Why can’t people just talk normally?
I was out this weekend in a bar I don’t usually frequent. It was a hotel bar, quite swish, but for a Friday evening very quiet compared to the usual chock-a-block pubs around town. I would say there were, in total, about 25 people drinking in the bar.
However, you might as well have been somewhere packed to the rafters such was the noise. People were shouting and roaring at each other, misguidedly thinking they were holding a normal conversation.
One group of people sitting at the bar seemed to be having a ‘Who can shout the loudest competition’. One of the lads would bellow something which would be followed by one of the women cackling like a demented witch using a megaphone, which would spark the other lad to howl a response at the top of his voice and the other woman would shriek her reply. They were sitting no more than a foot apart yet they were talking as if they were fifty yards away from each other.
I realise in a busy bar you have to raise your voice in order to be heard but when the bar is as quiet as this one why must you scream and shout like that? The knock-on effect, of course, was that everybody in the bar began to talk in the same way. It was ear-piercing and frankly uncomfortable.
Personally I’m of the opinion that my conversation is meant for those with whom I’m sharing the table/bar space. I feel distinctly unsettled if I think anyone else can listen in to what I say. It’s not that I’m revealing secrets or anything like that, it’s just that it’s none of their fucking business. That’s why it drives me mad when somebody chooses to sit close to you when they could choose any number of seats further away.
I just can’t understand people who think their conversation is so important that they have to have it at such a pitch that everybody in the room can hear it.
A couple of weeks ago I was meeting Jimmy the Bollix in town on a Saturday afternoon. It was 1pm and I was early. I took my book and went for what I hoped would be a quiet pint in McDaids. I hoped wrong. There was a gang of women there and I am not joking or exaggerating in the slightest when I say they were making more noise than a troop of elephants being raped by Godzilla and his family. Shrieks of laughter, wailing, cackling, high-pitched yelling and talking over each other. Honestly, if it was 1am you might be able to get your head around it but at 1pm in the afternoon it was just pure ignorance.
I sat at the window, looking across at Bruxelles, and put my iPod on as loud as it would go and I swear I could still hear them when these eruptions of sound would spew from them. I’m all for hen-parties having a good time but, you know, have a little consideration too. If I had been in that group I would be embarrassed at the noise that was being made. These people weren’t beacuse they were ignorant cunts. Just like the cunts in the bar on Friday night.
People need to learn to shut the fuck up.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:40 am
I noticed the same thing last weekend – possibly in the same place, for I too could see Bruxelles.
The impression I got was that many of the people who frequent this particular establishment seem to think their moving and shaking should be covered in the social pages of the Sindo. And clearly, the more important you are (or think you are) the louder you should talk.
Of course, Mammy Ambassador used to say “empty vessels make the most noise” and Metallica used to sing “they say the empty can rattles the most, the sound of your own voice must soothe you”!
September 15th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Were you in the Dylan hotel by any chance? I had to go to someone’s leaving drinks there not long ago. A hideous mix of wailing harpees and westlife look-a-likes. I shall never return.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:43 am
No, Red. Fitzwilliam.
Seriously, it was like the place was packed to the rafters, the loud cunts.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:43 am
You give them the vote and look what happens. They gets uppity.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Just once, I would like the loudmouths to be funny, or interesting. But no, same droney tossers talking about ahite.
They should fuck off, now.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:47 am
yeah the Fitzwilliam, You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:50 am
You were in the Fitzwilliam on Friday evening?
Admit it, you were on the way to Trinny and Susannah, weren’t you?
September 15th, 2008 at 9:51 am
I was washing my mouth out after visiting them.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I find these people fall into a number of categories.
1. My life is better than yours, so if I shout loud enough you will be impressed (cause the reality is I am just a big fat loser).
