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Fri 19 Nov, 2004 07:45 am
I cannot ******* believe this.
In response to personal secretary, Elaine Day, asking for promotion, Prince Charles sent the following memo to an aid:
'What is wrong with everybody nowadays?
'What is it that makes everyone seem to think they are qualified to do things beyond their technical abilities?
'This is all to do with the learning culture in schools. It is a consequence of a child-centred system which admits no failure and tells people they can all be pop stars, High Court judges, brilliant TV personalities or even infinitely more competent heads of state without ever putting in the necessary effort or having natural abilities.
'It's social utopianism which believes humanity can be genetically and socially re-engineered to contradict the lessons of history
'What on earth am I to say to Elaine in response? She is so PC it frightens me rigid.'
When you say, your jug eared highness 'What is it that makes everyone seem to think they are qualified to do things beyond their technical abilities?
Do you mean like being the king of England for example?
Profiting from the distance afforded, I chuckled at his rather wry view of society and the "No Child Left Behind" syndrome.
I can't seem to forget the ruthlessly efficient system UK used to have for seperating the rocket scientists from the car mechanics. It was called "O" Levels.
Stuffy old fuddy duddy he is!
I hear that Charles is quite fond of being 'frightened rigid'. Makes you wonder what's in Camilla's wardrobe.
OK msolga, I have to fess up. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Charlie twice. Once in 1970 at a graduation ceremony for the school he is the regent of. And in 1986 at a fundraiser.
He is a shy but funny aristocrat who has done wonderful work for many schools around the world(United World Colleges). And he has led the movement to preserve noted architecture in the U.K.
He is not a lay-about and has served his country's armed forces...I might add he has no desire to be king.
As much as what he said/wrote may have been unpopular, I agree with it for the most part. Not everyone is smart, not everyone is funny, not everyone is specially talented. And it's maddening to deal with people who don't have any idea how not special they are.
ehBeth wrote:As much as what he said/wrote may have been unpopular, I agree with it for the most part. Not everyone is smart, not everyone is funny, not everyone is specially talented. And it's maddening to deal with people who don't have any idea how not special they are.
That's why we have the 'Idol' franchise on television.
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I'd guess that the memo was not designed for public circulation--but that didn't stop Elaine.
I stand with the Organic Gardening Lobby.
panzade wrote:OK msolga, I have to fess up. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Charlie twice. Once in 1970 at a graduation ceremony for the school he is the regent of. And in 1986 at a fundraiser.
He is a shy but funny aristocrat who has done wonderful work for many schools around the world(United World Colleges). And he has led the movement to preserve noted architecture in the U.K.
He is not a lay-about and has served his country's armed forces...I might add he has no desire to be king.
panzade
Yeah, I've read some quite enlightened comments he's made on many issues in the past. I just hate it when people who've had all the advantages look down their noses at the "riff raff".
But to be fair, compared to his father, Charles sounds positively decent!
The way I look at it; Growing up as he did, he's an OK guy. Just my opinion.
http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/trusts/index.html
I've thought he has been ok too.
Of course I'm not for demeaning or shutting off people from learning, advancing - I am not at all interested in keeping up what are considered class differences, and to the extent his view reflects those, I pause.
However, I do think children here in my country are now less prepared to do well than almost ever before at the same time they are fostered in thinking they can. There seems to be a mismatch in that funds and efforts to give everybody the tools to go ahead and make leaps fail to match need. And that may be part of his point. It takes, usually, a lot of practice, work, involvement to make leaps - in other words, training, which I don't see happening as much as it should. Not really the childrens' fault.
On the business of him having a gentleman's acceptable grade and then dismissing the advances of people with degrees, I see the point of the article's consternation.
On Charles' interest in environment, agriculture, and architecture, those are my interests, and I'm all for his being absorbed by them.
Mind you. The only kingly thing he's ever done is sleep with some other fellow's wife. You Nth Americans are lucky!! We've gotta call him 'Your Highness' one day!
Not THIS li'l white rabbit!
How lucky are we, after all...
Noddy24 wrote:I'd guess that the memo was not designed for public circulation--but that didn't stop Elaine.
I stand with the Organic Gardening Lobby.
Oy!!! Hang about!!!
It came up in a discrimination and unfair dismissal hearing - and, as a court document, was pounced on by the media.
She did not publicise it.
Please - also recall - the diatribe was triggered by a woman with a university degree daring to ask if people in her position, also with university degrees, might be allowed to have access for consideration for Personal Assistant positions - and receive training for same.
I don't think she was asking for anything unreasonable.
ossobuco wrote:I've thought he has been ok too.
Of course I'm not for demeaning or shutting off people from learning, advancing - I am not at all interested in keeping up what are considered class differences, and to the extent his view reflects those, I pause.
However, I do think children here in my country are now less prepared to do well than almost ever before at the same time they are fostered in thinking they can. There seems to be a mismatch in that funds and efforts to give everybody the tools to go ahead and make leaps fail to match need. And that may be part of his point. It takes, usually, a lot of practice, work, involvement to make leaps - in other words, training, which I don't see happening as much as it should. Not really the childrens' fault.
.
You know, we old folk have been saying that, and things like it, for thousands of years.
I really do wonder if this generation saying it is just the usual bumpf, or if there is something real?
I confess, when I am working/talking/having fun with the current crop of young folk who are continuing with their education and such, I find them stunningly accomplished and hard-working.
Little blighters work FAR harder than I did, that's fer sure!!!
Mind you - well, I got through on arse and a quick mind...
I also talked about concern re dismissal of credentialed people's ambition. So I am back and forth re Charles.
I know only the children I have been around, and I haven't been around as many as you, Dlowan. I know many in great schools work hard and achieve wonderfully. And there seems to be much more creativity fostered now, for which I am grateful.
There is a trend toward shining on classes among my niece's friends through their years in urban middle and high schools, a thing of not being too smart re peers and going ahead failing geometry if one didn't get it.. And my experience of what my LA neighbors' children were learning at the elementary school across the street startled me at the time, as being years behind where we were back when.
I'm not so sure I am that much older than you, Dlowan; perhaps we have observed different groups.
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