James Blunt Chris Bryant MP Row

The Dread Pirate

The Dread Pirate

The Dread Pirate

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30884948

It seems a rather funny row has started between a popstar and an MP they both make good points, but I have hand it to James Blunt for the way in which he describes his own "music"

BBC News said:
He suggested that Mr Bryant's "populist, envy-based, vote-hunting ideas" were more likely to hold the country back than "my **** songs and my plummy accent".
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The phrase 'politics of envy' is the idiotic go-to phrase peddled by the beneficiaries of a stacked deck.

A disproportionate amount of people in positions of power, in the arts or succeed in business come from a selectively small number of high standard schools.

Wishing to increase the standard of the rest of the schools to match isn't envy, it's wishing to establish true meritocratic principles in which the best really rise to the top (something which many conservatives claim to support, which is one aspect I at least in part agree with).

The statistics regarding the achievement gap between pupils pending on selection of school (determined by geography/economic class) don't lie. What is a non-existent difference in very early childhood managements to expand vastly pending on the quality of the school.

It's not envy to wish the next generation all have a great education (be that in the arts, maths, science or any subject)
 
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elmarko said:
To be honest the phrase 'politics of envy' is usually peddled by the beneficiaries of a stacked deck.

A disproportionate amount of people in positions of power, in the arts or succeed in business come from a selectively small number of high standard schools.

Wishing to increase the standard of the rest of the schools to match isn't envy, it's wishing to establish true meritocratic principles in which the best really rise to the top (something which many conservatives claim to support, which is one aspect I at least in part agree with).
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Just because you go to a certain school doesn't mean you're intelligent or well educated.
This is something that is proven on a pretty regular basis by our politicians!
sadly cronyism and nepotism are rife in our society.
 
Dis86 said:
Just because you go to a certain school doesn't mean you're intelligent or well educated.
This is something that is proven on a pretty regular basis by our politicians!
sadly cronyism and nepotism are rife in our society.
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No it doesn't but it does mean that certain doors are open & you are more likely to reach your potential (whatever that may be).

It's a true loss to our society that we have wasted some of our best future minds, scientists, business-people or politicians on a sub-standard education for a majority of the population.

I have a strong aversion to wasted potential in each generation - it's a loss we all feel (via the loss of greats & creation of undesirables).
 
It is probably overly simplistic to just make a link between attendance at private school and success in the arts/music business etc... There are clearly other factors (which go beyond just those areas too) namely just one of resources - a rich kid can take more risks, can live in London supported by parents.. (To some extent local London youth have this advantage too). Others working class/middle class from the midlands/up North will have to work minimum wage jobs between auditions or while trying to get a record deal etc... This applies whether they went to a comp or a minor private school nd had drama club/piano lessons after school from pushy parents.

I'd see simply being rich/having resources as the most significant advantage here - the other areas it impacts upon are those careers where unpaid internships are the norm... I'm not sure that private school necessarily helps per say but wealthy parents who can fund you in London without a salary probably do and those sorts of parents will often happen to have paid for private school too.
 
A supportive family and working hard trump rich parents any day of the week. As much as it might surprise, those who come from privileged backgrounds quite often have supportive parents who encourage them to work hard. Add to that a good education and its unsurprising that they do well in life.

Like a lot of things in life, its easier for people to whinge and blame those who have done better for themselves than it is to actually work hard and achieve yourself.

Making the observation that those who have been well educated and have wealthy parents do well in life is a little like saying that most people who go to Cambridge University are well educated and smart. Its not a conspiracy, its just basic logic.

Thick parents who don't give a **** sending their kids to schools that are not very good is unlikely to end well.
 
elmarko said:
No it doesn't but it does mean that certain doors are open & you are more likely to reach your potential (whatever that may be).

It's a true loss to our society that we have wasted some of our best future minds, scientists, business-people or politicians on a sub-standard education for a majority of the population.

I have a strong aversion to wasted potential in each generation - it's a loss we all feel (via the loss of greats & creation of undesirables).
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One could counter that with the belief that surely truly great minds would develop themselves?
 
How about we look for some diversity in the labour party? instead of having all the members go to the same schools, how about we have people from actual labour backgrounds...
 
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