"Heritage" is fast becoming my least favourite word of all time.
People often argue, when defending the House of Lords, or even the pus-filled sac of evil which is the British voting system, that such things are part of our heritage or tradition and as such have some kind of inalienable right to continue existing. What the hell?
Being part of British heritage essentially just means that something is a) British and b) old. Well, so what. Bacteria have been around for a pretty damn long time too.
Where does anyone get the idea that just because a political institution is old means that it is undeniably good? Where is the sense?
Honestly, I'm just bemused.
I mean, it comes up all the time. During the AV debates, the Tories tried to shove down our throats the idea that first-past-the-post is an essential part of British democracy, entirely because it's been around for a long time. One of the main anti-gay marriage arguments literally boils down to "gay marriage is all new and stuff, straight marriage has been like it is for ages and we shouldn't change it" - which is also factually inaccurate, but I've covered that in a different blog.
Someone should play a drinking game where they watch ten House of Commons debates on political reform, and drink a shot every time someone says the word "heritage" or "tradition" or any other of those revolting synonyms for "it's old lol" which I'm growing to hate. They would get utterly wasted.
Don't think that because I don't think age holds inherent value, I want to demolish all the castles and cathedrals and banish archaeologists to the void. I don't. History is undeniably important, but that's because learning about the past teaches us something that we can apply to the present. Applying the concept of heritage in the way that the quasi-fictitious people I'm arguing with would have us do has no such benefit.
So basically, the next person who states in my presence that an aspect of politics in this or any country should be preserved simply because it is old will probably be slapped in the face.
People often argue, when defending the House of Lords, or even the pus-filled sac of evil which is the British voting system, that such things are part of our heritage or tradition and as such have some kind of inalienable right to continue existing. What the hell?
Being part of British heritage essentially just means that something is a) British and b) old. Well, so what. Bacteria have been around for a pretty damn long time too.
Where does anyone get the idea that just because a political institution is old means that it is undeniably good? Where is the sense?
Honestly, I'm just bemused.
I mean, it comes up all the time. During the AV debates, the Tories tried to shove down our throats the idea that first-past-the-post is an essential part of British democracy, entirely because it's been around for a long time. One of the main anti-gay marriage arguments literally boils down to "gay marriage is all new and stuff, straight marriage has been like it is for ages and we shouldn't change it" - which is also factually inaccurate, but I've covered that in a different blog.
Someone should play a drinking game where they watch ten House of Commons debates on political reform, and drink a shot every time someone says the word "heritage" or "tradition" or any other of those revolting synonyms for "it's old lol" which I'm growing to hate. They would get utterly wasted.
Don't think that because I don't think age holds inherent value, I want to demolish all the castles and cathedrals and banish archaeologists to the void. I don't. History is undeniably important, but that's because learning about the past teaches us something that we can apply to the present. Applying the concept of heritage in the way that the quasi-fictitious people I'm arguing with would have us do has no such benefit.
So basically, the next person who states in my presence that an aspect of politics in this or any country should be preserved simply because it is old will probably be slapped in the face.
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