We currently live in a world where people seem genuinely afraid to voice their opinions.
Why is this? What are we all afraid of? Being ostracised from polite society? Having fruit and vegetables being thrown at us?
Instead, we’d rather gently pad around the issue at stake in order to reach ‘general’ agreement.
In this episode, David tackles the sticky subject of consensus head on.
Enjoy - and be sure to subscribe to the show.
Ahhhhh… thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
David, thank you.
As you can probably tell I quite enjoyed this latest Soapbox. I am so tired of governing by commitee. Why can’t folks seem to give direct answers anymore? When you get a yes, or a no, you know where you stand. When someone doesn’t know their own mind (or their job requirements) it creates a fair amount of frustration for everyone involved and wastes everybody’s time.
There seems to be not only a fear of stating one’s opinion but of actually going through with making a decision. When these factors go hand-in-hand, as they so often do, it’s amazing anything actually ever gets accomplished?!
I was starting to wonder if I was the only person out there that found this phenomenon discouraging, I am relived to hear otherwise. 
By the way… I love “Mitchell’s Burrow”, a lovely cross between a Hobbit hole and Rabbit’s house from Winnie-the-Pooh!
Absolutely excellent. Extremely funny, also.
It’s very visible in the TV industry, I noticed, that sort of power politics. I assume it happens in every walk of life.
Anyone here from the catering trade? I hear that’s like a mass free-for-all cock fight.
I *do* object to not getting my own way. But that’s only because I’m right so often:)
Who’s Stanley? I bet there’s a story there.
“Stanley” is a reference to the British comedian Stan Laurel, of the team Laurel & Hardy.
Well that was a spectacularly depressing and accurate summary of my job. Cheers. Problem is that there pretty much comes a point where meekly submitting to the idiot schemes of those above is easier than endlessly arguing with someone with someone who lacks the understanding to see that they are wrong, but who possesses some sort of authority over you and so we end up in exactly the situation you describe. Pretending you agree just to make life a bit easier and then foregoing any sort of triumph when you’re proved right. Office politics. What a pile of arse.
Rant off my chest now, another top notch show, cheers David.
You only seem to apply this to work. Haven’t you found this to apply to social situations too? I lose count of the number of times I’ve told one girl, as nicely as I can, that I don’t want to hear any rubbish about it not being her sort of film or her already doing something that day, just say if she doesn’t want to come with the rest of us!
Then women post online about men not understanding the word ‘no’, when the only problem I can see is that women haven’t learned to use the word ‘no’, and until they do, it remains somewhat impolite to invite out everyone else in the office except them!
Oh my god, this is exactly what my friend (I do have more than one…) and I were talking about only yesterday. We concluded it might be a woman thing (we are both of the female persuasion), but mainly because the director of this play was having trouble getting the three female leads to selfishly say what each of them wanted without them resorting to endless discussions with strong self-sacrificial tendencies… which failed horribly of course. The director, a male, with hands literaly in his hair leaned over to us asking… “Is this a woman thing?” We answered “Yes.”
Silliness! So I whole-heartedly agree with you, David.
Cheers on the podcast rants — very entertaining!
Excellent as always. Just to go off the point slightly - have all these been recorded on the same day, or does DM have the same wardrobe policy as Seth Brundle?
It’s Friday– where’s David? Where’s David!!!
I make it through an entirely shitty week, saying to myself, just hang on until Friday, then there’ll be a nice rant by someone smarter than I am who’ll say more cleverly than I could exactly what’s on my mind (or what would be on my mind if I were clever enough to think of it). And so Monday through Thursday I breathe in, breathe out, calm down, and wait for Friday.
But he’s not here! Where’s David?
Kate I feel your pain! Though perhaps David is taking a well deserved rest, this is a holiday weekend after all. Whatever the case I wish him well and look forward to seeing more Soapboxes soon.
Happy Easter.
Me too Kate i miss him!!! Bring back David xx P.S Happy easter x
what has happened to david mitchell’s soap box this week, this is still last week’s????
Rest assured folks - David will be returning next Thursday after the show took a gentle Easter break.
yours,
Justin
Kate! That was funny and cleverly said!
Excellent. You are a genius.
I think what it boils down to is the old notion, that the truth hurts, and nowadays everyone is treading on eggshells, watching everything they say incase they ‘hurt someone’s feelings.’ It also depends on the person who’s idea is being debated. Whether people agree or not we English are shit scared of appearing racist, sexist, ageist or any other ‘ists,’ and we are very careful how we treat others through fear of getting the crap sued out of us. Whilst it would make life a lot simpler if yes meant yes, no meant no, and maybe’s were a thing of the past, the fact of the matter is that Britain over the years has been introduced to the wonderful idea that we could just about f***k over anyone we wish, if we don’t get what we want. Although many of us would possibly toy with this possibility, the majority are good people who acknowledge that perhaps they didn’t get the job they wanted, or the role in a play they hoped for because they were not as good as someone else, not because they are black, purple, 107, or a 6ft transvestite. That is the reason why we beat around the bush so much, because we’re frightened to do otherwise for fear of been done for it!
haha, no, this is not unique to your job.
Arrgh. It sounds so painful! It reminds me of ‘design by committee’ which is also quite excrutiating and never usually worth the result. Anyhow, isn’t this process of consensus half about trying to avoid the blame fairy? Actually ‘Blame Bitch’ would be better. I mean, sure, that stops all kind of bad things happen, but it also stops all kinds of good ideas being mentioned to.
Only just discovered DM’s soapbox (what a pleasure) hence belated comment post, way after everyone else’s…
Outstanding!
I totally agree with you why can`t we just say what we mean without having to beat around the bush. xxxx