Generally I try to keep out of important stuff like world events in this blog and just focus on myself. Yes, it’s all me me me.
Partly it’s fear that any sort of political commentary will be the thin end of the wedge. How do I keep perspective? Because of course, nothing about my life is worth a hill of beans on the global stage. But does the world need to hear my views on the events in Gaza or Ukraine, or on politics in the UK or the US, even if Trump is surely a legitimate source of laughs as well as of unease? Answer: no.
Speaking out of turn was the reason I was booted out of the editorial role at work, after all. Quite the come down, considering one of my previous bosses compiled a collection of my previous scheduling notes and had them bound into a book as a gift to me on his retirement, a number of years ago.
I’m not sure what has changed in the intervening years? Did my editorials get more and more outrageous and unhinged? Or is it, as I suspect it is (spoiler alert), that my more recent boss has a lower tolerance for the expression of alternate views, that don’t toe the party line? Actually, thinking about it, that former option of becoming more unhinged may be closer to the truth than I’d like. Anyway, it’s all academic now, as control of the newsletter has been pried out of my hands and this blog is now my only remaining creative outlet. Lucky you!
Anyway, who’s to say that the right wing bullies currently in charge aren’t entirely correct? Maybe it’s the top one percent, I-didn’t-get-where-I-am-today-without-bloody-hard-work(going to the right school/crushing the proles), who can no longer afford a second yacht, who are the real victims? Maybe we’ll all be pleased with the new whippet-like, sleek, slimline, responsive and nimble ministries? Or do I mean hollowed out, fearful, paranoid, and paralysed?