An article about the riots and the analysis of a city broker. Excuse me, Flashbuck but how do you want debate about homosexuality to be crow barred into this article. Bit of a prat, arn't you.

Stuart, I am sure they know that history repeats itself and are scared for their own skins, so they will take an interest. If armed unemployed Americans are pushed too far for example,who knows what might happen.
Large companies including banks make massive profits because of machines, and don't need people: hence the rise of government non-jobs etc; but how long can this last. How much more cake can people eat?

Sadly, Flasbuck it is you who are missing the point, and so is everyone who engages with you. Even more sadly, including my good self. You are an individual desperate for attention, or in desperate need of attention, not too sure which but it becoming very tiresome that other commentors, including my good self, allow you to divert discussions that have value into arguing with you. Which has about as much value as giving a cokehead another line. Take part, you're acting like the big slow kid.

Regarding the post, why does no-one ever mention football in the debate about causes?

Clearly the rioters are more likely to look to footballers than bankers, MPs or journalists, and yet as a small but disgusting example Wayne Rooney renegotiated his contract by threatening to leave for Man City THE WEEK AFTER the Austerity Budget. And Coleen with her life of sunshine and f**ck-you-all is hardly attempting to be a role model either.

Sure people can live their own lives, but footballers like Rooney don't derive money from thin air - it comes from fans, and they owe a responsibility to those fans, and to the good fortune that meant they have that money.

More awareness of good fortune is needed all round before halfwits go mouthing off about other people having a sense of entitlement 'they don't deserve'. You can't act as if you deserve everything you have (Cameron, Clegg, most of the Western World) and then get narky when others start thinking they are entitled to it too. You're not either..

What has Mehdi not talking about his views on gay people got to do with anything!
I don't agree with homosexuality, but do i respect people who are gay, of course. Why are people trying so hard to force people to agree with their ideologies....and they call us extreme!

No shit sherlock

I agree with Anon. We live in a hyper-individualist society based on consumerism. At the top it manifests itself in the ludicrous belief that they have 'earned' their riches by shuffling money around and loading bad loans onto the taxpayer. At the bottom it is reflected in the 'attitude' and 'cool' posturing of those who ape the rap stars, footballers and Liam Gallaghers of this world. The corporations which rule the world soak our music, tv, film and computers games in this rotten stew. Since Conservatives are supposed to value personal responsibility and tradition Ive never understood why they don't oppose it. Well that's because an awful lot of money is being made out of it.

MAKootage - having traveled extensively in the developing world i can tell you that you just don't see this kind of moral garbage on their tv screens and in their popular meaning. I'd also say political literacy is also much higher in the majority of countries which are not called the UK / USA.

It probably started before Thatcher of course but her enrichez vous philosophy kicked through the doors to the destruction of a society which still had strong communal bonds. That New Labour finished the job is possibly the greatest tragedy of all.

Excellent article have to agree this a major factor that distinguishes UK & US rioting from european and M/E popular discontent with visible political self- awarenessand community agendas. That in itself, is indicative of UK & media profitable obsession with materialist US and UK politicians cheap policy import of policy response to social unrest and solutions.
The other unmentioned factor is drug prohibition that with consumer culture has created UK own gang culture from it's be unspoken beginnings as the black -economy in lieu of the destruction of heavy industry and manufacturing during the 1980s and which significantly added to UK banking investment that underpinned development in first Latin America and then the SE 'tiger' economies of the mid 1980'3 to mid 1990s which unsuprsingly is also represented in popular holywood films from same era.

Rich people tell poor people they are too materialistic.

I've never read Mehdi write anything favorable about blonde people, either. Another raven haired bigot, eh?

On the article, I disagree with the quoted banker. Britain ranks better in the GINI coefficient than many countries that haven't seen such a feral disregard for personal property.

I'm disappointed that a simple cut-and-paste is classed as an article on this site. It's almost as pathetic as Mr Hassan's appearance on the BBC the other morning (Sat / Sun) - he looked more like a spoilt child than an esteemed commentator, constantly shaking his head and muttering when the other people were talking. For goodness sake, you're supposed to be bringing a bit of class to these debates man - perhaps if you could suppress your massive ego for a few seconds you might realise that us mere mortals have valid and worthwhile opinions also!

The riots were caused by groups of bored teenagers, simple as that. They have no money, no education and no ambition - basically, nothing to lose. They've ignored their parent, ignored their toothless teachers and mocked the police. What they need is a good hard kicking. That's what's missing from society nowadays. We've tried the softly-softly approach, so now let's try giving these kids a hiding the next time they say 'whatcha gonna do, innit?'. There are more of us law abiding citizens than those rioters. It's a numbers game.

And by the way, I'm not racist but I do think there is a race element to the riots also. People of all colours and creeds were involved, but the vast majority of looting was carried out by non-whites. No, in fact, I'll be far more specific - the vast majority of the looting was carried out by black people. There, I've said it. It's what 90% of the country is thinking. Not talking about it isn't going to make it go away.

