tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post2904044969456473303..comments2024-01-01T17:21:52.555+00:00Comments on Is the BBC biased?: On Radio 4 ComedyCraighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741318067991857821noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-11300184378691714222017-11-20T00:12:52.167+00:002017-11-20T00:12:52.167+00:00Have a watch of Howards End - set in that period a...Have a watch of Howards End - set in that period at the very zenith of British Imperialism when Imperial Glory was all the rage - and yet there was already plenty of middle class guilt around. My own view is that a lot of that guilt is not misplaced. Whilst the British Empire did some good, it also did a lot of self-interested bad: engaging in slavery, dispossessing native farmers, effectively exterminating some peoples, closing down the Indian cotton industry, setting communities against each other and exacting bloody revenge on those who did accept our self-imposed rule. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-80254337984496273962017-11-19T18:10:43.621+00:002017-11-19T18:10:43.621+00:00I’m not convinced about that - those who seem to f...I’m not convinced about that - those who seem to feel guilt are those who have been educated to do so via our institutions not by background. <br /><br />You’ve also got to factor into the argument the devastation caused by two world wars had on peoples perception of nationalism and the change that had on our institutions.<br /><br />Clockworkorangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07538039281226245073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-19095050175072666652017-11-19T16:59:17.847+00:002017-11-19T16:59:17.847+00:00I think that is the point, isn't it? The avera...I think that is the point, isn't it? The average Brit only saw a surge in their material wellbeing and health AFTER we started getting rid of the Empire from the late 1940s onwards. It was really an upper middle class racket, designed to create well paid jobs for the young children without much of an inheritance. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-45834678045621675872017-11-19T16:55:56.475+00:002017-11-19T16:55:56.475+00:00True but our Empire is a lot more recent - we'...True but our Empire is a lot more recent - we've even got a few bits left - and a lot of wealthier families still enjoy personal wealth derived from that era. I think it is an observable fact that it is people from that background, rather than working class people who are more inclined to express guilt about our imperial past. Personally I subscribe to the Orwellist view of Empire - a complete racket and not something that improved the lot of the average Brit. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-59937951187116408682017-11-18T23:44:56.023+00:002017-11-18T23:44:56.023+00:00The other interesting thing is that joe public did...The other interesting thing is that joe public didn’t exactly have it that good at home, whilst the country was out “oppressing”, building railways and setting up stable governments.<br /><br />Have you seen a sailors rations from the late 1700’s to early 1800’s? looks bad doesn’t it? Well people at the time actually considered it better than what most ate on land. Those that worked in factories were often slaves in all but name, but nobody seems to what compensations or an apology.Clockworkorangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07538039281226245073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-76496502989333743592017-11-18T16:18:54.835+00:002017-11-18T16:18:54.835+00:00Dividing the world into either oppressed or oppres...Dividing the world into either oppressed or oppressor is as intellectually empty as the Post Modernist drivel from which is derides. <br />Orwell accurately identified the sub-group to which bores like Dennis and Punt belong back in the 30’s. To paraphrase, they don’t really care for the poor at all, they just hate the rich - or basically anybody who has something that they haven’t. <br /> Terrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-72103786062608426972017-11-18T13:32:00.963+00:002017-11-18T13:32:00.963+00:00There isn’t a race, nationality or people who’s an...There isn’t a race, nationality or people who’s ancestors haven’t been involved in oppressing, exploiting, killing or enslaving another race, nationality or people at some point in history. You might as well just feel guilty for being alive....Clockworkorangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07538039281226245073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-8801743987372772002017-11-18T13:24:49.203+00:002017-11-18T13:24:49.203+00:00How often does the BBC immediately adapt an NT Pro...How often does the BBC immediately adapt an NT Production? <br /><br /><br />https://twitter.com/bbcarts/status/931834274784870400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbiasedbbc.org%2Fblog%2F2017%2F11%2F18%2Fweekend-open-thread-168%2F<br /><br />Answer: hardly ever...not being in the interests of either organisation, but clearly they have made an exception in the case of a load of anti-Brexit hooey. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-4100079881876795212017-11-18T13:20:59.941+00:002017-11-18T13:20:59.941+00:00That sent the Rantometer off the scale Craig! Exce...That sent the Rantometer off the scale Craig! Excellent!<br /><br />Yes, I find the Now Show pretty unlistenable to now.<br /><br />Steve Punt's family were I guess part of the British Empire roadshow, as he was born in Cyprus on the UK base. Hugh Dennis's dad was a Bishop. <br /><br />Fits in with my theory that a lot of the BBC's support for "social justice" causes derives from upper middle class guilt - the people who dominate the BBC tend to come from families that did well out of slavery and empire. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-77934922588411426562017-11-17T23:07:26.907+00:002017-11-17T23:07:26.907+00:00Something I read recently that had me laughing mad...Something I read recently that had me laughing made me think of the typical BBCer. <br />"After a quick trawl through Twitter to see if I can find any racism to condemn, or white people not condemning it, I head into the office."<br /> https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/wokeing-nine-to-five-the-daily-struggle-to-be-a-modern-man-a3677411.html<br /><br />That was the first time I'd come across "woke". Never heard of the author before either. He's a witty fellow. 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