Apathy In The UK.

Back in 1977 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Silver Jubilee.

I remember the country being awash with Union Jacks and there were street parties everywhere.

I was 11years old at the time and remember our street party being a laugh - the funniest thing was my father and some of his friends coming back from the pub and taking over what had been up till then rather sedate proceedings.
It became chaotically hilarious.

But my most lasting memory was the advent of Punk.

During that year I left Primary School and went to a Comprehensive - the BIG school.
And at this time both me and my brother were discovering Punk.

Living on a council estate in a North East English town we were pretty late in catching up with all the new trends etc coming out of London and the other major cities.
But once we heard The Bollocks album and The Clash we were hooked.
There was a group of us on my estate, all lads and around the same sort of age, who between us somehow managed to get copies of the relatively few punk records available and we played them endlessly.
And it meant something to us.
And as young as we were we GOT IT.
Punk was about not conforming, pushing back the bounderies, being your own person and being in control of your own future and destiny.
These were people we could relate to - not like the mega rich has beens of yesteryear who didn't have a clue what it was like to be young, bored, skint and cast aside on a council estate in the middle of nowhere.

I was too young to be a part of the anti-Jubilee crowd, but I was aware of it and I got it.

And that ethos has stuck with me all these years and I still try to hold true to those values even today.

And here we are 35 years later and The Queens Diamond Jubilee is upon us.
And what have we got?
Well pretty much nothing.
As usual we have MSM hyping the Jubilee celebrations up but the reality is something quite different.
There hasn't been a single application, (the fact that you have to apply for a party is in itself a sad reflection on how society has changed for the worse in many ways), for a street party in my town and having spoken to friends from all around the UK I understand that is by no means unique or councils have received very few applications.
But there are no widescale protests planned as well.
Just nothing.
Apathy.
People see it as another day off work and a chance to either go to the pub and get pissed or have a barbie or something similar.
The vast majority of people simply don't give a toss.
And that saddens me - I can understand if people want to sing Rule Britannia and God Save The Queen at the top of their voice, I might not agree with the sentiments but I understand it and respect it.
I can understand if someone wants to protest about it and scream 'Smash the system' etc and voice their discontent about the monarchy etc.
Again, I may not agree but I certainly respect their opinion and their right and willingness to express it.
But I just can't accept this wholescale apathy and indifference to anything and everything.

This apathy is a sign of the malignance that is eating away at the very core of our society.
FFS, have some passion, have some pride, have some balls and more importantly have an opinion.
Who gives a toss what that opinion is as long as it's reasoned and considered.

People are just sitting back and accepting everything that is being done to them and appear anesthetized to events going on around them and which have a direct impact on their everyday lives.
They have been lobotomised with a diet of X Factor, Jeremy Kyle, Coronation Street, Echo Falls, pre-prepared Sunday dinners in characterless pubs and various other mind numbing bollocks.

It's a crap state of affairs when a nation is more concerned with the goings on of a sad bunch of talentless and brainless wannabees than the corruptions and hypocrisy of a bunch of self-serving, self-advancing politicians whose only considerations are one's of personal gain and advancement.

This thread was supposed to have been about the blatant hypocrisy and double standards of Baroness Warsi and most of her fellow politicians etc and the rather incestuous nature between those politicians and Civil Servants, Media, Police etc but it somehow didn't pan out that way.

I probably won't bother now, and let's face it, who cares? - Not many of us!.

I watched a doco on the Sex pistols a while ago. The state of the country at that time was what I found to be the most interesting part.
Do you remember the garbage strikes? There was alot of racial tension at that time too hey?

They have been lobotomised

And I agree with what you are saying. Especially that part. Edit- like with Western voters I mean. Not just the UK.

reply to post by Freeborn


MSM was so hyping it up here in the UK and this article is exactly how it really is.

I was 5 years old in 77....great days, great days.

Used to wear my "London Calling" t-shirt with pride.....back in the days where every street in our village had a float for the carnival, usualy a borrowed tractor and trailer from one of the locals.......this was before the days of hundreds of pounds insurance for each float and a ban on throwing coins onto the floats due to healthy and safety. Now what do we get? A couple of floats max, thats including the local fire engine.

Our village is having a big party, in the local footie ground i believe, and i know a few people who are giving the council the finger as far as party applications are concerned.

Didn't even Cameron say not to bother filling out stupid forms for a street party?

CX.

ETA: Oh yeah.....and every Sunday theres a nice big roast on the table......not the floor or sofa in front of The Voice.....the table.

