Are you offended when the media poke fun at your hobby?

Last night I was listening to a radio comedy called 'The Harpoon' on BBC Radio 4 Extra. It's a parody of a 1930's Boy's Own Paper type publication, rather humorous I think.

Last night's episode claimed The Harpoon to be paired with the magazine 'Lathe Monthly', a publication that reminded me strongly of pre-War issues of Model Engineer. For example, Readers Answers; 'To A.B.C of Portsmouth: It is unlikely that the yellow feathered object you bought with a cuttlefish is a lathe at all', An advertisement for a firm claiming to be appointed 'Bolt Threaders to the King. Strong hints that chaps with machine tools don't have girlfriends. Lathes with unlikely names like the 'Flagellater'.

As a Radio Ham I found the Tony Hancock sketch hilarious. Not so an older friend who goes red and white with anger every time it's mentioned. I thought the sketch so inaccurate that no-one would take it seriously. He thinks it's deliberate propaganda intended to put a stop to his hobby.

Generally I take most things in good humour. When Hollywood make entertainments like Braveheart and Revolution I don't expect them to be factual. I'm much more irritated by careless factual programmes and documentaries and by politicians or PR men spinning the facts.

Do you keep your cool when your hobby is insulted, or do you think it's best to unleash the dogs of war?

Dave

Just put it down to their ignorance!

If the "intelligentia" stopped to think, (presumably they were taught logic as well as classical Greek) they would realise that without engineers, down the ages, we would not have the world that we enjoy today.

I'm sure that they would not enjoy ploughing with deer antlers pulled by an Ox!

Howard

I must say, doesn't bother me one bit!

A few people over the years have asked me, "what do you make on that toy lathe?", I just used to reply, "£100 on a good week!". Had quite a good sideline making motorcycle bits.......

Jim

But that's the point;...this stuff is NOT for the "intelligentia" it's for the millions of 'non-thinkers' whose votes are so eagerly sought by those with an eye on gain, either political or financial..... It actually does'nt matter a jot what we think it's what Sun and Mirror readers think that counts.

This subject does not make me angry but it does make me sad because it's a vicious circle of ignorance..those who laugh are so easily made to laugh and so it goes on purveying lies and ignorance to get attention and viewing figures etc.

My main hobby is shooting - from paper target shooting, to clay pigeons, to deer stalking, and lots in between.

There is probably more ignorance, hype, threats, police/government and EU intervention, to name just a few, in this area than in all the other hobbies put together!

Journo's and broadcasters are out to line their pockets by writing and screening anything that they consider to be a money spinner. I prescribe several large pinches of salt per day regardless of what the foody health advisors warn against. As for being offended - pish, and may their muesli be gritty.

Rik (humbug!)

Edited By Rik Shaw on 26/10/2017 18:39:35

So you aren't familiar with the Radio 4 Extra target audience then?

I'm sure there's someone around who will say you are better off with s second-hand Butterswine than a new Chinese lathe

Let's be honest, we have to be pretty humourless to think OUR personal interest is above lampooning. Look what football fans have to put up with!

Not very convincing accents though!

Neil

I work on the principle that the said reporter may need something repairing one day then you can either refuse him or charge him accordingly, every hobby gets some form of critism and its always from those that haven't tried it and most likely never had a hobby, its tem that have the problems not us.

Martin P

It's an interesting opinion S.O.D, I was just thinking about how many billions are sunk into television and media across not just the U.K but the whole Anglosphere, there must be some kind of political goal at work somewhere.

It's fast becoming the only view from which many see the world. So people are often divided along similar lines because those are the only arguments they've ever heard.

Michael W

I think most hobbies are not understood by the uninitiated, a couple of friends are Wargamers, to the uninitiated it is men playing with toy soldiers but having watched and talked about it I have learned there is much more to it. Can't see the attraction of football though, but I can watch every lap of an F1 race and love pure motorcycle road racing.

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 26/10/2017 19:16:00

OK Hands up anyone who has criticised the program without listening to it?

If you don't find it amusing, you wouldn't like the Goon Show or Round the Horne... it's very silly!

I'm sorry I missed that Dave, it might have raised a smile or two by the sound of it. I'm afraid I don't find most (so-called) modern comedians very funny. They seem to rely a great deal on four letter language for their routines, rather than any genuine attempt at humour. Having served in Her Majesty's Armed Services (when we still had some) I've heard all this kind of language before of course, used to use it myself when there was no 'company' present. But I can't say I enjoy hearing it routinely on the BBC - especially when my Grandson has managed to stay up a bit later than normal (e.g. just after 9 o'clock!).

So - No - this doesn't upset me but other stuff certainly does.

OK - rant over - other things to do now - like running a 4-jaw at it's limits on the EW tonight for a boring job - just a few mm clearance over the bed but I'm too idle (and it's too rainy) to take it down the garden to the S7 (and it's loverly gap bed).

Regards,

IanT

PS - They are right about lathe owners. I have two lathes but no girl-friend (the wife won't let me!)

My hobby is holding my head in despair at the stupidity of many of todays 'intellectuals'.

Like todays report that Amanda Holden asked Tim Peake if he bought any moon rock back with him from his space station. And the way when they are talking about pollution the TV news always show a cooling tower and the endless armchair experts pontificating and making decisions about technical subjects that have implications for us all and the way the media drone on and on about cutting edge technology not working perfectly first time and......

Bill D.

Oh, and for all the reasons above I am not offended when our hobby is criticised.

When I was talking to my sister a few years ago about my new retirement hobby she said 'Why'

I said for similar reasons that you pay a fortune for a season ticket to stand in the cold watching a crap football team.

Bill D.

The hassle required to get planning permission for a simple six over six 2 metre yagi on the gable end of the house must follow a close second!

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

(Long since QRT! )

Media attitudes and those of the wider society only reflect back and forth on each other.

Apart from periods such as wartime, when it was very clear to everybody that how we fared would depend to a great degree on our engineering capability, engineers have been persistently undervalued and patronised.

A few receive inflated accolades which - whilst they may not actually be undeserved - invariably ignore the work of the great number of enabling workers who collaborate to bring them to fruition.

Sometimes there seems to be an attitude among some educated folk that anybody capable of concentrating on anything for any length of time must belong somewhere on the autistic spectrum.

So no, it would be far too simplistic to be offended by such a programme. The problem is much bigger than that.

Edited By Mick B1 on 26/10/2017 20:10:46

What happens is that arty people don't understand techy subjects like science, maths and engineering, so they belittle them to make themselves feel better. Problem is that in doing so they downplay the only activities that create wealth. Banking and finance certainly don't they just move the money around and cream a bit off. According to **LINK** there is only one Chartered Engineer in the UK parliament. How do they think themselves qualified to make techy decisions?

Rant over for this evening

Edited By duncan webster on 26/10/2017 20:16:14

When I read the title, trainspotting (one word or two?) immediately came to mind....

Not sure what the usefulness of that hobby might be, but it likely spawned the word anorak!

Please feel free to enlighten me on that hobby.

"Wargamers, to the uninitiated it is men playing with toy soldiers"

Daughter of a friend is married to a Wargamer. When asked if he is able to answer the phone she says that "he can't because he's out in the garage playing with his privates!"

For those who criticise other's hobbies/interests, it's worth pointing out that the most subscribed to out-of-work activity is golf! Well, each to his own, but chasing a recalcitrant sphere of gutta percha round a manicured field seems to me to be a fairly mind-numbing way to pass the time!

Exit left, pursued by incoming!!

rgds

Bill