OFF-TOPIC -- For the British Members...

[Admin]

 

I read something today, and would like to confirm or refute its veracity.

According to the author, in British society/culture, the following is true:

The more public, prominent, and powerful your position, the more restrained and conservative your speech and behavior should be. That necessarily means there is a double standard. A higher standard for those in prominent powerful positions and a lower one for everyone else.

Do you (Brits) agree?

If so, what constitutes "prominent powerful positions" - I take it to mean politicians and/or nobility - maybe clergy. Anything (anyone) else?

What about in America - do we subscribe to this, or something similar - since, after all, we are certainly influenced by the tenets of British culture ?

- Dan

[SANDRO43]

Dan, I cannot speak for the Brits, but a "more restrained and conservative speech and behavior" seemed an almost universal approach (with few exceptions, like Nikita's shoe-banging at the UN Assembly) until some 20-30 years ago, when tabloids and the TV discovered (or rediscovered) the audience potential of political scandals (particularly if sex-related, e.g. the Profumo affair) and went in hot pursuit of possible scoops.

Exposure gradually led even the more sober politicians to wanting to "appear" and, when you have so many contestants, outlandish behaviour becomes necessary to stand out from the crowd.

Recently we had a rumpus here in our Parliament, because a right-wing female member objected vigorously and vociferously to a left-wing transexual member using the ladies' toilets there .