Posh and Posher: Why Public School Boys Rule Britain.

[Pancho]

You might remember my frequent call on transport matters suggesting that people got involved in local politics and be the policy setter rather than just mank about it here. I don't think anyone did.

I've tried - God, I've tried.

The net result of my efforts was to be taken to court maliciously by my local council.

I don't know the details of the court case (another thread) but if you've been fighting against something you disapprove of - then you've made a difference. If whatever protest group didn't exist would it be (a) easier or (b) harder for the council to have done whatever and will it be the case in future?

Involvement involves a lot of losing - trust me on this!

[Wowbagger]

Oh, I know about the losing bit. But, 10 years after the Council proposed a dual carriageway taking a chunk of local park, they still haven't.

Julian wrote a good piece on her blog about the court case 'cos she came to offer us her support (as a spectator rather than representing us, sadly).

[Frenchie]

Back on topic surely the reason why public school boys rule Britain is because they think they can. They are given the confidence and aspiration to do such things and combine that with better than average grades getting them into the best universities and the network of like minded and well connected friends that school and university gives them they end up with a much higher chance than average of making it to the top.
Imagine being at one of the top public schools and saying that you wanted to be PM. It wouldn't seem ridiculous or a flight of fancy to your peers or teachers, now try that thought experiment with an average comprehensive.

Yes, aspiration. And the will and means to do so. These are important. I sometimes feel people give up a bit too quickly and choose the path of absolute least resistance, not helped by what they see and hear at home or the quality of their schools sadly. Education and aspiration start at home and must be taken up and further developed & enabled via schooling; I can provide the former and may need to help the latter by choosing private education.

[Mr Larrington]

My experience has been different to that of your mother, both in my own education (at a mixed primary) and then when I've done one-to-one reading at a mixed primary.  Indeed, there was a recent TV programme where they separated out the boys and then made them do a debating competition and some other competition against the girls.

If it's the same one I'm thinking of, that was a programme whose raison d'être was attempting to fathom the difference in reading ages between boys and girls in a particular school in Harlow, IIRC, where the boys' scores were even lower than the national averages in comparison to the girls'. The girls won.

If it was Harlow then I'm mildly surprised either the boys or the girls had got further than "eight pages with a hero who's a dog called Ben".  >70,000 inhabitants and no bookshop.  The irony of working for a publishing company in Harlow is, er, ironic.

[Clandy]

Oh, I know about the losing bit. But, 10 years after the Council proposed a dual carriageway taking a chunk of local park, they still haven't.

Julian wrote a good piece on her blog about the court case 'cos she came to offer us her support (as a spectator rather than representing us, sadly).

Unfortunately while everyone was looking at Priory Crescent, planning permission was granted for an industrial estate on Gunners Park.

[Cudzoziemiec]

There remain tremendous barriers to just getting involved in local politics.  One generally has to do the drudge work in a party to be able to stand on their ticket (and if the prevailing party in your area is not to your taste you're stuffed) and local council seats tend to be hotly-contested by quite dedicated people. That's probably as it should be, but it does mean that one can't just roll up and get a seat on the transport committee.

But one can, often, just roll up to a council debate and ask questions. I know because I have done this. A whole once. It still requires information of where and when, and the time to turn up.

[Wowbagger]

Oh, I know about the losing bit. But, 10 years after the Council proposed a dual carriageway taking a chunk of local park, they still haven't.

Julian wrote a good piece on her blog about the court case 'cos she came to offer us her support (as a spectator rather than representing us, sadly).

Unfortunately while everyone was looking at Priory Crescent, planning permission was granted for an industrial estate on Gunners Park.

Yes, I know. There's a limit to what a small but dedicated group of campaigners can do.

[Exit Stage Left]

I don't know. I used to have high hopes for the internet and places like this to be a recruiting ground for greater involvement in public live.

You might remember my frequent call on transport matters suggesting that people got involved in local politics and be the policy setter rather than just mank about it here. I don't think anyone did.

Instead of trigger for mass participation, it's become a substitute. "I'm politically involved because I clicked a button on Facebook supporting a cause".

So, yes, ESL, I'm afraid that politics and the public arena in general will be left open to those educated in the skills and with the right connections. As for a flow of raw opinion - I am yet to be convinced that public opinion has any bearing on what politicians do.

The problem is navigating round the Chicken Littles. 'The sky is falling', and the Father Jacks, 'That would be an ideological matter'.

[Rig of Jarkness]

It's unlikely that anyone can be groomed for power via a VDU.

Blimey, that was a blast from the past !  It's so long since I heard them called one of those that I just had to look it up on Wiki to remind myself what it was.

[border-rider]

The problem is navigating round the Chicken Littles. 'The sky is falling', and the Father Jacks, 'That would be an ideological matter'.

and, of course, the wading through of copious amounts of unsubstantiated bullshit crying out for a decent Occam's razoring.

[Exit Stage Left]

The problem is navigating round the Chicken Littles. 'The sky is falling', and the Father Jacks, 'That would be an ideological matter'.

and, of course, the wading through of copious amounts of unsubstantiated bullshit crying out for a decent Occam's razoring.

You read the Monbiot article then.

[Julian]

Wasn't Father Jack's matter ecumenical, rather than ideological?

[Notsototalnewbie]

Wasn't Father Jack's matter ecumenical, rather than ideological?

I was about to post that but couldn't be arsed to check because I'm having an attack of teh lazies. I believe it was.

[Rapples]

A sort of Posh and Posher Part2 programme on tonight  BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Who Gets the Best Jobs?

Seems to be a recurring theme

[Mr Larrington]

Wasn't Father Jack's matter ecumenical, rather than ideological?

Yes.  Hairy Japanese bastards.