Originally posted by Freeborn

And here we are 35 years later and The Queens Diamond Jubilee is upon us.
And what have we got?
Well pretty much nothing.
As usual we have MSM hyping the Jubilee celebrations up but the reality is something quite different.
There hasn't been a single application, (the fact that you have to apply for a party is in itself a sad reflection on how society has changed for the worse in many ways), for a street party in my town and having spoken to friends from all around the UK I understand that is by no means unique or councils have received very few applications.
But there are no widescale protests planned as well.
Just nothing.
Apathy.
People see it as a nother day off work and a chance to either go to the pub and get pissed or have a barbie or something similar.
The vast majority of people simply don't give a toss.
And that saddens me - I can understand if people want to sing Rule Britannia and God Save The Queen at the top of their voice, I might not agree with the sentiments but I understand it and respect it.
I can understand if someone wants to protest about it and scream 'Smash the system' etc and voice their discontent about the monarchy etc.
Again, I may not agree but I certainly respect their opinion and their right and willingness to express it.
But I just can't accept this wholescale apathy and indifference to anything and everything.

This apathy is a sign of the malignance that is eating away at the very core of our society.
FFS, have some passion, have some pride, have some balls and more importantly have an opinion.
Who gives a toss what that opinion is as long as it's reasoned and considered.

People are just sitting back and accepting everything that is being done to them and appear anesthetized to events going on around them and which have a direct impact on their everyday lives.
They have been lobotomised with a diet of X Factor, Jeremy Kyle, Coronation Street, Echo Falls, pre-prepared Sunday dinners in characterless pubs and various other mind numbing bollocks.

It's a crap state of affairs when a nation is more concerned with the goings on of a sad bunch of talentless and brainless wannabees than the corruptions and hypocrisy of a bunch of self-serving, self-advancing politicians whose only considerations are one's of personal gain and advancement.

This thread was supposed to have been about the blatant hypocrisy and double standards of Baroness Warsi and most of her fellow politicians etc and the rather incestuous nature between those politicians and Civil Servants, Media, Police etc but it somehow didn't pan out that way.

I probably won't bother now, and let's face it, who cares? - Not many of us!.

Nice post, sad but true.... However, my view on this - yeah the majority (Sheeple) whatever you want to call them are apathetic. The system (Media, guberment, taxes etc) has worked perfectly to shape the society we now live in. I think most people are more concerned (rightly so) with paying their bills, forgetting their slave jobs that they go to and staying afloat - who cares about an outdated monarchy anyway; I mean seriously, how can you have a true meritocratic society when there is a Royal Family who are "born" into privilege.

The other angle is that we live in a police state and people are to scared to protest; protest= you are labelled a terrorist. (Google "the use of soft information on CRB's") or see this blog richardbaum.mycouncillor.org.uk...

Essentially the use of "soft info" on CRB's (CRB's are becoming more necessary for every job now), gives the police the power to ruin your life based on no evidence or conviction!!... For example, lots of people would have been arrested during the London riots and released without charge. On any crb they receive for the rest of their lives it will say on the additional info section something along the lines of "Arrested during the London riots", that line alone will wreck peoples lives and careers....

In my opinion we have lost a sense of pride in our country....i do like the royal family and i think the thought of them being part of some elite new world order is ridiculous as other threads i have seen claim

i think you will find that many street parties and such will occur during the jubilee. a lack of applications simply means that people did not feel like informing the council of their intention to do so......not surprising considering how our councils are run these days.... and why should we need to apply for the right to celebrate.....perhaps in our own way we are standing against a system of control and saying screw you! we will not ask for permission for something that is our right.....

just a thought

prepare for many stars.
i think the lack of caring is somewhat down to the lack of hope. as things get apparently worse we either get angry or stop caring. the angry ones get locked up or killed usually.

you forgot the most brain rotting show. The only way is Essex. garbage

reply to post by Germanicus

I watched a doco on the Sex pistols a while ago

The Sex Pistols were an amazing band - they just blew the past away - it was like the past didn't count for anything, it was about the here and now and doing things YOUR way.

John Lydon is an exceptionally intelligent man with a unique insight in to things, his book No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish is a great and must read.

I'm not one inclined towards heroes - John Lydon is my hero - and he would find that hilarious - as indeed do I

. The state of the country at that time was what I found to be the most interesting part.

The country was in a crap state, but then again it nearly always is when viewed from the bottom!

Do you remember the garbage strikes?

The winter of discontent etc is just a vague childhood memory really.
I remember thinking it was such an adventure having candles all around the house etc.

There was alot of racial tension at that time too hey?

Living in a North East town there was very little racism at all - there were few Black or Asian people living there, and the few that did integrated fully into life and it really wasn't an issue at all.
One of my best friends at the time was one of the small handful of Black children on my estate.

