Monday, December 1, 2008

The triumph of the ridiculous

Charlie Brooker: 'Community payback' bibs? That's rubbish. At least come up with something catchy, like 'scum slave' | Comment is free | The Guardian: "* Comment is free

'Community payback' bibs? That's rubbish. At least come up with something catchy, like 'scum slave'
It shouldn't be a jacket. It should be a green leotard - and the typeface should light up like a Vegas casino hoarding

Petty criminals of Britain! Stop breaking into that shop for a moment and bloody well pay attention. As of today, those of you doing community service are required to wear a new uniform. It's a high-visibility orange bib with the words COMMUNITY PAYBACK printed across the back in bold, black type. How'd you like them apples? Not so carefree now, are we? Consider yourselves well and truly shamed."

Okay - absolutely nothing about e-learning, technology, education in general... but... I loved this article about which deservedly ridiculed the stupidly stupid policy which has come into force in the UK today of getting those doing community service to wear orange bibs with 'Community Payback' on them. It's the equivalent of getting someone to wear a dunce's cap and stand in the corner while everyone looks at him / her. I love the idea that it will help show that justice is occurring:

"For one thing, even though it's clearly designed to demean the rapscallion wearing it, the government's "respect tsar", whose real name is Louise Casey, says it isn't. "The point of the orange jackets is not to humiliate people but to make the punishment visible," she claims."
Good grief, woman. Why not take this one step further? Let's have perspex walls on prisons! Let's see justice really being done. When kids are given detention, make them walk to it with a loud-hailer, announcing their 'crime' as they slouch along. How about all public servants wear bibs with their job title and how much they're paid? Doesn't the British public need to see where their money's going and who's representing them?

Let's start first with MPs though. I hear Jack Straw is a big fan of people wearing brightly coloured comedy bibs in the name of visibility...

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