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I wrote a book called “Crap Towns”. It seemed funny at the time

(samj.substack.com)
395 points url | 3 comments | 26 Apr 25 00:30 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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svat ◴[26 Apr 25 01:54 UTC] No.43800230[source]▶
Loved the fact that this post didn't go where I expected it to (or at least, didn't remain there). That a book like this probably wouldn't be published today, or would be less popular today, is a point that has been made many times by many people, about many different books, TV shows, jokes, etc. But the author actually moves on from there; the observation is that even in his own opinion, the same joke isn't funny today — in fact, the equivalent thing being done today just looks “grubby”.

So it's something deeper than the usual “political correctness” debate: the question really is, what is it about the world today that trumps the hallowed British traditions of celebrating failure, of moaning, of affectionate self-mockery? Why isn't the joke funny any more, or why doesn't the mocking seem affectionate?

(He points at the malaise that exists today—it was only funny when there was some hope—but I'm not sure that's the only answer…)

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1. tempaeay4747274 ◴[26 Apr 25 08:28 UTC] No.43801861[source]▶
This is a good question..it just occurred to me that perhaps its because its so much easier for the people who would be the target of the joke to answer back now?

Social media gives the possibility of instant reply, whereas if you publish a book in 2003 called 'crap towns' how can the so-called chavs answer back? Publish their own book? Write to the local paper?

So its a side effect of how we can all hear each other better now (for better or for worse)

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2. overfeed ◴[26 Apr 25 20:34 UTC] No.43806948[source]▶
Oh, that's insightful. Author could have encountered a light form of elite convergence 20 years ago when interacting with fellow writers and journalists, who probably didn't live in the blighted areas, and could take the joke on behalf of their cities. Being from a crap town is fine if you're don't live in the crappy part of town.

I'll add that the decade-long austerity measures let people know that it's actual class warfare, and it's no longer a laughing matter as it was in 2003 when it seemed fixable. Now it's clear the people in charge are not interested in fixing anything. A joke about someone's health situation is received better if the condition is treatable, but less so of they are terminal.

3. BlueTemplar ◴[27 Apr 25 00:15 UTC] No.43808372[source]▶
It was 2003, not 1993 - the article even has a screenshot of people answering back online.

The competing website they don't want to name has Internet Archive pages dating back to 2004.