2. The ‘mericans who don’t know otherwise.
3. Old deaf people. EG my great aunt at the Tate Gallery, surrounded by people sketching stuff, describing the finer logistics of a painting and finishing her explanation in a voice that I swear could have been heard two streets over, ‘UNFORTUNATELY THEY DON’T TEACH THAT TO ANY OF THE ART STUDENTS ANYMORE, THAT’S WHY NONE OF THEM CAN PAINT, THE POOR DEARS.’
September 15th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Loud people are a pain in the arse, I really have no time for them at all. Some people think that if they are louder than others, their point is funnier or more interesting or compelling. They are almost always talking complete shite and expressing middle class horror at something. Ohmygawd, like nooo way……
They sound like stranded Bullocks.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:16 am
laughykate has it exactly right. Young people in Dublin, like young urbans everywhere have been imitating americans for some time now.
In america, you see, not every girl can get on the cheerleading team nor every boy get on the football team. And in American, honey, you gotta market yourself for at least three hours every day.
So- on the basis that there’s no reason for a crowd to suddenly stop and shriek with joy that you’ve just entered a room with your popularity on display the next best thing is to be loud so you get noticed at all. Its better than not being noticed, aint it?
Young conservative do it here in the uk- out on the street having a fag they talk normally but as soon as they go back inside they start braying in loud faux- rugby accents.
Its a reflection of everyone’s social insecurity.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:21 am
CQDX, CQDX.
Brother and laughykate correct. Noticed same thing at Naval dinners.
QRT. Standing by.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:24 am
You’re right Batty, well put. I remember when it was fine to be quiet and speak only when you had something worthwhile to say. People still enjoyed your company and knew that you were there.
Even deaf mute people are more animated these days.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:25 am
In a similar loud and annoying way : When you watching a football match, and it’s plainly obvious your supporting a certain team. And a lad behind you sits there and every 2 minutes says the name of the other team. You know he has no idea about anything cause no one in Dublin supports West Brom, but none the less for 93 minutes he sits there. Go on West Brom, go on, go on West brom. Go on lads. Have a go. Go on. Oh we nearly had it there. Go on.
Makes you want to do a Francis Begbie on him.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:29 am
One of my bugbears as well, Twenty, and it’s why I don’t go to many pubs and especially clubs any more. The noise and people freak me out. Much happier with quiet pint somewhere like the IFI where at least you can hear yourself think.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:34 am
I don’t know. Is it really about wanting to be noticed? I wonder if it’s more to do with some sort of complete lack of self awareness or introspection, so they have no idea what their effect on anyone else is. Or a complete lack of awareness of anyone else, more to the point.
It really ruins a night. I agree, about not wanting to hear anyone’s conversation. If I can hear your conversation, you’re talking too loudly. People do it at gigs, too, even comedy gigs. I really don’t get it – why pay in to a venue if all you want to do it shout at and over your friends?
On a similar topic, what is up with people these days? The other day I read a story of a woman with her baby, stuck standing up on a packed Dart. The baby got hungry, her cries escalated to screams. The mother was blocked in, couldn’t even sit on the floor. She couldn’t get off, and tried to feed the baby standing up, but couldn’t. And felt humiliated. Six men sat staring at her throughout but nobody offered her a seat. She’s still freaked out and upset about it days later. Any of those men could have sorted the whole thing b letting her sit down and feed the baby. But they were probably sitting there feeling resentful about people and their children.
What the fuck is wrong with people?
September 15th, 2008 at 10:44 am
A pox on the 5 loud n obnoxious cunts stiing behind me at The Chris Rock gig..
You are not a “character”,you are not funny or witty in anyway,you are a waste of oxygen.
New monied working class Dubs,a truly new breed of loud,nothing to say but saying it loudly, cunts..
And praise to the synchronised knacker play fighting team from Tallaght who enthralled myself and Purile Pish in Eamonn Dorans.If you are going to be loud and selfish,at least do it in style.. Bravo!!
September 15th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Won’t stand for talking on the bridge. Put first mate on fizzer for shouting ‘mind out the big rocker’.
