UKC

Person 1: "So, like, what does the Navy do, er, anyway?"
Person 2: "Stuff in the sea."
Person 1: "Oh. But, like, what do they ACTUALLY do."
Person 2: "Well, my brother's in the navy. Ships and submarines and things."
Person 1: "Oh right, that's good. Because we're quite a small country."
Reflective pause
Person 1: "I think that's why we should stay in the EU. We're small and things."
Person 2: "Yeah."
Person 1: "It's better to stick together and share boats and stuff. Look out for each other, that kinda thing."
Person 2: (noncommital sound)
Person 1: (suddenly quite animated) "Actually, I think we should join China! They're big!"

In reply to damhan-allaidh:

Very good!

In reply to jedicolin:

In what way?

I have mixed feelings:

Pleased - young people are discussing geopolitics!
Worried - they don't know what the Navy does (and I would be hardpressed to give an enlightening response).
Astounded (and worried) - this is probably the normal level of debate and dicussion that drives our democracy
Startled - in the whole course of the conversation, I wasn't expecting that last statement!

In reply to damhan-allaidh:

"Share boats and stuff".

I can't wait for the christening of HMS Scary McBoatshare.

In reply to damhan-allaidh:

I doubt most people could describe what the navy actually does other than act as a ferry service across the med to save africans the effort of crossing it in dodgy boats.

(And before you start on me - I am ex navy.)

In reply to damhan-allaidh:

Surely an explanation of what our navy does is very simple... either:

The marine division of our armed forces. Their duties include:

Patroling the coastal waters of Britain and her territories,
maintaining "the law of the sea" - anti drug and piracy operations
Humanitarian relief - e.g. Tsunami, Haiti etc
Off shore offensive support, missile platforms and floating hospitals, air craft carriers (if we have any left) - e.g. Libya
Maintaining Supply lines to other armed forces
Nuclear deterrent - Trident
The last line of defense - Will launch nukes at our enemies after the government has been annihilated (and Radio 4 stops broadcasting)

Or in other words Tinkers, Tailors, Soldiers and spies

In reply to balmybaldwin:

So no time for rum, sodomy and the lash then?

Won't bother joining in that case.

In reply to damhan-allaidh:

Who said they're young? They could be really old and forgetful.

In reply to Dave Perry:

Don't the navy murder people too...?

In reply to Marcus B:
You're clever.

In reply to edunn:

I was sitting next to them.

In reply to balmybaldwin:

That was quite helpful. Having tried to get into the navy after university, I probably should know better. Then again, maybe there was a good reason I never quite made it...

In reply to Dave Perry:


Well they sure as shit don't work on credible plans for projecting air power around the world.

Bank breaking carriers without cats and traps and with the unfolding disaster that is the F35...

In reply to damhan-allaidh:
To be fair it could have been a couple of guys just having a really silly ironic conversation. We often have stupid conversations, one at the wall the other day was about making hydrogen bombs from a bag of hydrogen and an axe so I wouldn't take it too seriously what you overhear!

That said the Navy does do boats and stuff and China are pretty big.

In reply to Gone for good:

Thank you.

In reply to Steve-J-E:

Actually, it was a couple of young women, about 22 or so. Dressed in what I suppose what you could call professional attire. It was interesting, and, I admit, I did find it a little funny. It was defo not ironic. To me, it seemed like to young people making an attempt and wanting to grapple with significant issues beyond their immediate experience, but lacking the vocabulary and a familiarity with sources of information that would help them. I also think, given parts of the rest of the conversation, there was a real reticence to be seen as being too interested in these things because it might not be cool.

In reply to Marcus B:

I fear your view of the Navy is about as accurate as this...

youtube.com/watch?v=3DlN4Sh06po&

but less humorous.

In reply to damhan-allaidh:

I suspect that William Brown could have had at least as sensible a conversation as those two!

Most of my friends by the age of 10 would have been able to give a more sensible opinion!

They should read Patrick O'Brien's books about Aubrey and Maturin - I learned all I know about the navy (and the behaviour of debached sloths) from them!

In reply to Marcus B:


Yes, they're worse than jihadists/daesh aren't they?

In reply to Clarence:


I think it was George Melly who said "Rum, Bum and concertina"

In reply to wintertree:



I think you're too harsh. You never know when we might need to deploy a floating car park somewhere.

In reply to FesteringSore:


I don't think Clarence is misquoting though; I have heard the other expression and I guess gorgeous George was adapting it to talk about his career. How we all miss him.