Whilst there are far more Black and Asian people living here now things haven't really changed much with the Black community especially being very much established and integrated.
Elements within the Asian community keep themselves pretty much to themselves but there's very little trouble between the communities.

Of course things were different in other parts of the country particularly in the major cities in The Midlands and The South.

Great post OP and unfortunately true..

I think the balls of many have dropped off in this country and only seem to grow back when something affects a football team..

The attitude of you can strip me naked with taxes but mess with my footy team and all hell breaks loose I will never get it....

I also do not get the fawning royal worshippers either.. Although a part of me feels a sense of pride when I see millions sing Land of Hope and Glory, it quickly fades when I realise that these same people will accept the status quo no matter what it does to them.. Celebrating a family that does not give a flying monkeys about them and did nothing when previous governments stabbed every one of us in the back for their own ends...

Their self serving attitudes has seemed to leech into the whole population who only seems to care about itself making British society docile, selfish and needing a very huge kick up the arse to wake it up..

I have copied and pasted your OP to my facebook page..

I hope the words serve to wake someone up..

Like I said.. Good post Freeborn

Fantastic post...adding so I can re-read and digest later, and add something more to it beyond my short few lines here...

The apathy - it's everywhere.
People are so switched off to pretty much everything, and I blame Facebook/twitter and the endless freak of "reality" tv
It's amazing - social networking - is just plain antisocial
Reality TV - don't make me laugh, why not get out there and enjoy a bit of actual reality

reply to post by Freeborn


Wotcha mate, very good thread again. Probably won't surprise you to know i am very firmly in the Royals camp, mainly because they speak far more sense than the vast majority of politicians!

I have to say though, like you, the apathy present in this country drives me mad. Ask someone what they think and you usually get "um, i don't really know". What? How can you not have an opinion on things?

Personally, i think it is because of several reasons. The dumbing down of the media is an obvious candidate but in all honesty i actually do not see that as that the principle reason. More, i point to the fact that the majority have comfortable lives. Even poverty these days is of a different level - at least the government provides social housing and dole money (unlike even the recent past). Added to this, we have had lightweight politicians for decades (with only a few exceptions). Personally, i like my politicians to speak their mind. I do not care whether or not i agree with them, only that they believe themselves! Frank Field (not my party of choice) is probably my favourite MP because you just knows he believes in what he is saying.

Basically, we have been led (and allowed ourselves to be) down the route to apathy.

Oh, by the way, plenty of street parties planned for my neck of the woods.

Originally posted by facchino
Fantastic post...adding so I can re-read and digest later, and add something more to it beyond my short few lines here...

The apathy - it's everywhere.
People are so switched off to pretty much everything, and I blame Facebook/twitter and the endless freak of "reality" tv
It's amazing - social networking - is just plain antisocial
Reality TV - don't make me laugh, why not get out there and enjoy a bit of actual reality

Twitter and Facebook - i bloody hate them! Nothing short of technological Tourettes, people basically shouting look at me, look at me. Rise of them is one reason i secretly hope for another Carrington Event! At least that way we will have some quite time for a few months..........

Im giving this thread a shameless bump..

This deserves to be debated and not just disappear.

Which would prove the OPs point..

I did my Sociology dissertation on Youth Sub Cultures in the UK in 2000. My premise was that the Dance/Rave culture had brought an end to traditional working class youth subcultures like the Punk's, The Mods and Rockers etc. These groups identified themselves as being anti establishment and as predominantly working class.

What Rave culture brought with it was a break down of those traditional barriers between races, gender and class that separated young people in the past. It had anti establishment elements, but they weren't a core part of the movements values.

I believe as conditions decline in this country economically we will witness more anti establishment values coming through in youth culture. This is a generation that feels they have had the rug pulled from beneath their feet, these feelings will be coming through their music. I imagine there culture will be deomised by the establishment, like those of the Punk, The Mod , the Rocker.

As for the Street parties, my village is having one. But then I do live in Tory heartland, where many of the women look a bit like the queen. Unfortunately I wont be able to attend.

reply to post by Ph03n1x

In my opinion we have lost a sense of pride in our country

In times of peace they always try to knock our sense of pride out of us.
Why?
I suspect it's because 'they' are frightened of us.

But what do we have to be 'proud' of.
Certainly not the bollocks they would have us to revel in etc.

It's the ordinary 'man in the street' that made this country Great and not those chinless wonders and public school brats who represent everything that is rotten and corrupt in the UK.

Sure I'm proud of the this countries heritage and it's culture but I hold no allegiance whatsoever to those who have ruled us for centuries and have more control and influence now than they have had for years.

