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Lockdown and the Power of Persuasion
Currently, we are facing another three weeks of lockdown, possibly even longer. So it feels ever more important to look at the way this situation is being presented in order to work out the best possible outcome. We hear evidence that social distancing is effective in controlling the spread of Covid-19 and that we may…
The Best of Us … The Worst of Us
“It was the age of wisdom; it was the age of foolishness.” The opening lines from A Tale of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens in 1859, sound a strikingly familiar chord today. We have made extraordinary advances in science and technology but, at the same time, we have ruthlessly used and abused our environment,…
Coronavirus – Keeping A Head
Was it only the beginning of March that some of us were laughing off this dreadful virus? Lots of jokes were doing the rounds via the internet and most people were carrying on as normal. What a difference a couple of weeks makes. Now it is no laughing matter. There is stockpiling, social distancing, escaping…
A Borderline Problem
How would you feel if someone in a position to know told you that you were “emotionally unstable” or diagnosed you with a “borderline personality disorder (BPD)”? The first diagnosis might bring on a feeling of indignation … “How dare you! Who are you to judge me so?” while the second – if you’ve heard…
The Hazards Of Identity Politics
I was going to write something non-contentious for this blog but then I read about Labour leadership contender Rebecca Long Bailey’s aim to “stamp out” transphobia. Soon afterwards came the judge’s ruling on “hate speech” in which Mr Justice Julian Knowles warned Britain is heading towards an Orwellian society if it isn’t careful. His warning…
Outing The Online Outrage
A much-admired journalist has become the latest to be scalped via the Twitter vocalites. He said “ABC”, his follower interpreted this as “XYZ”, retweeted the post – with his own interpretation – and the flash mob formed. Within a very short time, the newscaster fell on his own sword (forgive the excessive metaphors, I seem…
Resolving The Resolutions
New year. New hopes. New resolutions. Most of us make them, even if we don’t declare them out loud. There’s something about a new collective start that brings this inner determination to do something afresh. I read the following in a newsletter from London-based Lidgates, organic butcher to the discerning. “Babylonians made promises to their…
Time To Travel Hopefully
So that’s it. It’s over. A general election – effectively a second referendum without actually naming the “R” word – and Brexit, whether we like it or not. I’m not going to talk about that last part; opinion is probably still sharply divided. What I am going to say is I’m glad a democratic decision…
