For years, I was annoyed by the term TINA, which Margaret Thatcher coined and which stands for “there is no alternative”.
I could find no adequate response. And then, yesterday morning, it occurred to me that there is one. It is TIARA, which stands for “there is a radical/rational/real alternative”. You can take your pick of which R you want.
This, of course, has always been the case. No one ever needed to put up with neoliberalism. It was designed as an exploitative curse upon the majority of people in a population, and that is what it has been. To pretend that there was no alternative was just the language of an elite who wished to exploit people.
But, I have to say, I feel more comfortable now that I have a suitable acronym available to respond with, because a radical, real and rational alternative seems to be just the right way to describe the framing that I use for modern monetary theory and the politics of hope.
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I think TIARA is brilliant and helpful in countering the rise of Reform as you describe in your blog this morning.
Personally I would not use radical or rational in the acronym as they both have connotations which may be off putting. I think real is a powerful descriptor which connects with the reality of people’s lives which again you describe so well and which the mainstream parties promoting TINA are missing.
Much better than TIAAA, which is what I came up with. Although not quite the same thing.
https://disciplinemakesdaringpossible.com/?s=TIAAA
Say it with all three Rs and make it really grrrowl
🙂
TIARAs are worn proudly for people to see.
You have helped many see more clearly. A lot of what you write is information most of us don’t have or do have but but don’t connect the parts. At other times it gives us the nudge to explore for ourselves.
What good teachers, counsellors and, dare I say, prophets do.
I think you realise many of us are grateful. I hope so.
Thanks
Unfortunately Tiara s are normally worn by royalty and wealthy people.
I still think is a good nemonic
TIARA !
Love it, sparkly and brilliant !
Gareth Dennis – Permanent Way* Engineer coined an equally good if slightly more ‘robust’ term to describe some proposed technologies
AM/FA Actual Machines / F****g Magic**
* Railway Track
** Guided Buses, Monorails etc
I’ve been using TESSA for years.
There Exist Several Sensible Alternatives.
I like it – but have never heard it before.
TAMA
There are many alternatives
Nice. TINA also really irritated me too, so it’s lovely to see TIARA.
Tvm.
I think TIARA truly strikes a chord along with the 3 R’s. Radical. Rational. Realistic.
No comment from me.
I made a great wee joke about TIARA a couple of days ago which was not appreciated by the heartless moderator.
Whilst ‘There is no alternative’ is a Thatcherism, Norman St John Stevas claimed the TINA acronym and even though at the time he was a cabinet minister , used it as if it was her name. He also coined ‘The Blessed Margaret’ and ‘The Immaculate Misconception’ for her. I don’t think he was a minister for that long!
Re M Thatcher and her success in Cabinet: read a lovely pithy synopsis by Fiona Hill in her autobiog “There is Nothing for you here”, in wh she says she understood that for most of her Cabinet, they were Nanny reared and had a deferential if not dread of Nanny. So Maggie played on this.
It also explains their coining of ‘Nanny State’ ( “Oh No, Nanny, don’t beat me again!”)
I prefer NORA. Number of real alternatives!
This is good
TIARA – it’s Wednesday and they’re panicking on BBC R4.
The Old Guard is being wheeled out to defend TINA in a big way. TINA of course is the status quo.
It’s desperate as MPs are being educated in TIARA and they begin to realize that all they’ve got is money in the face of Democracy.
They understand that we don’t need or want their money – we just need them to get out of the way.
Strange comment, of course we need “their money “, there is no other.
Do you have a clue what MMT says? It seems not
Perhaps I misunderstood the comment. I was referring to the money created by the state
OK
I misread your comment then
’Radical’ is associated with ‘dangerous left’ by the media. ‘Real’ sounds a bit weak. Can I propose ‘rational’ or is that too ‘intellectual’?
It’s for you to decide
[…] commented here, only yesterday, on the Thatcherite term TINA – there is no alternative- and suggested that there is in the form of […]
I had an article published in the West England Bylines a while ago entitled, “It’s time for TAMARA”. There Are Many Alternatives Readily Available. It stayed with the girls’ names theme.
🙂