bluebottle Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 It always seems to escape the notice, however, of those who poke fun at creative types, or just mindlessly indulge in beer and telly (or whatever), that the world needs creative types, to produce the TV programmes that they rescind their minds on, to brew their beer and distribute it, and to generally keep the world and the economy going, to enable them to keep on consuming... Edit - I remember reading a science fiction short story about 30 years or so ago on a similar theme - I think some fellow from our time was frozen or put in suspended animation, anyway, he was 'brought back' at some point in the future, at a time when the educated and/or talented and/or 'upper' classes were in a tiny minority, compared with 'mindless proles', and laboured to keep the system going purely for the benefit of the 'uneducated masses'. Eventually this person assumed a position of power/influence and came up with an extreme and radical solution - mass colonisation of the planets, using unpressurised rocketships, or some such ruse (sorry, details very hazy after such a length of time, but hopefully someone can recall the tale and also correct my erroneous memory!). "The Marching Morons" by C.M. Kornbluth. An interesting story, though one with suspect philosophical and ethical underpinnings ... http://www.naturalthinker.net/trl/texts/Kornbluth,CyrilM/c%20m%20kornbluth%20-%20the%20marching%20morons.pdf Gordon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 27, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 27, 2013 Very well said, Mike. It always seems to escape the notice, however, of those who poke fun at creative types, or just mindlessly indulge in beer and telly (or whatever), that the world needs creative types, to produce the TV programmes those with creative hobbies or . Well said CK and Mike Creative types being lambasted by creative hobbyists who are miffed about the usual stereotype of creative hobbyists being made fun of by creative types? Considering there are quite a few creative types on here as members creating layouts I'm getting confused. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 It always seems to escape the notice, however, of those who poke fun at creative types, or just mindlessly indulge in beer and telly (or whatever), that the world needs creative types, to produce the TV programmes that they rescind their minds on, to brew their beer and distribute it, and to generally keep the world and the economy going, to enable them to keep on consuming... I read recently that taken together the creative industries earn this country almost as much as "the City" i.e. financial services and employ about twice as many of our people. Yet people such as the Daily Telegraph are forever going on about Mickey Mouse degrees, pooh pooing the arts and so on. Journalism is of course one of the creative industries but perhaps not when it's practiced by Daily Telegraph reviewers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Martin Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I just watched this programme on the iPlayer and I thought it was a very good, and fair, look at the hobby. On those subjects that have been raiesd in earlier posts, I think that: The Guardian review is obviously very positive. I actually don't think the Telegraph review is half as bad as some people are making out. As a couple of posters have pointed out, hobbyists of all stripes can come across as monomaniacs (as Pete Waterman alluded to). 17 years to build a model does seem like an astonishingly long time to stick at any kind of non-essential project, when you express it as baldly as that (which the script did do, sort of, in what I thought was one of its few mis-steps). Most of us understand how that works in real life; and know, or maybe are, people who are involved in projects of comparable length, but many other people don't and I don't think it's the job of the TV critic to fill in the gaps in the programme. The third paragraph is the guts of the review and it's very positive. Regarding the time period covered, I think that the journey from high-end gadget for the well-off (reflecting cutting-edge technology of the day) to mass-market toy is probably the most interesting part of the story in terms of having a distinct narrative. I honestly can't see more recent developments like DCC being covered as anything more than a few seconds of footage with a voiceover along the lines of "today's railway modeller can choose between computerised control, digital sound effects and models of almost museum quality, although unlike Bassett-Lowke's models, these are probably manufactured in the Far East". Same thing with scales below 4mm ("modern technology has allowed manufacturers to respond to ever-smaller homes with yet more miniaturisation") and contemporary modelling (footage of a nice modern layout, cut to Hornby Pendolino; some remarks about the appeal of the everyday, cut back to PW's Leamington, comment on the enduring appeal of steam).With the best will in the world, that's not an extra programme. It's a couple of extra minutes. Still, well worth watching and a praiseworthy effort from everyone involved. Also, Bassett-Lowke's house is one of the "1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die", as per the book I got for Christmas. I wasn't aware that it was open to the public. I'll probably go, next time I'm in the area. Mackintosh was a genius. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 If an interest isn't your own, any in depth conversation will seem " dull". I am bored rigid when Footie fans go on about it, I am bored rigid when my mate goes on about " call of duty", however I tolerate them as that is their interest...up to the point where they try and put down models, then I bite... I think also the fact that trains are " hum drum" and normally involve someone's trip to work in misery that makes people incredulous . They would rather a hobby had glamour... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Hobby-stereotyping goes on across the board. Whatever hobby it is, if the listener doesn't want to be interested by it, then it's automatically "boring". Fishing is "boring" to me, but a passionate hobby to others. I'm sure some fishists (*) would say the same about model railways. Cheers, Mick (*) Jeremy Clarkson style Yes indeed, I am a football fan, and proud of it (mostly... said the Cardiff City fan!) And there have been several times when I could almost hear the word "Holligan" as the suffix to the word "Football" in discussions and on TV..... Never got golf myself, or motor racing... but that's my opinion. I'm sure those involved would argue these are wonderful pastimes.... As for the programme. I really enjoyed it, and it could so easily have slotted in with other stereotype views of the hobby... That would have been all too easy.... But overall, I think it was very positive, and I'm glad Gordon & Maggie Gravett were involved Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tase Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Just a heads up for anyone who missed the first showing of this programme. It's on BBC4 tonight at 12.30am. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 30, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 30, 2013 Just got around to watching this. Thought it quite reasonably presented. Bit puzzled by Pete Waterman's comments on why he modelled Leamington. I know he spotted there and then worked there, but I didn't realise that all four regions trains could be seem there! Could they? I would have thought only WR and LMR. A few through carriages maybe but locos? Anybody confirm ER & SR locos on a regular basis? Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 I've just come across this film made by a journalism student at Lincoln University. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-0vwxQqfmE or look up "A Lifetime Hobby" on youtube. It features Pendon and the Lincoln MRC and won the BBC Look North Award for student TV Journalism last year. not a bad effort IMHO and she clearly wanted to look well behind the stereotype while acknowledging that it does exist. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.