Just seen that "invasion of privacy" - by the Government - has hit new heights with the questions they intend to ask in the 2011 census. Now, I'm sure in 200 years' time someone still working on the Bolt family tree may be fascinated to find out how many bedrooms I had in my house, but personally, I do not think that it is a useful tool for the current Government, except as something else to tax us on and probably check against Council Tax documents. I am glad we are allowed to call ourselves English again (as indeed I did last time anyway), but I should imagine that the dynamics of propinquity in a multi-let building is going a bit far.
What really made me roll on the floor laughing was the question about command of the English language. For those filling out the census there is a choice of "very well, well, not well or not at all". Hmmm - is it only me that thinks that the "not at all" - indeed the entire census form! - would be a tad lost on those in that particular household if it applied to all?
I dare say there will be some lies being put down, even some damned lies - but will they just be statistics?
Perhaps they are about to bring back the window tax?!
ReplyDeleteThat HAD occurred to me actually!
ReplyDeleteI daresay researchers years from now might fall avidly on these details!
ReplyDeleteOh yes - this is par for the course. Being in farming we get all kinds of forms to fill in and large thick glossy brochures to read. One recently had a sticker on it saying that it had been compiled using plain english which was easy to understand. In the second sentence it mentioned that something was a "force majeur" - the whole world has gone potty.
ReplyDeleteMy son gets all huffy when he has forms to fill in ... maybe because he struggles due to mild dyslexia but I was alittle mad with him when, on the 2001 census (his first) ... he put religion down as Jedi (re Starwars) but had to giggle when his 3 best friends admitted they had ...independantly ... done the same... what ever will those looking through it think in 100 years.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention that the Daily Mail is trying to make something out of nothing and saying that "even the names, ages, and birthplaces of overnight VISITORS have to be entered on the 2011 census". Yawn, Daily Mail, that has ALWAYS been the case - nothing new. Stop sensationalizing . . .
ReplyDelete