....i do like the royal family

As long as they keep out of the governing of this country and continue to cost relatively next to nothing they're ok......any attempt at interfering in how this country is run then it's off with their heads say's I.....I doubt they'd be so stupid but you never know.

But none of that was my point in the OP.

I don't care if someone is pro-monarchy as long as it's for a reason not just simply 'because' or 'coz she's The Queen in she' or other such drivel.
Or worse still they simply have no opinion at all - 'dunno' or 'don't care, nowt to do wiv me'.
Of course it's got something to do with you, try and think for yourself just once!

At least anti-monarchists have attempted some level of independant thought and reasoning.

i think you will find that many street parties and such will occur during the jubilee.

Not round here mate.

Depending on the weather there'll probably be a few barbecues etc and the pubs will be full on the Sunday with most people nursing hangovers and black eyes on the Monday and recovering before returning to work on Tuesday or signing on.

why should we need to apply for the right to celebrate

Oh, I agree entirely, why indeed should we have to.

Exactly the same as we shouldn't have to apply for the right to protest and demonstrate and the police and local council authorities shouldn't have the ability to deny us our right of protest - but they have - that's where our apathy has gotten us. (Is that gramatically correct?)

.....perhaps in our own way we are standing against a system of control and saying screw you! we will not ask for permission for something that is our right.....

I'd like to think you were right my friend, alas I think it's more likely that people simply don't give a toss.

My problem is, I just can't really understand why in the 2012 we still have such an antiquated institution as a Monarchy. How can one Family, who on their own track record are not spectacular in any way, have been living it up for so long. Normally families who have lots of kids living off the state are pilloried in our society. I admit Liz has done a good job as head of state, but she will not live forever, then we get Charlie.

monarchy to me is like religion. I just don't get it.

People will wake up soon enough, when it starts hitting people economically. We still have more than 80% of the cuts to come and most of the cuts that have been made have yet to kick in. In my opinion we are going to witness one of the most traumatic periods in British history since the 2nd World War.

reply to post by EvanB


Thanks Evan, it's only what always happens with my threads, not that I've ever been a prolific thread starter.

Maybe it's because they tend to be UK specific etc, it's no bigee though really - but I appreciate all the responses and could quite easily reply to them all but I think people would soon become sick of seeing me rattle on and on.

reply to post by Flavian

Probably won't surprise you to know i am very firmly in the Royals camp,

I try my best not to assume anything mate.....but it's still no great surprise I guess.
At least you have REASONS and not just 'because' etc......and that's so important.

mainly because they speak far more sense than the vast majority of politicians!

Charles and Philip talk sense?
Personally I think they are as far removed and out of touch with everyday people as anyone could possibly be.

Even poverty these days is of a different level - at least the government provides social housing

The government never really provided social housing, local councils did.
And there's far less social housing nowadays than there used to be.
And guess what, that was one of the primary causes of the housing boom that brought about so much misery to millions and for which we are still paying the price today - but I think that's a discussion for another time and place mate.

I don't agree with everything he says etc but Frank Field is one of the few remaining politicians of conviction and whose integrity remains intact to this day - he should be held up as an example of what politicians should be and not the horrible, corrupt and amoral egotists who pass themselves off as politicians today.

Maybe I'll have a look down York way sometime over the weekend.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


woody mate you should write a thread along the lines of your Sociology dissertation and I'd love to contribute - I have quite a few thoughts / opinions on exactly that myself and it'd be great to discuss them with you.

Personally I think that between the senior music execs and the politicians they immediatedly ensured that the Rave / Dance scene went mainstream thus ensuring they had control of it.
As I recall the early underground days had a pretty similar feel to it that punk did.
There was certainly a do-it-yourself and out with the old attitude to it.
But TPTB didn't want another punk on their hands.

Originally posted by Freeborn
reply to post by Ph03n1x

 

In my opinion we have lost a sense of pride in our country

In times of peace they always try to knock our sense of pride out of us.
Why?
I suspect it's because 'they' are frightened of us.

But what do we have to be 'proud' of.
Certainly not the bollocks they would have us to revel in etc.

It's the ordinary 'man in the street' that made this country Great and not those chinless wonders and public school brats who represent everything that is rotten and corrupt in the UK.

Sure I'm proud of the this countries heritage and it's culture but I hold no allegiance whatsoever to those who have ruled us for centuries and have more control and influence now than they have had for years.

....i do like the royal family

As long as they keep out of the governing of this country and continue to cost relatively next to nothing they're ok......any attempt at interfering in how this country is run then it's off with their heads say's I.....I doubt they'd be so stupid but you never know.

