Politics for a Facebook world

Suddenly advertising political brands in our News Feed was a democratic act, allowing us to self-represent particular political interests in turn.

Because everyone knows that who we are on Facebook isn’t “real”. It’s a collection of individual self-representations, where we construct “profiles” of ourselves to be consumed and commented on by others.

The sad thing is that in an election devoid of any political difference we are left only with the transcendental, which manifests as an apolitical choice equivalent of “liking” one Facebook profile over another.

The homogeneity of the effectively bipartisan policy offerings is much more condemning of the ALP than the Liberal party. Abbott did not betray the history of his party or the principles of conservatism in what he promised the Australian people. He remained loyal to his brand.

But the ALP's continuing step-to-the-right is a massive betrayal of the progressiveness that historical forces tell us they are meant to offer. The only “closing the gap” they’ve been doing is between themselves and the Liberal party, both in policies and - unintentionally, no doubt - votes.

The ALP, it appeared, hoped that Gillard herself would represent the appeal of progressiveness her policies didn't, and this alone would be enough to satisfy voters, or at least distract us. So the Gillard-sign was meant to signify difference and progressiveness relying on her gender, union-lawyer past, atheism, an association with the history of the ALP brand (cue Bob Hawke, stage Left), and ultimately the fact she was not-Abbott. The “real Julia”, it turned out, was nothing more than simulacrum.

Which isn’t her fault alone. She inherited this history of politics-by-symbolism that was part of Rudd’s initial appeal. The uncritical romanticism surrounding Rudd apologising to the Stolen Generations and signing Kyoto has done nothing to improve the lot of our Indigenous population or produce real action on climate change. Important gestures, yes: real politics, no. The ALP sells summits and citizens’ assemblies so we can talk about change, rather than offering change itself.

It’s politics for a Facebook world. And who will ever forget that Rudd - who only months ago was uber celebrity Prime Minister with unprecedented popularity ratings - could be deposed of as quickly and as easily as deleting a Facebook friend.