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Britain
Britain on brink of 'decivilisation'
2007-02-17
Britain is on the brink of becoming a “decivilised” society in which adults are no longer able to exert discipline over the young, risking the potential barbarism of the rule-less society depicted in William Golding’s famous novel, Lord of the Flies, according to a senior Conservative politician. Shadow trade and industry secretary Alan Duncan is scheduled to offer the grim assessment of British society in an address to the Centre for Policy Studies think thank. According to excerpts of his speech obtained by Britain’s Press Association, the Tory frontbencher will say that the country is facing a “collapse of authority” as teenagers lose their fear of adult institutions, resulting in some young people effectively living out the story of Golding’s seminal work, in which a group of young children descent into barbarism after being stranded on a desert island with no adult presence and no established law and order provisions.

The warning comes amid national alarm over the fatal shooting of three teenagers in south London within the space of a fortnight. Stressing that the impending risk of a decivilised society is the greatest threat currently facing Britain, Mr Duncan will go on to say: “We need to empower teachers so that they can exert the control that too many parents are unwilling or unable to exert. The collapse of authority cannot remain undiscussed. If there is no fear of authority, there is no respect for it. “It cannot make sense in a civilised society for children of school age to face the discipline they need in court rather than in class or in the home.” Mr Duncan will also say that the country must muster the “gumption” to confront the decline of the education system, which he believes has been eroded by apathy and a lack of desire for achievement. “Behind educational degradation lies a contempt for some people doing much better than others. Olympic sportsmen are part of an elite. If education is not about excellence, then it’s not about anything,” he will say. “There can be no success without the risk of failure. Our culture of achievement in education has become corrupted.”
Posted by:Fred

#21  As a teacher in a Catholic middle school,I can tell you the same problem(s) exist in the private sector also. The parents want us to do the job they can't or won't do, but only on their terms...which have been shown to be totally ineffective. Until parents are willing to accept responsibility for the lack of control/discipline/accountability/etc. they have engendered in their children, the teachers in both [ublic and private schools are fighting a losing battle.
Posted by: WolfDog   2007-02-17 22:47  

#20  So all the Droogs in England will be hanging out at the "milk-bar"?
Posted by: 3dc   2007-02-17 19:51  

#19  There are no new problems, just new people.
Posted by: Glavick Ularong2797   2007-02-17 19:39  

#18  Don't it turn your brown eye blue.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-02-17 17:21  

#17  :> 'Moosey. A good dose of MooseDust always cheers me up.

Thanks in advance for the tons you send.
Posted by: Shipman   2007-02-17 16:34  

#16  Shipman: to a great extent like Joe Arpaio's tent jails. Not everything Arpaio has done has been wrong. His tent cities can be cited as a pretty good alternative to building endless brick prisons.

This does not mean that they need to inhumane places. It does not mean that feeding prisoners substandard food, or not enough of it, is acceptable. Nor making prisoners bury the indigent dead, nor forcing them to kill shelter animals.

I even advocate the use of tent cities for illegal immigrants, and putting such cities near the borders as internment camps while they await deportation. Nothing inhumane about it at all.

Right now England is letting prisoners go due to overcrowding. And because their government won't pay for new prisons, the logical alternative is to use army surplus equipment and make inexpensive tent cities.

Once they do so, such cities would make excellent "diversion programs" for unemployed young men who have received ASBOs. Under military discipline.

Oh, and sorry to read about your personal problem.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-02-17 15:48  

#15  The Lord, G*d of Israel, Hank.
Posted by: gromgoru   2007-02-17 14:48  

#14  The Lord, G*d of Israel, Hank.
Posted by: gromgoru   2007-02-17 14:46  

#13  Shipman: to a great extent like Joe Arpaio's tent jails. Not everything Arpaio has done has been wrong. His tent cities can be cited as a pretty good alternative to building endless brick prisons.

This does not mean that they need to inhumane places. It does not mean that feeding prisoners substandard food, or not enough of it, is acceptable. Nor making prisoners bury the indigent dead, nor forcing them to kill shelter animals.

I even advocate the use of tent cities for illegal immigrants, and putting such cities near the borders as internment camps while they await deportation. Nothing inhumane about it at all.

Right now England is letting prisoners go due to overcrowding. And because their government won't pay for new prisons, the logical alternative is to use army surplus equipment and make inexpensive tent cities.

Once they do so, such cities would make excellent "diversion programs" for unemployed young men who have received ASBOs. Under military discipline.

Oh, and sorry to read about your personal problem.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-02-17 14:41  

#12  Prediction: the Labor government forms a 'commission' to 'study the problem'. A report is issued with much fanfare. And things continue to spiral downward.
Posted by: DMFD   2007-02-17 13:45  

#11  We've seen the progression of this for the last 40 years, both in Europe and the US. The destruction of parental responsibility by "experts", the prizing of "self-esteem" over "achievement", and the entire "juvenile delinquent" masquerade. We've failed to discipline children, we've failed to institute the idea that antisocial behavior will result in meaningful negative consequences, and that some behavior is good, some bad. This entire "relevancy" idiocy is destroying society. Notice who the people are behind it. I doubt their motives are all that sincere.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2007-02-17 13:44  

#10  Right. Makes perfect sense 'moose, sorta like the Sheriff's prison camp? The one with the green baloney?

BALONEY
Posted by: Shipman   2007-02-17 13:00  

#9  Simple solution. International law has clearly determined that military field garrison conditions are not cruel or inhumane. This means tents, field kitchens, latrines, field showers, etc.

So the English government builds a dozen of these field camps out in the boonies. Any young person given an ASBO is sent there with what amounts to internal deportation.

The camps are managed under military discipline, and internees are issued military uniforms without insignia, just a name tape. As needed, the internees perform manual labor.

Good behavior and performance might result in being transferred to a military training facility for induction into the army.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-02-17 10:23  

#8  This is neither "New" or "News".
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2007-02-17 09:48  

#7  at least the kids will have high self esteem
Posted by: Frank G   2007-02-17 09:13  

#6   "Britain is on the brink of becoming a “decivilised” society in which adults are no longer able to exert discipline over the young, risking the potential barbarism of the rule-less society"

Nothing new here.
Physical intimidation is the only thing that works with some deprived yoofs.

My name is Ship, have attitude, will travel.
Posted by: Shipman   2007-02-17 09:06  

#5  "“We need to empower teachers so that they can exert the control that too many parents are unwilling or unable to exert."

I thought they'd decided that spanking was torture. They must mean they're going to really chew out their kids. Or maybe send their teens to their electronics-filled rooms for time outs.
Posted by: Jules   2007-02-17 08:58  

#4  Which Lord, g? The Lord of Hosts or the Lord of the Flies? (Lord of the Flies = Ba'al zebub).
Posted by: Hank   2007-02-17 06:56  

#3  contempt for some people doing much better than others

I believe this is referred to as class envy.
Posted by: Besoeker   2007-02-17 06:50  

#2  The Lord moves in mysterious ways.
Posted by: gromgoru   2007-02-17 05:11  

#1  "Britain is on the brink of becoming a “decivilised” society in which adults are no longer able to exert discipline over the young, risking the potential barbarism of the rule-less society"

Ummm, "on the brink"? I thought they'd tipped over the edge a couple of years ago....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2007-02-17 00:14  

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