MID WEEK OPEN THREAD…

225 Responses to MID WEEK OPEN THREAD…

1. Umbongo says:

   October 24, 2013 at 11:18 pm

   In BBC2’s programme tonight, “No sex please, we’re Japanese”, Anita Rani (in a CBBC style remarkable for its patronising of both her Japanese hosts and the viewing public) “examined” the demographics of modern Japan, the drop in birthrate there and the resultant changes in Japan’s age profile and the prospects of a declining population – quite fascinating.
   Unfortunately within 5 minutes of the start of the programme you could predict Anita’s take on this – and we were not disappointed. Anita’s conclusions were:
   1. the prospective drop in population has no upside whatsoever (FWIW I would consider that a drop in population of one-third over a couple of generations would have some benefits, certainly in this country – think of the drop in pressure on housing, the NHS and schools, for instance)
   2. the population drop was largely the fault of Japanese men
   3. the old were basically selfish (well not the women obviously who, if old, were all sprightly and apparently healthy and, if young, were go-ahead and energetic – the problem was old men or just men);
   4. unless something was done, intergenerational conflict was assured;
   5. the obvious and only solution was immigration on a massive scale
   6. large obstacles to the obvious solution proposed were deeply ingrained Japanese traditional attitudes, an apparent preference for a monocultural society, the long-established tight restrictions on the type of immigration allowed and a cultural (possibly legally enforced?) insistence that even those few immigrants currently allowed should integrate.
   In other words Anita proposed that the solution for Japan should be the one which is at the root of many – I would say most – of this country’s problems ie massive multi-culti immigration. The BBC’s answer to Japan’s population woes is that Japanese must endure the collapse of their culture: for what exactly? Presumably so that Tokyo can emulate London and create within its boundaries the oriental equivalents of Newham and Bradford. And the Japanese? Well they’ll just have to put up with it. After all, the English (the creators and product of another unique culture) did and look at the wreckage we will hand on to our children.

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   • Dave s says:

     October 24, 2013 at 11:56 pm

     The Japanese will treat this with contempt- polite contempt but still contempt.
     Their ancient culture will endure. When we are a failed state mired in misery and poverty they will send us aid. Just a little. For old times sake.

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2. Bill Wright says:

   October 25, 2013 at 3:33 am

   23rd October, Radio 4
   10am Woman’s Hour.
   A celebration of women who are global leaders in their chosen field.
   13.45. Terror Through Time. An account of the years of terror in Northern Ireland. Strong bias in favour of the IRA.
   16.00. Thinking Allowed. Mainly apologies for Muslim extremism.
   16.30. The Media Show. Is the BBC doing enough to service black audiences? With the BBC’s Pat Younge, journalist Bim Adewunmi and Simone Pennant, TV Collective.
   18.30. Bridget Christie. Leftist comedienne.
   20.00. Moral Maze. The immorality of big business.
   21.00. Costing the Earth…
   (cont p92)

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