The Wit and Humour of Prince Philip

[Skydragon]

I think there are different kinds of "respect":

The one, "respect" in the sense of regarding something as very positive and even admiring it, the ther one in the sense of "live and let live".
I suppose you expect people to show you the second kind of respect. So I think, yes, this should apply to Philip too.

It really doesn't work that way. I feel no respect for the people demonstrating against a cartoon at the moment, are they applying a live and let live attitude, are people who don't like Philips wit?

 

[Smilla]

It really doesn't work that way. I feel no respect for the people demonstrating against a cartoon at the moment, are they applying a live and let live attitude,

No, they aren't. And I suppose we both disagree with strongly, up to a point where it is quite tempting to behave similarly.
But still I suppose neither you nor I will send them death threts or torch their embassies or tell them their heads should be cut off? This is what I mean with "respect" - it's a far cry from admiration, but it meanas treating people like fellow human beings.

 

[Squidgy]

I don't expect anyone to show me any kind of respect. I feel that's the problem with today's world - everyone wants respect automatically, whereas it should be earned.

True ... And it works both ways. Disrespect must be earned too - it shouldn't automatically be assumed or given. Just because someone is of a certain race ... we should disrespect them??? I think Philip is confusing disrespect for a country's government with disrespect for the entire population of a country. Despite what my politicians are trying to tell me (in order to boost trade of course), I trust neither the Russian or Chinese governments. That doesn't mean I have anything against the Russian or Chinese people - in fact the opposite - I feel extreme sympathy for them!

 

[BeatrixFan]

Smilla, that sounds like a conflicting view. You're saying that it's wrong for them to send death threats etc but they still deserve respect?

 

[Smilla]

Smilla, that sounds like a conflicting view. You're saying that it's wrong for them to send death threats etc but they still deserve respect?

I don't seem to be able to make myself understood. Maybe our languages work differently. Of course it's wrong to send death threats! But respecting these people as fellow human beings means that I can't simply send death threats in return, even if I felt like it. Even if I thought they richly deserved this. Because they are humans, too, and ought to be treated as such.

 

[BeatrixFan]

I don't believe they are humans. Not in the slightest. Threatening to kill people? Burning embassies? It doesn't sound like a human being to me - it sounds like an animal. Prince Philip is in a position where he's told to respect everyone and make it seem as if he's pleased to see them all - but why on earth should be actually truly have respect for them? What have they ever done for him? What have they done to show that they want his respect?

In Britain in the 1950s, words such as 'wog' and '******' were used so regularly that members of the older generation still use them. And as a result, so do their children and their children, so the words are still used. Just because governments want to pretend we're all happy and that we all want a multi-cultural society it doesn't mean we actually do. When respect starts to curb the freedom of speech then is it respect or is it just an excuse to shut someone up from saying something that isn't deemed politically correct? That's what people are trying to do with Philip and I find it annoying and childish. He's of the generation where you called a spade a spade. He still lives that way and he's told off for it.

 

[ysbel]

Why are we discussing the Danish cartoons in the British forums? They have nothing to do with Prince Philip.

This is a politically sensitive issue and I'm sure Elspeth, Warren, Martine would agree with me that we would appreciate it if you kept this discussion out of the British forums.

 

[Smilla]

I don't believe they are humans. Not in the slightest. Threatening to kill people? Burning embassies? It doesn't sound like a human being to me - it sounds like an animal.
Just because governments want to pretend we're all happy and that we all want a multi-cultural society it doesn't mean we actually do. When respect starts to curb the freedom of speech then is it respect or is it just an excuse to shut someone up from saying something that isn't deemed politically correct?

Fine. They might behave like animals, but I'm not going to do the same because I don't want to behave like an animal. What would you do with them? Shoot them all?
This has nothing more to do with Prince Philip, so I'll come back to him. You can call a spade a spade and still be minimally polite to people who've come to greet you.

 

[BeatrixFan]

We weren't talking about being polite - we were talking about respect and the two are very different.

 

[Smilla]

The way you talk to somebody has very much to do with whether you give them some basic respect, as does the way you treat somebody.

 

[BeatrixFan]

I think that most people know if they like someone or not. I can tell within the first 5 seconds if I'm going to get on with somebody and I don't like them, I don't talk to them. It isn't showing them disrespect - it's just showing that I don't want to be with them. Maybe Philip has the same instinct. They meet thousands of people - he can't be expected to be polite and get along with each and every one of them.

 

[Skydragon]

This has nothing more to do with Prince Philip, so I'll come back to him. You can call a spade a spade and still be minimally polite to people who've come to greet you.

He was speaking, privately, to a group of British tourists. He wasn't giving a speech, he wasn't officially greeting anyone at that time, it was a private comment, much the same as many people make.

I Still find it funny, I find the Russian remark funny and both remarks 100% accurate.

 

[Smilla]

I think that most people know if they like someone or not. I can tell within the first 5 seconds if I'm going to get on with somebody and I don't like them, I don't talk to them. It isn't showing them disrespect - it's just showing that I don't want to be with them. Maybe Philip has the same instinct. They meet thousands of people - he can't be expected to be polite and get along with each and every one of them.

In a way he's like a shop assistant. A shop assistant is paid not only to sell poeple stuff but also to be polite to them, whether he likes them or not. In his or her free time, the sales assistant can be as unfriendly as he/she likes. Same with Prince Philip: in his private life, he can be unfriendly. When he's "on tour" to serve his country, in his official capacity, he can't. Once I've read that the queen never lies. In her speeches, she omits what won't fit and I think that shows integrity as well as respect for the people she has to do with.

