet:
One of the strongest arguments against a plebiscite on same-sex marriage in Australia is the psychological torment that it will inflict upon the LGBT community. Opposition leader Bill Shorten has declared that it will be “a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia”.
And Senator Penny Wong, a lesbian mother-of-two, has said: “I don’t oppose a plebiscite because I doubt the good sense of the Australian people. I oppose a plebiscite because I do not want my relationship, my family, to be the subject of inquiry, of censure, of condemnation, by others. And I don’t want other relationships, other families, to be targeted either.”
In short, a vote involves too much stress.
But what if every vote involves stress?
That seems to be the message delivered by the American Psychological Association after it surveyed nearly a thousand adults about the US presidential campaign. Political debate is taking a toll on American workers, says the APA. A good number feel stressed, argumentative and less productive because of political discussions on the job.
Men were more likely than women, and younger workers (ages 18-34) were more likely than older generations, to have experienced negative consequences of discussions at work this election season, the survey found. This includes having difficulty getting work done, producing lower-quality work and being less productive overall.
Similarly, these groups were more likely to have said that because of arguments at work, they feel more isolated from their colleagues, have a more negative view of them and have experienced an increase in workplace hostility.
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