Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
'Out of the Ashes'
I see David Lammy is "Dear friend"ing me again, but this time without an election in sight.
His new book is available on Amazon, he tells me twice, and that it will show me where we go next, and that when I've read his book I can email him and he'll help me answer any difficuties I have arising from it.
In fairness, though, his email uses the words 'riots' or 'rioters' seven times without reverting to the Council's euphemisms of choice, e.g. disturbances, recent events, letting off steam, unforeseen meteorites, acts of god . . .
In further fairness, all royalties are going to charities involved in post-riot Tottenham, so no doubt every HOL finger is already clicking Amazon rather than waiting for remaindered copies. No Tottenham bookshops left ???
David tells me that I'll learn everything he has learnt about Tottenham in the past 39 years - which may be a way of reminding us he's still on the other side of 40 and that, come 2015, if Milliband fluffs it, New New New Labour will still have a youngish Phoenix ready to soar out of the ashes.
Thanks, David.
Tags for Forum Posts: David Lammy, Out of the Ashes, Tottenham Riots
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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ps. Keith Flett, I see, gives it a big thumbs up.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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An old school friend who teaches psychology was telling me about the physiological theory of rioting. Apparently they have observed big drops in serotonin levels in group based animals at the bottom of the pecking order. Levels get down to such a point and the animal's position becomes so hopeless that they go into this "crazy" mode trying to break out of their low status where anything goes and they want to scare the other animals with their anger/madness, presumably to get some respect. Of course they anthropomorphise this to some extent...
I'll buy David's book and read it but feel free to let me down now and say that this avenue is not explored.
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My pecking order position tells me I've postponed rioting for far too long. Crazy mode is building up . . . .
If David had included it, he'd have a fatter book which Amazon couldn't flog for a fiver.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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There seem to be a range of physiological, psychological and social psychological theories. Together with theories from other fields such as planning, anthropology and even meteorology. (Apparently there's a close correlation between rioting and long hot summers.)
Many learned papers about riots are published in university libraries and professional journals. I'm sure they would be valuable to anyone looking for explanations as to causes and practical solutions. Fortunately, most of these contributions to the sum of human knowledge are now readily available online - usually on payment of an annual subscription; or a one-off payment of perhaps between £20-£100. (Or dollars if the riots take place in cities in the U.S.)
Perhaps your old school friend would like to recommend one or two animal studies which s/he considers offer the most useful insights into the comparative behaviour of rioters and bankers.
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What a mess.
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"their elite firearms unit, CO19"
Reminds me of II Para in Derry in January 1972. All the Duggan family need now is a son of Lord Widgery to whitewash it all.
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I have heard that they have a great deal of trouble getting police officers to join CO19, they're mostly ex troopers.
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Permalink Reply by Kamila on
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I've just ordered 2 copies - one for me and one as a Christmas pressie for a cousin. It's supposed to be quite good. I'll post my opinion here in a week or so when I've read it. Incidentally there is Gillian Slovo's The Riots on at the Tricycle at the moment. This has very good reviews. It's based on interviews with rioters, police and politicians and it will be good to compare it with David Lammy's book.
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