I watched the “It was alright in the 70s” programme on one of the digital channels recently and it was disappointing that a couple of the modern “comedians” I referred to above, who weren’t alive in the 1970s were banging on about you can’t say or do that, but when you watched it then and now, it was a lot of innuendo and you took it as you wanted to.
The irony is that many of the programmes they commented on are regarded as all time classics. I watched these with mum and dad, so they couldn’t have been that bad. I hear cadets talking about watching things like Porridge, Dad’s Army, Open All Hours, Steptoe and Son and saying how funny they are. Which sort of makes you wonder where all this social consciousness nonsense comes from in society. Is it from the same groups who got over excited about corporal punishment in schools and the home and then go onto moan about youngsters acting in a feral manner on ‘the streets’?
A university should be a place where freedom of speech, thought and the challenging of ideas is the norm. To be controversial to be challenging, to push boundaries and to question.
Universities (and indeed the left) were once praised for their open mindedness, their ability to challenge and encourage interesting debate. They have now descended into a echo chamber of the Regressive left, preaching fascism and violence to anyone that dare think different, intolerance of freedom of thought, speech and expression. They proclaim they want diversity, except diversity of thought.
If he made those comments and was put in that position, then that should be up to the people to challenge him and call him out. Knee jerk reactions and censorship is not the answer. Allow him enough rope for himself.
The solution to hate speech, is more speech. You allow the enemy to speak, to manifest itself into the monster it is.
The problem I saw with humour, especially in the 80s, was a move away from the cleverly well written stuff of the 50s, 60s and 70s as it was considered as dull, to one which was openly offensive and since we largely lost the innuendo laden remark and anything which refers to anything that would have been couched in innuendo is seen as offensive. As even brazen out and out remarks would have been largely ignored.
You mean like let him resign from a position he’s been appointed to because it turns out he’s not a very nice human being and people don’t want him there? Oh wait, that happened didn’t it.
Also, you’re in danger of becoming a frightful bore with all this “regressive left” drivel you spout. Please go and join the BNP forum and leave us alone.
Those programmes Grind My Gears!!! It wouldn’t be so bad if they showed a clip, whilst a narrator, or presenter explained why they were now unacceptable. Instead, they choose a handful of third rate “celebrities”, film their hammy, overacted, shocked reactions to said clip, then we have to listen to several minutes of faux shock & outrage at the clip that most normal people would just raise an eyebrow, or suck air through their teeth, and then move on with their lives!!!
Don’t get me started on Gogglebox…
That’s right. Someone holds a different way of thinking to yourself so automatically that makes me a BNP supporter.
You just proved my point. Diversity, except in thought. Read what I just said. Stop attacking what you think you read.
I have friends that I would debate constantly with because they leaned more to the left than myself. But they would defend to the death my right to speak, as i would for them. They have since drifted from the left, because they are fed up, frustrated and angry with the direction it’s going.
Look at the huge leap in support in right wing politics across Europe. Normal ordinary people resorting political ways they would never normally suppor because they are fed up with the way the left are going.
As a side note and somewhat related, check out this ted talk. It holds some valid points about freedom of expression, thought and difference opinion. In short, she was a feminist, but started to relate and humanise the “enemy”, and then she was turned against by “her own” for daring to challenge the thought process.
And for the record I find the BNP deplorable. But I have some slight understanding of why normal, working class people might find the idea attractive. And just because I don’t agree with them doesn’t mean they aren’t entitled to their opinion.
Again, the solution to hate speech, is more speech, allow the enemy to talk to manifest itself into the monster it is.
I forget the quote so I am loosely paraphrasing.
“If you want to educate everyone, use their television set. Same can be said for manipulation”.
Or words to that affect. I would try and find it but I am too busy trying to smash a pain au chocolate down my throat.
And another thing…
Why have some programmes started to include multiple recaps during an episode?
Take that Prunella Scales Canal boating one.
A 5 minute intro, recapping what the series is about, and spelling out exactly what will be covered in the programme. Fair enough. Excessive, but I get why people might need to be hooked into it.
10 minutes later, a recap segment “we’re boating down the Grand Union Canal. Along the way we will do X, Y and Z|, and take the opportunity to blah, blah,blah…” another
few minutes of the programme spent telling you what the programme is about. Then another. And another…
All in all, about 15 minutes of the programme was spent talking about the programme, rather than on providing decent content. That Grinds My Gears!!!
That is frighteningly accurate! Judging by the comments section, at least I’m not the only one to feel this way!
Thank you!
It’s the same on make over and find me a house programmes. Almost full re-cap after each ad break.
They could either make them more interesting or shorter by about 20 minutes.
I must admit the people on those ‘find me a house’ programmes need to get a grip.
Tell me about it! Especially those ones that take the families over to Australia, show them the houses they could buy, only for the families to decide they want to stay in blighty after all! A waste of everyones’ time (and the reason I only watched a couple of episodes before deciding that life was too short!)!!!
I would say the most bizarre aspect of ‘find me a house’ is they give the programme a budget and then they find houses over that budget. On one of the programmes set abroad they find a house in budget and then say you need to pay c.10% of the value in fees.
They give them a spec and 90% of the time find houses that don’t fit they spec.
The wife and I have often thought about applying to go on it and say not interested as it’s too expensive, not what we said etc etc. I’m sure I’ve seen some where that’s what has happened.
I think for the ones abroad, people like the places as they’ve been there for two weeks when it’s sunny and forget when they come home after a crappy day at work, they’ve still got to do the boring things. I’ve had older people I know speak about retiring somewhere and not doing it as the reality kicks in.
Just out of curiosity when was the last time you were in a university?
Speaking of the Toby Young being smashed, there’s an interesting video on Twitter of Andrew Neil smashing a Labour MP for some horrendous comments made by a Labour MP Jarad O’Mara… whos just had the whip taken from him.
Where’s the outcry at his comments?
Funny how Corbyn’s reply to being confronted about his party is to condemn in a generic fashion but he’s happy to pinpoint individuals of the opposition.
Thanks for proving my point…
Attack the ball not the player.
What point?
I just struggle to see how you can make sweeping generalisations about higher education in the twenty-first century without having been in a university recently.
Do excuse me if I’m wrong.
I’m rather on the fence on the whole Toby Young thing.
Certainly the comments were not those that you’d want from someone in his position; however:
- Those I’ve seen were not that offensive; certainly he didn’t seem to be suggesting the he went round sexually assaulting people like the current POTUS
- The comments were made nearly a decade ago
- Particularly in the case of the comments branded as sexist, I can’t help but feel that there is a distinct double standard at play here. If a female public figure had said similar things about a man (or a lesbian had said similar things about a woman) then I reckon they wouldn’t be judged anywhere near as harshly
You are excused.
Now it seems (ref UKIP leader’s, now former, girlfriend’s comments about Megan Markle) that if your other half says something you are somehow responsible.
Absolute nonsense.
Just as well my wife doesn’t do social media and comment about CAC as my wife has a very, very low opinion of her. If my wife was shared these online, I imagine I’d be regarded as responsible.