Normal Island

[effeffsee_the2nd]

12 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Genuinely, where is the centre of gravity here as regards this whole thing?  

Looking at the bonkers stories on here, the UK is clearly home to plenty of deranged individuals.  However it's also home to over 60 million people, so there's still room for sanity to exist.

Media coverage would again beg us to believe the 'national mood' is one of overpowering devastation.  Virtually all of it, Scottish stuff included bears no real relation to anything I'm seeing for real though.

At work today, in a building containing over 600 people, but for one person clad bafflingly in black, it was a totally normal day.

I don't personally know anyone who is particularly moved or distressed at all really, which leaves me wondering where the truth of how people feel, actually sits.

Is it radically different in England?  Is the narrative the media portray, simply one they wish to shape, or is there a substantial reality they're simply reflecting?  

Is social media terrorising companies, organisations and people into projecting insincere emotion?

I remember when Diana died, honestly feeling that the UK was not the same place I'd previously understood it to be?

This time, I don't feel as if I've even got any sense of an understanding, to misjudge or otherwise.

 

Basically, the thing I'm struggling to ask is: what's actually going on here, in terms of UK and Scottish feeling regarding such matters?

Obviously, there's a diversity of outlooks, but where would you pitch the middle of it?  I haven't a clue.

the vast vast majority of folk i know are neither up nor down about it. i'm not getting where the outrage and need to cancel everything / throw Chinese take away's in the bin is coming from tbh 

my whatsapp group chats have been full of funnies tho

Edited September 9, 2022 by effeffsee_the2nd

[Antlion]

1 hour ago, Stringer Bell said:

2 Swan burgers please.

British folk frequently mock Americans for their flag-waving USA-USA-USA “patriotism”, but this lunacy is far, far beyond anything you’d see in the states.

[djchapsticks]

21 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Genuinely, where is the centre of gravity here as regards this whole thing?  

Looking at the bonkers stories on here, the UK is clearly home to plenty of deranged individuals.  However it's also home to over 60 million people, so there's still room for sanity to exist.

Media coverage would again beg us to believe the 'national mood' is one of overpowering devastation.  Virtually all of it, Scottish stuff included bears no real relation to anything I'm seeing for real though.

At work today, in a building containing over 600 people, but for one person clad bafflingly in black, it was a totally normal day.

I don't personally know anyone who is particularly moved or distressed at all really, which leaves me wondering where the truth of how people feel, actually sits.

Is it radically different in England?  Is the narrative the media portray, simply one they wish to shape, or is there a substantial reality they're simply reflecting?  

Is social media terrorising companies, organisations and people into projecting insincere emotion?

I remember when Diana died, honestly feeling that the UK was not the same place I'd previously understood it to be?

This time, I don't feel as if I've even got any sense of an understanding, to misjudge or otherwise.

 

Basically, the thing I'm struggling to ask is: what's actually going on here, in terms of UK and Scottish feeling regarding such matters?

Obviously, there's a diversity of outlooks, but where would you pitch the middle of it?  I haven't a clue.

Absolutely nothing changed today in Glasgow aside from a lack of advertisement boards being on.

The majority of folk will go about their lives as if it hasn't affected them because funnily enough, it hasn't affected them. It's just another current news story.

[Antlion]

My gym this morning had the usual music videos playing on the screens (with sound). This evening, the sound was off and the screens were just showing images of Lizzie against a black background with “1926 EIIR 2022”. Presumably a directive came from head office at some point today, forcing the staff to make us all mourners*.

* mourn ‘er? I hardly know ‘er.

[Monkey Tennis]

2 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Absolutely nothing changed today in Glasgow aside from a lack of advertisement boards being on.

The majority of folk will go about their lives as if it hasn't affected them because funnily enough, it hasn't affected them. It's just another current news story.

Yes, that's my immediate personal sense too.

So are we just saying that a madness has descended then?  Are most people in reality pissed off that TV has become unwatchable, football has stopped and weather forecasts scaled down?

That's what I don't know.  The extent of the madness seems incredible if the sentiment it's meant to reflect, barely exists at all.

[Scary Bear]

13 minutes ago, Antlion said:

British folk frequently mock Americans for their flag-waving USA-USA-USA “patriotism”, but this lunacy is far, far beyond anything you’d see in the states.

I would imagine most folk have a wee think about it then say “this doesn’t really affect my life, I’m more concerned by the cost of gas and leccy”.

[Wile E Coyote]

2 hours ago, ArabGaz said:

Rocket Racoon is dead ?

That's my weekend ruined

[djchapsticks]

5 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Yes, that's my immediate personal sense too.

So are we just saying that a madness has descended then?  Are most people in reality pissed off that TV has become unwatchable, football has stopped and weather forecasts scaled down?

That's what I don't know.  The extent of the madness seems incredible if the sentiment it's meant to reflect, barely exists at all.

From what I can gather, most folk are completely bemused by it all. 

It appears that in a pre-emptive attempt not to offend a vocal minority, many companies and organisations will go out of their way to be seen to be 'doing the right thing' and it's left the rest of us scratching out heads and wondering WTF is going on.

[Scary Bear]

6 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Yes, that's my immediate personal sense too.

So are we just saying that a madness has descended then?  Are most people in reality pissed off that TV has become unwatchable, football has stopped and weather forecasts scaled down?

That's what I don't know.  The extent of the madness seems incredible if the sentiment it's meant to reflect, barely exists at all.

The percentage of people actually/faux mourning will be small. In Scotland it’ll likely be a single figure percentage. I’m not particularly pissed off about it all. It’s part of life in Britain. I know this charade will be over soon and there’s little I can do about it but wait for it to pass, but I’m not going to join in.

[Priti priti priti Patel]

19 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Yes, that's my immediate personal sense too.