To ‘Jo’. Agreed. Men under my command instructed to stand for ladies at all times. Custom of the service. Even the hoors in Haulboline.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:52 am
I don’t get why pubs have their music so loud.
No-one goes to a pub to sit on their own listening to ear blisteringly loud pop music.
People go to chat and get drunk and get raped off all their money by diageo and greedy publicans.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Fill, Comedy gigs should have huge bell jars that descend from the ceiling and encapsulate those fuckers. UGhhh.
Captain O Sullivan, er, quite.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Twenty, did you go in to get annoyed on purpose? It’s the only explanation since you could as easily gone into the hushed haven that is Neary’s.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:59 am
the next time you want a quite pint, pick a quite pub, mcdaids saturday lunchtime is hardly the place. Are there no snugs any more, Clerys in Amiens St has one , I think
September 15th, 2008 at 11:00 am
You’ve never heard of the “Irish Whisper”. I’m on the wrong side of the pond, but I got one.
I’ll be sure to stay off your lawn.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:01 am
I returned to the old sod for holidays this summer and actually overheard a couple of Italian students on the upper deck of a Dublin bus complaining about how much noise the Irish made. Christ, I thought. If the Latins are whining about the yelling Irish, then something is very, very wrong.
Over here in Spain the group conversations generally start off at a fairly normal volume. However, within a couple of minutes everybody wants to say their piece and nobody wants to listen, so each Spaniard begins interrupting and talking over the others. This spiral continues until you have everyone yelling and nobody listening. (The Spanish version of Question Time is fucking hilarious)
I do the new generation of Irish yellers follow this pattern too?
September 15th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Is this why you spent the week end in the opium den ?
September 15th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Oh christ, the spanish are loud.
loud and emotional.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:07 am
The Spanish are bastards for the noise. And in London the only time they aren’t bawling like moonstruck calves into each others’ faces is when they’ve discovered a new doorway that they and their 15 friends can wedge into, staring open-mouthed in wonder at anybody else who wants to get through.
I can make allowances for people who are from rural areas in London for the first time. But its hard to feel sympathy for fuckwits. And lads who won’t stand on the tube for a pregnant woman or carrying a baby.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I asked my Spanish students about this – it really is just a Spanish thing, they all talk at the same time. Well, not talk, yell.
It used to be you could identify the Irish people upstairs on the bus in the summer because they were the ones cowering in fear against the onslaught of Spanish..
Ah, the good old days when we cowered more.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Those women should be at home Batty. They have no business risking their children on the tube. No wonder the fabric of modern society is falling to bits.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:17 am
“You are not a “character”,you are not funny or witty in anyway,you are a waste of oxygen.”
So, Filler, why did you go to his show, then?
September 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Even better. At home last year bumped into a photographer I’d vaguely met before. Had a couple of pints and arranged to meet for a few more as we discovered we were both going to be in a certain town.
Got to the arranged pub, only to be greeted by this fellow with a screech, a bear-hug and a friendly head-lock followed by a kiss on the cheek. At six in the evening.
Twelve men nearby staring at us over their pints. I’d only met the man once before, really.
Followed shortly by an attempt to get me involved with a spare girl at the bar (back-up job) while he engaged with the upright bog-bruch in Balenciaga he had his eye in. Cleared off sharpish.
What a wanker. Oh yes- walking down the street he was pretending to take calls on his mobile and yelling things like ‘Hello? Yeah! Gone! Done and dusted!’ as if he’d just sold something. Thing is, his mobile wasn’t lit up. As they do when they are active with an incoming or outgoing call.
Bulshitting wanker.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:27 am
With Morgor on the awful loud music (or equally awful loud TV) that seems to be on all the time. Who decided we all need to have our eardrums rattled as part of the service? does it make people drink quicker? Thankfully due to increasing age & intolerance I am now so deafened I can’t make out what the others are shouting so I can read my book in a sort of noisy oasis.If the fuckers would turn the lights up a bit.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:33 am
it’s the worst when the only place left in a bar is standing beside a speaker. ugh.
