Mmmm... some would say that rich people are just as stupid as this as well, they just act this out via different means.. of course, tohters will argue that the poor are stupdier... perhaps they are right, how would know....
UK mob violence and looting.
- Thread starter Aaron Sice
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Mmmm... some would say that rich people are just as stupid as this as well, they just act this out via different means.. of course, tohters will argue that the poor are stupdier... perhaps they are right, how would know....
The English class divide has always been more pronounced than here and these people would have grown up with it - what's changed now?
The burning and looting of their own neighbours properties, who are closer to their own class than those of the upper classes makes you question if this is the case.
I think it's less the recession, austerity measures, the countries financial mess (because those things affect them less) and more a simplistic snub of authority and society 'because they can'.
I think for too long, too lenient laws and courts and police (because they lack powers) have allowed certain behaviours to develop and flourish, and this is an end result.
Sim
Administrator
I think it's just an unfortunate confluence of events.
From memory, the initial conflict started after a youth somewhere was killed by a policeman?
It's about pressure ... you keep turning up the pressure, and the smallest thing can trigger an avalanche (to mix my metaphors somewhat).
These people may not directly be as affected by the fallout from the GFC as other, but all the negativity and pessimism just adds to the pressure. At some point, it's got to give - all it needs is an excuse.
Still, I believe a large part of the subsequent problems are just rank opportunism - people have become emboldened by observing the relative powerlessness of the authorities and are taking advantage of this. Some for a bit of "mindless" fun (think school-kids out throwing bottles and rocks), others for criminal gain.
Oh ... and it's summer time too - you wouldn't find people out on the streets in the middle of a UK winter would you?
Interesting....wasn't aware of this...thanks for the link dan
Could just the 'bored' part of my assertion apply to them?
I really don't get why someone would do this. Rich or poor, if you've been raised to respect others & their property, what would excuse this behaviour?
Sim
Administrator
I think a "welfare mentality" has a lot to do with it - respect is something in short supply in a lot of places.
But either way - don't try and analyse the behaviour of a mob - it is largely a mindless and unreasoning beast which takes very little encouragement to do stupid things - especially when one removes the individual responsibility from an action!
On Amazon UK yesterday, the top selling items were blunt objects, including Baseball bats - sales up 8,000%, military style folding shovel (bludgeon) - up 139,000%, Teleskop bludgeons up 18,000%. The police have been granted use of rubber bullets and water cannons now.
Theirs a e-petition in the Uk that " Any persons convicted of criminal acts during the current London riots should have all financial benefits removed. No tax payer should have to contribute to those who have destroyed property, stolen from their community and shown a disregard for the country that provides for them." Apparently if it reaches 100,000 signatures (at 89,716) MP's will have to debate it
I've been emailing a friend who lives in the middle of it all. This summation from Sim is pretty much exactly what she told me - right down to the comment about summer:
Lots of these kids have never had many prospects. Now with the screws being tightened in Britain, they have even less. So they figure they've got nothing to lose. It's not an ideological thing. They just don't give a toss and figure they might as well get their cut.
Lots of these kids have never had many prospects. Now with the screws being tightened in Britain, they have even less. So they figure they've got nothing to lose. It's not an ideological thing. They just don't give a toss and figure they might as well get their cut.
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And many weren't. Also, many were white. Talk about preconceptions.
As an aside, a lot of the undercurrent of discontent has been caused by the austerity measures, from the GFC, debt and bailing out banks etc. The UK isnt the only place this has happened. But its the only place that has turned to riots this bad.
if America took their medicine as they should, you'd see much worse.
As an aside, a lot of the undercurrent of discontent has been caused by the austerity measures, from the GFC, debt and bailing out banks etc. The UK isnt the only place this has happened. But its the only place that has turned to riots this bad.
if America took their medicine as they should, you'd see much worse.
I didn't see any but will make a point of trying to when I next watch a clip. actually i think the guys that nabbed the stuff out of that injured persons backpack were white?
Violence, looting, rioting etc knows know class or race. But it just so happens that most of the underclass in the UK are migrants as they are in many parts of the world.
Yes on Weg, Sim and Evand's posts.
We can tend to generalise, stereotype people also, and while not diminishing what is and has happened in the UK at moment, (it is likely to run into tens of millions-early estimates) we can also tend to...'compartment away' in our minds the huge cost and damage of 'white collar crime':
White Collar circa 2003
People at computers White Collar Crime, circa 2005
That is from late 2009, white collar crime (which includes fraud) is a serious challenge in many western countries, not just UK, also Australia, USA etc..
Hidden Cost of White Collar Crime
The (possible) perception's people may hold re/ socio economic crime can blindside us to middle class? (if you want to 'label' ) criminalities...
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We can tend to generalise, stereotype people also, and while not diminishing what is and has happened in the UK at moment, (it is likely to run into tens of millions-early estimates) we can also tend to...'compartment away' in our minds the huge cost and damage of 'white collar crime':
White Collar circa 2003
People at computers White Collar Crime, circa 2005
That is from late 2009, white collar crime (which includes fraud) is a serious challenge in many western countries, not just UK, also Australia, USA etc..
Hidden Cost of White Collar Crime
The (possible) perception's people may hold re/ socio economic crime can blindside us to middle class? (if you want to 'label' ) criminalities...
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