So are we just saying that a madness has descended then?  Are most people in reality pissed off that TV has become unwatchable, football has stopped and weather forecasts scaled down?

That's what I don't know.  The extent of the madness seems incredible if the sentiment it's meant to reflect, barely exists at all.

It's very different down here in England to what it's like in Scotland.

Regular normal people genuinely felt like they knew her (ffs). Even my most lefty of friends are all saying shit like "am against the monarchy but I admired her as a person" or at worst "I just don't think now is the time to criticise. It's always sad when someone dies". The media is definitely perpetuating it, but it does appear the majority of English people feel some degree of sorrow. Not like if your granny died but maybe your granny's friend who you liked seeing. Then there are a lot who do have stronger feelings than that. There's probably a third who are properly gutted and two thirds who quite liked her and feel a bit of sadness.

Sorry, appreciate that's not very clear.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Priti priti priti Patel

[Lyle Lanley]

Couple of shops in Edinburgh closed today out of respect. 

[Billy Jean King]

Some confusion in the Spanish-speaking world as Ray Charles announced as the new king.

Suppose that's them getting us back for Ashley Giles.

[Zetterlund]

I was working on my own today and trying to find a radio station that was even slightly listenable. Everything was playing a revised playlist of sombre music punctuated by very serious presenters reminding us that we're all very sad. Someone actually texted in to a radio show saying they had to turn it off as it was getting too emotional.

In the real world, nobody I know is bothered in the slightest and most are pissed off about the football being cancelled, among other things.

[Bert Raccoon]

46 minutes ago, ArabGaz said:

From one Normal Island to another

I SAY QUEEN, YOU SAY LIZZY

QUEEN.....LIZZY......QUEEN.....LIZZY

HALF PRICE SHOTS FOR THE NEXT HALF HOUR IN RESPECT TO HRH!!!

[Monkey Tennis]

11 minutes ago, Priti priti priti Patel said:

It's very different down here in England to what it's like in Scotland.

Regular normal people genuinely felt like they knew her (ffs). Even my most lefty of friends are all saying shit like "am against the monarchy but I admired her as a person" or at worst "I just don't think now is the time to criticise. It's always sad when someone dies". The media is definitely perpetuating it, but it does appear the majority of English people feel some degree of sorrow. Not like if your granny died but maybe your granny's friend who you liked seeing. Then there are a lot who do have stronger feelings than that. There's probably a third who are properly gutted and two thirds who quite liked her and feel a bit of sadness.

Sorry, appreciate that's not very clear.

It's clearer than my guddle of a question.

I've lived in England, but not for a long time and not during such an episode.  Your answer points to things being very different in England.  It does amount to an explanation.

[Antlion]

12 minutes ago, Priti priti priti Patel said:

It's very different down here in England to what it's like in Scotland.

Regular normal people genuinely felt like they knew her (ffs). Even my most lefty of friends are all saying shit like "am against the monarchy but I admired her as a person" or at worst "I just don't think now is the time to criticise. It's always sad when someone dies". The media is definitely perpetuating it, but it does appear the majority of English people feel some degree of sorrow. Not like if your granny died but maybe your granny's friend who you liked seeing. Then there are a lot who do have stronger feelings than that. There's probably a third who are properly gutted and two thirds who quite liked her and feel a bit of sadness.

Sorry, appreciate that's not very clear.

I noticed this at Jubilee time, coming back from London just as it was kicking off. Polls I think also show there’s a clear national division between Scottish and English attitudes to the monarchy.

But why that is, I’m not sure. I’m not really one for believing in national characteristics - but on this issue Scots seem a lot more skeptical and cynical. Weird why there should be a border on an issue that’s force-fed to all of us by the media though. We get the same propaganda as they get in England. Why so many of us don’t give a shit about this pantomime and so many down south do, I really can’t fathom. It’s not like the Windsors do any more for Hexham than they do for Renfrew.

[Bert Raccoon]

36 minutes ago, Wile E Coyote said:

Rocket Racoon is dead ?

That's my weekend ruined

I'm what?

Oh, as you were 

[milhouse]

39 minutes ago, Wile E Coyote said:

Rocket Racoon is dead ?

That's my weekend ruined

The eagle-eyed among us will spot adult entertainer August Ames in there. Hilarious .

[Priti priti priti Patel]

28 minutes ago, Antlion said:

I noticed this at Jubilee time, coming back from London just as it was kicking off. Polls I think also show there’s a clear national division between Scottish and English attitudes to the monarchy.

But why that is, I’m not sure. I’m not really one for believing in national characteristics - but on this issue Scots seem a lot more skeptical and cynical. Weird why there should be a border on an issue that’s force-fed to all of us by the media though. We get the same propaganda as they get in England. Why so many of us don’t give a shit about this pantomime and so many down south do, I really can’t fathom. It’s not like the Windsors do any more for Hexham than they do for Renfrew.

Not exactly - there's a competition in Scotland between the British and Scottish identities, which means neither is ever truly dominant, and there's probably something of a void between the two for each person to fill in themselves. The monarchy is central to the mainstream British identity but isn't really a part of the Scottish identity. In contrast, in England there's almost no differentiation between British and English - it's a unity of messaging which leaves very little space for anything else. Probably the only time English people will differentiate between British and English is during an international football tournament, and what song do they play before every England game? GSTfuckingQ.

So even if an English person feels more English than British the chances are they will still identify with the monarchy. And so will everyone around them, regardless of their political inclinations on other issues. That's just not the case in Scotland.

There's basically no opportunity for someone south of the border to identify with their homeland without also identifying with the royals.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Priti priti priti Patel
can't type for shit

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

1 hour ago, ArabGaz said:

From one Normal Island to another

That is fucking superb!