Blackburn tonight

[Benipete]

Originally Posted by polly

What went 'wrong' was we lost our social control mechanism eg religion. the first 3 Cities you mention still the Catholic church leading their behaviour and this covers alcohol consumption, not just directly but also in the form of family values.

You missed out Mars bars and Kit Kats

[steeljack]

Originally Posted by polly

What went 'wrong' was we lost our social control mechanism eg religion. the first 3 Cities you mention still the Catholic church leading their behaviour and this covers alcohol consumption, not just directly but also in the form of family values.

Sorry Polly, but I dont think your logic works, seem to remember that Dublin is also Catholic city .

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by polly

What went 'wrong' was we lost our social control mechanism eg religion. the first 3 Cities you mention still the Catholic church leading their behaviour and this covers alcohol consumption, not just directly but also in the form of family values.

I don't think you can blame the demise of society on religion polly, Its the general lake of any sort of respect being shown for authority which is to blame. How many times do we hear the Dogooders say that we shoud respect children, in my day children earned respect, and I didn't have to be kicked sencless with my parents to attain this, it was just a natural progress throuhout my youth

[Tin Monkey]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

I've been in three foreign cities in the last couple of years and I haven't seen a sign of it. If you were in Madrid or Paris or Rome this coming weekend, I bet you would see nothing like the mayhem that is just standard procedure for most UK towns and cities. The only places on the continent you will see it are the Spanish resorts where tourists from this country go!

I'm only reciting what was reported via Radio 4, who in turn were reporting on concerns coming from European cities.

To be honest, I could equally say that in the last year I've spent a number of weekends in British cities (including London) and not seen anything like the kind of behaviour focussed on in these types of TV programmes.

I'm not denying that there are issues, but I don't think they are purely British nowadays and I don't believe that every other country is some kind of Utopia.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

I'm only reciting what was reported via Radio 4, who in turn were reporting on concerns coming from European cities.

To be honest, I could equally say that in the last year I've spent a number of weekends in British cities (including London) and not seen anything like the kind of behaviour focussed on in these types of TV programmes.

I'm not denying that there are issues, but I don't think they are purely British nowadays and I don't believe that every other country is some kind of Utopia.

Good point ... and I think that the key word is "focus" ... there is no such thing as complete factual reporting .... the cameras are pointed in a particular, and fairly exclusive direction ... and the whole thing is edited to make a particular point.

[polly]

Originally Posted by steeljack

Sorry Polly, but I dont think your logic works, seem to remember that Dublin is also Catholic city .

As anyone who has visited Dublin in the last 5 years knows the city is no longer a Catholic heaven but a mish mash of cultures and relgions.
In fact it is very difficult to find an Irish person in Dublin centre

[polly]

Originally Posted by jaysay

I don't think you can blame the demise of society on religion polly, Its the general lake of any sort of respect being shown for authority which is to blame. How many times do we hear the Dogooders say that we shoud respect children, in my day children earned respect, and I didn't have to be kicked sencless with my parents to attain this, it was just a natural progress throuhout my youth

No I don think the demise of society lies whole with the demise of religion, it is with the demise of religious values and the type of religion is almost irrelevant.

It is the lose of any type of social control, be that through socal workers or who or whatever

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

I'm not denying that there are issues, but I don't think they are purely British nowadays and I don't believe that every other country is some kind of Utopia.

Maybe not a utopia, but it's great to able to go out for a few late night drinks and a meal with your partner in a foreign city and not be confronted by mobs of half-witted drunken oafs who are looking to abuse innocent bystanders both verbally and physically. I've been out in Chicago, Rome and Turin in the last couple of years and not seen a hint of trouble. I've also been out in Manchester, Liverpool and London and seen the sort of mayhem that is now characteristic of nightlife in this country.

[Gayle]

I think one of the factors is that the majority of the foreign cities that you mention have an evening culture of going out to eat with friends.

I think we've got a culture in the UK where going out to get drunk is the be all and end all of the evening out.

I'm not saying that there aren't drunks around but people sitting down and eating are more sociable than going out just to get drunk.

[Tin Monkey]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

I've also been out in Manchester, Liverpool and London and seen the sort of mayhem that is now characteristic of nightlife in this country.

Maybe you're going to the wrong kind of places Wynonie? Or maybe you're the catalyst and it's all your fault?

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I think one of the factors is that the majority of the foreign cities that you mention have an evening culture of going out to eat with friends.

I think we've got a culture in the UK where going out to get drunk is the be all and end all of the evening out.

I'm not saying that there aren't drunks around but people sitting down and eating are more sociable than going out just to get drunk.

I don't think this is the case .... everywhere there are those who want to go out for a meal and a few brewskies, but there are also those who want to get liquored up ... Kingstonians party like crazy on Saturday night, it's just that the coppers keep a lid on the wilder elements, and are not afraid of busting their asses to the slammer. And there are the beat cops, who get right in there with the crowds, chat to them, let them know they are around and watching ... and if things get out of hand, a bunch of young patrol officers, strong sturdy lads, show up and sort things out. I think it is all a question of policing.