McCarthyism; A new Threat

As you have all probably seen on the news of late, a list of suspected members of the British National Party has recently been leaked onto the internet. A list of thousands of names from all over the country is currently online along with addresses and phone numbers. Now it seems, from what The Independent have recently published, many of the 13,500 members are at risk of losing their jobs as it has been revealed that some of them are within the public sector; police, school teachers and even radio hosts are said to be members. Worryingly though even children are on this list as their parents are apparently members of this right wing extremist group.

However the oddest and possibly most worrying part of this list being put on the internet is how it mirrors what happened just 50 years ago in the United States. A period spanning over a decade taken up with hatred and a witch hunt amongst suspected communists during the cold war; McCarthyism. Like the recent leaked list, it led to many people being thrown out of communities, having theirs and their family's lives being put in danger and hundreds of people; actors, politicians, doctors, all losing their jobs.

I am not at all in support of this Parties views and find it odd how if they believe in their political ideals so much why they are in such great fear of this list being released when many other extremist groups will do just about anything to portray their views. But the potentially most dangerous thing about this list is the fact that some people have given giving valid reasons why their names would be on this list. For example signing petitions in support of ideas that many British people would agree with suggested by one British model who is now condemed as being a member of the BNP.

Many historians now see that McCarthyism was mainly down to the fact that it was a time of great worry in America due to the threat against the captilist economy. Yes, the threat is no longer communism taking over our economic policies but instead a Recession that could see the collapse of our economy and capitalism in ruins. And so I leave you to wonder on this; is it just coincidence that this list has come out at this time or is history repeating itself in a new witch hunt, attempting to join all the people with the 'right' beliefs together in hunting out the politically incorrect. To take our minds of the failing economy and put them instead on possible right wing groups and how we can blame them for the wrong doings in society.

I am not a walking dictionary

Where did this phenomenon come from? To be a successful writer and for your work to be looked upon as significant, why do we now have to fill our writing with the longest vocabulary we can find?

I feel pressure upon myself to drop in a few of these words every time I produce a piece so I to can be looked upon as knowing what im on about. However I have not recently swallowed a dictionary and so I cant produce a blog that to me is completely incoherent ( doesn't really make sense) just to prove that I know the most amount of this complex vocabulary.

You may say it is due to my lack of knowledge or not enough reading when I was a child. But even if I knew these words I wouldn't be inclined to put one in every sentence to make a point. I like a more personal style. My sister commented that my work contained satire (so it was quite funny). Good, I'd prefer people to have a quick giggle at my writing then go away more confused then when they started, worrying that they should also know the longest word in the dictionary. And then they to can write for hours about the most boring of things but it looks amazing as every word is more then three syllables long!

And so I put to you a revolution in writing that I would invite everyone to join. Keep it short and simple. Go away from your work smiling and content not worrying that you spelt 'indubitably' or another equally long and unnecessarily chosen word incorrectly. I release you from this Prison of intense vocabulary that we have created for one another! Be short, be sweet, enjoy what you write!

Age of the Metrosexual man

They stand their staring deep in to the mirror, checking every hair is in the perfect position, their clothes are all fully colour co-ordinated with labels even the Beckhams would be proud of and their concealer perfectly placed. But no, this isn't your best friend or sister, not even your mum, this is your boyfriend, your brother or God forbid your dad; as this is the new age of the metrosexual.

The cave man types of yesteryear are out, washing their face and going on their way to build, play rugby, hunt and gather no more. It seems here to stay is a new man, one that likes to straighten their hair and wear only the nicest of clothes. This man is your new gay best friend and boy friend rolled in to one, and how excellent it is! Gone are the days when you have to hunt out your perfect partner to take along to your weekly shopping trip. Instead turn around, yes lying in the bed next to you, is the new best way to shop; your boyfriend.

Problematic for some, those who like the scruffy macho look, which takes soap and a pair of baggy jeans to create. I am a fully fledged member of this new club and could not be happier. Take pride in the way your boyfriend looks whilst hiding the fact that it took him two hours to look this gorgeous from your jealous friends. And why not!? You get the gay best friend but without the confusion faced when getting drunk and kissing him as the hetrosexual males before this weren't really catching on to the whole grooming process. Be happy with your metrosexual man, give him a pat on the back, lend him some nice smelling bath bomb or face wash. Just perhaps start to worry when you notice some of your favourite clothes missing, and its no longer just concealer but maybe a touch of mascara and eye shadow too.

University Challenged?

Go back a few decades ago and it would appear that university was only for the rich or academic amongst us. However now is the age that a couple of D's at A-level will see thousands of people my age being shipped off by parents thinking that if the Jones' next door are doing it why cant their little princess also get a degree and become a high flying business woman?
Well thats because she got a U in every subject and is only going to live the next three years in an alcoholic stupour.

Dont get me wrong im all for further education, but it seems we have become an age in which if your not going to university you have dropped off the face of the earth. Hypocritical I am as I sit here typing this; a fully fledged under graduate, but then having an aim and passion is leading me and it was not all plain sailing along the way. For five whole days I was a student at Cardiff university and in that time I learnt moving away from home was not for me. Be it my mums cupboard love over the years that had me running for the next train home or just the fact I could not stand sharing a kitchen with 7 messy strangers any longer, the reaction i got on my return was not particularily pleasant.

My mums face at the door when I returned washing in hand, or the many phone calls I made to disappointed relatives who had spent many an afternoon in Ikea with me choosing the perfect bedding for my cardiff room. All of their calls begining with the same shock and finishing with the same sigh, "Who wouldnt want to be away at university?"
Well I still am but living at home means to them im not experiencing the full joy of doing my own washing and getting intoxicated every night. Instead I choose an education without the every morning hang over.

My last point, what about those who dont go to university at all? Do they deserve the same shock and sighing as I recieved? Well no, many appear to know exactly what they want from life, or atleast what they dont. They are not turning around in three years time ready and waiting for the big wide world to open up to them degree in hand and debt in the bank, as they are already living in it.