Or you become Pink Floyd. It’s one or the other.
Can’t disagree with that at all.
It just dawned on me that we elected one of the the biggest fuckwits on the planet to be PM during what is probably the most politically important and sensitive period since WW2.
The results were entirely predictable. I despair.
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There’s a lot of truth in this, even for those coming out of my own independent school where this was unlikely to be a result of environmental conditioning.
To get in you knew you had to score in the top 10% in the country and then to be able to carry off a fucking ridiculous uniform and not care what people think is going to give you a ridiculous sense of self-confidence!
Is that more a reflection of the private schooling system being appropriated by certain portions of society to achieve the socio-pathological phenotypes you describe?
There are many examples of people who have gone through private schools and have emerged as (relatively) normal, socially responsible and productive human beings. I would argue to have some of the attributes resulting from public schooling, such as confidence, purpose and drive, to be more intimately incorporated into the public(state) schooling system.
Private and public schools mean the same thing in the UK.
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I’ve known people who went through the “private” school system who are perfectly normal, decent people. I know others that went to state comprehensives that are arseholes. I don’t think that is necessarily a defining factor.
However, in terms of the “public” school system in the UK being an elite private finishing school for the wealthy and privileged it is a bit different. I’ve met people who went to “public” school who were fine but usually their background was that their parents were in a military or diplomatic background or their parents were otherwise unduly mobile. In those cases they were at a boarding school for entirely practical reasons - they couldn’t be in tow to potentially some fairly dangerous locations. Mostly they were fine and seemed to have some sort of appreciation that they were privileged.
I’ve also met a few who were there to try and buy social advantage and they were generally a different kettle of fish. Essentially, they were sent by rich parents as a turd polishing exercise. Most tended to be arrogant, entitled, abusive and generally thick as two short planks; educated to a high level (typically having done a bullshit subject at Oxford) but clearly unable to stick a logical argument together.
My brother-in-law is a researcher and lecturer at an Oxford collage and he sees it all the time. As he puts it, he deals with the very bright and the very wealthy - they are rarely the same.
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My daughter went to a private school in Liverpool, because I had to remove her from the local comprehensive, due to bullying by the neanderthals who attended that school. The local authority then failed her, by not finding a place in another school. I was left with no alternative but to remortgage my house to fund her schooling for the next five years. It was probably the best decision I ever made, as she loved her years at the private school. Not everyone who send their children to a private school, are wealthy or privileged.
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Not everyone, but a substantial number.
It’s a massive disgrace your daughter was let down by the local authority though.
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In Bangladesh, even at university level, more and more people are choosing the private institutions due their healthier (or less gruesome) environment. The cost is high, but a parent has to prioritize the wellbeing & safety of their child.
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That is a massive failure of government
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Good on you. Priorities.
Being cynical I can’t help feel that the government wouldn’t mind this sort of news story; adds to the whole ‘hostile environment’.
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Sadly, it’s absolutely inevitable that this was going to happen. When the scheme was announced, me and the missus immediately said this was a scandal waiting to happen.
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What jumped out for me was
informal Facebook groups
I think the government need to lay out a clear process for something like this and have everyone following from the same book. Allowing random social media pages and groups to get any sort of involvement is asking for trouble.
I would have thought that UNHCR would be the best bet. In our town in Germany the local social services put out a request for spare rooms (essentially Granny Flats) and people willing to foster kids and pets. There are a lot of people who have made their way here under their own steam but basic vetting can be done quite quickly i.e. criminal records check and making sure that the accommodation is suitable.
I would have thought that the potential attraction of the UK would be if the refugees have basic English language skills. We know a local Russian speaking family that have been helping out locally because they can offer a common language between Ukrainians and Germans and help sort the basic stuff out but if they have suitable language skills themselves it makes life a lot easier.
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One of my daughter’s friends from school, her family is taking in a Ukrainian girl and her mother. These sorts of altruistic acts do lose their charitable shine somewhat when the parents don’t fail to bring it up every time I see them.
Just wait until we start hearing the horror stories of the poor souls that we are going to be packing off to Rwanda.
Heard a story in one case where a refugee was evicted because the landlord suddenly decided that the tennant should pay the utility bills. I understand costs are covered by the government.
As an Aussie, have seen this before with our offshore processing.
I also know someone, a psychologist, who has worked with the people stuck in those shitholes.
For shame, Boris and Priti.
This is the first time since relocating I have felt a little bit of regret at choosing to live in the UK.
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You really would have thought that the ignominy heaped upon Australia after their little ‘experiment’ would have given seasoned politicians in the UK pause for thought… but apparently , and incredibly , not.
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