Monday 24 October 2011

On the Steps of St Paul's

The last time I sat here, I laughed as my aunt did an awful impression of the homeless woman from Mary Poppins, singing Feed the Birds in a croaky Cockney accent.

Years later and I'm back, sitting on those same steps, the same incredible building. I wish I was sitting here listening to my aunt sing songs from Mary Poppins. Instead it's a man with a guitar singing about soldiers dying, the people suffering in silence and a ruling elite that doesn't listen. The same place, but a different world. For those of you not from London or the UK, the pavement around St Paul's has been taken over by tents, the site of Ocuppy LSX's first camp in the city. And here I am, surrounded by Guy Fawkes masks, signs lamenting the state of the economy, a man playing a penny whistle and several people, like me, who have just come for a look.

Yes, just a look. But this is the second time I've come here in as many days. I feel like I can relate to the people sleeping here day in, day out. Do I understand the ins and outs of global economics? No. Can I suggest an alternative? No. But I do feel angry. I am confused, exasperated and generally fucking miserable with today's society, where little seems to make sense. At least to me. And it's these feelings, I think, that I share with those who have taken up residence in the shadows of the cathedral.

I wish I had a voice. I wish I had somebody to represent me. A government that cared for something other than credit ratings and bankers. A government which tries to protect the nation as a group of people, rather than an economy.

I know it's all interlinked. I know that a booming economy would remove the necessity for many of the austerity measures taken in the name of removing the evil deficit. I understand that. I'm just fucking fed up of it.

And that, my friends, is my deep and meaningful take on Britain in a time of austerity. The best, most perfect words I can find to describe what I feel when I read the news. Fucking. Fed. Up.

6 comments:

  1. I wrote you a really long comment, but Blogger ate it.

    The gist: I know how you mean, I'm tired of everyone going off about how the economy is in the pot and we've all got to do our bit. Fuck off, people can barely live & lives are being destroyed on a daily basis and I'm tired of watching it happen.

    Also, are those your shoes? Very, very nice.

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  2. Took the words right out of my mouth. I'm sick of people trying to draw me into long, drawn out political debates when I just say I'm fed up with the way society has no time for the normal, everyday person.

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  3. Yeah man, that makes total sense. It's weird to me because France is all like "Nous somme les 99" but the UK can relate to the financial problems the US is facing a lot better, IMO. I think it's cool that you went down there.
    Don't know if you read or not but we didn't make it to London a couple weeks ago. (SAD FACE)
    Thank goodness we were only crashing on someone's couch and didn't have a hostel or something to pay for on top of everything else.
    The good news is, if we plan better and I'm not a total loss, we could arrange to be in London when you are next time.

    Good to see you writing again. I miss your style.

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  4. Tom,
    Where the fuck are you?
    Love,
    R

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  5. Prince of Waffles1 February 2012 at 09:07

    Risha, I second that.

    Tom - Where the fuck are you?

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  6. London town doesn't love you like we do, Mec. Write for us again, pweeeeez?

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