Urban v's the Commentariat

[J Ed]

Someone should do a similar skit with Tommy Robinson and a Jewish bloke

Tommy: I really love your people, Israel is like my second favourite country after England
Random Jewish man: Actually I was born in Birmingham
Tommy: Right, brilliant, well anyway I love what you people are doing to the pa-- uhh Muslims... if I had my way we'd bake them into matzos too. I've got like ten Israeli flags back home, anyway I bet you're loaded... can I have some money to stop the Islamification of Britain?

 

[The Pale King]

cheers

i've had it a couple of times, people saying how much they like "my people" and then talking about the sort of things that we are supposed to do/think (and then being disappointed when i'm not like that) its like "err yeah, thanks"
makes me feel weird and uncomfortable every time. i imagine muslim people must feel the same way

why can't these people treat everyone the same instead of some weird identity bollocks, it just goes to show how they live in a different world to everyone else. i mean i have worked alongside black and muslim people and never felt the need to draw attention to their colour or religion all the time

Totally agree. And even when there's this (misguided) complementary aspect to it, there remains the menace underneath - you know, your cultural eccentricities are tolerated (subtext: for now, as long as they don't threaten our sense of self. Aren't we nice?). I think this whole talk of cultural 'respect' actually just puts distance between people, with nothing gained.

 

[frogwoman]

Totally agree. And even when there's this (misguided) complementary aspect to it, there remains the menace underneath - you know, your cultural eccentricities are tolerated (subtext: for now, as long as they don't threaten our sense of self. Aren't we nice?). I think this whole talk of cultural 'respect' actually just puts distance between people, with nothing gained.

there was in julie burchill's writings that's for sure when she was complaining that the jews weren't racist enough against muslims.

i know though, i mean i'm always interested in hearing about different cultures and how people do things differently but i think the kind of stuff we're talking about here is slightly different

 

[frogwoman]

Someone should do a similar skit with Tommy Robinson and a Jewish bloke

Tommy: I really love your people, Israel is like my second favourite country after England
Random Jewish man: Actually I was born in Birmingham
Tommy: Right, brilliant, well anyway I love what you people are doing to the pa-- uhh Muslims... if I had my way we'd bake them into matzos too. I've got like ten Israeli flags back home, anyway I bet you're loaded... can I have some money to stop the Islamification of Britain?

 

[The Pale King]

there was in julie burchill's writings that's for sure when she was complaining that the jews weren't racist enough against muslims.

i know though, i mean i'm always interested in hearing about different cultures and how people do things differently but i think the kind of stuff we're talking about here is slightly different

Oh absolutely, I'm not talking about the ordinary curiosity about others that we all have - just this quite specific phenomenon which you picked out from that execrable Laurie Penny piece.

 

[frogwoman]

Oh absolutely, I'm not talking about the ordinary curiosity about others that we all have - just this quite specific phenomenon which you picked out from that execrable Laurie Penny piece.

guy at my last work
"the jews are usually really successful, loads of them are doctors and lawyers, it's a well known sociological fact"
me: "I'm not sure about that, I'm not very successful" (thinking that he was going to go off on some conspiracy bullshit)
him: "no it's because you all work really hard and you should be proud of it"

 

[The Pale King]

guy at my last work
"the jews are usually really successful, loads of them are doctors and lawyers, it's a well known sociological fact"
me: "I'm not sure about that, I'm not very successful" (thinking that he was going to go off on some conspiracy bullshit)
him: "no it's because you all work really hard and you should be proud of it"

Bloody hell. That's what we were talking about. You have to bear the weight of history. You're an avatar. There's something about your Jewishness that makes you different / maybe better / maybe worse. Horrible, uncomfortable position to put you in from my perspective, but being a Scottish guy with no obvious religious affiliation people don't try and put me in these 'sociological' boxes so I haven't experienced this feeling.
On a side note, did you skive off in this job a lot and did he give you a meaningful look after the 'hard working' bit?

 

[frogwoman]

Bloody hell. That's what we were talking about. You have to bear the weight of history. You're an avatar. There's something about your Jewishness that makes you different / maybe better / maybe worse. Horrible, uncomfortable position to put you in from my perspective, but being a Scottish guy with no obvious religious affiliation people don't try and put me in these 'sociological' boxes so I haven't experienced this feeling.
On a side note, did you skive off in this job a lot and did he give you a meaningful look after the 'hard working' bit?

i did skive off a bit, but not as much as i could of, and when he/other people in his role wanted stuff doing for him i did it straight away

he probably didn't even realise what he had said was wrong, he was all right to be fair, just a bit clueless

to be fair i don't think he realised whats wrong with saying what he did, i think he thought he was paying me a compliment because in his mind we're all successful, work really hard and i should be proud of it, whereas my immediate reaction to things like that (and of a lot of other people i think) is to start thinking of banker/ZOG shit

 

[frogwoman]

Bloody hell. That's what we were talking about. You have to bear the weight of history. You're an avatar. There's something about your Jewishness that makes you different / maybe better / maybe worse. Horrible, uncomfortable position to put you in from my perspective, but being a Scottish guy with no obvious religious affiliation people don't try and put me in these 'sociological' boxes so I haven't experienced this feeling.
On a side note, did you skive off in this job a lot and did he give you a meaningful look after the 'hard working' bit?

you'd probably get put in a sociological box if you went to the states and mixed with certain circles over there, either being called english all the time or being assumed to be a second coming of braveheart

 

[The Pale King]

you'd probably get put in a sociological box if you went to the states and mixed with certain circles over there, either being called english all the time or being assumed to be a second coming of braveheart

Right, U.S.A here I come! I want my box...

