Part of the problem is our size. We are a much smaller generation than our parents and grand parents. On the one side this is good because with population booms in the 1950s, and 1960s it has meant an overpopulation problem we are less likely to contribute to. But on a social and political side this is not good because whenever politicians have to decide whether it is better to cater to the middle aged and elderly which is a massive constituency, or to act in our best interests they will ere to the larger group of voters who have clearly forgotten how hard it is as a young person to get ahead in the world, and the ability to strike out into the world is more difficult than ever, regardless of whether one has a degree or not. In part this is because so many have gone to university and acquired bollocks degrees that aren't worth the paper they are printed on and in part it is because regardless of education we are as a whole a rather unskilled and uninspired generation that has not been taught to appreciate hard graft and the time it takes to achieve things. We have also been taught that the university degree and the office job are a far better a goal to aim for than an apprenticeship which leaves one with an honest trade. This remarkable oversight on the part of our parents and educators is leaving a dire situation in which much needed skills and positions are in danger of being lost without a replacement in areas such as, butchers, seamstresses and many other areas. The universities that are supposed to be preparing young people for future careers are instead passing out new degrees which teach us theory about what things might be like but not what we need to know, leaving us completely unprepared for the workforce. We are also being torn asunder by a cavernous schism between the majority of tangoed, lazy, Sheeple whose only ambition is to become Famous by getting on the X Factor, who lap up whatever the mainstream media and advertisers tell them to like, or wear without questioning in any way what is being sold them, who believe any effort is worthless who are afraid of trying because no one has every bothered to push them to greater things or even said no to them. The opposite side of the spectrum is a smaller group of people with ambition, who are questioning what is being presented to them and becoming the leaders and decision makers of the generation both socially, politically and in the workforce.
The workforce we are either studying for, entering into, or already in, is changing and changing very quickly. Many of us entered into mainstream adult life in the boom, and after acquiring debt from university, acquired even more debt off of credit cards after being sold a lifestyle that should be reserved for millionaires. Now in the recession we are losing our work and that lifestyle being sold to us of luxury goods and unnecessary electronic gadgets is forcing us to re-examine how we live. In this climate, the realization that you cannot have your cake and eat it too is hitting hard and turning a generation into pragmatists, perhaps even fatalists. Amidst this stark reality we are turning inwards and asking ourselves hard questions about who we are and what we actually want. The answers are startling and in some cases unexpected. While we agree with many aspects of current train of left wing thought, like nationalization, workers rights, keeping the NHS up to as high a standard as possible. There are some areas where we disagree. They are as follows.
1. Fur is Good. Vegetarians are Bad- Climate Change has turned people into conservationists. The late 20th Century Bambification of cute furry creatures that makes the assumption that humans are not animals and therefore have no place in the food chain, is dead. We are part of the food chain and if rabbits and foxes and seals are destroying crops, attacking poultry farms and babies, and destroying the fisheries, thereby driving up the cost of our groceries, then the only course of action is to kill them, eat them and wear them. The further death knell of the PETA, animal loving, anti fur nutters was the introduction of Origin Assured Fur where every animal is guaranteed to be treated and slaughtered in a humane way. It is not about not eating and wearing the animal, rather it is about knowing where your food comes from and making sure that the meat you consume is ethical and local. Furthermore, it is no longer acceptable to attack other people's and cultures relationships with the natural world that enable them to survive and make a living so that you may feel superior. The Fox and Seal Hunts exist for a reason, both animals are wild animals that left to their own devices will cause havoc and devastate to farmers and fisherman respectively and cost consumers mass inflation at the market for goods that should be abundant. "This is not the first time in human civilization that we as a species have felt the luxury of one form of asceticism or another. The last time this happened huge swathes of Roman nobility and craftsman felt the luxury of allowing themselves to be cut off from civilization intellectually so they could study the ideal man and how that man can rise above nature and be absolutely perfect. This of course is only possible because man and nature and civilization as we knew it then, continued providing food, shelter, security and trade over thousands of kilometres. We of course know what happens when people think the laws of nature do not apply to them and in the fullness of time the resulting folly of humans thinking they are above the basic rules has brought down countless empires and brought personal ruin to more than a few idealists." -Mietek Padowicz
2. Political Correctness is DEAD- In 25 years the Political Correctness movement has been a weapon to destroy culture and marginalize regional traditions and accents. If you live in an area or country where 95.9% of the population is some kind of Christian it is OK to say Merry Christmas. I am served by a mail man or a mail woman not a mail person. It is not possible to be a pregnant person unless you are a sea horse and even then you are a pregnant sea horse. If someone is stupid they are not special they are stupid or dim. Michael Gambon is an Actor and Dame Judi Dench is an Actress they are not both actors. If someone robs you it is acceptable to describe them as black, or white, or Asian, it is a descriptive term not a racist tag. One of the biggest affronts of the political correctness movement was the assumption of a small group of people that they should speak out for every group and every possible minority of people who may possibly be offended by something. If you are a black, one legged, lesbian, depressed, Jewish, hermaphrodite you can speak up for yourself. It is time to stop letting a group of middle aged, reactionaries dictate to us what we can and cannot say, and inform us that we have to give up festivals, traditions, and cultural beliefs that go back in some cases thousands of years. I as a Jewish person do not feel obliged to cancel Christmas so I can enjoy Hannukah. Rather I enjoy the Chinese food and films used as a means of escaping empty streets while everyone else has their meal and if everyone else had to spend Hannukah or Passover in Brooklyn they would know what it might mean to tell an entire community to tone it down when they are in fact a majority in a particular place. Instead of eradicating traditions deemed incendiary and offensive we should instead seek to learn from each other and find the similarities in cultures and traditions.
