egafd.com

Okay, vile was bit harsh. Snide, then.

I'm more than aware of the increasing social problems that get associated with this chav phenomenon, but the problem with chavscum is that it smacks of one of the oldest problems we have, namely social snobbery, and I fail to see how it could go in anyway towards rectifying the situation as you suggest. If anything, I suspect, as with a lot of snobbery, that a lot of those who practise such are quite glad the chavs are there - as an easy target to blame, put down, and, best of all, feel superior to, both socially and culturally/intellectually. For Chavscum this is a complete non-starter. Do they actually think going to the trouble of setting up such a site is somehow superior to that which it mocks? I think not. Very broadly, it's just another sad little emblem of the class war, and ultimately worthless.

Odd how you should see no correlation between middle-class culture and its chav counterpart, Dibble. The narrow-minded 'they only like shit films and music' nonsense we can dismiss, but in what way is the ugly mis-matched Reebok/Adidas attire different to the Gap/Diesel/Bench designer label infatuation? Or a souped-up Nova different to those unnecessary 4x4s that clog up the school roads during afternoons? They are all the same in essence: vulgar, flashy, and a confirmation of both social status and the type of vanity/materialism associated with such. It's also an indication that materialism knows no barriers now, and you could perhaps wave your finger at the eighties for a starting block. However, Blair's prolonged ignorance of working/underclass issues while promoting middle-class values as something we should all aspire to is maybe more relevant to the here and now.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not defending chav, but I am interested to see why it's there and why the loathing towards it is so intense. Neither sprung from thin air, and I'm not buying the simplified cause-and-effect reasoning behind the likes of chavscum either.

p.s. amusingly, I suspect the proprietors of this site aren't quite as culturally savvy as they think. Citing Eminem and Mike Skinner (the Streets) as chav is one thing, but both these acts also have large middle-class followings, something they fail to mention. Mixed-class audience? Perish the thought.

Yes, I did note the pervading air of snobbery on the Chav website, but I didn't really care because I though it was a breath of fresh air that someone had recognised how crap Chavs and Chav culture was and had taken the time and trouble to put the boot in. What we normally have to put up with are pretentious, public sector middleclass sorts making excuses for Chavs (and others) because it's the trendy thing to do in their circle. Plus, there's far to much apathy nowadays, all sorts of shit happening - society going to the dogs, government interfering more and more in our lives, telling us (taxpayers) what to do. It's heartening to see that not everyone are doffing their caps and sticking to the establishment left of centre script.


"but in what way is the ugly miss-matched Reebok/Adidas attire different to the Gap/Diesel/Bench designer label infatuation?"

The Diesel/Bench combo is a sartorial light year ahead of the equivalent Addidas/Reebok combo. Similarly with the X5/Nova comparison. If nothing else they're more pleasing to the eye. I dig what you are saying about 'the school run' and it gets right up my nose too. When I was a lad no one in the whole school got picked up and dropped off by car. We all legged it home and didn?t have the slightest problem with that. It's unspeakably poncy so many are chauffeured about nowadays. And the way they cause mayhem, blocking the fucking public highway at 3:30 ? 4:00 PM makes my blood boil! When I get held up in such an unnecessary jam I feel like dragging the poncy fuckers out of their 4*4's and chinning 'em! - Nearly did do a few weeks ago.


"They are all the same in essence: vulgar, flashy, and a confirmation of both social status and the type of vanity/materialism associated with such."

There's nothing wrong with a touch of the old vanity and materialism - it makes you smarten yourself up and gives you a reason to get out of bed in the mornings. Indeed a medicinal snort of those vices makes the world go round. Though, as with all things, taken to excess vanity and materialism can be ugly and counterproductive.


"Don't get me wrong - I'm not defending chav, but I am interested to see why it's there "

Chavs have been created by the hand wringing left of centre middle classes. By the permissive society. By those who said we shouldn't point the finger, judge, sneer and call the worst of 'em scumbags. By those who said it was just because they were disadvantaged and underprivileged. By those that give the implicit impression that it's alright to be a stupid, scruffy, moron - because It's just an alterative life style of equal worth to that of the Cambridge academic or consutant neuro surgeon. But the left of centre middle classes must share the blame with the cynical, manipulative corporate cunts of the music biz, commercial media and tabloid press. These twats have promoted Chavism and pandered to it with gusto after it became apparent that there was a few quid in it.


"and why the loathing towards it is so intense."

Because it's ugly, vacuous, and threatening.


Don?t know about the Chavscum proprietor?s cultural awareness, but I must stick my hand up and say that I have one of the Eminem albums. Didn?t buy it to be trendy or give myself some ?street cred? ?cause on the whole I can?t stand rap or pretentious rap culture. I had already heard Eminem (and liked what I head) on the radio. But it was a music review in a broadsheet supplement that had kind words to say about his music - about how very cleverly he matched his lyrics to the beat, about him being no ordinary run of the mill rapper, that prompted me to have a closer listen, and ultimately to buy the album. I think the ?8 Mile? song is brilliant, very powerful and stirring.


Officer Dibble

You keep sticking it to those Chavs Bimmercat mi old son (as we say round here) I'm right behind you.


Officer Dibble

"Mostly done by the blacks, but some whites and asians are into this crap. Usually lower class individuals, but some have money."

They'll be the ones that are in the 'pharmaceuticals' biz.


Officer Dibbs

Re the flash middle classes , it's always easy to tell the difference between old and new money. It takes one or two generations for the Chaviness to wear off. English aristo old money has codes of inverse flashiness that are so recondite as to be opaque to the Americans .

Oddly, I tend to agree with the 'going to the dogs' brigade more than ever. Perhaps it's just me getting older, though no-one could deny something such as the crime rate genuinely needs adressing in a fresh perspective. Other social troubles also seem on the increase. Regarding that 'takes you back...' thread, I cannot recall as many shambolic alcoholics drifting around the streets as we get these days. Where did they all suddenly come from?

'Chavs have been created by the hand wringing left of centre middle classes. By the permissive society. By those who said we shouldn't point the finger, judge, sneer and call the worst of 'em scumbags. By those who said it was just because they were disadvantaged and underprivileged.'

I little bit much this, as it veers towards a 'kick 'em while they're down' tactic I can't agree with. Perhaps the worst of them are scumbags, but I don't see finger-pointing as a solution, and you might want to look at the selfish middle-classes who kept conservatism in power for so long as their true creators, frankly, along with the present Govt. who have done little to transcend it. As it's been said before, there is no viable working class solution any more. It's middle-class or else. In a way, chav culture hopelessly apes middle-class culture in its yearning for affluence and status, but it's just lead to people living beyond their limited means. Underpriviledge and disadvantage has come comparatively, meaning via the standards set by those they're meant to aspire to. Look at the housing market, the jobs market, at higher education. For many, the bar has simply been set too high. This, perhaps, is where the real problem lies.

Going off on a tangent slightly, there was a big debate over here last week when Bill Cosby touched on the subject of the American 'chavs'.

He was talking mostly about the wider topic of race, but raised the question as to why black youths on the street can walk around in $300 trainers and assorted expensive 'designer' labels yet they're not willing to pay that sort of money to educate themselves.

He went on to say that blacks are too willing to blame their 'situation' on other influences rather than look closer to home as to where the blame lies for their being stuck in crap housing working crap jobs.

Of course, as a millionaire it's easy for Cosby to say what he does.

How about A Chav For All Seasons?