Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => Politics & Current Affairs => Topic started by: Nearly Sane on June 22, 2018, 07:50:36 PM

Title: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 22, 2018, 07:50:36 PM

The leader of the elected govt grovels before someone whose qualifications are who ancestors are.

https://www.thepoke.co.uk/2018/06/22/theresa-may-comedy-curtsey-prince-william-17-favourite-captions/
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Gordon on June 22, 2018, 08:30:42 PM
A nauseating sight on several fronts: quite liked the 'precious' comment.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 22, 2018, 10:54:20 PM
Meanwhile....



https://www.economist.com/britain/2018/06/23/peers-fight-for-a-place-in-the-house-of-lords?fsrc=scn/tw/te/bl/ed/peersfightforaplaceinthehouseoflordsapantomimeinermine
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Rhiannon on June 22, 2018, 11:12:24 PM
One great thing about the monarchy though is the opportunity that it gives in making politicians look idiots. Tony Blair was shit hot at it.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: SusanDoris on June 23, 2018, 06:59:21 AM
Is there an actual you tube of her curtsying? I understand she is very tall and tends to stand with a sort of knee bend. I can't see it, but if that's what she does anyway, I think it is a pity, she should stand tall and if other shorter dignitaries of any sort don't like it, that's their problem, not hers.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Steve H on June 23, 2018, 07:49:57 AM
Is there an actual you tube of her curtsying? I understand she is very tall and tends to stand with a sort of knee bend. I can't see it, but if that's what she does anyway, I think it is a pity, she should stand tall and if other shorter dignitaries of any sort don't like it, that's their problem, not hers.
She went down very low, with her legs very bent - not so much a curtsey, as a grovel.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 23, 2018, 09:40:18 AM
She went down very low, with her legs very bent - not so much a curtsey, as a grovel.
The point being that the awkwardness of this particular attempt just underlines the bizarre servility of the custom.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Rhiannon on June 23, 2018, 10:22:04 AM
The point being that the awkwardness of this particular attempt just underlines the bizarre servility of the custom.

Particularly as she won't actually find herself in the Tower if she didn't do it. The front page of the Mail, obviously.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 23, 2018, 10:35:30 AM
One great thing about the monarchy though is the opportunity that it gives in making politicians look idiots. Tony Blair was shit hot at it.
He could manage that with Noel Gallagher
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 23, 2018, 10:39:33 AM
Particularly as she won't actually find herself in the Tower if she didn't do it. The front page of the Mail, obviously.
The Traitors' Gate of our times.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: ippy on June 23, 2018, 12:54:04 PM
Just another, yucky, pictorial demonstration of how potty the whole ludricious idea of having a hereditary royal system is.

It's demeaning to any of those that take any part in it.

Perhaps we should have hereditary mathematicians, (Thomas Paine).

Regards ippy
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Steve H on June 23, 2018, 08:36:23 PM
Just another, yucky, pictorial demonstration of how potty the whole ludricious idea of having a hereditary royal system is.

It's demeaning to any of those that take any part in it.

Perhaps we should have hereditary mathematicians, (Thomas Paine).

Regards ippy
The Bach clan nearly did it with composers.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Robbie on June 23, 2018, 08:55:12 PM
The rescue remedies didn't work then.

Honestly, not often I feel sorry for Theresa May but how awful to have awkward moments recorded for all to see. Well I s'pose that goes with the territory but she could have done a little nod and then shook hands, Prince William is hardly the type to stand on ceremony. I feel embarrassed for her but don't think the publicity is fair.

Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 23, 2018, 09:21:38 PM
The rescue remedies didn't work then.

Honestly, not often I feel sorry for Theresa May but how awful to have awkward moments recorded for all to see. Well I s'pose that goes with the territory but she could have done a little nod and then shook hands, Prince William is hardly the type to stand on ceremony. I feel embarrassed for her but don't think the publicity is fair.
It's what she does. Same as to Kate previously.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 23, 2018, 09:27:23 PM
And there is an easy way to avoid it. Don't grovel!
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 23, 2018, 09:28:48 PM
The rescue remedies didn't work then.

