Saturday, December 10, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Petulism: Boudicca's Thought For The Day #4 - why so hung up about SEX?
Now, onto the vexed issue of sexuality – this is another instance of humans using terminology referring to us that has a rather judgmental edge – ‘animal passions’, ‘dogging’, ‘doggy-style’, ‘ at it like rabbits’, ‘hung like a horse’, etc etc.
This judgment is also displayed in your approach to animal sexuality itself – scared by our free-wheelin’ approach to making the lurrrve, and with, as ever, one eye to the economic impact, you impose controls on our chances of gettin’ it on.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Petulism: Boudicca's Thought For The Day #3 - The rat race and working feline INVECTIVE
We have referred briefly to the problem of unremunerated work in the owned animal community, but a deeper look at employment roles seems warranted. Let us leave aside the role of certain unlucky souls as consumable goods, as that's just too depressing to contemplate - instead, let us focus on the function of animals as actors in the economy more widely.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Petulism: Boudicca's Thought For The Day #2 - Media Paw-Trails and DUMBING DOWN
The media is often accused of 'dumbing down' culture to the detriment of all concerned. Historically, at a linguistic level, animals don't come out of this well - the stupid are described as 'bovine', the mindless as 'sheep', the fat and lazy as 'porcine', etc. When animal traits or characteristics are assigned to people, this is usually in a negative way. Ok, 'foxy' could be seen as a compliment, but that's a bit 70s and porny. Even a reference to 'animal instincts' etc is a derogatory norm.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Petulism: Boudicca's Thought For The Day #1 - Being and Not Having PROPERTY
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Ten Commandments for Government
Flicking through my record collection to provide the soundtrack to New Year’s Eve, I came across something potentially interesting. One song, known by friends at college as ‘The Happy Song’, contains some very familiar lyrics – it’s Hooligan's Progress by These Animal Men (sadly not available on youtube). It features a plangent, melancholic opening, bemoaning the difficulties of life, before exploding into a banging bassline and lots of invigorating shouting.
Including, at one point, "We're All In This Together!"
When David Cameron said that Eton Rifles was one of his favourite songs, that led to snorts of derision. He seemed to have an over-literal take on the song, saying "I was one, in the corps”, which gives rise to slight nerves that anyone would think it a good idea to give this bloke a gun, but then I suppose as he now has the MoD at his disposal...[shudders]...doesn’t bear thinking about. Anyway.
What is perhaps more worrying is that Callmedave seems to be basing government policy on the rantings of a speed-addled group of sexually provocative NWONW-ers. Curious to discover what other ‘innovations’ might result from this, I did a quick search for the ‘Ten Commandments’ that TAM put on their early singles. Now, this is from the interwebz, so might not be entirely accurate, and I can only check 7 (on the sleeve of ‘Babylon’), and make a guess that 8 is right (on the sleeve of Speeed King, but covered by a sticker, presumably on the advice of a passing lawyer).
But here they are:
1. Get a catholic education
Given that the charity sector is being urged to do everything the state thinks is inconvenient, like education, healthcare provision, community sports, and collecting bins, and the fact that successive governments have not wanted to tangle with faith schools, this in fact seems a fairly accurate prediction.
2. Poor is beautiful
Because the bulk of the people will be, and it is important that they are happy about it. Oh yes, you’re beautiful. You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful to meeeeeee. So get over it.
3. Respect is earned
Ha! They were a bit off on this one. Perhaps this was a typo for ‘Influence is bought’.
4. Don't tell your parents
...that you’re a Tory.
5. Don't be ashamed of your adolescence
Being in the Bullingdon club is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
6. If you've got it, flaunt it
If you haven’t, shut the fuck up.
7. Love is good, but not as good as a wank
Hmmm. Possibly a more general reflection on the self-centred, individualistic, immediate gratification approach endorsed by the Tories. Possibly advice to ministers not to start knocking off the staff, as that never ends well...
8. Amphetamines are where it's at
The one that caused TAM most problems, and the most difficult to reconcile with the coalition’s legislative programme. I can only imagine they will be using the legalisation of drugs a) to get the student protesters to shut up and b) to gain some much-needed tax revenue (because taxing the rich would be, like, complicated. And unfair).
9. Never trust a crusty
Reject the counter-culture! Reject individualism! Hug a hoody, though, we might need them to do the heavy lifting...
10. Taboo is a dirty word
Immigration? Yeah, let’s talk about it. Multi-culturalism? Let’s have a heated debate. The underclass? Workshop it! Disability? Mindmaps, they’ll help. But let’s make sure all these debates are framed in nice, safe, Daily Mail style terms, i.e. it’s wrong! It’s just wrong! Stop it! Stop it now!
Thus, I think it is fairly clear that Hooligan et al should now be recognised as the neo-conservative visionaries that they clearly are. Can hardly wait for the budget, when Gids gets to his feet and proclaims that economic policy will now be based on Alright by Supergrass, and that welfare reform will take place to the soundtrack of The Man Don’t Give a Fuck by the Super Furries. Remember, kids, we’re all in this together! C’mon, sing!
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