Platypus Game

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! My name is Mr. Robinson and I welcome you to our little party event.

Please remember: If you want to make the right choice for our country, vote for the RIGHT PARTY!

Now, are there any questions?

Yes, Nadiya Abadi, I have a question.

Ah yes, the left wing woke news channel... here we bloody go.

What do you have to say to Mr. Rice's HOMOPHOBIC comments?

Which ones exactly?

...

When he talked about the queer members of parliament and how they need to be removed!

You are taking Mr. Rice out of context. These MPs are members of the wrong party, not of the Right Party. And that's why they need to go.

And what about all of his MISOGYNISTIC remarks?

Are you TRYING to misunderstand what Mr. Rice said?

He said, and I quote: No woman is fit for the office of Prime Minister.

Well, you didn't even let him finish his sentence, did you. Typical of you people.

What exactly does that mean?

Press, of course. What else could I mean... hehehe.

Mr. Rice merely meant to say that no woman currently running against him is fit to be Prime Minister. Because he is the better choice.

How about his RACISM? The entire cabinet he suggested is white.

And how is that racist, exactly?

Because we live in a diverse country and the Right Party does not represent this country.

But Mr. Rice has chosen the best people to get the job done. He doesn't see skin colour or nationality.

It's all about moving this country forward. Are you telling me, there is no white man in this country that could do your job better than you?

Excuse me?

I'm afraid that's all we have time for. I'm sorry that Ms Abdullah has taken up so much time.

Abadi, it's Abadi.

Abadi, of course! Thank you for your questions and I can assure you: I won't forget your name.

... this man is unbelievable.

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Closing the borders

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Closing the borders and regulating migration are typically right wing policies following an ideology of strong borders and national states.

Free healthcare

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Free and/or cheap healthcare is a left wing policy, allowing all people to access health services regardless of income.

Traditional marriage only between a man and a woman

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The traditional marriage limited to marriage between man and woman is at the core of many right wing and conservative ideologies. The right wing view favours the bond between heterosexual partners.

Strong police and military

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Investing in the police to protect the public and having a strong military are typical right wing policies. A strong military also means that money will be spent domestically as militaries are a massive factor of economic prosperity due to them needing expensive equipment.

Environmental protection

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Nowadays environmental policies are unanimously considered left wing. That has not always been the case as a beautiful home country used to be a typical conservative/right wing policy decades ago.

Lower taxes for job creators

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Lowering the taxes for all (but mostly for people in high income brackets) is a typical right wing policy. The idea is that more wealth in the upper class will create more jobs and thus benefit everyone.

Damn right, mate! Why are wealthy people so wealthy? Because they're good at what they do. So they should get a little tax credit for it.

A strong private sector and economy

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Many right wing policies are driven by the idea that the private sector is better at solving problems than the state. So prosperity would come from a stronger private sector rather than intervention by the government.

Higher minimum wage

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A typical labour or left wing policy. Instead of employers making more money, the workers should make more money per hour.

Better cycling infrastructure

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In order to achieve environmentally friendly mobility and encourage people to take the bicycle, a typical left wing policy is to subsidise more cycling lanes.

Free parking spots

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Supporting cars and the car industry has become a very right wing policy. Car manufacturers generate a lot of tax money and people value the freedom of owning a car. A lot of people take the car to work, generating more tax money.

Free public transport

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The political left focuses urban and rural mobility rather on public transport. With free access to public transport, more people will take the train and the parking spots can be put to better use and cities will be pedestrian friendly. Every trip not taken by car additionally saves CO2.

Whoof. Sorry, been fallin' asleep there. This is all incredibly borin', I must say.

Boring? This is boring to you? Politics is boring?!

Yeah... still all very much the same.

Very! Much! The! SAME?!?

Alright, how's this then?

