I'll have to come clean first of all because I have looked at Celebrity Big Brother this week. I was reading BBC online and happened to see that guy from The A Team was one of the contestants and wondered what he looked like now. The programme itself is like watching paint dry - nothing ever happens. It amazing that you can get all these people in one room and they can't find an interesting topic for discussion! Don't they have any amazing life experiences to draw on? Haven't all those years at parties given them a few useful opening lines or some expertise in small talk?
That would have been that for me, but now the controversy over whether one of them is the target of racism has taken over the headlines. There are many things in the news that I'm tempted to write about and resist, but this one has opened a can of worms and one that I think should have been noticed and dealt with decades ago. One report, on a loop every hour, ends with a question - has this exposed the underbelly of British culture?
Most emphatically yes, and not before time! What on earth has happened to Britain where chavs, ASBO's and binge drinking have become part of it's culture? Road rage, trolley rage, air rage - where does all that rage come from?
I went to boarding school in Ireland and before that I was at a south London comprehensive. The difference couldn't have been greater. In Ireland I was expected to work hard and do well. In London, the studious ones or those that dared to be different were bullied, mocked and ostracised. (Some girls in my class went missing, truant, for weeks on end. The ambition was to leave as soon as possible, get engaged and be, or pretend to be, an adult). In those three so-called celebrities in the Big Brother house, I see the same comprehensive school mindset, and it's gone downhill rapidly since the seventies. Now even celebrities, who used to a least have the minimum requirement of talent, act like those yobbish, uneducated kids in the playground. Personally, I feel the media and it's incessant coverage and even encouragement (just look at the bitchy weekly articles in OK magazine written by Jordan or has-been girl band singers) has made this not only common place but acceptable, barely noticeable. The British tabloids are recognised the world over as being the most vicious. Millions of people tune in to Eastenders to see people shouting, victimising and even killing each other. The other soaps are just the same. Yes, there is a funny side, it's a bit of a pantomime, but the message is insidious.
The victim in the Big Brother house is a very beautiful, articulate star of Bollywood. She says in one clip 'I feel like I'm losing my dignity'. Jade Goody is seen to scream in another something like ' you're fake, you're no princess, you're normal' as if there is some level that she should come down to I suppose. I feel this speaks volumes about Britain. Of course, not everyone is like this, but those that want a decent quality of life, who respect others and behave with dignity seem increasingly to be very much in the minority.
Can all this really come as a surprise to anyone who has lived in or visited the UK? Go almost anywhere in the world and people welcome you, apologise in perfect English for not speaking your language and above all, no matter what level of wealth or poverty, behave with dignity. Yes, these foul mouthed young women and what happens in the house is being blown out of all proportion but it's sparked something much more important, it's highlighting the very rapid decline in British culture. Jade may have put her foot in her mouth but ironically it could be the catalyst for Britain to take a first step in the right direction. I hope so.
6 comments:
Gosh Felicity your posts are always thought provoking and this one is no different AND very close to home(sorry!) for me. I have been watching CBB. I'm not trying to justify myself but there are a couple of reasons why; one, I like it and two, for the last few weeks on my Psychology course we have been studying prejudice. A BB house is full of case studies, usually on any psychological subject!
I'm not sure where to start here as there are so many points to make. Firstly the behaviuor on this programme has been completley shocking. But then should it be? Jade Goody's childhood was hardly one of security and love. Growing up with a single mother who was a heroin addict and was disabled in an accident as a small child Jade was a carer for her. She didn't go to school because she had to care for her mother - and so she has had a life of being bullied herself for being 'thick'. Her father wasn't much of a part of her life. He quite recently died in prison - a heroin addcit. Unfortunatley these cycles keep on repeating themselves - unless you work hard on yourself to stop that happening. Female caged mice react more violently toward each other the smaller the environment they are placed in. And of course the programme makers knew exactly what they wanted from Jade. And so we see her anger and rage that she hasn't yet been able to deal with or express in a different way spilling out at somebody in her way. That's what bullies do.
Now I realise that your point was't just about this programme. You are right it does reflect the whole of our society today and I agree it is about time. Shilpa said in the programme "I am here representing my country, and she the UK - scary". A good point I thought. There seems to be so much anger in this country. Young people growing up within homes such as Jade's are going to be filled with rage and if that is not addressed and dealt with they will carry that on to their adult lives - and then who will be on the recieving end of it? Society and another generation of children. Scary indeed. Now imagine this country in 30 years time! Even scarier.
