Chavs, celebs and crazy people (Room 101)

Member Name: LittleEwok

Product:	Room 101
Date:	19/04/05 (492 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: N/A

Disadvantages: N/a

Hi everyone, its finally that time in my life when I feel like having a spew about the things that really, really tick me off. So without further ado....


Celebrity worship

Number one on my hate list, I cant stand all this “Hello” and “OK” nonsense…I mean do we really care if Britney’s thong is showing or J Lo is acting like a diva? It kind of upsets me when certain tabloid newspapers have Posh ‘n’ Becks latest scandal on the front page, and then something about the tsunami on page 25, after the adverts for the latest models of cars. I realise we will eternally be interested in the lives of the rich and famous (or some of us anyway), but when someone can tell you the latest details in the Michael Jackson case without knowing what’s going on in politics and the world, it really upsets me. I have to admit I do tend to read these silly magazines in work, but that’s because its impossible to read anything in depth at work (on account of being “interrupted” by customers all the time). There is a wonderfully celebrity-obsessed girl in my class who rather sums it up…I was describing this girl to my friend, and I described her as very pretty and Asian. This absolute genius butted in and said, “She isn’t Asian, she’s Chinese”. Dumb as a plug. Please people, if you subscribe to celebrity worship, please remember there is a world of important news outside of the latest Paris Hilton scandal.


The anti-vegetarian brigade

I went into more detail in my vegetarianism op, but this is one of my main rants. I abstain from meat, I’m not a child-molesting axe-murderer! It really irritates me when people who live of steak, chips and pints of Tennants suddenly become experts in nutrition and start waggling their fingers at me as if they know better. Strangely enough, I’ve been a vegetarian forever and a vegan for many years now, and I’m about as healthy as they come. I have plenty energy, my diet is not deficient in anything (something I’m paranoid about so I make sure of it) and my doc gives me a clean bill of health at every check-up. Some people just seem threatened by the fact that you choose not to eat meat, and a lot of people automatically assume that vegetarians see themselves as superior. I know some veggies are really irritating in getting their points across, but we aint all like that, so PLEASE treat us and our views with some respect. And those people who say that parents don’t have the right to “force” vegetarianism on to their children…how is that different from having a baby christened (as the child has no choice), or making a child go to church or Brownies, as many parents do?


The stigma attached to mental illness

Its one of the last taboos, despite the world and his wifey being diagnosed with depression. I am studying psychology and today we were looking at “abnormality”. One girl in the class said charmingly “but they always put them in high rise flats full of people…shouldn’t they be somewhere more quiet, where they cant hurt people?”. I really wanted to slap her.

People seem to have this idea that everyone who suffers from a mental illness is violent, when in fact very few are. My mum practically physically prevented me from seeing my now ex-boyfriend a while back because she thought he had schizophrenia (he didn’t), which of course means he’s automatically going to try and axe-murder me and bury me in his back garden. With certain notable exceptions, I believe sociopaths are one, most mental illnesses do not equal violence. Employers discriminate when it comes to those who are recovered or suffering from an illness in a way that they could not get away with any other section of society…fair enough, if its an illness that prevents them doing a job, but if they are recovered or the illness will not affect the job in hand its just not fair. Research indicates that 20% of people in Britain will suffer from depression at some point in their life…and that’s not taking into account all the other forms of mental illness, some of which affect vast numbers of people. I think its time we stopped treating these people like pariahs, because one day we might be suffering from a mental illness, and we wouldn’t like being treated that way.


Butt grabbing and general harassment when out and about

Last time I checked, I should be allowed to go out and have fun with my mates without have my butt, breasts or any other part of my body groped by some drunken pervy git (who is usually about 30 years older than me). I don’t know what century these blokes were raised in, but what makes them think they have the right to do that? If they did that in the workplace they could get sued instantly, but because a girl is out clubbing and/or wearing a revealing outfit she’s obviously a tramp whose “up for it”. I mean, do they do it just to get a rise out of you, or do they honestly think grabbing someone’s butt is going to get them somewhere? I go to clubs to dance and spend time with friends, not to “pull” like some women do, and I hate feeling like a piece of meat when I’m out and about. I do have quite a few flesh-baring outfits, but they’re worn more for my sake than to attract men. I don’t feel I should have to put up with someone else’s issues just because I look good and have fun when I go out. So if anyone reading this ever gets round to grabbing my butt, expect a fist in the face (or a knee somewhere else) in return.


Ned (chav) culture

This is probably going to sound rampantly elitist and snobbish, but its not intended that way. I’m not taking a dig at the working class, being working class myself. But this whole new “Ned culture” drives me insane. Firstly, the clothes. I mean, who the hell decided that tucking trackie bottoms into SOCKS was a good look? And then there’s the blinding whiteness of the trainers…I mean, do they get bleached every weekend or what? And of course, the ever popular “Shark fin” style of wearing a baseball cap which involves perching it on the very, very top of your head so it looks as if its about to fall off. Then there’s the big, chunky fake gold, and the girls with bleach blonde hair and dark roots. Customised Fiestas blaring out hard house at full blast, and hanging around chippies giving everyone dirty looks. I grew up in a really rough town on the outskirts of Edinburgh, and most of the people I went to school with fulfilled this description. I was hated and despised at me school (because I like being original and not acting like a clone), and as such I spent most of my time terrified of these people. Why? They act all big and hard in groups, catch one of them on their own, and they’re total wimps. There is just no excuse for the rudeness, shouting at you across the street, and threatening you and calling you a Goth/lesbian/poof/Paki whatever if you don’t live up to their bizarre standards. Fortunately most Neds seem to be under the age of 20 and tend to grow out of it. Thank the goddess.


God we Brits love a good moan. Other contenders for Room 101 included wasps (they terrify me), carob, anything “Ghetto fabulous” or “Bling” and the paparazzi. Hope you enjoyed reading my review!

Summary: