Professionals Under Attack

May 22, 2009
aerial-map-of-london

Spada’s White Paper, British Professions Today: the State of the Sector, doesn’t shy away from an uncomfortable truth about the professions in contemporary society: they are criticised now more than ever. George Bernard Shaw’s acidic description of the professions as “conspiracies against the laity” seems to be the default position of anyone not working within the professions, especially, it seems, those in the Fourth Estate. There is a curious irony here, in that journalists are doubtless within the professional class and yet seem to hover between conduct which would horrify the traditional professional, while at the same time feeling justified in condemning those professionals not working in journalism. But be that as it may, why has public confidence in the professions declined?

Spada’s research suggests that one factor is the transition from an industrial society to a knowledge-based society, consequential within which is a diminishing deference to authority, but also factors heavily into the mix the influence of the Thatcher years. “Thatcher’s governments were devastating for the professions – the first two terms for the public sector professions, eg medicine and teaching, and the third term for the legal profession in particular,” says the White Paper, citing Michael Burrage, of the London School of Economics, interviewed by Spada for British Professions Today. For Professor Burrage, Lady Thatcher’s crusade against professional self-regulation and her later cuts in funding for public sector professions proved that despite being Conservative in name, “her political programmes were some of the most radical the country has ever seen.” The bad news, for the professions, is summed up by Lord Mandelson in a 2002 interview with The Times: “We are all Thatcherites now.” In other words, what Thatcher started, New Labour governments have continued.

Nevertheless, the British professions retain a formidable legacy. But in light of the continuing threats posed by the evolution of consumerist values, instant gratification, declining client loyalty, increasing media scrutiny and ever greater red tape restrictions, it shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Image courtesy of Katerina 2353.

 

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Not so right said Fred

February 2, 2012
fred hat

So Farewell, then, Sir Fred Goodwin.

Now you are just Fred.

Not Right Said Fred, but plain Fred.

The Forfeiture Committee did for you.

No one had heard of it before,

But Dave said it had to act, and it did.

Trouble is that no one knows what to think.

Is it ‘Alas, poor Fred‘,

Or ‘Hurray! Sir Fred is dead!’?

We don’t know.

Do you?

By A. Mob, aged 1,378 and a half.

London Goes AWOL

January 31, 2012
CNN

STOP PRESS:

Fed up with being stuck on the Thames in south-east England, London yesterday decided to move. In a dramatic gesture which augurs ill for the Olympics, the city upped sticks and relocated to East Anglia.

Lawyers were not consulted about the move, and the city’s precise motivation remains unclear. However, financiers fear that London’s decision is a sign that it wishes to downsize. Moreover, a source from London said: “We no longer want to be Britain’s seat of power. If the Scots can deregulate, why can’t we? East Anglia is a nice place where nothing happens. It’s time for a quiet life. Please respect our right to privacy.”

Elsewhere, Birmingham did not do anything, but Manchester was seen to be packing its bags. “There’s an opportunity for us,” said Manchester. “We can become London.”

East Anglia said: “We don’t mind. It’ll be refreshing to be associated with something other than fens and flatness.”

A cartologist at CNN, which broke the extraordinary news, was later fired.

An excellent ad if ever there was one

January 25, 2012
legovader

We seem to be visually led this week but sometimes words proliferate far too much and letting an image do the talking is no bad thing. That’s another way of saying that ACCESS Agency’s work with Lego is absolutely top drawer.