Fox Hunting - Right or Wrong?

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

I come from what could be described as the countryside, but have lived in cities for quite a few years now, so I'm not sure which camp I fit into. I have always felt, since the hunting debate really started after Labour came to power, that the idea of there being a huge gulf between town and country, with neither understanding the other and our law-makers being just as divided, is not really true.

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I've always felt the reverse - town people never understand the first thing about what real country life is. Living near the country isn't living in the country.

Most villagers these days know little of true rural life, either. They might drive a Frelander, but they don't know what sort of soil their house is built on, what type of tree is in their garden or what a mange-covered fox could do to their children's health. In fact, I doubt most would know a badger from a pint of Guinness and in my experince they go knocking at their neighbours door moaning about a dog barking all night when it's actually a fox :laugh:

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Originally Posted by Hazell B

I've always felt the reverse - town people never understand the first thing about what real country life is. Living near the country isn't living in the country.

Most villagers these days know little of true rural life, either. They might drive a Frelander, but they don't know what sort of soil their house is built on, what type of tree is in their garden or what a mange-covered fox could do to their children's health. In fact, I doubt most would know a badger from a pint of Guinness and in my experince they go knocking at their neighbours door moaning about a dog barking all night when it's actually a fox :laugh:

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All very true, but I have never understood why this should inform views on certain matters to such an extent. After all, not everyone from the countryside thinks the same way about matters such as hunting, the Tony Martin case, etc, just as people from towns and cities don't automatically line up in opposition to the views of rural dwellers.

I never said they did :rolleyes:

I said 'townies don't get it', which is different. Townies don't get it because they can't. Those who bother to learn, those who live half and half and so on get rural things, but townies do not. That's why they're called townies.

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Originally Posted by Hazell B

I never said they did :rolleyes:

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I knew you were going to make a remark about that. I did think about making the point that 'I know you didn't say this, but...', but I decided not to. My mistake. Not everything I post in response to you is meant to be a dig. Maybe I should change that policy.

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Originally Posted by Hazell B

I said 'townies don't get it', which is different. Townies don't get it because they can't. Those who bother to learn, those who live half and half and so on get rural things, but townies do not. That's why they're called townies.

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Well, don't expect townies to take the views of country folk about town/city matters seriously, then.

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Originally Posted by Hazell B

Townies don't get it because they can't.

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Nah, you're right. I've tried to imagine sleeping with my sister, but I just can't.

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

My mistake.

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Yes.

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Well, don't expect townies to take the views of country folk about town/city matters seriously, then.

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Why not?
That's the difference, people in rural areas who spend all day in fields or prodding at cattle can and do know about towns. We have no choice but to use them, or in my case live on the edge of one. Towns educate us, offer us shops and banks, entertain us and all the rest. We use towns exactly as you do. You, however, cannot use the country as we do because the chance isn't there for it.

Feel free to argue with me on this, but I'm willing to wager I know enough about to towns to live in one, but put the average townie in my fields and watch them starve without access to a town ;)

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Originally Posted by Hazell B

That's the difference, people in rural areas who spend all day in fields or prodding at cattle can and do know about towns. We have no choice but to use them, or in my case live on the edge of one. Towns educate us, offer us shops and banks, entertain us and all the rest. We use towns exactly as you do. You, however, cannot use the country as we do because the chance isn't there for it.

Feel free to argue with me on this, but I'm willing to wager I know enough about to towns to live in one, but put the average townie in my fields and watch them starve without access to a town ;)

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'Know enough about towns to live in one'? Where was it suggested that people from rural areas couldn't live in towns? Those of us who live in cities don't tend to feel that country folk become hopelessly disorientated in urban areas, are unable to communicate with the townies and end up having to go back to where they came from. At least, I don't. This is part of the reason why I don't subscribe to the idea of there being a big division between town and country. It may, however, help explain why so many people have the view that country folk are unduly hostile to outsiders.

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

Well, don't expect townies to take the views of country folk about town/city matters seriously, then.

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That line is what I was replying to, as quoted. That's where you suggested I shouldn't expect to be able to have a say in town matters if I won't allow ill-educated views on country life.

There is the idea that country dwellers are hostlie to townies and by god we are half the time. Mainly because they come out with rubbish about incest, mucking out cows all day and equally stupid things (I mean BBB and his like of course) constantly. Then they go out and get themselves a country dog as a town pet and wonder why it attacks other dogs, so we have every right to laugh at them and be hostile :laugh:

Thing is, country types are town types who've escaped, that's all. We are no different. We hate being told that our version of life is less when the truth is most townies would buy a house in the country if they had the chance. Burberry was stolen from us, Hunting's been taken away (I refuse to take part in the illegal version) and farming isn't making enough money - but we're happier, live longer, have less crime and don't think somebody's laughing at us if they happen to smile in the street.

I wouldn't swap it for owning an entire town.

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Originally Posted by Hazell B

There is the idea that country dwellers are hostlie to townies and by god we are half the time. Mainly because they come out with rubbish about incest, mucking out cows all day and equally stupid things (I mean BBB and his like of course) constantly. Then they go out and get themselves a country dog as a town pet and wonder why it attacks other dogs, so we have every right to laugh at them and be hostile :laugh

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I've got nothing against country folk at all, I just don't like you, and therefore enjoy winding you up. You could live in a £1m penthouse flat near Sloane Square for all I care, and I'd still think you were a loathsome ****-for-brains.

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Originally Posted by Hazell B

There is the idea that country dwellers are hostlie to townies and by god we are half the time. Mainly because they come out with rubbish about incest, mucking out cows all day and equally stupid things (I mean BBB and his like of course) constantly. Then they go out and get themselves a country dog as a town pet and wonder why it attacks other dogs, so we have every right to laugh at them and be hostile :laugh:

Thing is, country types are town types who've escaped, that's all. We are no different. We hate being told that our version of life is less when the truth is most townies would buy a house in the country if they had the chance. Burberry was stolen from us, Hunting's been taken away (I refuse to take part in the illegal version) and farming isn't making enough money - but we're happier, live longer, have less crime and don't think somebody's laughing at us if they happen to smile in the street.

I wouldn't swap it for owning an entire town.

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Each to their own. I still think there's no need for the 'us and them' mentality, from either 'side'.