Send all foreigners back to their home country

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An extremely far right policy that can be based in several right wing ideologies. Xenophobia and racism play a central part, even though right wing politicians will often dress this point up by saying that the jobs done by foreigners will now become available and unemployment can thus be eliminated.

Eat the rich

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An oversimplification often used as a meme based on the left wing idea that extremely rich people like Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk should in a fair economic system not exist.

How about that? Hmm?

Sorry, I was dozin' off there.

Blimey... I'm not giving up on you just yet!

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Correct!

False!

Question of

A system in which the people elect the government is called...

Alright, my turn!

What is the maximum length of a tweet?

What? But that's not long enough for elaborate conversation...

Okay, my turn!

Expats live...

They're expatriates. And when we say expat it mostly refers to people from Western countries looking for work.

Ooooh... like me? Except I'm not looking for work.

Work just seems to find me, no matter what I do...

Dylan! Why don't you tell that to the hostel floors?

Why would I be askin' a floor anythin'? Anyway, next question:

What is it called, when platforms limit posts because they don't like the content?

A lot of my posts get shadowbanned...

TikTok regularly shadowbans videos, if they disagree with the political message.

So people can't see their videos, if the platform deems them too controversial.

Like when videos talked about the Uyghurs or Tiananmen Square.

Dylan! I'll shadowban your pay, if you don't get back to work!

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Question of

...what's the best way to learn?

Okay... I think you're getting the hang of it. All you need to do now is find the German translation.

RACISM - an ideology, in which people believe that their race is better than others

IMMIGRATION - a term for people moving to a country to live there

DEMOCRACY - a form of government, in which the people elect the government

POPULISM - a form of political communication appealing to the people

Wait... wait! But if populism is giving the people what they want...

Isn't populism actually good?

See, it's a bit more complicated than that. Because populists use manipulation tactics.

They convince the people that they alone know what the people want and they alone represent them.

But the elites and establishment don't care for the people. Someone has to. Might as well be me...

You see what I mean?

Am I a populist for being so popular? Do all these likes, comments, and subscriptions make me... a populist?

Let's just keep going, shall we?

XENOPHOBIA - fear and hatred towards other people

TAX - the money people and corporations pay to the state to fund public services

PROSPERITY - a state of high and growing wealth for everyone

Well, I think that worked out nicely, didn't it? And now we have a common ground to start from.

But I'm still not gettin' it. I mean, isn't life more fun for people that don't care?

*sigh* Well... some people are just slow learners, I guess.

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Question of

Well, while some fancy people get to play all day, here at the Safestay Hostel we actually have to work.

So there's no time for fancy politics for working people like us.

Well, where I come from politics are the key to making a difference.

Well, if you like it there so much, you can always go back, no?

I mean... where exactly do you come from?

Liverpool.

*hmpf* anyway, as I was saying! Help me get this hostel sorted by picking the items that actually belong in a hostel!

Hostel guests sleep in dorms. What is a dorm?

What do the hostel guests need to open the doors?

In order to make the beds, our guests get a set of linen. What is that?

In order to make tea, our guests need to boil water in a...

This is a hostel, so they can relax in the...

Our guests don't need good food or wellness. They need cheap rooms.

And that's exactly what they get.

What if they need something to read? Well, we have...

If the floor needs to be cleaned, our staff will just get a...

If our guests have dirty clothes, you send them to the...

And then we have our good old plunger for use in case of...

Well, that about covers it. Good old work for us working people.

If Dylan ever quits, I'd hire you on the spot.

Or... you know... if he gets fired...

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Dylan's adventures for example. Very trusted source.

And trusted by who? And who verifies your information? Where do you cite your sources?

I... have very trustworthy eyes and I think that should count for somethin'.

The Guardian

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THE GUARDIAN - The Guardian is a newspaper founded in 1821 in Manchester, England. It is one of the most renowned news sources worldwide. Eigentümer ist eine Stiftung.

