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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Society and its decline into yobbery, 23 Sep 2006
Quite possibly the most terrifying book I have read since I read James Herbert's "The Fog" back when I was all young and impressionable , "Yob Nation" lists with almost salacious glee a series of violent misdemeanours so shocking you may be tempted to never leave the sanctity of your house ever again.
This is the books biggest problem from an ideological standpoint. In convincing us that society is on the cusp of some vicious meltdown Lewis Gilbert gives us anecdote after anecdote involving physical, verbal or mental violence to such a point that it seems he is almost relishing the process. I am sure that isn't the case but for a book purporting to condemn the levels of aggression in contemporary society it would seem the books biggest draw to potential readers are the very acts of violence he seeks to condemn.
Not that I am above all this as I read with appalled fascination (but fascination none the less) about the gratuitous levels of thuggery endemic in Great Britain .Gilbert talks to various perpetrators of casual violence, bullying or gang members as he seeks to get to the bottom of why this country (Now estimated to be the one of the most violent in the world according to a U.N. report in 2005) is spirally so rapidly into fist throwing meltdown.
He gives compelling evidence that violence is not just the province of the poor and disenfranchised but stains all classes and that our excessive drinking culture, poor parenting , lack of opportunities and facilities for young people and the horrendous examples set by Governments , politicians and media all contribute significantly.
His solutions make for general common sense reading though they are the province of a more liberal mind and may not be radical or hard line enough for many readers. Gilbert offers us hope through the prudent use of ASBOS and the acts of determined individuals and organisations that have been proactive in meeting the problems they have confronted with head on. All of these say one thing constantly- that until the rights of victims and decent ordinary people are put above those of the strident nihilistic minority things will not improve significantly if at all .These perpetrators of much misery know their rights but nothing of individual responsibility and it's time this was addressed vigorously
Violence is often titillating when it's happening to others and there is very much a there but for the grace of god attitude when reading of others misfortune and this book brings both these uneasy voyeuristic feelings into play but reminds you at the same time that the chances of something similar happening to YOU are statically on the increase. I was verbally abused by a gang of youths the other day and laughed it off as being repeatedly called a "bald b*****d is hardly the most hurtful insult hurled in my direction during my life and I could hardly deny one of the insults. Plus I, ve got very little hair. But next time......next time .
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A sobering read, 5 Jan 2007
After two volumes of memoirs Francis Gilbert sets out in Yob Nation to report more widely on contemporary Britain. Like many in their late 30s, Gilbert is now a father and his understandable concern about the country his son is growing up in comes across in this book. Yob Nation covers much of the general rottenness in British society today: anti-social behaviour, declining standards and the rise of "yobbishness" in politics, the City and tabloid journalism. Unsurprisingly, the binge drinking culture also features prominently. His main tool is reportage from victims, former yobs and, to a lesser extent, commentators.
While I am in broad agreement with Gilbert's findings, YN has a number of flaws. Perhaps most seriously, YN needs more rigorous research. Presumably the author is still doing the day job (he was head of English at a comprehensive in Upminster at the end of Teacher on the Run). If he is, it must have been very difficult to find the time to research YN. As a result, the references too often show a reliance on tabloid reporting and much of the book is taken up with long reportage (though much of this is relevant). Perhaps for his next book Gilbert could take a longer sabbatical.
The reliance on reportage leads to YN probably having the greatest concentration of swear words that the reader could find anywhere outside a football stadium. If all the f- and c- words were taken out it would probably be 100 pages shorter!
Much of what the book describes is neither new nor is Gilbert's voice the only one. Theodore Dalrymple and others are covering the same ground at present. Britain, I suspect, has actually been a yob nation (or at least has had a strong yobbish element) for a very long time. The issue has come to the fore because the counterbalancing moral foundations have been eroded and (for better or worse) shame and responsibility have all but gone from large parts of our culture. Interestingly it is New Labour, not Thatcher, who comes in for the strongest criticism in this book for relaxing licensing laws, while also holding a ray of hope in the ASBO.
I recommend this book to anyone who is concerned about the state of modern Britain, and can tolerate a lot of swearing. As with Gilbert's other books, YN is readable, open, honest and gritty, written in a clear, journalistic style. Though an initial response to this subject is to stay at home and become depressed, the overall impression is one of optimism. Recognising that we have a problem (and it is indeed our problem, not someone else's) is the first step towards a solution
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Intruiging and well-informed, 1 Jan 2007
As a secondary school teacher in a socially-deprived area, I was delighted to be given this book as a present, and was not disappointed upon reading it. For me, Gilbert discusses "yobbery" in society in areas I had never even considered, such as the City workers and the Army. However, I disagree with another reviewer that he equates this to the violence and aggression on the streets - in my opinion he is simply demonstrating how humans behave and interact, and how this is often also behind the "gang" mentality of bravado and power. But equally, he goes on to distinguish "gangs" from "yobs", eventually drawing some interesting conclusions. I found it a very thought-provoking read, giving me lots to digest and think about.
I also disagree with another reviewer about Gilbert's analysis on the alcohol industry. Personally I have experienced the pull of cheap drinks and admiration of one's peers for getting up to drunken antics, and, after reading this book, I can now see how it going to get worse if something is not done about it.
One of his suggestions for removing yobbery from society is to offer education and skills to young people before they become involved in a life of violence and crime. I feel this is the only way we are ever going to rectify the situation, but it begs the question: who is prepared to foot the bill?
As a teacher, I do not feel in a position to make much of a difference to disengaged youngsters, as we are trapped between government policies and parents' opinions on bringing up their children, a view which I fear more and more teachers are sharing.
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