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AIBU?

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Original poster

to say that England is anti-intellectual?

132 replies

ChickenLickn · 12/09/2011 21:02

If you are bright enough to do a degree, you get treated worse than the unemployed - no income, but you dont get state support, you get DEBT.

And then you get taxed an extra 9% of your earnings for practically the rest of your life - even if you have below average earnings.

People then end up having to lie that they dont have qualifications in order to get jobs!

WTF?

OP posts:
Ormirian · 15/09/2011 13:50

claig - I take your point about it going too far re dumbing down but I can't see a lack of deference as anything but a good thing.

claig · 15/09/2011 13:56

I think lack of deference has both good and bad aspects. Deference implies respect, and respect for education, for intellectual pursuits and high culture is a very good thing. The baby has been thrown out with the bath water. It is good that we no longer doff our caps to the nobility, to Fettes and Anthony Lyton Charles Blair, but they have tricked us into disrespecting education. They have kept us in our place, while pretending that they are on our 'mockney' side.

sfxmum · 15/09/2011 13:57

and besides you don't have to have a degree to have an education and be well informed, it is more about knowledge and the love of 'culture' for want of a better word being everyday pursuits

Ormirian · 15/09/2011 13:58

It comes back then to the age-old assumption that education was the preserve of the wealthy. The two should not go hand in hand.

claig · 15/09/2011 13:59

The Labourites' children go to elite schools (e.g. Diane Abbott's son), but they have created comprehensives for us.

Meteorite · 15/09/2011 14:08

Fine to have a bit less deference for people who have been born into the "nobility". But I agree with claig that it's a real shame that intellectual and cultural pursuits have somehow gone the same way, when they are unrelated to "class" and available to all.

Peachy · 15/09/2011 18:46

Is this actually new though?

Doing a performance piece to Anything Goes ATM and frankly a lot of it seems to be a similar idea (from a different stance) albeit 80 years ago.

Most guys today / that women like today / are just silly gigolos

Doesn't that make you think of Peter Andre et all? does me.

(please hide this from Orm, she mustn't see the track we are using LOL)

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