Wednesday 20 December 2006

A Shameless Boor

Decency, modesty, thoughtfulness, let alone conscientiousness or nobility — these are not qualities one might typically expect from a journalist. And honesty, when it occurs, may be of an accidental kind, a shadow cast by a boast:
We have jettisoned absolutely every notion of ‘shame’, we have taken decorum and modesty and discretion and shoved them up our forebears’, er, noses. I am all for it, the nudity and new boisterousness; most of those past qualities were about knowing ones place and staying within it. [1]
So writes Zoe Williams. The trouble is, such words cannot persuade me; for the thought of Ms Williams and her kind knowing their places and staying within them is to me a happy one. I am all for it.
.....
[1] Zoe Williams, “Mouthfuls of Snobbery”, The Guardian, 20th December 2006.

7 comments:

James Higham said...

I know and have known her not.

dearieme said...

So she would welcome a critical reaction of "Up yer bum", would she?

James Higham said...

"Up yer bum' could be the overture to more fulfilling relations though - so possibly it's appropriate as a reaction.

D. C. Warmington said...

Deogolwulf, I suggest you adopt abstention from reading the Goniad as a New Year's resolution. I managed to achieve this in 2006 and my mental health and wellbeing have improved in consequence.

Likewise, I disposed of my TV set in 2005 and am now in the happy position of knowing almost nothing about the current crop of "celebrities".

Life is too short to be wasted on such deadbeats as Zoe Williams (whoever she may be, when she's at home).

All good wishes for 2007 from a fellow curmudgeon (and would-be hermit).

Deogolwulf said...

It is a good suggestion, Mr Fuller. Hermitry also has its appeal.

I wish you the best for 2007.

James Higham said...

Thomas Fuller gets a reply. That's because I'm just a shameless boor. Happy New Year, Deogolwulf and may you live to remember it.

Deogolwulf said...

Nonsense, Mr Higham. A Happy New Year to you.