The YouTube trending page

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YOUTUBE TRENDING PAGE - YouTube itself isn't a news site, but only a platform. Therefore anyone can upload anything. When you look at YouTube, you need to take a closer look at the channels you are watching.

Al Jazeera

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AL JAZEERA - Al Jazeera is a global news network that also operates English speaking channels. It is a renowned news source that has won several awards and focuses on countries in the southern hemisphere.

The BBC

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THE BBC - Founded in 1922 as a public news service, the BBC has remained the greatest source of independent news in the UK. It is the oldest public broadcasting service worldwide.

The Daily Mail

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THE DAILY MAIL - While many newspapers follow a certain agenda, with some it is more clearer than with others. The Daily Mail is a clear example of yellow press journalism. They favour scandals and catchphrases over nuanced news. They are owned by Rupert Murdoch.

Fox News

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FOX NEWS - While Fox News (also owned by Rupert Murdoch) has some legitimate news segments, the programme will often air simple opinion pieces that look like news. Fox news hosts have defended the American right wing time and again.

TikTok

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TIKTOK - Many sources on TikTok mean well and it is a fast way to connect one another. Early during the war in Ukraine, TikTok was used by people to send information from the ground. However none of these sources are verified and the company owning TikTok can essentially mute channels that post content they do not like.

Telegram groups

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TELEGRAM GROUPS - Like YouTube or TikTok, groups on Telegram are merely a platform. That means that any links you see on there, still need to be checked. Some people share news from CNN, others share wild conspiracy theories.

SPIEGEL

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SPIEGEL - A renowned German publication with news media across many online platforms. They are a trusted source of news with a bias towards reporting from a left wing point of view.

faz - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

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FAZ - The faz is a renowned German newspaper with many online channels. They are a trusted news source, but biased towards reporting from a conservative point of view.

The Washington Post

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THE WASHINGTON POST - The Washington Post is a major US publication and a mostly (!) trusted source of news. Since it was bought by Jeff Bezos, certain opinion pieces attacking attempts of taxing the super wealthy must be put into context.

See, this is why context is so important!

It's not enough to look at a website that looks like a trusty news source. You need to take a closer look!

Wikipedia

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WIKIPEDIA - Wikipedia is a mostly trustworthy source of information. Its community approach makes it easy to verify and review information, but also opens up possibilities for manipulation. But because Wikipedia requires citations and sources, you can further investigate, if you need to.

One America News Network

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ONE AMERICA NEWS NETWORK - OAN (or OANN) is an American cable news network that broadcasts right wing and alt right segments that are often not based in fact. Their reporting has fed into conspiracy theories in the past and they were an often cited source of Donald Trump's tweets.

Last Week Tonight with Jon Oliver

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LAST WEEK TONIGHT - Last Week Tonight is a comedy programme that blends jokes with investigative journalism. The show is a programme on HBO, but makes huge parts freely available on YouTube. Jon Oliver and their investigative team prove that reliable news can be funny. They publish and mention their sources.

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False!

Question of

And I am going to explain how this works. So let's figure this out together!

Every few years citizens get to vote. In some countries citizens have to vote, so voting is compulsory.

Compulsory is something...

In other countries, citizens are deprived of their right to vote. The governments simply won't let them vote.

Deprived means that something was...

Even in liberal democracies not everyone is allowed to vote.

Some people live in a country without being officially citizens, they have permanent residency.

People with permanent residency can...

And then there are people who came to a country looking for a better life...

...but they have no status, no visa, no paperwork.

These people are...

When these people are caught, they often face deportation.

Being deported means that they will be sent to...

But sometimes people have to leave their home countries, because their government or their police might be looking for them.

In some countries going to protests or opposing the government can be considered illegal. And then... these people might go to jail.

A jail is...

Is it a crime for these people to want a better life? And yet we... they get prosecuted by their government.

People that are charged with crimes and put on trial are being...

It simply isn't enough to vote. We need to call our representatives, start online initiatives, or take to the streets and demonstrate.

