Mysogenie
Its been nearly two weeks since I last blogged! So what is happening on planet Akela? There's been quite a bit but the main thing I wanted to comment on was something that happened on Sunday night.
Some friends held a party, actually it was more than that, it was a mini festival. These lads live in the middle of nowhere and have a huge back garden, living the batchelor pad dream I think! So they can make plenty of noise. The evening progressed and suddenly the gate crashers turned up. One of them was particularly nasty. At a guess I would say he was in his late 20's or early 30's and clearly drunk. Not a little bit merry like most at the party were, but I mean REALLY drunk.
And he started chatting up a girl there who was only 18 or 19. When she wasn't interested he turned very nasty and aggressive. I wont repeat the things he came out with because they were very unpleasent, rude and abusive. It was dealt with, he and his friends were ejected and things returned to normal.
What worries me though is the view this individual had of women. Yes he was drunk but that is no excuse. In his minds eye this girl was simply some kind of object to be conquered and when he failed the dislike comign from him was clear.
What creates this view of women in some men? Where does this disrespect come from? At the very least this man has a mother and at least two grand mothers. Given this why do they not manage to show them respect?
Its something that goes down through history, everywhere you look, in every walk of life, men have traditionally crapped on women from a great height. In recent years, atleast in the west, this has been far less the case, so why do so many men still take this attitude?
I don't understand.
PS I intend to swear a little less on here, even about the Daily Mail!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Power of Words
I'vebeen reading a book called How to Breath Under Water by Julie Orringer. Its a series of short stories about child hood and one of them, called Notes to Sixth Grade Self I found particularly moving.
Its a story about the ugly geeky kid in school is bullied and ostriziced by the many of the others. It was written with such clarity, sensitivity and humanity that the author had clearly experienced it for themselves. I know because that geeky kid was once me. On that note it was interesting to see one or two removers describe that particular story as one of the less serious. Clearly those reviewers had not been in that position, but that's not really what I wanted to talk about.
What always fascinates me is the power of words. This book, like many others touched me in a way that films have never managed to do, perhaps its a personal thing, perhaps its because this story was about something that I had experienced, but it goes wider than that. Many others books, where I have no connection to, have touched me far deeper and have been more memorable than any image on the screen has been.
I wonder whether it's because a book is such a personal thing, the thoughts and creativity of just one person rather than a mixture of the many that goes into a film? I wont think too deeply on this one, over analysis can sometimes destroy the magic!
I'vebeen reading a book called How to Breath Under Water by Julie Orringer. Its a series of short stories about child hood and one of them, called Notes to Sixth Grade Self I found particularly moving.
Its a story about the ugly geeky kid in school is bullied and ostriziced by the many of the others. It was written with such clarity, sensitivity and humanity that the author had clearly experienced it for themselves. I know because that geeky kid was once me. On that note it was interesting to see one or two removers describe that particular story as one of the less serious. Clearly those reviewers had not been in that position, but that's not really what I wanted to talk about.
What always fascinates me is the power of words. This book, like many others touched me in a way that films have never managed to do, perhaps its a personal thing, perhaps its because this story was about something that I had experienced, but it goes wider than that. Many others books, where I have no connection to, have touched me far deeper and have been more memorable than any image on the screen has been.
I wonder whether it's because a book is such a personal thing, the thoughts and creativity of just one person rather than a mixture of the many that goes into a film? I wont think too deeply on this one, over analysis can sometimes destroy the magic!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Despite having totally chilled myself out listening to the rain I am now on edge again having stupidly read the Daily Mail on line. There is an article about a teenage police community support office.
Now whether 17 year olds are appropriate as police is an important debate, but that is not what they lead with, they lead with the fact that she is a Muslim and wears a veil.
Why the fuck does that matter? What relevence does it have? Would they mention it if she was Christian and wore crucifix? Would they bollocks!
Now whether 17 year olds are appropriate as police is an important debate, but that is not what they lead with, they lead with the fact that she is a Muslim and wears a veil.
Why the fuck does that matter? What relevence does it have? Would they mention it if she was Christian and wore crucifix? Would they bollocks!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Yes its my pet rant again. The Daily Fucking Mail.
Following there sneering comments about the fact that we (the scouts) failed to give muslim kids bacon and sausages for breakfast on Brownsea island, an article that plumbed new depths of spin, ignorance and prejudice, they have now picked up on the fact that 13 scouts from Bangladesh, India and Uganda have gone missing from the jamboree.
Here are the facts. 9 failed to show altogether, 4 went missing. It's not even clear if the first 9 even arrived in the country. One of them is 12, given that you are emant to be 14 to attend a jamboree it indicates that they came with their parent who would have been a leader. To me this indicates they may have gone to visit family.
Most importantly they are here on LEGAL VISITORS VISAS. They are NOT ilegal immigrants.
Yet the mail has written a patronising, sneering article claiming that they are all going to try and stay based on no evidence and thefact that the police can't, quite rightly, prove other wise. I have posted a comment on the site supporting the scouts and thankfully it has reached the top of the comments section.
But how is a paper like this, that is so prejudiced, biased and ignorant able to shift a million copies a day? What is it about the UK population that allows this?
At times words cannot express just how angry this paper makes me.
What frustrates me on a more personal level is my inability to do anything about it. I am a wannabe writer and one of my heros is John Steinbeck. Steinbeck was a writer who managed to take his white hot rage and channel it into an amazing book like the Grapes of Wrath. I just wish that I had such self control.
Following there sneering comments about the fact that we (the scouts) failed to give muslim kids bacon and sausages for breakfast on Brownsea island, an article that plumbed new depths of spin, ignorance and prejudice, they have now picked up on the fact that 13 scouts from Bangladesh, India and Uganda have gone missing from the jamboree.
Here are the facts. 9 failed to show altogether, 4 went missing. It's not even clear if the first 9 even arrived in the country. One of them is 12, given that you are emant to be 14 to attend a jamboree it indicates that they came with their parent who would have been a leader. To me this indicates they may have gone to visit family.
Most importantly they are here on LEGAL VISITORS VISAS. They are NOT ilegal immigrants.
Yet the mail has written a patronising, sneering article claiming that they are all going to try and stay based on no evidence and thefact that the police can't, quite rightly, prove other wise. I have posted a comment on the site supporting the scouts and thankfully it has reached the top of the comments section.
But how is a paper like this, that is so prejudiced, biased and ignorant able to shift a million copies a day? What is it about the UK population that allows this?
At times words cannot express just how angry this paper makes me.
What frustrates me on a more personal level is my inability to do anything about it. I am a wannabe writer and one of my heros is John Steinbeck. Steinbeck was a writer who managed to take his white hot rage and channel it into an amazing book like the Grapes of Wrath. I just wish that I had such self control.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Today sees the end of the Jamboree, an event that has seen fantastic media coverage. Some though has been less positive, the comments made by the Daily Mail about the Brownsea Island camp displayed a level of ignorance and prejudice that was frankly breath taking. The fact that so many scouts from so many countries have lived together in peace whether in Chelmsford, Brownsea or the countless other international gatherings both in the UK and abroad seems utterly alien to them. And I feel sorry for them in that they are so bigoted and cannot appreciate what has happend this summer.
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