Monday, February 07, 2005
Pete Doherty: he takes drugs, you know.
Have these people really got nothing better to talk about? Every single day last week Pete featured large in at least one tabloid. You could play games of "Pete Bingo". And every day a columnist can be relied upon to tell us all just how much of a loser he is, complete with pictures of him looking off his face.
Yes, he is a shining example of why drugs are bad, kids, mmmkay? But for goodness' sake! It's the laziest of journalism, and he's being taken advantage of and being gawped at like a monkey in a cage. Leave the poor guy alone! And furthermore, if you want to be moralistic and denounce him as a junkie loser, then why provide graphic photos and descriptions of exactly how one takes drugs?! It's simultaneously saying "If you want to be cool like Pete, then here's how".
I imagine he, partly at least, quite likes all the publicity (he's not even "ex-Libertines singer" now, but "Kate Moss's boyfriend"), so maybe if everyone stopped banging on about him he'd wake up and realise what's he's doing. Maybe.
Oh, and whilst on the subject of tabloids, and inspired by Al's post this morning, why's everyone so down on 24h licences? Lots of places have late licences already, like the Hobbit, and I've never seen any trouble there. It'll just mean that non-clubbing types can stay out later in cozy locals, which is a good thing. Plus, as Al says, the vast majority of pubs won't be able to afford it anyway.
Yes, he is a shining example of why drugs are bad, kids, mmmkay? But for goodness' sake! It's the laziest of journalism, and he's being taken advantage of and being gawped at like a monkey in a cage. Leave the poor guy alone! And furthermore, if you want to be moralistic and denounce him as a junkie loser, then why provide graphic photos and descriptions of exactly how one takes drugs?! It's simultaneously saying "If you want to be cool like Pete, then here's how".
I imagine he, partly at least, quite likes all the publicity (he's not even "ex-Libertines singer" now, but "Kate Moss's boyfriend"), so maybe if everyone stopped banging on about him he'd wake up and realise what's he's doing. Maybe.
Oh, and whilst on the subject of tabloids, and inspired by Al's post this morning, why's everyone so down on 24h licences? Lots of places have late licences already, like the Hobbit, and I've never seen any trouble there. It'll just mean that non-clubbing types can stay out later in cozy locals, which is a good thing. Plus, as Al says, the vast majority of pubs won't be able to afford it anyway.
# posted by Pgd @ 1:23 pm 
Comments:
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Yeah, fair point on calling him "poor guy". There's a possibility that he's an OK guy really, but I guess it's mostly just my instinctive sympathy for the 'tortured artist'... and I do love his music :)
not really sure what to make of the 24 hour licensing thing. i don't think everyone should take it as a given that things will get worse... it's not necessarily true even though people assume it as fact.
but also, when thinking about 24 hour drinking, it's very easy to think about how it would affect people like us. have to remember there are a lot of people who go drinking who have a very, very different mentality than we do.
but also, when thinking about 24 hour drinking, it's very easy to think about how it would affect people like us. have to remember there are a lot of people who go drinking who have a very, very different mentality than we do.
the responsibility lies with themselves, sadly.
it's up to the state to punish them if they abuse their responsibilities, but to be honest, there's nothing the government or pubs can really do. for example, heroin is illegal but people still get hold of it. blaming pubs or the government is a bit like treating a symptom rather than the disease.
being a libertarian, i believe people should be free to make choices, but if people choose to do things that impact badly on other people, then they should be punished.
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it's up to the state to punish them if they abuse their responsibilities, but to be honest, there's nothing the government or pubs can really do. for example, heroin is illegal but people still get hold of it. blaming pubs or the government is a bit like treating a symptom rather than the disease.
being a libertarian, i believe people should be free to make choices, but if people choose to do things that impact badly on other people, then they should be punished.
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