Severe apologies for not making it (though I am flattered that you have still included my name in the subtitle). I was held up and didn’t get home on time.
As always, when I listen to the podcast, I respond to the topics as they arise. So here’s my “take”:
I always thought that “up speak” tone at the end of the sentence came from Australia but it certainly seems ubiquitous now.
I recall reading a comment that Sinatra’s generation was the last one to buy their goods with their wage and not their allowance. This made way for the new “youth culture” and set the seal on that regression.
And the infantilism seems to have reached an absolute peak (or nadir) with the so-called transgender movement in which, on the one hand, there are middle aged men strutting around in wigs and tights and short skirts dribbling in what is presumably a “teasing” voice about how women can’t accept them because they are so “hot”, and on the other hand, there are squealing little balls of sheer venom protesting that they are being “hated” and looking and sounding like the Cartman character out of “South Park”. Don’t believe me?:
I relate to the remark about young folk entering college with a stunted outlook. I’m not sure how the UK educational system relates to the American one, but we have primary school which I have fond memories of since it taught what was undoubtedly necessary – basically, that reading, writing and arithmetic. This was presented in a classroom form whereby everyone was placed within one group that remained constant throughout the entire experience which encouraged a family atmosphere.
Secondary school ships the kids into what is basically a factory setting where they attend six or so periods under different teachers and correspondingly there is a sense of atomisation and, with the emphasis entirely on technicalities, there is no longer any feeling of empathy.
I recall a poll to determine the “best books” and I recall that four out of the top five were fantasy and two of them were written specifically for children. After rummaging around, this seems to be it:
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
I read two of those as a child. And I even read the Pullman series after this poll since I was interested in this allegedly “anti-Christian” work. It struck me as imaginative and well written but nowhere near as clever as it thought it was. But the topic of Harry Potter recalls this lovely little routine from a guy who has revealed himself as a real prick but he’s on form here:
Keir Starmer seems to me to fit into that gradual “abstracting” process whereby the individuals involved no longer matter AS individuals. Taylor Swift is another example. I find it impossible to care about Swift since I feel that if it wasn’t her, it would be someone else pretty much the same. Starmer is a stooge who takes up a position in which he acts as a blank space for whatever the ruling class wants. The aggravating belligerent whine of Thatcher comes across as the essence of idiosyncrasy in comparison. Even Tony Blair seemed to have more character – and that’s the ultimate damnation!
The matter of having to win arguments is emphasised by so many mainstream articles that take the form: “How to defeat your crazy conspiracy theorist friends”. Obviously these “arguments” have nothing to do with open essays into trying to discover truth or even establish opinions. These are the channels in which all has been decided in advance. And as such they feed into another tendency which is exemplified by “The Multiple Choice”. This form of test was always a relief at school since my reaction was always, “Oh that’s easy since it means I don’t have to do any thinking. I just choose one of those answers!” This is appealing also to the questioners as it corrals everyone into neat little boxes where all the options are spelled out in advance.
The “good news” – if such it be! – is that next week, I’m on holiday and will probably be available from the beginning. On the other hand, I may have last minute demands on my time I can’t yet predict but I’ll let you know well in advance.
excellent show, especially coming off an infantile confrontation with USAmerican libtrard (adopting this bit of infantilism myself) Stephen Zunes over his cowering defense of Harris's complicity in genocide.
As far as Trump being less pro Zionist, it seems Ivanka and Jared are not front and center in this presidential campaign, for whatever we can glean from that. The MAGA people are entirely confused about the differences of capitalism, communism and fascism..they are constantly accusing Harris of being a communist and/or Marxist and using the hammer and sickle symbol in relation to her and the democrats. It is ridiculous and no matter how many times they are called out on it by the few who see the incongruity, their correlation persists. Looking forward to John's discussion around this and also his talk with Cory Morningstar, whose voice I miss on these podcasts.
Severe apologies for not making it (though I am flattered that you have still included my name in the subtitle). I was held up and didn’t get home on time.