Honestly, not often I feel sorry for Theresa May but how awful to have awkward moments recorded for all to see. Well I s'pose that goes with the territory but she could have done a little nod and then shook hands, Prince William is hardly the type to stand on ceremony. I feel embarrassed for her but don't think the publicity is fair.
Why bow or grovel? Why is the publicity unfair?
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 23, 2018, 09:29:56 PM
The Bach clan nearly did it with composers.
Who is the best Bach composer now?
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Robbie on June 23, 2018, 09:38:54 PM
Just my opinions. No-one has to agree. I wouldn't bow or curtsey to anyone though, I am courteous to all and expect the same in return. However if I made an idiot of myself in public I wouldn't want the world to see point and laugh so I do feel somewhat sorry for T.May on this occasion & hope the publicity dies down quickly. Atm it's up there with Nancy Reagan falling over but less funny, I feel embarrassed for her but she hasn't killed anyone (as far as I know - yet).
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 23, 2018, 09:46:46 PM
Didn't say you had to agree. Just asked the question. It's not about the fact that May isn't good at courtseying, as was already said. Why courtesy?
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Robbie on June 23, 2018, 09:57:05 PM
Courtesy costs nothing but curtsying is not necessary in my view. I imagine someone told Theresa May that was the thing to do and she didn't question it. Maybe she will now  :D.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 23, 2018, 09:59:33 PM
Courtesy costs nothing but curtsying is not necessary in my view. I imagine someone told Theresa May that was the thing to do and she didn't question it. Maybe she will now  :D.
And if she doesn't?
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Robbie on June 23, 2018, 11:24:54 PM
I really don't know. Short of us all writing to her with suggestions I doubt we can do anything about it but doesn't affect us really. Seriously, bowing and curtsying are anachronistic practices, makes me think of Jane Austen dramas, men and women all bowed and curtsied to eachother. It's unnecessary, one can be polite without all that. I wouldn't like anyone to feel they had to be deferential to me. Not likely to happen though thankfully.

Mrs May is not my cup of tea, I don't like her policies but she's a fellow human being, as good or bad as anyone else & there's no need for her to grovel.

The thread title is apt!
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 24, 2018, 02:15:40 AM
The PM isn't capable of thinking without being written to? That's a bit shite. And yes it affects us all for the elected, as far as that goes leader of the UK to grovel before someone simply because of their ancestry.It establishes the belief that blood is important, that the individual isn't, that people can be judged by race and ancestry.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Steve H on June 24, 2018, 04:47:40 AM
I'm no great fan of the late Martin McGuinness, but when he met the queen, although he was polite, he noticeably didn't bow. Good for him.
The protocol is interesting. I remember seeing the Queen greeting various European VIPs at some do some years ago. Everyone bowed or curtsied to her (though none grovelled like May), until Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands appeared. She and Madge gave each other a sisterly peck on the cheek. No bowing, beause of course both were queens, and thus social equals.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Robbie on June 24, 2018, 08:36:43 AM
Last night I went so far as to look up how to greet a royal because of this thread, not something to which I'd previously given thought.

On the Royal website it says:-
'There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms.'

So all a matter of choice.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 24, 2018, 12:48:49 PM
Last night I went so far as to look up how to greet a royal because of this thread, not something to which I'd previously given thought.

On the Royal website it says:-
'There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms.'

So all a matter of choice.
of course, it's a matter of choice, which makes the grovelling  from May all the worse.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: ippy on June 24, 2018, 02:27:10 PM
The Bach clan nearly did it with composers.

Yes Steve, on merit.

ippy
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Steve H on June 24, 2018, 02:39:10 PM
It was a joke!
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Robbie on June 24, 2018, 05:26:08 PM
of course, it's a matter of choice, which makes the grovelling  from May all the worse.

Well tell her! She might listen if enough people comment.

However how I see it was she tried to do something traditional - and as it happens totally unnecessary -  was clumsy about it resulting in some sections of the press ridiculing her, which was cruel. I saw the incident nowhere other than on here & I do look at the news on the internet, so it obviously wasn't that important.To you maybe.

It was a joke!

Yes it was. Bach was good with rescue remedies, some swear by them. Never helped me but maybe I don't need rescuing.
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Rhiannon on June 24, 2018, 05:39:50 PM
of course, it's a matter of choice, which makes the grovelling  from May all the worse.

Worse how? For you to watch? Maybe it says something useful about her. Either way she’s actually not being cruel for once. Isn’t this just a distraction like Melania’s jacket?
Title: Re: What century is it?
Post by: Nearly Sane on June 25, 2018, 04:11:14 AM
Worse how? For you to watch? Maybe it says something useful about her. Either way she’s actually not being cruel for once. Isn’t this just a distraction like Melania’s jacket?
Worse in that she chooses to grovel. And while it's not the most important thing she does, it is symbolic and given she is the PM supports a system of privilege.