Incomplete messaging sends Karen into a spin
NATURE abhors a vacuum. Just as the world’s wildlife flock to public spaces now abandoned by humans, it seems that when our politicians are short on details, Karen from Facebook is only too ready to fill in the blanks.
While I’m happy to see that when humanity is away the animals will play, I don’t find Karen quite so entertaining as urban deer in Japan or monkeys chilling in Indian cities.
(Public service announcement: a “Karen” is defined by dictionary.com as “an entitled, middle-aged white woman” … think junior netball coach, SUV driver, the one who wants to speak to the manager – and, most importantly, who is a selfappointed “specialist” according to her social media.)
But Karen’s furious Facebook feed in the midst of this coronavirus crisis is not her fault – she’s simply supplying her version of details where the Government left a vacuum.
Let me be clear, in the great netball game of life, I am a cheerleader for Team Government … not Team Karen.
Yes, I’m a netball mum who drives an SUV and who admittedly does frequently complain to the manager (my children actually film me in the McDonald’s drive-thru because I’m so annoying), but I am not that person on social media fanning the flames of hysteria.
In fact, I’m the opposite – I send links to official information, I fact-check conspiracies and I don’t believe that alternative facts exist.
But I do believe the Prime Minister needs to lift his game when it comes to communicating. Because if he doesn’t, Karen will.
Look, much has already been made of ScoMo’s backflips over the opening of shopping centres, hairdressers, schools and more. But I think we can all see and understand that the message he is communicating is that he simply wants as many people as possible to stay home as much as possible.
I have huge sympathy for our politicians right now, premiers and the PM most of all. Yes, it is an absolute privilege to be a leader, but it’s also a huge burden of responsibility.
In an unprecedented pandemic such as this, there is certainly a wrong way to lead (see Donald Trump), but there is no clear right way. There are many pathways we can choose to handle this crisis (see New Zealand’s lockdown verses Australia’s flattening the curve), but we won’t know which way is best until it’s all over and we can measure the impact both on our public health and our economy.
There are so many competing voices – and competing complaints – it is all but impossible for our leaders to answer them all.
Which is why it is so important that when they do address any issue, they do so comprehensively and with detail.
I present to you as proof the case study of ScoMo’s Sunday night announcement of a sixmonth moratorium on evictions.
The PM said it had been decided that governments would excuse people or businesses who were unable to meet rental commitments as a result of financial distress.
I absolutely applaud this initiative, no one should be forced to leave their address during this time of economic hardship. Besides, how does anyone stay home if they don’t have one?
But the lack of detail surrounding this announcement induced a flurry of complaints and conspiracies from Karens across Facebook.
Sure, Mr Morrison said there would be more details to come regarding decisions made on commercial and residential tenancies, and he indicated there was more work to be done by the Government, by businesses, by landlords and banks.
But that was it. We’re still waiting for further clarification. And Karen is not having it.
The fact is that the landlords of many residential properties are Karens. They are mum and dad investors who cannot excuse rental payments or be without tenants without the banks knocking on their own doors.
I’m sure this is something our leaders have considered, but they have not communicated that.
Instead, they have left a vacuum that has been rapidly filling with rumour and anxiety.
We may laugh at Karen, but let’s not forget that she is the leader of her own family, she’s worried and she wants – she needs – information.
Leading a country through a time such as this is not easy, but there is one simple step ScoMo should take that would ensure support, if not success: clear communication.
Dear PM, please tell us what you’re doing, why you’re doing it and how you’re doing it.
For Karen’s sake, fill the vacuum.
Read Ann Wason Moore every Tuesday and Saturday in the