Following the recent riots in the UK, many posh people have been talking over the reasons behind the looting. It appears that nothing can happen without an underlying cause. Nobody likes to admit that modern cultures and bad parenting combined with poverty may cause people to become scumbags.
Throughout the debate, a historian called David Starkey, tried to give his opinion on one of the causes during what was meant to be an intelligent debate on a UK news programme. His opinion caused a massive backlash from politicians and popularity-seekers everywhere. Suddenly, the country shuddered as everyone got on to their high horses to blast the poor man about his opinion, once again proving that we are not yet evolved enough to have an intelligent discussion on race and the crimes associated with various subcultures within racial groups.
Curiously, I wonder what the opinion of the general public would've been if it was a coloured person who expressed David Starkey's views?
So, what is my opinion you may ask?
I'm white. Therefore I am incapable of having an intelligent debate about race and crime because if I did, that would make me a racist.
I yearn for the day that adults can have a discussion and address the problems that come hand in hand with having a multicultural society. I am happy to share my country with so many different people of different cultures and creeds, but I'm disappointed that we cannot fix the few problems that arise as a result.
One day, lives will be saved when people are intelligent enough to discuss these issues without screaming 'racist' to bolster their own popularity.
Monday 15 August 2011
Tuesday 9 August 2011
Why I Pray for the Zombie Apocalypse...
It's August the 9th, 2011 and Britain has seen a spate of rioting and looting on a par with that which took parts of the country back in the 80's. People are burning things, stealing, mugging and generally being total dicks. This is an extreme underline to the reasons why, quite often, I wish the zombie apocalypse upon humanity.
Like many, many people across the world I am fascinated by the idea of being suddenly thrown into a situation where society has broken down and everyone, regardless of background, culture, creed or wealth is square. The slate wiped clean. Of course, fighting zombies and acting without consequence is one of main reasons anyone fantasises about something which, in all honesty, would be quite a horrible experience. The fact that this is such an entertaining and appealing topic should really have people questioning the state of current society.
Our world is dominated and run by greedy individuals. It is also influenced by greedy corporations (I hate sounding like a hippy, but this is what I believe). In turn, they service greedy classes who want nothing more than to have one over on their neighbour. Those who experience poverty also have a greedy state of mind, many turning to a life of crime to get what they want or abuse the system in order to get something for nothing. This may seem like a scathing and unfair view of modern culture but to me, it is the truth. We live in a capitalist society so there is always going to be an element of greed involved as corporations attempt to make as much profit as possible but, like environmental issues, greed is something that should be sustainable.
If you read any sci-fi novel you see a future dominated by an elite few corporations. Whilst this is science fiction, is has basis upon predictions in science fact. Unsustainable greed -- what I see as continued revenue increase without anything being given 'back' -- is what causes this often bleak view of the future where it is not governments that dictate the way we live but corporations.
We are a long way from any such corporate-controlled future but the riots across Britain are highlighting something which is an underlying problem not just in British society but all across the globe. Any reason, however small, gives people an excuse to become disorderly and commit crime. If this is not stamped out quickly and people are seen to be 'getting away' with their crimes then this escalates. Many modern people have weak morals. Not all, but many. Use this as an example and ask yourself what you would do: You walk past the scene of recent looting and see a shop with its windows smashed. On the floor in front of you lie two unopened iPads. There is nobody around. Do you take these, thus becoming one of those looters you claim to hate or do you walk away?
This is the essence of greed. Getting something for nothing. Because of the society we live in where you are not rewarded for good actions nor punished for the bad, greed is allowed to flourish. Those individuals who are walking out of burning electronics stores with new TV's and iPads are opportunistic scavengers who are simply taking advantage of a system which doesn't know how to handle the gravity of their crimes.
More CCTV (properly monitored) and harsher approach to criminal behaviour is something that I believe would help. This is a grim view of the immediate future but may help to create brighter prospects in the long term. In addition to this, those that take (large companies included) should be asked to give a little back. With fuel and energy prices rocketing (without acceptable cause), bankers bonuses rising and spending cuts that affect the poor (but have little impact on the rich) we should expect feelings of anger to boil. These exacerbate a situation which should not be as contagious as it is.
