GETTING CARRIED AWAY

 

Let's all get carried away shall we? Over reaction is the new black, Knee-jerkism is the opium of the masses and outrage rules the day. Why does everyone feel the need to erupt at the drop of a hat?

The need to be seen and the need to be heard has meant that, in a crowded market, the squeaky wheel get's the grease. That market is attention seeking content viewed through the hand held twat devices that are ubiquitous and all consuming.

Nowhere is this reactionary trend more prevalent than in the world of football. Every goal, foul, free kick, perceived transgression is met with hands flung in the air, ranting and vein throbbing temples. There is a new trend of 'Watchalongs', which, basically are bloke's with a videocamera who sit watching a game while viewers in turn  watch them being performative and blowing their tops at the drop of a hat.

They aren't experts, in fact they struggle to put together coherent sentences, but they, bafflingly, have a multitude of viewers who in turn respond with outrage.

It's a vicious circle of overreaction that is becoming the norm, so much so that mainstream TV and Radio act in a similar way. Controversy equals clicks and clicks equal cash.

The other area where over reaction is king is the world of the right wing reactionary. Fury at the mention of "migrant", rage at the thought of "are country" being taken over, indignation at boats on the channel.

What all this tells me is that pausing for thought is an outdated concept for many. Taking time to consider is defunct and rationality is in short supply.

We all need to calm down, take a breath, think and use a bit of common sense and context. My concern is that altering behaviours is difficult, particularly if those behaviours are  ubiquitous and bombarding. 

Put simply, let's all stop getting carried away, let's not feel desperate for attention from people we don't know and will most probably never meet

REICH HERE REICH NOW

The rise of the right is happening right here and it's happening right now. That's not hyperbole that is disconcerting fact. People marching on the streets with flags hoisted, carrying cans of Stella whilst lacking teeth shout into the abyss with rhetoric based on rumour and conjecture, there feeble minds easily swayed by "apparently" and "Well, I heard"

The awkward 'Patriot' Ninjas are also popping up and blocking roads in the cause of stopping the migrants. They don't really know why they want to stop the migrants and they don't really know why they have to wear a balaclava but they do and they stand around looking awkward like those blokes queueing up to have sex with Bonnie Blue.

They are using Christianity too, oh they love to use Christianity as a way to explain why migrants are out of order, thing is most of them aren't Christians, in fact they would struggle to read a Bible and find any relevance. They don't know about The Good Samaritan, or loving thy neighbour and all those other bits that talk about how you should embrace others (at least I think that's what the Bible is abut not having read it or having any religious leanings)

It always starts with the irrational hate, the anger and the vitriol aimed at the concept of someone a bit different. Once ignited that fire burns bright and the throng swells accordingly. The instigators are men with blunt names and an eye on celebrity status. The coke taking helps; what's a good march without a bit of Chang after all. So does the lager; you can't march without lager.

The enthusiasm to raise flags and pester innocent bystanders is evident as they adopt the mob mentality that is all to familiar from history books and News At Ten. 

They chose their destinations well. Provincial towns, suburban outposts, seaside towns decimated by loss of industry, the far flung areas of desperation. They target the hotels and their  employees, they target the men and women of the RNLI who put their lives on the line for us. They target anyone that they can safely shout at and intimidate.

I don't know of any solution for the massing of the ignorant. I can't think of an answer for people that aren't interested in facts. I don't know a strategy to enlighten those that don't want to be enlightened, but I'll tell you something, a wise man once said "never again" but if we are all not careful we may see history repeating itself.

PEACOCKS OF THE WORLD UNITE

As we all know Peacocks flourish their tail feathers extravagantly to draw the attention of the dowdy Peahen, they seem to do this at the drop of a hat and, to be fair, they look magnificent. This is one of nature’s remarkable ways of drawing attention to creatures. Unfortunately, a growing number of humans have adopted this habit with the intent of getting noticed by mobile phone wielding members of the public and other moment capturing folk 

The modern phenomenon of The Influencer is predicated on drawing attention to oneself, getting ‘likes’ and building a brand. They walk hand in hand with content creators. The Influencer is the latest celebrity genre, following hot on the heels of reality stars. The numerous celebrity TV shows have lineups that have gone from “who is that?’ to “who the f*k is that?” as influencers and content creators abound.

Paul Weller once wrote that “the public gets what the public wants” and the popularity of these social media sirens is pretty large. As many turn away from TV to YouTube and scrolling on their devices those that are slightly more adept with technology are growing in number and creating cash from clicks.

Maybe we should view them as entrepreneurs who have grasped their opportunities with both hands rather than ludicrous popinjays who are dumbing down the world of entertainment for financial gain at the cost of critical thinking and originality.

Could this generation of online onanists be the new philosophers only with messages diluted to appeal to the hard of thinking? Could their influence be a power for good, their content have integrity and an underlying positive message? Who knows?

What is clear is that they are show-offs, and I suppose that in the broader world of showbiz you kind of have to be, but with the growth of this aspect of the online world we may reach a point where everyone is either a content creator, influencer or someone who works within content creation and influencing. The day will come when our collective senses will be assaulted by an Ostentation, a Pride or a Muster of Peacocks at every turn strutting and flourishing while plying their attention seeking trade as the the masses keep on clicking away.

LET THE TRAIN CAUSE THE STRAIN

 

"Let The Train Take The Strain" was the mantra of the British Rail advertising executives during the 1970s. These were still the days of British Rail before the UK rail service was privatised, a world of regularity and quiet conformity, an era when the trains, generally, ran on time, and if not on time, they were certainly cheaper.

The sell off to private firms for whom passenger satisfaction takes a distant second place to profits has led us to a place where traveling in the UK is akin to Homer's Odyssey.

An example of the frustrating nature of rail travel was my own experience of (trying) to get from Somerset to London on one of the hottest days of a very hot summer. 

My first train, before having to change at Bath was old stock with the ventilation of the Black Hole Of Calcutta and the comfort of a bed of nails. Naturally the train stopped midway and myself and the other passengers were stranded in a steel box with the sun beating down and streaming in through the blinder-less windows.

I was tempted to break that little glass box that houses a plastic hammer for emergency window breakage, such were the conditions on this train compartment turned into a New Delhi cattle truck. The longer the delay the more chances that the connecting train would be missed. This thought was not helped by the lack of anything approaching refreshments.

As the temperature soured in the metal container my energy levels diminished. Imagined thoughts of not actually getting home became reality in my mind's eye as I could see no escape. This went on for what seemed like a long weekend, then suddenly we started moving. Alas I had missed our connection and therefore could only spin any positives out of the situation by thinking that at leas I would have to wait on an outdoor bench with the occasional gust of air from a passing train go supply some relief.

This situation was exacerbated by the fact that my journey from London to Somerset was also delayed meaning missing my connection. The following connecting train was two and a half hours away which is hardly conducive to a relaxing weekend away.

The British railway network is not fit for purpose, I think that's clear for all to see, and us Brits should be embarrassed when comparisons are made with some European rail services. How it can be more difficult to make a trip to the coast than traveling through Germany or Switzerland, or Sweden or a number of other countries should be a source of national shame.

The cost of rail travel is also a cause for concern. It being, in some cases, cheaper to fly is not good thing but it's just a fact.

We wont see the end of private firms running things any time soon, nor am I optimistic about an investment in stock so that extreme cold, extreme heat, leaves or wind cause trains to be cancelled or delayed.

They say "you get what you pay for" but if you choose to pay for a train journey you don't get what you pay for, in fact, you get what your given...and lump it