3. It is NOT cool to be a Feminist- We are a post feminist generation. Most of the women now work because they have to, not because they want to. The ones that enjoy working will do it, but those that want to be Mums first need to be given the chance. We have been marked by single and working mothers who have not been there for us growing up. Many are propagating the cycle again and making the same mistakes as our own mothers. But the trend is a rise in stay at home mothers, that if given the chance to choose would double. This is not a reason to go into a meltdown but rather a chance to meet this change in ideal head on with the proper policy and legislation. We need to redraw proper gender roles because right now, people of both sexes are confused. I frankly am tired of dealing with men who use more hair product than me, and are fussier about their wardrobe and make up and purse, matching than I am. The effeminate metro-sexual man is both ridiculous and off putting. In the current situation men are incapable of anything and must call in a professional for even the simplest of jobs because they simply do not know how to do anything. Men and women need to be taught the gender specific skill sets that both need to survive. Women need to be taught to sew, and knit, and bake, and make lace, and do bead works, and properly raise children. Men need to be taught the basics of electrical work, and the basics of metalworks, and glass works, they need to be taught how to fix things and use tools both simple and electric. Both genders need to be taught to cook meals from scratch so that upon adulthood they can feed themselves without help. We need to realize that there are some things men can do that women cannot, and other things that women can do and men cannot. If you have a man and a woman working together they compliment each other and can cover the blind spots of the others abilities. I further resent the fact that depending on where you live there are jurisdictions that by law tell you what you can and cannot do in the name of sexual equality, some of these measures include the requirement for women to acquire double barrelled last names when they get married, rather than choosing if they wish to take their husbands name or not. Such state intervention in which surely what are personal value choices is a step too far even for me as a socialist.
5. Say Goodbye to Suburbia- With petrol prices out of control, and concern for climate change being our top concern the suburbs and all that accompanies that lifestyle, of the twentieth century ease of living are no longer an acceptable way to live. Rows of houses cut off from local shops where one has to drive 20 minutes in any direction for food is not sustainable. The continued political and social belief that people can be lulled into a false sense of security with the idea that yes we can be environmentally friendly without dramatically changing our lifestyle is wrong. The stark truth is that we will have to change how we live and it will be dramatic, doubly so the more we lie to ourselves and put off the changes that need to be made. While the dream of having everyone being able to live on their own in a large flat or in small family units of 4 in a large house are all very nice, it does not seem to be the most efficient way to house people and the housing market simply cannot keep up with demand for this type of lifestyle. It would make far more sense to promote multi generational families in which children, young people, parents and grandparents all live under one roof. The younger people would of course live with the extended family until they themselves have found a partner. Older members of the family would help care for the children and aid the parents in household duties. This would also help relieve the NHS of keeping healthier old people out of care homes and allow for older family members to stay with people who love them. For centuries the multi generational family has been the corner stone of community , culture and continuity. If there had been a more efficient way of housing people we would have found it by now. The notion that a 17 year old single mother is entitled to a flat of her own, seems irresponsible and misplaced priority when in fact we should be offering her and her child an environment that is multi generational and multi personed where they both can get all the support and family that will get them through the day, rather than have to suffer and choose and be all alone. To have one person even with a child banging around in a place by themselves de-socializes and cuts the mother off from family and community. Being alone opens up the possibility of depression and mental instability being unseen by anyone until it is far too late. Young mothers who are single need the support of their own families which is where they will find the wisdom and knowledge needed to cope with motherhood and avoid the stresses of life on their own. We need to realize that the family unit is the basis for any support system and to tear that base asunder to have a frankly unsustainable living situation is folly. Furthermore, we need to address the reason that young girls are driven to to be sexually active at such young ages. The reason for these girls to be behaving in such a manner is linked to stress at home. We need to attack the disease and not the symptom by promoting stable, two parent households.