I can't see there being an easy or quick solution to all of the problems faced by this country or even the world. But, in my mind, when I envision a perfect future it is one where corporations support the communities around them by providing jobs and invest in new, smaller companies that are starting up with shared interests. In my future, energy companies seek new forms of fuel and invest in companies developing vehicles that run on their goods. In my future, bankers don't hoard the wealth they gain and give ridiculous bonuses to those that run their company, they invest in innovative ways to help people save or just give a portion of their profits to charitable causes. In my future the compensation culture is gone and people don't get something for nothing but instead get rewarded for hard work and leading a good, honest life.
It's either that, or an apocalypse. History and prehistory have shown that humankind can only progress and can only shine in periods where it is utterly threatened. Nothing unites the world like a zombie apocalypse.
Like many, many people across the world I am fascinated by the idea of being suddenly thrown into a situation where society has broken down and everyone, regardless of background, culture, creed or wealth is square. The slate wiped clean. Of course, fighting zombies and acting without consequence is one of main reasons anyone fantasises about something which, in all honesty, would be quite a horrible experience. The fact that this is such an entertaining and appealing topic should really have people questioning the state of current society.
Our world is dominated and run by greedy individuals. It is also influenced by greedy corporations (I hate sounding like a hippy, but this is what I believe). In turn, they service greedy classes who want nothing more than to have one over on their neighbour. Those who experience poverty also have a greedy state of mind, many turning to a life of crime to get what they want or abuse the system in order to get something for nothing. This may seem like a scathing and unfair view of modern culture but to me, it is the truth. We live in a capitalist society so there is always going to be an element of greed involved as corporations attempt to make as much profit as possible but, like environmental issues, greed is something that should be sustainable.
If you read any sci-fi novel you see a future dominated by an elite few corporations. Whilst this is science fiction, is has basis upon predictions in science fact. Unsustainable greed -- what I see as continued revenue increase without anything being given 'back' -- is what causes this often bleak view of the future where it is not governments that dictate the way we live but corporations.
We are a long way from any such corporate-controlled future but the riots across Britain are highlighting something which is an underlying problem not just in British society but all across the globe. Any reason, however small, gives people an excuse to become disorderly and commit crime. If this is not stamped out quickly and people are seen to be 'getting away' with their crimes then this escalates. Many modern people have weak morals. Not all, but many. Use this as an example and ask yourself what you would do: You walk past the scene of recent looting and see a shop with its windows smashed. On the floor in front of you lie two unopened iPads. There is nobody around. Do you take these, thus becoming one of those looters you claim to hate or do you walk away?
This is the essence of greed. Getting something for nothing. Because of the society we live in where you are not rewarded for good actions nor punished for the bad, greed is allowed to flourish. Those individuals who are walking out of burning electronics stores with new TV's and iPads are opportunistic scavengers who are simply taking advantage of a system which doesn't know how to handle the gravity of their crimes.
More CCTV (properly monitored) and harsher approach to criminal behaviour is something that I believe would help. This is a grim view of the immediate future but may help to create brighter prospects in the long term. In addition to this, those that take (large companies included) should be asked to give a little back. With fuel and energy prices rocketing (without acceptable cause), bankers bonuses rising and spending cuts that affect the poor (but have little impact on the rich) we should expect feelings of anger to boil. These exacerbate a situation which should not be as contagious as it is.
I can't see there being an easy or quick solution to all of the problems faced by this country or even the world. But, in my mind, when I envision a perfect future it is one where corporations support the communities around them by providing jobs and invest in new, smaller companies that are starting up with shared interests. In my future, energy companies seek new forms of fuel and invest in companies developing vehicles that run on their goods. In my future, bankers don't hoard the wealth they gain and give ridiculous bonuses to those that run their company, they invest in innovative ways to help people save or just give a portion of their profits to charitable causes. In my future the compensation culture is gone and people don't get something for nothing but instead get rewarded for hard work and leading a good, honest life.
It's either that, or an apocalypse. History and prehistory have shown that humankind can only progress and can only shine in periods where it is utterly threatened. Nothing unites the world like a zombie apocalypse.
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