Anyway, one thing i do like is dark pubs, then people look much more attractive which is necessary as when people start getting very drunk they gradually get more and more dishevelled, sweaty and old looking.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Hell is other people. Think it might have been Sartre but it could just as easily been Jimmy Magee.
Things have changed muchly in Ireland. 20 years ago if someone tried to sell you ‘an apartment’ you’d have said ‘grand, that’s the greyhound sorted, now where’s the feckin house?’
Apartments. Someone sneezes at number 27b and another fucker falls out of the bed at 33a.
We’re all being trained to live on top of one another while certain elements in Irish society parcel out the land inch by inch to keep the value high.
Thats why we’re all getting grumpy and going deaf- modern life as designed and arranged by designer cunts.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Financial Times headline today; ‘White House rejects Fannie switch’.
Make of it what you will.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:52 am
So, Filler, why did you go to his show, then?
Ah SG ,my shit typing once again lets me down,i was referring of course to the “Characters” sitting behind me 2 pints each in hand making failed Heckling attempts at Chris Rock.They were fairly embarressing for all concerned..
Especially when bang in the middle of the show,the Alpha-Cunt decides not only is he going for a cigarrette but hes letting everyone know about it..
He was sitting in the 2nd row in the centre of the Olympia..he was/is a complete cunt..
September 15th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Batty “Apartments. Someone sneezes at number 27b and another fucker falls out of the bed at 33a.”
I live in an apartment. Doesn’t happen.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
SG: Tisn’t winter yet.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Twenty, did you go in to get annoyed on purpose? It’s the only explanation since you could as easily gone into the hushed haven that is Neary’s.
Someone else chose the meeting place.
I don’t know. Is it really about wanting to be noticed? I wonder if it’s more to do with some sort of complete lack of self awarenes
Absolutely, it’s more to pig-ignorance than anything else.
And the Spanish are the loudest nation on earth.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Arrriba!!
September 15th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Close Call Twenty – I’d say The Greeks – even saying hello to each other sounds like a declaration of war.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Well, you’d know much more about the Greek than I would, maggot.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
That was below the belt my opium sodden amigo!
September 15th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Rough on Greeks. Irish Naval Forces consistently in top ten navies in Western Europe along with Greece.
QRT. Standing by.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Irish Naval Forces consistently in top ten navies in Western Europe along with Greece.
but there are only nine navies in Western Europe.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Rough on Greeks. Irish Naval Forces consistently in top ten navies in Western Europe along with Greece.
True enough, but the other eight aren’t totally dependent on oars and bicycle pumps…
September 15th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Aspersions on Irish Naval sea forces unwelcome. Kindly remember when speaking to Commander who has never lost a vessel under his command in daylight hours.
QRT. SB.
September 15th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
never lost a vessel under his command in daylight hours
Massive heh :)
September 15th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
“Capt Cornelius O’Sullivan, C-in-C Western Approaches (near enough ret’d)” needs to lay off the video games methinks..
September 15th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Irish Western Approaches Command: 9 sunk, 4 disabled, 8 captures.
Spanish Fishing Fleet: Nil.
QRT. SB.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
..on the noisy shower of cunts that inhabit trendy dublin establishments, well a bit of people power is called for. walk up and tell them the interference they are causing..
Same with the wankers on the dart, tell them to get up, if they are going to be ignorant at least high-light their ignorance..
Wise man said, If the Irish complained more, they would have less to complain about..
September 15th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Hearts is a stupid cunting game.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Forty per cent of those who fought Battle of Trafalgar off Cadiz were Irish.
French officers (3,541), French able seamen (4). Spanish officers (8,211), Spanish able seamen (1).
QED. Standing by.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Forty per cent of those who fought Battle of Trafalgar off Cadiz were Irish.
More fool them.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
maggot says:Forty per cent of those who fought Battle of Trafalgar off Cadiz were Irish.