As always, when I listen to the podcast, I respond to the topics as they arise. So here’s my “take”:
I always thought that “up speak” tone at the end of the sentence came from Australia but it certainly seems ubiquitous now.
I recall reading a comment that Sinatra’s generation was the last one to buy their goods with their wage and not their allowance. This made way for the new “youth culture” and set the seal on that regression.
And the infantilism seems to have reached an absolute peak (or nadir) with the so-called transgender movement in which, on the one hand, there are middle aged men strutting around in wigs and tights and short skirts dribbling in what is presumably a “teasing” voice about how women can’t accept them because they are so “hot”, and on the other hand, there are squealing little balls of sheer venom protesting that they are being “hated” and looking and sounding like the Cartman character out of “South Park”. Don’t believe me?:
https://x.com/FFS_WhatNow/status/1847614156855300298
I relate to the remark about young folk entering college with a stunted outlook. I’m not sure how the UK educational system relates to the American one, but we have primary school which I have fond memories of since it taught what was undoubtedly necessary – basically, that reading, writing and arithmetic. This was presented in a classroom form whereby everyone was placed within one group that remained constant throughout the entire experience which encouraged a family atmosphere.
Secondary school ships the kids into what is basically a factory setting where they attend six or so periods under different teachers and correspondingly there is a sense of atomisation and, with the emphasis entirely on technicalities, there is no longer any feeling of empathy.
I recall a poll to determine the “best books” and I recall that four out of the top five were fantasy and two of them were written specifically for children. After rummaging around, this seems to be it:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/12_december/13/big_read_winner.shtml
Here are the top five:
• The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
I read two of those as a child. And I even read the Pullman series after this poll since I was interested in this allegedly “anti-Christian” work. It struck me as imaginative and well written but nowhere near as clever as it thought it was. But the topic of Harry Potter recalls this lovely little routine from a guy who has revealed himself as a real prick but he’s on form here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMjrXRgu8IU
Keir Starmer seems to me to fit into that gradual “abstracting” process whereby the individuals involved no longer matter AS individuals. Taylor Swift is another example. I find it impossible to care about Swift since I feel that if it wasn’t her, it would be someone else pretty much the same. Starmer is a stooge who takes up a position in which he acts as a blank space for whatever the ruling class wants. The aggravating belligerent whine of Thatcher comes across as the essence of idiosyncrasy in comparison. Even Tony Blair seemed to have more character – and that’s the ultimate damnation!
The matter of having to win arguments is emphasised by so many mainstream articles that take the form: “How to defeat your crazy conspiracy theorist friends”. Obviously these “arguments” have nothing to do with open essays into trying to discover truth or even establish opinions. These are the channels in which all has been decided in advance. And as such they feed into another tendency which is exemplified by “The Multiple Choice”. This form of test was always a relief at school since my reaction was always, “Oh that’s easy since it means I don’t have to do any thinking. I just choose one of those answers!” This is appealing also to the questioners as it corrals everyone into neat little boxes where all the options are spelled out in advance.
The “good news” – if such it be! – is that next week, I’m on holiday and will probably be available from the beginning. On the other hand, I may have last minute demands on my time I can’t yet predict but I’ll let you know well in advance.
excellent show, especially coming off an infantile confrontation with USAmerican libtrard (adopting this bit of infantilism myself) Stephen Zunes over his cowering defense of Harris's complicity in genocide.
As far as Trump being less pro Zionist, it seems Ivanka and Jared are not front and center in this presidential campaign, for whatever we can glean from that. The MAGA people are entirely confused about the differences of capitalism, communism and fascism..they are constantly accusing Harris of being a communist and/or Marxist and using the hammer and sickle symbol in relation to her and the democrats. It is ridiculous and no matter how many times they are called out on it by the few who see the incongruity, their correlation persists. Looking forward to John's discussion around this and also his talk with Cory Morningstar, whose voice I miss on these podcasts.