So the argument being put forward by the right wing here (although the political map is an over simplification blah blah blah): Poor people don't have values like rich people do? Well... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44084236/ns/health-behavior/
I wasnt particularly referring to the rioters as poor. More a discussion of the argument raging over the previous few pages between the lefties and the righties and each's attitude toward the riots.
As for the kids rioting, well, whenever there are riots it is always the young men of a society that start it. I think these riots are born out of a general unrest. We're in a recession, the wealth gap has increased exponentially over the last few years (it used to be 95% wealth controlled by 5% of the population since time immemorium, now it is 99% wealth controlled by 1% of the populace), the government had so little support that it was formed out of a coalition (very rare in British politics), the previous government was hated (but indestinguishable from the other main party), the bankers are still awarding themselves massive bonus', services are being cut back, utility costs are rising, and generally everyone is having a piss poor time of it.
Basically, the country was primed for riots - it's just that the our current youth (the afforementioned segment of society who is pre-disposed to rioting) are so hell bent on consumerism that they've not idea how to riot "properly".
A "proper" riot per se, would be actively engaging against the visible presence of the authority (aka, the police) and kicking the shit out of them.
But because our kids are hell bent on getting the latest Nike's they're turning tail from engaging with the police and breaking into shops instead.
Btw I have plenty of personal anecdotal evidence in support of those studies. I used to collect for charities on highways, and it was always the poorer folks who gave money. You could be certain that the Porsche that was coming up the road would not even look at you.
EDL have been out causing trouble in Eltham, SE London, not wanting to be outdone in the stupidity stakes by the young upstarts.
There's a map somewhere where you can overlay London's deprivation index map with locations of the riots, kind of suggests that this kind of immoral behavior is associated with poorer areas. Perhaps before you go off in a strop you could possibly explain how else this could be if there isn't some kind of link between deprivation and a bad upbringing?
Sorry, but I can only work with what you give me, and if you give me the same thing over and over I can only respond with the same answers.
It is strictly cultural thing - like value of property. Some poor communities value individual property, same wealthy dont.
ie. here we have in minority individual culture of prioprietors with property as way to maintain wealth while hedonistic prioperty - to express personality by having things is rarely individual because in majority it comes with postcommies twist: it is strictly the sign of status. You in fact do not possess things because they can always be stolen or damaged, so in fact you dont have things but community decides what is appriopriate with your status. It could be shells if they value them. Sad but true. Thats why I hatem
I think one of the problems of this discussion is that people seem to think that the rioters are one single homogenic group.
I'm sure that policeman's view was correct what was written earlier. That is the part of the group he has been dealing with. The ones who want to do crimes and want to be criminals. That's imho just one group within a group though.
I'm sure there are lots of young kids there that are simply doing it because of the opportunity. Some are doing it because they are angry. Some are doing it because they are real nutcases who like to see the world burn. And some are those angel kids. Probably there are few who are "fighting" against some kind of enemy too.
The way we think about the world does not depend on how the world is but how we see it.
I think you need to up your reading skills Becky. You consider me right wing right? I've been trying to say that it doesn't matter if you are rich or poor. It's the values you are taught and the way you are bought up that counts. Look at David Gilmore's son? He certainly isn't poor.
Now to quote our resident left winger who appears to be saying what you state the right wingers are saying
Are everyone that lives in these area's out rioting? I'm sure you'll find there are plenty that stayed at home watching the telly with as much disgust as others. Then there will be people travelling in from more affluent areas to join in.
What is heart warming is the communities that are gathering together to help clean up afterwards.
This scene reminds me of a sketch Bill Hicks made some years ago, about how he was in the UK and front page news was hooligans knocking over dust bins. Linky.
It seems like you have your own Marsists, those little scums from Mars Attacks! (Tim Burton's)
Well, I live in a country of Marsists. Here you can loose not a shop but hundreds € revenue company by illegal actions supported by some levels of administration
