From: The Unit
To: GB
Subject: Budge
So, pretty good week. There's a widespread feeling that we've finally reached rock bottom in terms of our electoral support. We seem to be down to party members, candidates' immediate families, a plurality (though not strict majority) of party employees and people under the impression, for whatever reason (the terms of certain debt-repayment schemes or pre-completed postal ballots), that they are not allowed to vote for other parties.
Think this is a great place for us to be right now.
Also think now is a great time for us to seek new ideas - as you mentioned in that message scored with your thumbnail on the half Post-it note that was couriered back to us from the G8. As directed, we have been scouring all the think-tanks and policy forums. Most are engaged in working on policy angles for what you will never hear anyone here referring to as "the next government".
We did speak to a lad at Demos who promised to get back to us. So that sounds exciting. And also IPPR mentioned a thing about strolling pedlars being reintroduced to de-sharpen knives, but nothing has come through firmly on that, as yet.
So we've been putting out feelers to a variety of non-traditional players, including the guy we mentioned who seems to read so much at Borders.
Out of this has come some fascinating stuff from a new American book: Budge: How To Budge People By Gentle Kicking Into Doing Cool Stuff We Want Them To Do - But They're Initially Reticent About Doing - But Also, Wouldn't It Be Great If They Did Do It? And How To Make Them Do It.
Think it is all very very promising. The book is bursting with ideas. Some of our favourites for consideration were:
Encourage people to eat more healthily by hinting that other people in surrounding streets are enjoying more salad than them, including sending texts out saying "Fancy some rocket?"
Promote the wearing of warmer clothes in winter and the consequent lowering of heating bills by the hiring of paid stooges to wander around public areas wearing hats muttering, "Oo, snuggly."
Angle public behaviour towards positive outcomes by allowing people who dispose of litter thoughtfully to wear small but brightly burnished "Citizens' Crowns".
Make legal provision to allow the insertion of a wet "warning finger" into the ear of people who don't move down inside Tube carriages or buses. Or, subsequently, gentle kicking.
Think this sort of stuff could produce a real paradigm shift.
Let us know your thoughts.
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