Caring for one another is what matters in a democracy. We can't afford to be indifferent.

People who are indifferent don't...

We'll do whatever it takes to make the world a better place, because the end justifies the means!

If end justifies the means, then whatever actions people take are justified by...

And I believe that we can make the world a better place. We can't give up, we have to keep going: We have to persist!

People that persist...

So let's organise a protest! Let's start a petition! Let's go to a demonstration!

Let's do something!

Wow! She is dedicated, I give her that!

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voting

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VOTING - Voting should only be legal, if you vote for the right party...

corruption

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CORRUPTION - We all love money, I love money. Why is it illegal for me to accept money from people, if they know what they want? Can you explain that?

campaign donations

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DONATIONS - Now we're talking. Donations to campaigns and parties are legal, of course. But are they really different from bribes? Officially they are, but morally...

writing your representatives

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WRITING YOUR REPRESENTATIVES - This should be illegal. All these people trying to tell me what to do? Boring! If they voted for me, they know that I'm the right man. And if they didn't... well... what do I care?

peaceful demonstrations

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PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS - What's a peaceful demonstration anyway? When these people ask me to stop climate change or not deport illegal immigrants, they hurt my feelings too. People opposing my future government shouldn't protest, they should wait in silence for the next election.

terrorism

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TERRORISM - The saying goes: One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Well, if that's the case, then I think all those freedom fighters are terrorists. Incinerate a car: terrorist. Yell at a policeman: terrorist. Every enemy of Britain is a terrorist!

strike

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STRIKE - Urgh... it's not enough for foreigners and students to be lazy, now workers too? They go on strike and stop working? To protest policies they don't like? Well, when I'm Prime Minister, I will make them go to work. I have the police and the military, after all.

starting an online petition

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STARTING AN ONLINE PETITION - Ah yes, hashtag activism is my favourite kind. As long as they all stay online, where my government can spy on them. But don't get your hopes up, as Prime Minister I will never read your silly petitions.

whistleblowers

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WHISTLEBLOWERS - These whistleblowers think they are so smart. Giving away government secrets and telling the public about the government spying on them or torturing prisoners. The end justifies the means and the government should rule over the people, not the other way around.

blackmail

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BLACKMAIL - So if a newspaper gets information on me and publishes it, it's journalism? But if I threaten someone with information I have on them, it's blackmail? I just do what I do for the greater good.

lobbying

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LOBBYING - Lobbying is legal and fun. Experts can talk to politicians, it's a good system. It's not my fault that the experts that politicians want to talk to are rich business executives and major corporations. Anyone can lobby their interests, even you! But good luck getting an appointment. My day is packed with meeting people from the car industry...

joining a party

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JOINING A PARTY - That's great, more politicians... just what this country needs. Why can't they just give more power to me and I'll make quick and correct decisions. Fewer people involved means less waiting time.

So as you see, there are plenty of ways to have an impact on politics.

I'm a man of the people, after all. I want to do what's best for everyone.

For everyone that's on his side, maybe...

Don't listen to the haters. I'm the right man at the right time. Vote for the Right Party, thank you!

Well, he sometimes has a point. Not everything that is legal, is moral. And not everything that is moral, is legal.

But there are ways to make a difference. Official ways, moral ways, legal ways!

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Correct!

Wrong!

lives

A set of linen

Bettwäsche

A kettle

Ein Wasserkocher

A bookshelf

Ein Bücherregal

A key card

Eine Schlüsselkarte

A dorm

Ein Mehrbettzimmer

London

A demonstration

Eine Demo

A hotel room

Ein Hotelzimmer

A radiator

Ein Heizkörper

A passport

Ein Reisepass

Correct!

Wrong...

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Question of

Sweet! So with all these words, I can begin composing my story.

It was a stormy night when Nata... Nadine found a safe place to hide away from the storm. A magnificent hotel.

