Thursday 11 December 2008

Banardo's Reality deck shuffle misses the target

I suspect many have seen the advert by Banardo's that has upset those watching "reality TV".

Two things.

1. It is ironic that those who think they are watching "reality" get their panties in a bunch when something more like reality is put in front of their noses.

2. The sequence of the advert is misleading and is, IMHO, another form of denial, this time by those at Banardo's.

Each time I see it, the sequence goes: Robbery ->prison->father hitting->school problems->drug fix->robbery->prison etc.

The "school problems" has never included the voices-off hint about not being able to read which is in the version shown on the link I provided.

Fact is, that should be the FIRST scene in the story or, as a poor alternative, the disruptive home life, though I note that it is all the man's fault, of course - they had to kick fathers, natch. It is totally misleading that the story "begins" with the robbery, as if crime is the seed here, the trigger. Drugs are seen as the problem, but note that the robbery is caused by the high price of drugs itself caused by prohibition which is caused by the State.

I say the school-home pair, with the school as vital, for if the child can read they can escape and know of better things, regardless of their immediate suffering. It is THE way out. The failing here, as in the failing that the State can do most about, is the educational system. The State educational system that systematically fails children. Not being welcome in your "home" is, I suspect, a major contribution to educational problems. Who wants or can sit quietly and concentrate on homework in an abusive household? It is hard, but then again it is far harder for the State to intervene or fix it vs fixing, i.e. getting the heck out of, education.

So, the State can do two key things.

1. Get out of micromanaging education and allow Heads, teachers and parents to sort it all out. Education is recognised as one of the best escape routes from bad circumstances.
2. Stop making drugs so expensive by the crazy policy of prohibition. Cheap, reliable drugs not sold by some criminal who continually wants to "upgrade" users to more profitable and addictive products.

Only The Libertarian Party tackles these things head on.

Imagine the resources freed up and the advantages to everybody if those two steps were taken. Resources and a stable school environment where teachers might pick up on other signals more reliably instead of it being lost in the noise.

Imagine the power and reality of an ad that begins with a girl of 5 not being able to read while their "teacher" is filling out forms while trying to be "inclusive" and "project based" instead of realising that unless a kid can read, school will be one long frustrating and pointless exercise.

THAT is how the ad should start.

2 comments:

DavidNcl said...

"Get out of micromanaging education and allow Heads, teachers and parents to sort it all out".

Most heads and teachers are dangerous left-wing loons. These people were the second group to be subverted by the left (after the education professors).

Much of the micromanagement came about (under the Thatcher govt) in an attempt to stop state schools teaching ideologically motivated drivel.

The micromanagement was subverted to make ideologically motivated drivel the norm.

(this is funny btw: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/school-subjects-to-be-dicked-about-with-200812081444/ )

I would much rather get the state of education altogether perhaps with a full blown voucher system as in interim step.

"Stop making drugs so expensive by the crazy policy of prohibition"

Yes, I agree. It seems so glaringly obvious.

Roger Thornhill said...

DavidNcl,

The key is to get the de facto monopoly out of the way. Very rapidly, Heads will end up with schools only holding the kids of parents who want their kids taught in such schools. i.e. very few loony left schools indeed. As we know even those who propose such methods (for the proles) send their kids to traditional schools. Funny that...

Rapidly, the empty schools will close or wise up. I suspect the latter, though you can guess that the lefties will holler and wail and demand young minds are forced into their clutches.

A voucher system and the ability for anyone to open a school is, AFAICT, the least bad way of moving away from State dominance. If you allow schools to open, this will remove the ability for crackpot ideas to be forced upon people.