More fool them.
Hearts of Irish Oak. All of them. First question- do you live anywhere near the seaside? Second question- ever been under bombardment 18-inch shells?
Stand down that man. Fizzer.
QRT. Standing by.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Capt. Cornelius O’Sullivan C-in-C Western Approaches(near enough ret’d)
retarded?
September 15th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I like the Espanioles. I’ve worked with a couple of Spanish people. They’re loud when talking to each other alright. But the two I know are great, really decent and easy to spend time with. Very family oriented like the Irish so maybe that’s something to do it.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
SuperGrover says: Capt. Cornelius O’Sullivan C-in-C Western Approaches(near enough ret’d)
retarded
Not enough to pay 250K upwards for rabbit hutch.
QRT. SB.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
You can pay 250K for a rabbit hutch?
Hollywood, eh?
September 15th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I actually hate whispering more than shouting. Scares the bollix outta me so it does and I get all freaked about people laughing at my big feet so I like people shouting as if at a cattle mart.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Loud is bad but what really makes me want to kill is when people keep talking over each other.
Like when politicians are being interviewed on the news or some such and are desperately trying to dodge a question by just yapping on with some pre-prepared patter even as they are being questioned.
Irritates me like fingernails on a blackboard.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I have been to the Market Bar once in my life.
I actually got dizzy with all the shouting in there. It bounces off the cavernous roof and walls and comes back at you making you all disorientated like.
The fact that there’s no music in the place just makes it worse.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
SuperGrover says: You can pay 250K for a rabbit hutch? Hollywood, eh?
Suspect Hollywood apartment little more than 250K.
Pay less than 250K for apartment Dublin- known previously as ‘tenement’.
QRT. SB.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Batty, my witty rejoinder…
Ah, shut your hole you boring cunt.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
SuperGrover says: Batty, my witty rejoinder…
Ah, shut your hole you boring cunt.
Surrender accepted. You may hold on to sword. For time being.
QRT. Standing by.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Noble, I grant you that.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
“I have been to the Market Bar once in my life.
I actually got dizzy with all the shouting in there. It bounces off the cavernous roof and walls and comes back at you making you all disorientated like.”
If you go there when it’s full of fat people it’s much better. They could easily solve that with some sound dampening.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I’m off the beer lately but have been in pubs and my lord do people roar at you when they’re even half jarred. I have taken to recording them and playing it back to them the next day or by e-mail. I like to record other stuff to as a reminder of how much of a tit they are making of themselves and a long night can pass away quickly behind the ole 9mm.
I have set up a nifty Bebo page which is a virtual pub with all the videos uploaded and I like to watch it and absorb that noisy pub atmosphere at home on my notebook as I nurse my broken jaw and wonder why I am barred from the pub by a unanimous vote in my absence.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I’m off to to the dentist… I’ll be mumbling and drooling in an hour. So no different to normal then.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Hearts, eh maggot? I was long addicted to Freecell. I would have got a better degree if it hadn’t existed.
Minesweeper too. And now there’s Majhong. Doesn’t Microsoft realise I’m meant to have better things to do.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Holemaster, from my years of Language teaching I have to admit I found the Spanish bitchy and demanding. Except for the Catalonians. Love them. My favourite ever person I’ve met in my life was from Barcelona. Alberto, where are you!
But I love the Italians, with their childlike ready participation and good humour and lovely gelato.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Downloaded Diablo 2 yesterday,am usually not into the RPG’s but i got sucked right in and next thing its 3am and i am to wired to sleep..
I’ll have to delet it im afraid otherwise i will get nothing done this week..
September 15th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
diablo 2 eh?
i thought that was old, sort of a birdseye view of endless caves?
September 15th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
spot on..
They are making a number 3 so i thought id try out the last one..
September 15th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
i am still stuck on morgor’s damn desktop tower defence
September 15th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
hehe red,
my brother and my friends are sick of it, they get to a plateau on hard level and have given up.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
i could not give up until I toppled you. i am still shit though.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Gah! when did you do that?