6. I am not a Train spotter- The cheapest and most sustainable way to move both product and people is rail. It is the train that is Britain's greatest contribution to the world and it is the train that will get the UK out of the current recession. We need an old fashioned Roman style public works initiative to upgrade every last millimetre of rail to high speed. The actual building will bring jobs to all parts of the country, and the finished product will allow commerce to flow back into currently depleted regions. Along with this, all of the Victorian and Edwardian rail lines that were dismantled by the incredibly misguided Mrs. Thatcher , need to be rebuilt . Thus linking back together currently deceased markets who have been economically depressed by the lack of rail service.
7. If you want peace, prepare for war- It is essential that we stop dismantling the military. We are currently deployed in the Middle East with soldiers on the ground,because of this the army must be given the funds and free reign to do what is necessary and keep our troops as safe as possible. We must also realize that the world is shifting with the United States losing power and the continuation of any nation tying itself to such a collapse will only go down and sink with the ship. Adding to this is the knowledge that Putin has been modernizing the Russian Army, and the Germans are no longer happy with simple economic power, now want to re-militarize and prove their military might. We must realize that both Russia and Germany will act in their best interests, so it is time for Britain to do the same. We must start with the Navy, as England is an island and only as powerful as her Navy. If Lord Admiral Nelson could see the state of the Royal Navy as it is today he would weep. Trade routes still need to be policed and protected. Fisheries still need to be guarded from Spanish and Portuguese fisherman poaching in our waters. Piracy is a very real problem. All of these things are in the domain of our Navy and to ignore these responsibilities and obligations is to hand direct power over to the Chinese and their leaky junks. It is the Royal Navy that has always been directly linked to the economic, social, and political well being of Great Britain, a weak Navy is a weak Britain. A responsible government would commission ships, to be built in the UK and not outside, not only to replace what the Tories are destroying but to bring back a Navy that will protect and serve us and bring respectability and some sense of power back to this island. The RAF must also be cared for as the ConDems have decided to retire Harrier jets another massive mistake. The protection of the Realm must be of the utmost importance and must be given the funding needed to do the job properly. This is especially important as anyone watching BBC 4 documentaries on the Inter War years can easily identify the glaring parallels between what was happening in the 1920s and 1930s in Europe and now with the rise of ultra nationalism, poverty, and extreme political ideologies. If we know the outcome and mistakes of that situation than we must do everything we can to mitigate the near inevitable outcome .
8. I am Middle Class- There is a class a system, and if there is one thing about New Labour that really bothered me it was the almost delusional denial of any class except Charvs. There are upper class twits, anyone that's seen Monty Python knows that. Middle class people should not be made to be ashamed for being middle class. The working class if we are to take ITV seriously are a bunch of Orange, fake bling wearing Charvas who will sleep with anything that moves... maybe in Essex but that is a terrible generalization to make about an entire class. Each part of the social ladder has positive and negative attributes to it and each class should be proud of itself and recognized to exist instead of having politicians and media do a Benny Hill impression and stick their fingers in their ears and sing ting a ling a loo every time class is mentioned.
9. We Want Our High Streets Back- The crass commercialism that has overtaken the UK over the last 20 years is horrid. High streets are being torn apart by large corporate retailers, and communities are being destroyed in the process. There needs to be legislation that helps the rejuvenation of the High Street and promotes small independent merchants . This rekindling of the High Street should not be more overpriced coffee shops, and pet stores with puppy couture for consumers with more money than brains. Rather the shops that should be promoted, are butchers, grocers, small clothing boutiques, tchatchke shops, hardware, and bakers. The kind of shops that people actually need to get along and buy necessary items for living. Along with this Britain needs to produce things, in factories in the UK. If one were to actually ask what does the UK produce at first glance it would appear we are manufacturing call centre employees and enough hot air out of Westminster to fuel climate change for at least a century. For my generation we have to deal with being unskilled regardless of whether one attains a university degree or not. We need to promote skills. Universities need to train people for a profession rather than teach vague theory based on 1970s French philosophy. All of the degrees that end in ""Studies" need to be removed and Universities need to teach degrees like, history, or engineering, or Nursing, or architecture or education. Degrees that have a direct purpose and profession linked to it. For the people who choose not to go to University an apprenticeship must be available. It doesn't matter if the apprenticeship is for carpentry, or glass work, or thatching, it just matters that young people are given marketable skills that can be used to make a decent living instead of relying on a retail based economy that will never allow for a living wage to be paid in order to keep down the cost for the consumer. The fact is that at this point in time, the only way for a person to guarantee a decent wage level is to strike out on your own and start your own business. However, not everyone has what it takes to do this, and many people are raised to expect to get a job at a company and be rewarded for hard work rendered. In the current economic climate this is not possible and so having a proper skill set is more important now than ever.