Second coming of Braveheart sounds alright as well Just hope I'm not allergic to woad...

 

[J Ed]

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/sep/23/kanye-west-zane-lowe-interview

This is why privilege theory is stupid.

The Guardian gives Kanye West a platform to discuss, from his position of immense privilege, unparalleled by 99.999% of the world's population, not the actual real world life and death problems faced by the working-class (of which a very large number are of course black) but the fact that no one wants him to design trainers or something... and the Guardianistas eat it up.

 

[butchersapron]

Police commentariat: mate of mine has this as his twitter pic:

He was contacted by the police to say:

“Hi Durston, please remove our logo from your profile pic on Twitter and Facebook – it could be deemed as impersonating a police officer.” -

Could be some fun here.

 

[ViolentPanda]

It's an intimidating world I don't quite understand, American liberal 'left' academe.

Probably because it's barely "left" in any real sense, and mostly illiberal in its' fondness for ignoring class (except when engaging in the sort of "noble savage" narrative froggie mentioned).

 

[ViolentPanda]

My very limited experience of American academics who have come to work in the UK is that they are often less receptive to privilege theory, white guilt etc than left-wing British academics.

Kind of depends where you are. You're more likely to find this shit on some campuses than others. Most of the (few) British left-wing academics I know are way over the other side of the privilege theory debate. They (like me) saw what happened to wider politics last time identity politics were allowed to run rampant, and aren't in favour of losing another 20 years to futile "hierarchy of oppression" bullshit.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Police commentariat: mate of mine has this as his twitter pic:

He was contacted by the police to say:

Could be some fun here.

Is Durston a ringer for Reg Hollis, then?

 

[ViolentPanda]

I have little to no experience of any, in real life.

Oh lucky man!!

 

[Idris2002]

Kind of depends where you are. You're more likely to find this shit on some campuses than others. Most of the (few) British left-wing academics I know are way over the other side of the privilege theory debate. They (like me) saw what happened to wider politics last time identity politics were allowed to run rampant, and aren't in favour of losing another 20 years to futile "hierarchy of oppression" bullshit.

I've never come across it in African studies.

 

[seventh bullet]

Oh lucky man!!

My last mutually uncomfortable 'interaction' with one was in Sheffield in 2009. I formed the impression that she had largely only read and talked about working class people than with them.

The sixth bullet may eventually become one, however.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I've never come across it in African studies.

You'd have to be fucking crazy to try it on, with regard to most modern African states, IMO!

Identity politics and a "hierarchy of oppression" (in the way the intersectionalistas mean it) seem to me to only really be able to operate within certain milieus where a disconnected middle-class can theorise itself as a redemptor for society's oppressed. I'm not sure how many different African cultures are that far up themselves yet.

 

[Idris2002]

The sixth bullet may eventually become one, however.

Not good at the cryptic stuff, sorry.

 

[rosecore]

This is most definitely not made up:

I enjoy wearing the Hiajab - Laurie Penny





Of course, it's doubly ironic that it's that she can't be seen not being seen but is making sure we see her not being seen.

The very worst kind of cultural appropriation.

 

[ViolentPanda]

My last mutually uncomfortable 'interaction' with one was in Sheffield in 2009. I formed the impression that she had largely only read and talked about working class people than with them.

I remember you mentioning that!

The sixth bullet may eventually become one, however.

She'll be able to speak from a position of knowledge, then, not from a theoretical standpoint only.

 

[Idris2002]

You'd have to be fucking crazy to try it on, with regard to most modern African states, IMO!

Identity politics and a "hierarchy of oppression" (in the way the intersectionalistas mean it) seem to me to only really be able to operate within certain milieus where a disconnected middle-class can theorise itself as a redemptor for society's oppressed. I'm not sure how many different African cultures are that far up themselves yet.

Actually, the sexy topic in African studies these days is the rise of "the African middle class", a question-begging term that nonetheless does identify a real social phenomenon. Quite possibly they may end up "up themselves" to use your pithy east London jargon.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Not good at the cryptic stuff, sorry.

Mrs Bullet may eventually become an academic.

 

[Idris2002]

Mrs Bullet may eventually become an academic.

Let's hope she's better at the cryptic stuff, then.

And you'd have to be off your head to go into academia these days.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Actually, the sexy topic in African studies these days is the rise of "the African middle class", a question-begging term that nonetheless does identify a real social phenomenon. Quite possibly they may end up "up themselves" to use your pithy east London jargon.

East London? Fuck you, Paddy!!!

South-west London, you cahnt!!

 

[Idris2002]

East London? Fuck you, Paddy!!!

South-west London, you cahnt!!

You mean you're not Sath Efrican?

 

[ViolentPanda]

The very worst kind of cultural appropriation.

I'm torn between agreeing, and believing she did it deliberately, and thinking "perhaps she really is so gormless and gullible that she didn't think about what she was doing".

 

[ViolentPanda]

You mean you're not Sath Efrican?

Definitely not!

Nobody loves a white Sath Efrican!!!

 

[rosecore]

I sort of love seeing girls in Hijab over skin-tight designer jeans with major camel toe. London: never change.

Ummmm (from last year).