knighthoods
I really despise this culture of rewarding professional success with honours…
You get an oscar, you become Sir. Isn’t the Oscar already a good enough reward for your efforts?
I think these honours should only go to those who truly do something remarkable for the community they live in. Directing a film or winning a trophy is not a good enough achievement
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Nah, just to those that bung the #toryscum £5m, or more.
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obviously that is morally unacceptable and the royal family should refuse to honours party donors, but that aside, I think rewarding success with more success in a seemingly endless circle is not productive.
Honours should be all about the unsung heroes, the local boxing coach who saved hundreds of kids from gangs, the RNLI volunteer with 30 years of active service… these kind of people, who normally get the lowest rank MBE, whereas a multimillionaire footballer trying his best to be tax efficient gets a knighthood
left the forum March 20232 -
But historically this is a 'tug your forelock you serf' society, not one of equals who then recognise and reward outstanding behaviour amongst themselves.
Aside, I had a set of bound, 6 months per volume Illustrated London News publications from 1903-06. (I have passed them on to a local history group who may make more use of them than me!) The vibe in them was intensely class / royalty / empire / flagwaving. In some heads not much has changed.
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Can I just point out these honours are not specific to one political party and have been abused by all 3 major parties over the years. Agree with Ugo, however you could add in less known or self supported athletes that don't get paid millions.
Too many bikes according to Mrs O.0 -
Generally I'd agree. I suspect that there is a bias towards giving gongs to household names as it gives the honours system more publicity than, say, musicians or artists with massive skills who don't get the same limelight, equally those who volunteer endlessly for a cause or for their community.
But bung 'em £5m or make a few films, and you're in.
There was a bit of a thing on Twatter last week wondering why John Craven's been looked over...
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this is by no means a knighthood only thing… in academia is the same… get a prize and you will get a string if awards for in essence having received said prize… rewarding success with more success… one could see it as getting a pay rise as a result of getting a pay rise, as this is broadly the same thing.
Every award and honour makes you more valuable… Nolan’s possible autobiography has suddenly gone up in value.
Ironically, said RNLI volunteer would probably never make a penny out of a knighthood.
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Have to agree with Ugo on this. My grandfather had an MBE, but I'd say it was deserved, a fireman that became the youngest chief fire officer and went on to become president of the chief fire officers association.
There was a celebrity that got a gong of some sort recently along with her mother, but it was for charity work. The fact that she was a celebrity is the only reason it got any publicity. We should celebrate charity workers more.
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