When I first arrived in Glasgow I used to watch the Glaswegian youth naively and marvel on how fashion-conscious they really were. The trendiest tracksuits; the Burberry caps; the expensive trainers…etc. Never had it occurred to me that their costumes would be indications of any gang memberships. I had never heard the word Ned or Chav before. For me, they were just a bunch of cool teenagers hanging out with their pals, nothing more, no harm done.
Of course, a couple of years later, this image of trendy youths, in sports costumes and fake Burberry, would only acquire pity and disrepute from me, and I would refer to them as neds in my conversations, wherever possible, not that they would care! In fact that would make them stupidly proud, it’s the same as having an ASBO; it’s a badge of honour for a Glaswegian teenager, it would only mean that they’re popular and cool. As a matter of fact, in the midst of this stupidity culture, being smart, or at least trying to, would only isolate people as if they had caught an infectious disease. People will bully them, hate them and mistreat them. Smart and cool don’t go together in the Glaswegian youth mind-set, being sensible, respecting the system, are offensive crimes in the hidden laws of Ned-hood!
Of course, a couple of years later, this image of trendy youths, in sports costumes and fake Burberry, would only acquire pity and disrepute from me, and I would refer to them as neds in my conversations, wherever possible, not that they would care! In fact that would make them stupidly proud, it’s the same as having an ASBO; it’s a badge of honour for a Glaswegian teenager, it would only mean that they’re popular and cool. As a matter of fact, in the midst of this stupidity culture, being smart, or at least trying to, would only isolate people as if they had caught an infectious disease. People will bully them, hate them and mistreat them. Smart and cool don’t go together in the Glaswegian youth mind-set, being sensible, respecting the system, are offensive crimes in the hidden laws of Ned-hood!
It is really sad to watch these youths wasting the best years of their lives, getting ASBOs and getting stabbed. Deluded from the decency of the innocent life they should have, sleep-walking into a horrible future, as drug addicts or teenage parents. Stereotypes of the majority of the British youth these days.
I was watching a program called dispatches on Channel 4 the other day, it was entitled “why kids kill?”, and if you thought the title was horrendous, you should’ve watched the content; it was dreadful; nauseating and revolting! Basically, it tried to explain why kids join gangs, and most of the kids interviewed argued that they needed to protect their territory against kids from other areas. It was really appalling: the kids were applying the rules of the jungle, as if they were animal tribes having a natural propensity towards aggression and violence; as if this was essential for their survival! Vivre la liberte! Hurray for the British democracy and liberation! And farewell to all the moral values!
I was watching a program called dispatches on Channel 4 the other day, it was entitled “why kids kill?”, and if you thought the title was horrendous, you should’ve watched the content; it was dreadful; nauseating and revolting! Basically, it tried to explain why kids join gangs, and most of the kids interviewed argued that they needed to protect their territory against kids from other areas. It was really appalling: the kids were applying the rules of the jungle, as if they were animal tribes having a natural propensity towards aggression and violence; as if this was essential for their survival! Vivre la liberte! Hurray for the British democracy and liberation! And farewell to all the moral values!
![[Valid RSS]](valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed")
No comments:
Post a Comment