TODAY they offer a rationale. One day a true reason may emerge. But for now they offer a rationale. There is a choice of what to swallow: the thin rationale or the thick.
For example, for bombing Iraq. The USUK must bomb Iraq in case its leader is suicidal: thin rationale. The USUK must bomb Iraq to create democracy: thick rationale. The USUK must bomb Iraq to control oil and pour encourager les autres: reason.
Or for PFIPPP schools. The Scottish Executive must privatise school building because the public sector can’t borrow: thin rationale. The Scottish Executive must privatise school building because it’s cheaper for the taxpayer: thick rationale. The Scottish Executive must privatise school building because it wants to pose short-term in front of the electorate: reason.
Since we don’t live in a functioning democracy (democracies don’t go to war on one man’s say-so), it is apparent that rationales offer, by and large, Hobson’s choice. The paper-thin rationale or the laughably thick. Rationales not reasons, fig leaves not philosophy, toys for the mind not tools for debate.
Since we don’t live in a real democracy (real democracies vote on the ownership of land, as well as the awfulness of foxhunting), it is also evident that a corruption of true reason continues to ferment, a replacement of logic by force majeure, of human imagination by statistical fiddling.
It is only reasonable to suppose that there must even be a rationale for believing in rationales. It may well be that to believe in rationales, as given, as offered, as dispensed, can make life easier, more touchy-feely, guiltless; it can free up valuable brainspace to ponder the thoughts of David Beckham and the exculpations of Roy Keane.
There’s bound to be a rationale for replacing departments in Scottish secondary schools by faculties. I’m sure there’s a rationale for Higher Still, the daft internal hurdles, the truncated inaccurate exams. There must be a rationale for removing the assessment of writing from Higher English. There may even be a rationale for the Educational Institute of Scotland paying for a ballot on its own policies, rather than implementing them.
It’s just that by the stage we have got to, you would rather reach for the puke bag than read them.
Somebody else can offer the rationale. Today, only a definition. Rationale (n): appearance of reason, without substance; confection lacking clear first principles; political sugar-coating of unpalatable programme; pretence of appeal to the mind of the people.