I’ll have to try harder…
September 15th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
SuperGrover says: Noble, I grant you that
Maritime Warfare regulations, sir. I have your parole. And your word as an Officer.
QRT. Standing by.
September 15th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Jo mentioned the exceptional Catalonians.
Yup- agreed there. Does seem to be a difference. Met a nice lady from Barcelona who was quite insistent on the difference. Wasn’t going to argue as it would have been to my detriment.
‘Farewell and adieu, to you fair Spanish ladies …’
September 15th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Excellent woman, Delicious M’Swati. Stout prow. High rounded stern. Fine lines by land or by sea.
Shiny.
QRT. Standing by.
September 15th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Dude, can you just stay in one character? Please?
September 15th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
oh yeah, the different parts of spain are about as different as wales/scotland/england.
same is true in italy and germany.
I always that other countries were all chums within their own borders.
It ain’t necessarily so.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
You’re confusing me with my brother, Twenty. But I’ll keep him away for as long as I can. He’s giving me the arse with the seadog crap as well.
Holemaster- are you trying single handedly to get your entire lifelong National Insurance contributions back inside a month or something?
Dentists, Doctors, Nurses (heh, Nurses). If you don’t watch it you’ll end up healthy or something by accident.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Heh Batty. Well I’m back home now, all numb in the face. If only I could reach down as far as my…..
The dentist gave me a huge discount of 80 euro for referring business to him. Very decent Canadian chap that he is. And not a twinge of pain.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Holy jesus. A discount from a dentist? An honest one?
Canadian, eh? He’ll learn.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
>I just can’t understand people who think
>their conversation is so important that they
>have to have it at such a pitch that everybody
>in the room can hear it.
DOES THAT INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO TYPE COMMENTS
ALL IN CAPS???
COS I FUCKING HATE THEM TOO!!
Tony, who has now finished making a point.
September 15th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Freecell is a tool of the Devil.
Igowin – free Download – is another addictive way to while away the hours without risk of pregnancy or blindness.
September 15th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
This is the same phenomenon with school kids on the bus, like the bus I was on today. Inner city school kids shouting shit and I wanted to kill them all. I fucking hate people who shout-talk, bloody mongs drown them all.
September 15th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Ahh batty … your a fan of nausea … “l’enfer cest les autres”
even in the gutter you can always look up at the stars..now get to fucking work at milking those cows or you dont get to drink from “daddys bottle” tonight …
Twenty … invest in a tazer ..while your off to the toilet just brush against them and they slot to the floor in a spasmatic reflex …
Christ ..ive made 100k over the last couple of days with my short on AIG .. drinks all round
Twenty and Batty ..with my luck in the markets I would like to give back …Ill but yee a seat on a flight out to my neck of the woods …just so long as yee sit together
September 16th, 2008 at 11:50 am
This phenomenon is part of a wider social pathology. It’s examined in “Look at Me: Celebrating the Self in Modern Britain” by Peter Whittle (I know it’s about Britain but we’re affected too). I must read it;
“Few would disagree that the need that most of us have to be appreciated by others – by our family, our friends and peers – is natural and healthy. The desire to be well-thought of can act as both a spur to individual achievement as well as a glue for keeping society together. Striving to be top in the field, to hone a particular talent, or to simply make money if that’s your chosen path, can be inspiring and attractive.
But the need to be special, to be taken uncritically at one’s own self-evaluation, or to draw attention to oneself at every opportunity, is something else entirely. Claiming uniqueness regardless of talent or deed, by making oneself the most seen, by shouting the loudest, or simply by way of brute force, might give the individual satisfaction – although this alone is highly questionable – but the effect on society’s morale can be both destructive and divisive. ”
http://www.socialaffairsunit.org.uk/blog/archives/001801.php
September 17th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Lets face it, Dublin people are loud. But if they listened they might learn something…..