Six Months In The Wilderness

According to the Guardian, as part of research for a book philosopher Julian Baggini spent six months in Rotherham. I think we're meant to feel sorry for him. While he was in Rotherham he heard the word "paki" fairly often and, because this is an article in the Grauniad, he has to tie this in to the recent Big Brother hoohah. He can't quite stop himself from being condescending to northerners, though:

Although people's use of the word made me feel uncomfortable, there was a kind of innocence in their use of it that made me react less strongly than I would have imagined.

Even when he chastises some of his friends for doing the same:

Many professional urbanites regarded my move to Rotherham as though I was going to Outer Mongolia. More than one joked about sending me food parcels, as though it would be impossible to get such staples as balsamic vinegar and buffalo mozzarella in Rotherham, and that life without such things would be intolerable, both of which are ludicrous suggestions. (As it turns out, Morrisons stocked plenty of exotic foodstuffs such as octopus and excellent regional sheep's milk cheese.)

Julian does manage to find one outspoken racist at his local, though:

Toleration is an underrated virtue. The most racist person I met in S66 was in some ways frighteningly close in his opinions to those of the majority. His grievances against Asians were based on perceptions of British Muslims that are widely shared, only more extreme. He now refuses to get into a taxi if the driver is Asian, or eat from an Asian restaurant or takeaway. And he also said that if he knew he was dying, he would walk into the nearest mosque and blow himself up.

I think I may have met that bloke.