 

[BeatrixFan]

I agree Skydragon. I think it's alot to do with modern labels. Chinese people are no longer yellow, they are oriental. And black people aren't black, they are persons of colour. I was at a party and I explained that I was with my (then) partner to which the man got very PC on me and said, "Jolly good. I'm glad to see you alternative partnership types are mixing in the community". I didn't say anything but thought it was hilarious. I took it as a joke, not as an insult. People get confused with the way we say things now, even I do. Philip is 85 and it's hard for him to just change the way he thinks and speaks.

 

[Smilla]

I agree Skydragon. I think it's alot to do with modern labels. Chinese people are no longer yellow, they are oriental.

Whoops - I thought "oriental" was insulting too?!

 

[Skydragon]

In a way he's like a shop assistant. A shop assistant is paid not only to sell poeple stuff but also to be polite to them, whether he likes them or not. .

Not in Britain.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Whoops - I thought "oriental" was insulting too?!

Heavens above. You see how hard it is? Are they oriental, yellow, slitty-eyed or just plain chinese?!

 

[Skydragon]

Whoops - I thought "oriental" was insulting too?!

Now you have also made a joke.

 

[Smilla]

Heavens above. You see how hard it is? Are they oriental, yellow, slitty-eyed or just plain chinese?!

"Asian"? Would that be okay? Or over the offensive line? Hmmm possibly insulting to Asians living abroad.

 

[BeatrixFan]

It must be extremely hard to keep up with the times as a public figure. Philip isn't a politician - he's a consort. I'm sure he reads the newspapers but I can't see a memo going round briefing the members of the Royal Family on how to refer to different groups of people. It's just madness. I mean, in certain cases you probably don't have to mention it. There was a wonderful sketch on 'The League of Gentlemen' where a man sat down on a bench next to a blind man and made some generally offensive comments without meaning too. He was trying to be politically correct. "How do you shave?", he asked. The blind man said, "I manage". The chap then said, "Oh I See. Is that why you see so many bearded-" and then thinking better of it said, "cyclists". It was very funny and it made me think of Philip at the time - I'm sure that sometimes he says things and then thinks afterwards, "Shouldnt have said that". But in all fairness, the people he's said these things too shouldn't have reported them on to the press. It isn't fair.

 

[Skydragon]

"Asian"? Would that be okay? Or over the offensive line? Hmmm possibly insulting to Asians living abroad.

I just wonder how you refer to getting a chinese takeaway. In the UK I believe most people say going to the chinky!

 

[Smilla]

I just wonder how you refer to getting a chinese takeaway. In the UK I believe most people say going to the chinky!

"Non-European non-sit-down restaurant unit specializing in exotic flavours".

 

[Skydragon]

"Non-European non-sit-down restaurant unit specializing in exotic flavours".

 

[Elspeth]

I don't believe they are humans. Not in the slightest. Threatening to kill people? Burning embassies? It doesn't sound like a human being to me - it sounds like an animal.

Well, try as I might, there's only one animal species I can come up with that pulls this sort of stunt, and it's H. sapiens. Granted, there are psychopathic individuals in any social species, but some of this sectarian hatred isn't due to mental illness or whatever, it's based at least to an extent in feelings that one group isn't being respected or treated humanely by another group.

As Smilla said, Prince Philip, in his public life, shouldn't be going around belittling other cultures and races in public unless it really is UK government policy to do so. What he believes and says in private is his own business, of course, bearing in mind that his private life is somewhat less private than most people's simply because of the large number of people in the royal household.

 

[Australian]

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Prince_Philip,_Duke_of_Edinburgh
these are some quotes of Prince Philip. In one of them, he says to some Australian aboriginals "Do you still throw spears at eachother?" lol He should know more about a country that is in the commonwealth! Or maybe he was just joking.

 

[Skydragon]

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Prince_Philip,_Duke_of_Edinburgh
these are some quotes of Prince Philip. In one of them, he says to some Australian aboriginals "Do you still throw spears at eachother?" lol He should know more about a country that is in the commonwealth! Or maybe he was just joking.

He has a razor sharp wit and an absolutely brilliant sense of British humour. That seems to be the difference between the British and other countries, we don't even query the fact that he was joking!

 

[Skydragon]

As Smilla said, Prince Philip, in his public life, shouldn't be going around belittling other cultures and races in public unless it really is UK government policy to do so. What he believes and says in private is his own business, of course, bearing in mind that his private life is somewhat less private than most people's simply because of the large number of people in the royal household.

The remark about the Chinese was a private remark to a group of British tourists and he cannot be held responsible for every little nobody, who wants to see their name in print.

 

[Warren]

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Prince_Philip,_Duke_of_Edinburgh
these are some quotes of Prince Philip. In one of them, he says to some Australian aboriginals "Do you still throw spears at each other?" lol He should know more about a country that is in the commonwealth! Or maybe he was just joking.

Not trying to stir anything up here, but the fact is that some less acceptable tribal 'traditions' still linger.

 

[Skydragon]

Not trying to stir anything up here, but the fact is that some less acceptable tribal 'traditions' still linger.

Obviously then, he got his information from you!

 

[Elspeth]

The remark about the Chinese was a private remark to a group of British tourists and he cannot be held responsible for every little nobody, who wants to see their name in print.

I think by now he should have realised that when he says things like that to people in public (and these weren't his friends in a private home or whatever), they're liable to end up in print.