No, not hotel... Needs to be like a hotel, but...

What is like a hotel, but cheaper?

Perfect. Nadine entered the hostel, her perfect hair was a mess. She could no longer afford that fancy shampoo, because her allowance was cut.

But who had previously payed her an allowance?

Yes, her parents refused to pay her any allowance. She was poor now. Poor Nadine was now poor.

Brilliant writing, if I do say so myself.

At the hostel she met Estefania, a climate activist with an exotic accent. So exotic, it must have been from another country. Another continent even.

Estefania's eyes were as green as the Amazon forest, which was ironic, because she was such a strong woman - much like an amazon.

Estefania had just returned from...

What's plausible for a climate activist?

Yes! She had just returned from a demonstration. ´I went to many demonstrations in my home country.` , she said.

´I'm on the run from the military police. If they catch me protesting again, I will end up in...

´But that's a terrible fate!`, Nadine said,´Luckily you are safe from prosecution now. You're in England, in this cozy hostel.`

The rain poured against the windows as a single tear rolled down Estefania's cheek. She was clearly very upset.

´But I can no longer pay for my room in this hostel.`

Nadine was shocked.

Estefania said: ´I am afraid, the hostel might...

´Kick you out!?!`, Nadine exclaimed, ´I would never let that happen! There must be something we can do?`

The two of them sat by the hostel fireplace, warming their feet. It was raining outside and it was very stormy. Nadine was thinking.

Nadine had never worked. How had she ever made money?

But that allowance was now cut and Estefania's departure from the hostel was imminent.

But that means that Estefania would leave...?

´There has to be a way for you to stay!`, shouted Nadine from the top of her lungs.

´Stay forever? What do you mean?`, Estefania asked.

Permanent residency. Nadine was thinking, how could Estefania stay in the UK forever. There were rules, of course. First, she would have to find work.

A good decent working class job! Like?

Yes! Estefania, the plumber! She would be working as a plumber, fixing toilets and sinks with her firm hands.

Estefania could now protest for more water in the developing world by day and fix water leaks by night.

´This is a great solution!`, Estefania exclaimed, ´I can do a job that the British don't want to do and stay in this country! And maybe...

... I can also stay with...

Nadine looked at her, her eyes full of promise. Estefania looked back, her eyes full of promise too.

The End. Perfect. Might need some minor improvements. But that's why I want to study writing, after all!

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Question of

With all that knowledge about democracy and the consequences of inaction and misinformation, you should be well equipped to make a difference.

Tony Rice and his Right Party are polling close to a victory against Joan Somerset and her Labour Coalition.

Which party will win? We'll keep you posted as the results come in.

Do you see how important politics are?

Not really...

Politics are all around us, shaping our every day lives.

Politics are about...

It's about all these things! And we can influence politics!

Really? But how?

In a democracy you can...

But you could also influence the government through

And then we need the fourth estate.

What does that even mean?

We need a media landscape that's...

You mean like... influencers and social media?

I hate to say it, but you're not wrong. Social media can be very important for people to make themselves heard.

Like @RealTonyRiceOfficial1 for example! Where I tell you the truth and nothing but the truth.

No matter what the haters and losers say!

Urgh... that Tony Rice and his right wing party.

The right wing stands for...

Why? What's wrong with nationalism? I live this nation and I'm not even from here.

But look at all the people who call themselves nationalists: Jair Bolsonaro, Donald Trump, Giorgia Meloni...

And you know what all these people have in common? They were all elected by the people. Do you not like democracy?

What? I love democracy, but there is more to democracy than just voting. Like...

Democracy also needs...

And we also need...

And a system, in which every person is...

See, all these things are very confusing. Things take too long, we need to benefit now.

So, I'll make the process simpler, easier to understand, faster, better.

Well, we're voting for a new government today. The polls are very close at the moment. Let's see what the night brings.

This was Nadiya Abadi. Good night, Great Britain.

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