10. Call a Spade a Spade- In case it hasn't been made totally obvious, climate change is the big issue for young people. We understand the repercussions of being removed from the natural world. Because of this the allotment and green spaces must be protected not only for the good of the planet but so England can raise up footballers from the grass roots and once again claim the world cup glory of 66 because clearly it isn't going to happen with this current lot. One of the realizations aside from saving pitches, of climate change is that we have to grow our own food. For people with houses with proper gardens they can plant rosemary, and potatoes easily and go a long way to save money and reduce carbon footprints. For people who live in flats the allotment is essential to live a sustainable lifestyle. We need to get people to stop eating pre packaged processed foods that are costly and unhealthy, and the allotment is one way to do that. The other way that seriously needs to be looked at is the Norwegian model, where you can buy crisps but because they aren't healthy they'll be taxed heavily but if you want say an apple that will be subsidized and kept cheap. We need something like this in tangent with a programme to teach people how to cook possibly with seasonal regional recipe booklets getting mailed out based by constituency, and a nationwide push to get people to grow, play, and eat properly. Allotments, football, and proper food are the three tiered way to fight the obesity epidemic head on and tap into things all proper Englishmen love.
11. Caravan Conkers- Health and Safety have really taken the piss, like it's not funny anymore. How many ridiculous over the top things are they going to restrict next? Am I not going to be allowed to bake because I burned myself once? Will librarians only be allowed to carry 1 book at a time to reduce risk of a strained wrist? Will my cat be labelled a dangerous risk because he likes to run around at 3 am and knock lamps over? When will the madness stop? I understand common sense things but at this point most of it is just over kill.
12. Why Can't the English Speak?- Just check the comments being made by Daily Scum Mail readers or watch Alesha Dixon on Strictly Come Dancing. The fact that someone is allowed on telly to say things like "You is well improved like". or " I is impressed" is insane. Surely the educational system can teach people proper grammar to use within a regional dialect? Regionalism is of course good but bad grammar, bad spelling, and sounding like a nonce are not acceptable. The fact that so many believe of is spelled ov and believe that you is a single letter is shocking. If you go to France the biggest nob head in France still speaks French. Why is it that everyone else is learning and speaking our own language better than us. It should be a national embarrassment for something like that to happen. And while we're on our counterparts on the continent. The average European is speaking 2 and 3 languages minimum and we can't even speak the one. Not only do we need to find a way to actually teach English to people we need an educational system that ensures every citizen is bilingual. We need to teach a second language as early as possible, small children are like sponges and will absorb anything. We also need to find out how everyone else is managing to churn out bi and tri and multi lingual students that are not just kind of OK in those extra languages but fluent and conversant.
13. Regionalism- If you live in the North East when you turn on the telly or listen to the Radio you should hear Geordie. Regional culture should be promoted, whether it's culinary or musical or local varieties of plants our regions dictate who we are and how we think. Someone all the way in Sheffield will have a totally different outlook because they are from Sheffield. This is good, we should not all be the same, we should celebrate our differences and realize that the multitudes of accents, ideals, and visions is what makes everyone inherently British and this should be celebrated. We should not have London ideas and culture forced on us . We should be proud of our local heritage.
14. I'm Proud of the BBC- Continued support of the BBC is essential especially with attacks coming from Rupert Murdoch and his house trained poodles in the Conservative Party. The news division especially World Service is increasingly important in a world where journalists are more and more marginalized for over the top biased reporters who look pretty but probably can't spell their own names. The BBC produces the vast majority of content not only for itself but the private cable and satellite channels that are to cheap to produce actual content. BBC 4 is responsible for the majority of accurate documentary making in the world. BBC Proms assembled the largest orchestra in the world to promote classical music. There are so many things to be proud of the BBC for, especially programmes like Doctor Who, Top Gear, Lark Rise to Candleford. I can go on for ages but instead I will just say this. Anyone who attacks the BBC will commit political suicide. The BBC is what takes everyone from every walk of life and brings us together and creates one consciousness that is quintessentially British.
Politics even reformist politics, when it forgets what it is about and continues fixing problems that no longer exist and ignores the problems created by the previous solutions is doomed to become irrelevant and out of touch with the very constituencies it believes it represents. While some old things are good and are worth holding onto, other ideas need to be reviewed and surely by taking the latest generation to bubble up as serious voters, rate payers, and workers is the way to go.
0 comments:
Post a Comment