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After TD scadalously referred to me as an 'an angry young man', I thought I would contradict this public image by starting what could be known as the rant thread. It's not just for me, oh no, that would be selfish, and anyone else who wants to get things off their chest, here is your soapbox. I shall, however, be making full use of it, which could surprise a few. Seemed a better idea that turning every thread into a shout about 'mentalists' and 'nutjobs', as I may, occasionally do. I know it annoys me when others always turn threads into one particular thing. Though not enough to write a full rant about. Yet.
So, today I'm angry about....
Attitudes to the young.
This was initially sparked by a piece on the radio about Megamuff and British holidaymakers. Predictably this turned into a binge drinking discussion. Predictably this turned into a 'young people are bastards' piece. Several dour sounding middle aged ex-pats came on talking about 'youths' and 'binge drinking', there was even one woman who came on and said "they come over here with just one intention, to get f*cked". I love that, pontification on morally acceptable behaviour from a woman who thinks it's OK to swear in a radio interview. We then had a clip from Gordon Brown saying it concerned him. Now I've been feeling sorry for Gordon Brown recently, he's like a fly you rescue from your drink, but it's wings are f*cked, so it's a dead fly not flying. However the interview just made me remember what an interferring sod he is. Since when did we vote in a PM to become our overlord? MPs seem to have forgotten they are there to serve us, not the other way around. What we choose to do in our own time, if it isn't against the law, and I checked, and having fun isn't yet illegal, is none of their business. It's like they've read 1984 and though 'yeah, there's some good ideas there'. Many of us like a drink, but clearly, getting the vomit fighting stage is not something to be encouraged. No problem with that, my main problem was, apparently, it's only 'youths' who do it. And that we all do it. All the time.
It's quite odd we have the old and young feeling hard done by on the same day, but today is that day. I'm tired of smirked quips about 'young people' and disapproving looks. I live in a country where it happens to rain a lot. As such, I think a hood attached to a jumper is a good idea, and like the fact it negates the need to carry an awkward umbrella around, so I own three 'hoodies'. This doesn't mean I am going to key your car or steal your mother's handbag. It means, when it's rainy, or windy, I like to shelter from the inclement conditions. Occasionally whilst wearing one of these hoodies, hood down of course, I have passed mothers with children who gawp at me and cast me a look, not of fear, but of scorn and disapproval. Since when did we decide we were such judgemental b*stards. I've often remarked about how we spend so long teaching our kids fundamental rules fror life, only to break them angrily, and often, in front of them. 'Eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, and two wrongs don't make a right. OOOH. LOOK, a pediatrician, kill the cnut'. 'Don't judge a book by it's cover. Tamilla, stay away from those boys, they're wearing hoooooods!'.
I'm also sick of being patronised. Clearly exams ARE getting easier, to deny thst is foolish. That or each generation has got slowly, and steadily more intelligent, without exception, for twenty-odd years. What this doesn't mean however, is that we are all thick. People moan about kids, and standards, and respects, and I'm always reminded of a line from a Frank Turner song,
"It's bad enough the feeling, the first time it hit,
when you realised you're parents had let the world go to sh*t".
Coz that's who I blame, the parents. One generation of kids is not fundamentally better or worse than another, yet it's the people responsible for moulding th ekids who are the first to complain. You were the ones who voted for Maggie, you were the ones who moved to the city, who flattened youth clubs, killed the unions, killed the community. You chased the greedy dream, butchering society, and now what, you want it back? You're suprised all the kids are bastards? You discovered sex, drugs and rock and roll, followed your dreams, and then when it didn't live up to expectations, you wanted out. Broken homes and irresponsible parents, that's who I blame.
That of course assumes we are all in fact feckless bastards. Yet more and more studies find young people feel patronised. The 16-25 year old group is pissed off, and we'd like you all to stop, and let us be thankyou. W*anker media types 'marketing' TV, magazines, and books at our 'demographic'. And they all seem to have come to the same conclusion. We want violent sex orgies constantly, and cannot concentrate for longer than a minute. Dialogue should be mostly swearing. Perhaps there is something in that, but no-body wantes it wall to wall 24/7. Only two sorts of people watch Hollyoaks. Pervy old men, and students. I think we all know why the men watch it, but why do students watch it? Because they relate to it's gritty reality and raunchy overtones? No, they watch, because it's on. You don't need to make lowest common denominator sh*t, scripted by four monketys in a room with one typewriter, and half an hour till the deadline. The fact that the other staple student show is Countdown shows we aren't averse to things with even a hint of intelectuality. I'm sick of being typecast. Like many people my age, I'm 21. After that we are all individuals, products of our own lives, experiences and parenting. Stop lumping us all together and feeling scared. We shall inherit the earth, and if you keep expecting us to fail, and setting low targets then we may f*ck it up, but it'll be your fault.
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There can be no true beauty without decay
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