And am I in the BNP or EDL? On the contrary, I used to be in the socialist party and was on plenty of anti-fascist demonstrations in my teenage years. It's a cliche nowadays but I do also have black friends - many of whom agree with me that blacks are over-represented in terms of looters. Maybe the media is biased and only showed looting involving black people, or maybe my view is skewed because these riots took place in predominantly black areas, but I'm just calling it like I see it. I personally blame the 'bling' culture that seems to exist, especially when it comes to young black males. If you can't get what you want, take it - that's basically what's spouted by rappers constantly, so is it any surprise that's what happens when these guys get a chance? Rappers can't make people do bad things, but there is definitely a correlation between the looting (as opposed to rioting) and race.

There are areas in Scotland (i.e. Easterhouse in Glasgow, Niddrie in Edinburgh, swathes of Dundee, Paisley and Aberdeen) which are some of the poorest areas in the entire nation - yet interestingly there weren't any riots up North, even though people were on Facebook trying their best to incite them. There are groups of youths pounding the police every single night in Northern Ireland, yet it was remarkably quiet over the water when the riots were on. These facts run contrary to the "it's a poverty thing" spouted by many politicians. I'm telling you, race is a MUCH bigger factor than anyone is making out. It's the elephant in the room, and if a relatively moderate person like me holds these views, God (or Allah, or Vishnu et. al) only knows what brain dead idiots are filling their heads with at this moment in time. Just watch - subscription for the BNP and EDL will go through the roof over the coming 12 months, and there will be more riots. I really hope I'm wrong, but I fear not. Our politicians - and journalists, commentators, role models - are scared to talk about this. I challenge politicians to shine a light into the dark corners of our society, or we'll never know what's festering there.

So I guess all future riots and general unrest can be avoided by just handing out Xboxes and smart phones to the resentful poor along with some lectures on values from proper role models. Brilliant.

Had to wait a while to get there but Wightangler is quite correct the riots started because a drug dealing gang member was shot. That was the first report now its being twisted by the right and left to try and "fit" it to their views.

Why would a "Top City broker know anything more about the riots than anyone else? I bet he wouldn't be able to find any of the areas that suffered without Satnav!

I believe it happened because of the society we have created , three generations of unmarried mothers ,
No discipline in schools or at home ,political correctness,Tony Blairs policies , looking back on history ,the world after 1945 has become a hell on earth , maybe by winning the second world war we lost
everything of any worth

Interesting *general* points from the banker, but irrelevant to the riots.

Consumerism has become like a drug. Yes, we all like to have belongings, especially things that give us pleasure. But the emphasis on a load of branded rubbish, is making the younger generation forget what matters. It is a result of the American marketing boom that started in the 1950s and has reached its peak now, to the point of selling through subliminal messages. I'm fortunate to have worked in retail and can see through the overpriced marked up rubbish for sale.

Children are happiest when they are being creative, playing outdoors etc. But green spaces are diminishing and food is highly processed. Many of the less educated kids and their parents, would consider a bolied egg and toast and a clean, cold glass of water a poor man's meal. That's why they would rather buy, branded, processed crap. They then end up with poor health. They aspire to junk food and branded clothes made by kids in sweat shops. Yet some say they riot because they are poor.

Now China are starting to 'enjoy' the western lifestyle. Basically they are destroying their farm land and food supply and are in training for obesity and heart problems generated through western diets and consumerism.

I think we could take note of history and William Morris, who could see that Victorian mass production would have considerable consequences and advocated a return to hand made objects and a slower, more natural way of life, closer to nature.

However, we are entering a technological age and no doubt when we are all living in our two metres of space,with limited water, food and air, consumerism will seem a tad daft. The technological age is a visual one, so kid's are stimulated through visual images on tv and the internet and few words. This takes away their choice to make decisions and they are basically just fodder for the marketeers. Dumb parents stick their kids in front of the tv to watch endless dvds. Bright parents take their kids cycling, out for walks and read with them.

So yes, consumerism is to blame for many of today's ills and can be viewed as a cause of the riots as it goes hand in hand with greed. It's also about property and the protection and destruction of things and about ownership. The rioters seemed to have little respect for other's property. Thank goodness i don't live in that sort of area, where you'd have to keep wondering when you may have something stolen, looted or vandalised or worse, harm to your person.

If some of the people that looted appreciated the air, water, natural, simple food, a chat with a neighbour, a free library book, or a strole in a park more, they may feel a lot happier and kick their consumerist cravings.

Some just wanted to get freebies or boost their egos amongst their peers on social networking sites and some, were just inherently criminal and evil. The killers and arsonists involved in the looting, would no doubt have been criminals at one point in their life. Consumerism is not to blame for that level of criminality, more likely a dysfunctional personality.