Friday 11 November 2011

NOT ACCEPTABLE

Was Thatcherism very marginally more compassionate than Blairism-Cameronism? Just saying like.

I was getting a bit worried for a while back there. It would be just like NUF-fucking-C to go and start playing really well, right when I've got this book coming out that uses them as a pop cultural paradigm for the failure of neoliberalism and why big-business is recklessly hell-bent on self-destruction.

Thankfully, Ashley has come through again.

Take away the profound underlying seriousness of the whole thing, and it's a sort of folk-opera isn't it? I wonder if we'll look back on these episodes after the revolution with misty-eyed fondness (eg. "Do you remember that Mike Ashley?" "Ah yes, he was a complete fucking prick wasn't he?" "True, but he knew how to make PR decisions that looked like bizarre situationist pranks intended to gradually radicalise the populace, didn't he?" "Yes indeed, a worthy adversary and a born entertainer! A shame, in a way, that he was decapitated and hung by his own entrails from the Sports Direct sign on the Gallowgate End during the 2018 rising." "A shame indeed Comrade Keegan, a shame indeed. Those were the days").

3 comments:

D. Jones said...

Perhaps before Mr Ashley we could start here:http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/10/12/duke-of-northumberland-s-business-cuts-back-on-alnwick-affordable-homes-61634-29580458/

Alex Niven said...

Unbelievable! Or rather all too believable ...

It's somewhat uncanny as this book I've got out has a chapter talking about the cultural renaissance of the north-east and how spurious it is: first section is called "The North-East of England as a Quidditch Pitch", and looks at Alnwick Castle and the Duke and their centrality in the Blairite PR paradigm of the nineties and noughties. Sorry I'm not trying to plug the book or owt -- I can send you the chapter for free if you're interested.

D Jones said...

It's interesting how the Duke can take with both hands charging visitors to the castle whilst being given exemption from Inheritance Tax for allowing them in 100 days of the year see:http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/heritage/lbsearch.htm and also do this:http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/11/01/alnmouth-residents-in-fight-to-defeat-duke-of-northumberland-s-plans-61634-29694691/.The ability to plunder the public purse demonstrated by him and his wife is a lesson to us all. I look forward to reading your book.