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The Word Magazine Interview
A little while back, I was pleased to be grilled for The Word Magazine by top journo Andrew Harrison (who seemed pleasantly surprised that I was aware of the goings on of him and his colleagues via their excellent podcast). The issue is out today. I talked mostly about Captain Britain, but we covered all sorts of stuff. And I can report that there is definitely a geek contingent at work in the bowels of this august organ. (Including, recently, Lawrence Miles writing the odd article.) Do pick it up.
In other news, England's smashing victory over Pakistan in the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup smoothed things over between Dad and myself. My Dad, you see (you may know him better as Pete Tyler), is aware that I'm always positive about the England team, that I go on about how the British public always do down what's going on in the cricket without knowing much about it. (And indeed, this morning, reports of a great victory are again much more muted than those of the defeat against Holland. It's like the public only enjoy us losing, because winning might mean they have to endure hope. To which my response would be: grow a spine.) So he tends to call me when we've lost, and go a bit Bob Willis on me. That is, he blames me personally for the defeat, and lists all the ways in which we were rubbish, and argues when I try to find some small hope. So when he called me at the end of last night's match and said there had been some minor improvements I was very pleased indeed. It's going to be a long two weeks.
And, of course, speaking of the uselessness of the British public, I wake to find that part of my country is now represnted by fascists. To me, that feels like my Dad and his generation, who made such a great sacrifice, are being mocked. That their enemy's been voted in. The standard fan response to the BNP, alongside an admirable call to get the vote out, is to joke about their spelling and picture research, to try and rise above them. Or to pooh pooh their chances of getting anywhere. I understand the need to obtain that distance from such a terrible thing, and I'm proud that my subculture is set so against it (Doctor Who fans, while being conservative of nature, having been taught from the cradle to recognise a Dalek when they see one) but I think next time out a bit of engagement with the causes behind this, a bit more know your enemy and a bit less marking their homework might not be a bad idea.
The second collected volume of Captain Britain and MI-13, Hell Comes to Birmingham, is out in its UK edition from Panini on Wednesday, by the way. Do check it out. Until next time, Cheerio.
Labels:
Captain Britain,
Cricket,
Doctor Who,
Euro elections,
The Word
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After eight years of Bush, I feel your pain. (Different types of extremist, though.)
Good for you on the interview in The Word. Though I would prefer for the geek contingent to find some other place to work other than the bowels. Eeeew...
As for the rise of the BNP, it's the ghost of Roderick Spode! Quick, someone yell out "Eulalie!" to drive it away.*
*P.G. Wodehouse reference alert!!
Who knows maybe the BNP winning is part of Mad Jim Jasper's plot to overthrow Britain and turn it into a facist state ... oh, hang on, this is reality isn't it?
Damn, damn scary day!
Of course Britain never elected fascists before the Parliament Act 1999 brought in proportional representation - if this had been fought on a FPTP basis the BNP wouldn't have won anything. But they always seem to get a foothold with a certain minority towards the end of Labour governments (see also the rise of the National Front in 1979) so, sickening though it is, it's not particularly surprising...
UK Doctor Who fans tend to be conservative? No kidding? Watching it here in the US I never would have guessed that.
Thanks all. Indeed, Tom, I'm very much against proportional representation: I think it flies in the face of representative democracy. John: I meant conservative by nature. That is, we're suspicious of the new, and relate new stuff back to the old. Politically, they tend towards liberal, but with some spectacular exceptions.
Tom/Paul, there's nothing wrong with PR. In Ireland, we've used it for years without having to deal with BNP style scumbags.
The major advantage is that it allows smaller parties a say in government. The major disadvantage is it allows smaller parties a say in government. Israeli style PR is horrible, but FPTP schemes tend to lead to two party systems which they to find new-thinking aversive. The major advantage of PRSTV system is that leads to less negative campaigning. If a candidate needs transfers from an enemy, he's far less likely to get dirty if he knows he might antagonise his enemies' supporters because they are people whose vote he might require later. I can't understand why PRSTV systems aren't used in more countries.
Ah, okay. I was going to say, I would think the Doctor's peculiar anarchism would turn off your average politically-conservative person.
I agree with Niall, preference voting would be much better.
In both the regions the BNP won seats, the Greens were close behind, and because the BNP wouldn't get any second preference votes, but the Greens would get loads, the Greens would likely beat them if STV was the voting system.
John: I meant conservative by nature. That is, we're suspicious of the new, and relate new stuff back to the old.
Back in the day our aliens were made of bubble wrap! And we LIKED it! Why, we'd walk uphill in the snow BOTH WAYS, just to get to the nearest house that could get PBS in to watch Doctor Who...
"Doctor Who fans, while being conservative of nature, having been taught from the cradle to recognise a Dalek when they see one."
I'm stealing that, but giving you credit. What a great line. You should be a writer. ;)
-Erik
Hurrah! Finally, something political we can agree on. (Beside the obvious "fascism is bad".) :)
I don't know, I rather like First Past The Post. Big majorities with a mandate for change, and not having to make endless deals with the smaller parties all the time. Worst case scenario: Italy. Garpu: you really should add something about ninth generation VHS copies.
Sadly my VHS copies (off WTTW) got pooped on by a colony of bats. I think wonky tracking and copies of copies only add to the aesthetic. :)
Bat poop, how many times have I heard that one?
We had our own brand of Homophobic racist bullies here in Oz - One Nation they were called.
The irony of their name was lost of none bar themselves.
We treated them exactly how you'd expect. We took the piss until they went away.
If the Goodies taught me anything, then laughing in the face of bullying is a great way to taking the wind out of their sails.
JOHN - You've just stick your finger on a wonder of politics, what Americans call "Conservative" is rather at a different angle to what everyone else calls a "Conservative".
FWIW as a PS... I managed to snag a copy of the Annual off a mate.
Cracking stuff, love Blade being totally in the dark about the second most baffling thing in the cosmos (Cricket).
And Meggan in hell and her hero name? Brilliant.
But laughing is something they're usually prepared for now, and I think is often nervous laughter on our part, and is relatively easy for us to do. And thanks.