Mark Johnson

5 Responses to “It’s time the great and good met some real scary kids”

1. Ruby Pseudo Says:
   June 25th, 2008 at 8:31 pm

   I just wanted to say how refreshing I thought your article was today. In a society that propagates the problem of youth every time we allow our red tops to start some nonsense campaign about keeping children in hooded tops off our streets, it seems - too often - that adults are involved in solving the mad matter without ever truly seeking to understand what’s behind this kind of behavior to begin with (perhaps for fear of finding out its ourselves). Society’s stereotypes are causing inaction within a generation that feel they can do little right. We have to champion our youth, listen to them and talk WITH them before we loose all ability to help. We can no longer blame just them - we have to gaze candidly at ourselves too, and what we have perhaps created and caused. Or at least, ignored and refused to talk to.

2. Nikki gauld Says:
   June 25th, 2008 at 10:35 pm

   I agree with your idea of getting in there with the children ‘exposed to the pre-disposing factors’ etc.and helping build them and their families up, emotionally. Where I live ( rural SW Scotland) there are gang fights between 13/14 year old boys, they all tell me they hate fighting and only do it when they ‘have to’. But they frequently feel they have to defend someone weaker than themselves, not show weakness or fear and definitely definitely not ‘grass’ to police as the consequences will be even worse retaliation.There is always a reason they ‘have to’ have one last fight. The boys with the worst reputations are the ones unable to think before they act,at the mercy of all kinds of feelings of self-loathing, depression, anger and powerlessness due to loses in the family, parental substance misuse, neglect, abuse.
   I actually am sort of ‘middle class and white’ but was in care myself as a young adolescent and got over most of my fears and prejudices of ’scary kids’ while in care, and never have any problems engaging with young people due to my age, appearance or dress or whatever. I suppose I’m saying that it is not being middle class that’s the problem but if you give off fear and middle class superiority then, yes that’s a barrier.
   I couldn’t live with myself if I went to conference after conference on these subjects and never actually spoke to a young person in the situation. Basically I agree with you but am slightly more optimistic that class barriers can be overcome where there is a will…and I think there is because middle class white women or whatever can have powerfully altruistic feelings, even maternal ones that mean they can get past the armour more easily than you think.

3. Bruce Says:
   June 27th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

   That was a brilliant piece of level headed, realistic insight. I live in Peckham, I’m relatively young (38) and come from a working class background. I’m now a Social Worker and to be honest I find I’m becoming more and more prejudiced towards teenagers. Of course that’s not without reason. Prejudice comes from fear and I AM afraid of some these kids but that should be reason enough to realise that we’re going about this totally the wrong way. You made a point that teenagers may feel that they;re from a totally different human race and I think you hit the nail on the head. Meaningful communication with people that can speak to them without patronising them or rteating them as though they are a different species is the only way you’ll make any difference. I get the impression that they’re laughing at these people (Cherie Boothe?) after they’ve left.
   I think that what were reaping here is exactly what we’ve sown in terms of creating a society based essentially around replacing meaningful love with consumerist greed and the ability to access stuff immediately. I’m amazed when you see a 13 year old with the latest mobile, a PSP, iPod and clothes that would cost most people’s monthly salary. This doesn’t just affect disenfranchised working class kids. I see lots of young middle class people who have well paid jobs, houses and cars. They hypocritically slam working class kids as being chavs etc whilst simultaneously apeing them in their clothes and attitudes. The sight of a 30 year old white IT consultant wearing his jeans round his knees with a £150 pair of Nikes has to be one of the most pitiful sights you’ll see.
   Anyway, seemed to have rambled a bit there. Just to reiterate that was a brilliant piece of informed and clear writing Mark. Well done. I sincerely hope that we as a society start to take comments like yours very seriously, otherwise, as you said, we really will need to watch out!

4. Mike Says:
   July 5th, 2008 at 5:58 pm

   Mark , you are largely correct. If one looks at the middle class of today appart from the few who box, play rugby or enter the Paras/RM/Special Forces, there are few tough middle class men. At the beginning of WW2 there were plenty of tough middle class men- most of the public and grammar schools played rugby had boxing teams. If one looks at the officers of the infantry units who engaged in hand to hand fighting, there were plenty of tough ones. In addition, 50-60 years ,engineers who worked in construction, mining and surveying had to be fairly tough, especially in working in hostile areas. The problem is now that most left wing middle class and middle aged live in a comfortable suburban cocoon and emotionally cannot face up to the violence. Most left wing middle class hate rugby and boxing, after all it is they who dismissed competitive sports. Tough working class labour supporters who played rugby and/or boxed never ridiculed sports.

   It is worth remembering that the symbol of the Commandos was the Fairbairn and Sykes knife which was designed for silent killing by Captains Fairbairn and Sykes. Fairbairn and Sykes were middle class. Fairbairn was a former RM Light Infantry Officer who had been trained in Ju Jitsu and the added Chinese martial arts skills to his expertise. Fairbairn developed close quarter combat so that fewer Shanghai Police were killed by the Triads- he was very successful. By 1945 there were plenty of middle class types who knew how to face up up to violent yobs. It was reported in the Daily Mail many years ago a retired lecturer from Bristol University was attacked by three yobs . The lady dispatched all three: one with a blow to the throat, another with a kick to the groin and the other was thrown down some stairs. The lady , had been in the SOE and been trained by Fairbairn and Sykes in close quarter combat.

   The problem is that a tough teenager or man in his early twenties despises the weakness of the modern day middle class. Recently , there was an obituary a former mining engineer who was an alumni of Imperial College . The engineer said he could knock out two men before they drew their weapons. He had boxed at Imperial and had been in the Special Operations Executive in WW2 , serving in Jugoslavia. I am sure that many young criminals would respect the lady and gentlemen previously mentioned, after all when it came to violence they would be dealing with the professionals.

5. Jen Says:
   July 7th, 2008 at 6:58 am

   excellent

   the message is loud and clear
   a lost generation is crying out to be heard.
   the only true way to listen
   is to get into their world
   show them we are there
   and that we care.
   when we are fully prepared to listen and respond
   to those so in need of our attention -
   with our ears our hearts
   our presence, wisdom
   and conscience;
   then we will finally
   begin to understand
   the pain
   the desperation
   the root of this tragic situation
   and what can and must be done.
   Only then we will begin to see change

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