But none of that was my point in the OP.

I don't care if someone is pro-monarchy as long as it's for a reason not just simply 'because' or 'coz she's The Queen in she' or other such drivel.
Or worse still they simply have no opinion at all - 'dunno' or 'don't care, nowt to do wiv me'.
Of course it's got something to do with you, try and think for yourself just once!

At least anti-monarchists have attempted some level of independant thought and reasoning.

i think you will find that many street parties and such will occur during the jubilee.

Not round here mate.

Depending on the weather there'll probably be a few barbecues etc and the pubs will be full on the Sunday with most people nursing hangovers and black eyes on the Monday and recovering before returning to work on Tuesday or signing on.

why should we need to apply for the right to celebrate

Oh, I agree entirely, why indeed should we have to.

Exactly the same as we shouldn't have to apply for the right to protest and demonstrate and the police and local council authorities shouldn't have the ability to deny us our right of protest - but they have - that's where our apathy has gotten us. (Is that gramatically correct?)

.....perhaps in our own way we are standing against a system of control and saying screw you! we will not ask for permission for something that is our right.....

I'd like to think you were right my friend, alas I think it's more likely that people simply don't give a toss.

i was brought up in a military family. i joined the army at 16 i am proud to serve my country and my loyalty to the crown comes from that.

what i don't get is. if we wanted to protest without asking permission they can't do anything to stop us. any show of force from them would get instant media attention and with social networks news travels fast it's a pity we don't seem to use the things available to us to arrange such things. instead we use it to arrange riots and fights at football matches once again proving your point.

(Them) being government officials)

LOL

reply to post by Ph03n1x

i was brought up in a military family. i joined the army at 16 i am proud to serve my country and my loyalty to the crown comes from that.

I have an enormous amount of respect for and a deep sense of gratitude to all past and present members of our Armed Services.

what i don't get is. if we wanted to protest without asking permission they can't do anything to stop us.

But they can get The Police to act as a private enforcement agency and to brutalise the protesters.
Or as agent provocateurs as they did inThe Miners Strike and The Poll Tax Riots etc.
They can manipulate the already compliant MSM to portray the protesters in whatever light they choose to do so.
They can arrest protest organisers and activists on trumped up charges and do enormous damage to their credibility and reputation.
They can invoke several repressive pieces of legislation that make legitimate demonstrations and protests a quite complicated things to organise.

any show of force from them would get instant media attention and with social networks news travels fast it's a pity we don't seem to use the things available to us to arrange such things.

Weren't the riots last started as a form of protest against brutality etc.
Amazing how the media soon dropped all social aspects to the rioting and immediately portrayed it as nothing but wanton destruction and another example of the feral nature of our youngsters and the need for even more repressive legislation.
And how many people were prosecuted and jailed for posting things on Facebook?
Not exactly a safe medium to be broadcasting details of an illegal protest.

instead we use it to arrange riots and fights at football matches once again proving your point.

Exactly, because there is little else we can use it for.....apart from the Direct Democracy UK page....
link deleted as it went directly to my Facebook page and not the Direct Democracy page

But this works, I think?

democracyreform.co.uk...

ETA
Perhaps someone more technically able could provide the links to the Direct Democracy page?

reply to post by Freeborn


I like your thread Freeborn and you raise some interesting points, but in terms of the apparent apathy towards the Diamond Jubilie what do you want people to do exactly?

I'd say there was plenty of celebration and street parties for the royal wedding, but then a wedding is far more relatable to the masses.

To me personally the Jubilie and also the Olympics is a case of the country rapidly going down the tubes but hey let's have a massive party! Keep dancing everybody!

I remember in 1995 we had a street party for the 50th Anniversary of V-E Day. The army even came with an armoured car type vehicle. I don't know what it was but at the time I was so young I called it a tank.

The masses are distracted by programs such as the X-Factor and The Only Way is Essex (or TOWIE as it's known) and although it seems a cliche to say those things on this site now, it's still very true. How many people do you see posting important news stories on Facebook about things going on in the country or in the world compared to how many are posting about Eastenders or the above mentioned dross?

I remember (I think it was last year) when Blackburn football club where in dire straits and a group of fans were holding a protest against the manager outside the stadium. I can't remember exactly when this was but I know at the time there were important things going on domestically and abroad, yet these deranged people somehow felt the need to protest their football club's manager. Yet the government can ride roughshod over us all and for all intents and purposes do what it wants with little complaint from the general public, save some grumblings and mild anger which after a while is soon forgotten or meekly accepted. It's truly pathetic and it saddens me.