(no subject)

[rebness]

Charlie Higson, in The Observer: 'I still find it hard talking to working-class people. I'm like Ralph in [The Fast Show's] Ted and Ralph. I am pathetically keen and helpful when a plumber comes round.' 

WTF, Higson! How about treating working-class people the exact same way you would anyone else? I guarantee they won't come to you, cap in hand, talking about potatoes and carrots. *Gasp* Some of them can actually read these days!  How ignorant and patronising can you be? 

I have really lost respect for him, now.

In not-so annoying news, it's a gorgeous, if stuffy day today. I'm going to go for a swim. Only a month left before the Med becomes a little Baltic. :D

Comments

[saffronlie.livejournal.com]

WHERE DO I WRITE A LETTER TO THE GUARDIAN'S EDITOR? This interview with Keira Knightley seriously offends me: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/aug/30/keiraknightley.periodandhistorical

The journalist obviously fancies her but is embarrassed, so he just asks stupid questions in the manner of an eight-year-old pulling the pigtails of the girl he likes. "Can you spell February" indeed! He deserved every "fuck off" he got.

[rebness.livejournal.com]

I KNOW, RITE. It was so offensive: how much money does she make? Is she really dyslexic? Is she anorexic, teehee?

Urgh!

Complaint information, bb:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/information/guardianunlimited/story/0,,824307,00.html

[saffronlie.livejournal.com]

"Keira y do chicks hate u bb LOL" UGH.

I'M GONNA DO IT! I'MA WRITING A LETTER!

[rebness.livejournal.com]

Keep me updated! I want to see what they say! :p

O hay: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/09/join_the_world_literature_to_a.html

I want to write about Dessaix, but am trying to think of something coherent to say beyond JUST READ IT U GUYZ.

[saffronlie.livejournal.com]

LOLOLOLOL I knew you had a Guardian log-in account! Say anything, just mention his name. And Nick Earls'. I would, but I don't want to sign up for the Guardian blogs because uh purplerainbajingo.

[rebness.livejournal.com]

Aw, man! I'd love to see what you wrote there. You could totally use my log-in if you wanted? Lulz!

[rebness.livejournal.com]

Right! Done! I have flown the flag for Australian literature!

[saffronlie.livejournal.com]

Wonderfully done! I salute you! I laugh at your username!

[rebness.livejournal.com]

*Dances*

I totally feel like dancing today! Well, until some asshat disagrees with me on there.

(I am not obsessed with this icon, btw. LJ keeps logging me out.)

[peregrinuscanus.livejournal.com]

I read this article on Higsom too.
He might be ignorant, I'm not convinced of it but he might be; but he's not being patronising there. I think he feels awkward and he's being honest about it: he sounds more embarrassed and ashamed than patronising. He clearly finds it difficult to just be "ordinary bloke" talking to other ordinary bloke and he does seem aware this is not a good thing for him to be.

[rebness.livejournal.com]

I have to disagree. I feel that he himself is putting the barriers up - and yes, he is apolgetic for it, but why have this attitude in the first place? He's an actor and yet he can't do the very basic linguistic thing of varying how he speaks? I think it's bad to presume a person will speak a certain way or be incapable of conversing at the same level based on social class.

I understand the angle you're approaching it from, but if Higson feels that there is a problem in the first place, he needs to actively change his own attitude rather than making presumptions about other people.

[pandorasblog]

I find it scary that he apparantly doesn't meet working class people unless his toilet gets blocked or something. This kind of thing is why I don't buy that I need to read that kind of paper to be a good little liberal (not that you've said that, but others have) - I've found that liberal snobbery is in effect no different to conservative snobbery, since both involve building a little enclave around yourself to keep The Wrong Sort out.

I just... what must his everyday life be like if he only ever meets people who are like him? And you can't control everything... if he's ever in hospital, I can guarantee he'll meet a rich cross-section of people from society... this reminds me of my anti-anti-immigrant post that I need to make after hearing what a co-worker of scrr's said the other day... :(

[rebness.livejournal.com]

That's exactly it.

I find The Guardian terribly snobby sometimes. You have the articles about organic boxes and childrens' clothing that costs an average weekly wage, as well as travel articles on where about in the Maldives to go this year, dahling.

[pandorasblog]

Yeah; it's kind of irritating that every paper seems to be gauged for a very specific lifestyle + politics combination. I find the politics of the Times mixed enough that it doesn't make me throw it across the room too often (and, well, I did manage to change that one journalist's mind for her), but the lifestyle stuff is again of the "Look, this face cream is a snip at £22!" variety. Like I can't be interested in Ken Russell's column and shop at Lidl?

[rebness.livejournal.com]

Also, do make that post!

[pandorasblog]

Heh, I think I'll save it for tomorrow because my flist is probably holding up crosses to ward off a third irate post from me today. I think I'll do my August Reading one instead, then save the other one for tomorrow. :)

[mairelys.livejournal.com]

Hello! I added you when I came across your journal via bad_service and thought you looked interesting so I added you. :)

[rebness.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks! Nice to meet you!

I promise I don't whine so much usually... ;)