One of the other girls - the footballer's girlfriend, annonunced proudly a couple of days in "I know nothing about nothing"! Why should she need to? She aspires to be a clothes-horse who earns her 'celebrity' through a man and through being a clothes-horse. She is a girl who has about 9 GCSEs and 2 Alevels - and they say that they are not dumbing down these exams?? Remember when you really had to earn those qualifications? Not anymore.
Well, excuse the rant - you hit a nerve with this post. I haven't even got on to the welfare state! I just must add, though, that I work with a lot of young people and they are really really wonderful. They make me feel a lot of pride and they are certainly a lot more stable and secure than I was at that age. So it's not all bad - is it???
Andrea, thanks so much for your thoughts about this subject. Yes, I feel the real issue is something much greater. I've always had an interest in psychology so I totally understand from what you say, why Jade is the way she is. What angers me about this is that we know the causes and effects, we know that abused children make abusive parents, we know the damage that happens from the pendulum swinging too far in the opposite direction too - emotionally smothered and protected or spoilt children (over compensating for the parent's childhood) So why can we not educate people about these issues?
My experience in the two schools opened my eyes to something very important, that one can totally accept one's environment as normal unless educated otherwise. There are too few voices shouting loud enough. With the country in the state it's in we should be educating children about tolerence (not to be politically correct and repress feelings) and about managing in the outside world (who knows anything about mortgages, savings and pensions when leaving school and millions are in debt?!)
I suppose my point is, there is something fundamentally wrong with the way we are educated in the UK. The rot has got to be stopped and it's not rocket science. Children need love and discipline but if young people are having children and haven't experienced a secure childhood themselves - how are they to know if there is no example to follow, if they don't even realise there is something wrong? It raises problems with people shouting 'nanny state', but at the moment the UK is becoming overrun with 'feral' children and that's far worse.
Yes, the dumbing down of exams is really scary! How easy is it going to become to be a doctor or surgeon for instance. Do we want to rely on them when we are old?It's so short sighted it's unbelievable!
I can't comment anymore on CBB as my satellite receiver has just broken - just to spite me of course but I'm not paranoid!! ;)
Reading your post makes me want to share with you the GB is not the only place. Here in the states, the popular TV shows are the ones were people are rude to eachother, do hurtful things, get fired with coldness, ect. Its really hard to see how a whole generation can grow up and have this held up as the ideal behavior. Civility is becoming a scarce comodety. I can't remember who said it but it;s a good quote "Mannars are the greese of society" They help us all get along!
Felicity I smiled when I saw the papers today - they were all covering this subject 'Great Britain'! They must be reading your blog too! Well not all of them - the tabloids are too busy crucifying Jade, of course.
I think one of the scariest things is that people (children especially) believing that their own situation is the norm. It sadly means that for them the whole way of life becomes even more difficult to get out of. And when lack of education is thrown into the mix - it means only the very few will experience a fullfilling life as a productive member of society. The rest will continue the cycle.
We have the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe. We have the unhealthiest lifestyles and obesity continues to rise. Our drink culture is out of control. Notto mention drugs. Binge drinking is now the norm. It is what people go out to do - get totally trashed. Debt levels on the up. And it's all to fill some kind of emotional void within. How do you turn it around? It sounds pretty dramatic to say that we are at crisis point but sometimes I wonder.
I always try to look for the positive (after having a rant) and there are some, aren't there? This is still one of the most amazingly creative places in the world. Our music scene is so innovative, fashion, art, the BBC! Definatley some good things. It's just that you can't walk through our towns after dark!!
And you - would you ever consider moving back here? Or is that a silly question??
Andrea, I agree there is plenty for Brits to be proud of - I just wish they could be less afraid to admit it! Make 23rd April a national holiday I say and fly those flags for goodness sake!!
Well, you never know what fate has in store so I'd never say never. There are many things I miss and I like but quality of life there leaves a lot to be desired.
Jane Goody's behaviour made national news in Australia and we are all thinkin who the hell is Jane Goody!?? haha
BB drives me crazy - such a boring reality show...the most shocking behaviour determines ratings so the TV stations love it!
such a sad state our world is in -its not just UK but Australia is the same... It just makes me more determined to be a better parent and mentor to my kids...
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