Link: Max, 19, hits the road | Travelog | Guardian Unlimited.

Like everyone else, I went to this Guardian "blog" to laugh at the comments about Max Gogarty (son of travel correspondent Paul Gogarty) who is having his gap year travel subsidised by his Dad's employer. In return, he is going to blog regularly about his experiences. Yes, it's a bit of old-fashioned nepotism. Yes, I did laugh a little. Then I began to feel sick.

The kid is 19, for Christ's sake. He can't have anticipated this sort of reaction. Still less can he deserve it. Yet the commenters, good Guardianistas all, lay in to him with venomous will. If you want to understand just how repulsive British Leftists are, get over your schadenfreude about their mutual cannibalism and think about what they are saying. They are entirely driven by hatred and envy.

If you feel that's a contentious statement, here are some examples of what they  felt it appropriate to say about young, innocent, Max. This is the merest sampling of a torrent of abuse. Noting all the "deleted by moderator" markers, I wonder how vile were the comments that were not allowed to stand!

Instead of setting off on yet another inane, identikit trip around Asia before you take up your place at Oxbridge (or wherever), why don't you leave your family's Highgate mansion FOR GOOD, cut yourself off from your father's allowance, move into a council estate in Salford, STAY THERE, and then consider writing a blog about your experiences.

I wonder which council estate in Salford that commenter lives on? As someone who never visits England without spending some time with family on a council estate, I can't say I have met many Guardianistas there. I have a mental picture of the commenter as a corduroyed teacher from the ever-more-impoverished petty bourgeoisie spitting bile on behalf of a social class that doesn't give a toss about him.

Hooray! Just what is needed. Another blog by a posh boy related to a Guardian employee to keep us all up to date with his adventures in places that millions have experienced already. Wow, what a bright idea.

That one rather gives the game away, doesn't it? No real member of the working class would be under the impression that "millions have experienced" gap year treks to Asia. Only someone whose friends have done such things could possibly think so.

As for skinny jeans, Max if ever you eat from the street you may wish you had something a little more baggy and easy to remove, alternatively you could take some nappies.

I'm not sure that the street vendors take Amex though.

You can have your first ladyboy experience in Thailand, but maybe you won't journal that one, just look out for the adams apple.

Is this for the gold or silver DOE award?

Where are quentin, rupert and tiggy going to be? i'm sure the blackberry will keep you all in touch.

Why are class warriors are so keen on the hereditary principle? Young Max has had no independent life in which he can demonstrate his worth. Surely every young human being should be a vehicle of hope? Maybe he will make some great contribution? Maybe we will all be glad he was born? I certainly hope so, but for the commenter it's quite enough that his Dad is a member of the ruling class well-paid journalist. He needs no more excuse to hate Max. Whatever happened to "equality of opportunity?" Was it really (as I always suspected) only a code for "take from all others that which I have not had myself?"

I am literally sick to the back teeth of having to see/listen to all of these posh mummies boys who have never lived a day in reality of their lives talking like they have a clue about anything. They seem to have deluded notion that their opinion is more valid because everything they ever wanted has been handed to them on a plate.

If you want to go somewhere and find yourself, sleep rough in Glasgow for a few night

[Edited by moderator]