What hypocrites we have become (From The Northern Echo)

What hypocrites we have become

12:33pm Wednesday 17th February 2010 in

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ON the surface we are a gentler, politer, more caring society. We don’t make racist comments or jokes about mothersin- law. We leave flowers on strangers’ doorsteps and are not afraid to cry.

We don’t smack our children or laugh at the lunatics. Or even use words like “lunatic”. We understand rather than condemn. We tip-toe around tricky subjects and respect everyone’s religion.

So much so, that often even an offhand remark made in private has had people grovelling in public.

Aren’t we nice?

No. Not a bit of it.

Because under this sweet and gentle surface we are turning into a nation of bullies. But, like bullies throughout the ages, only when we can get away with it.

And the internet is a bully’s paradise – the last refuge of the spiteful, pathetic and possibly deranged who can say what they like without having to justify their opinions or even give their names.

Yes of course there are plenty of intelligent, thoughtful comment sections and Facebook groups out there.

But there are an awful lot more which are downright nasty.

Take the people who ganged up against headmistress Andrea Charman – who last year, with the backing of school governors, established a small farm to explain to children where their food came from. When the pet sheep grew up, was killed and made into chops, some hysterical parents claimed their children were traumatised. The result was a website called Ban Andrea Charman from Teaching Anywhere, signed by over 2,500 people, of whom less than a handful probably actually knew Mrs Charman.

Brave, eh?

Now Mrs Charman has understandably resigned and more children will think that meat grows in polystyrene trays in the supermarket.

And that it’s okay for thousands to gang up on one woman, baying for blood, just because they don’t agree with her – even though she had the backing of most parents and the governors.

But the internet panders to mob rule. Even that nice Mumsnet – set up to help mothers help each other – has been accused of bullying people who don’t conform to their general opinions.

And any chat room, forum or online comment space is the ideal place for mindless morons to have a go.

They start off commenting on a newspaper story, perhaps, and add up exchanging insults with other subscribers. Quite funny occasionally – if it weren’t so deeply depressing.

Bullies are no respecters of class or education. Some of the most articulate and well written are often the nastiest, protected by anonymity and the distance of modern technology.

We are told that increasingly we live in a touchy-feely society where we care more about people’s feelings.

Our own feelings maybe, but not other people’s we don’t – not if we can put the knife in safely in total anonymity.

Bullies are bullies. Technology has just made it easier.

ACURATE in Kent has delivered a series of sermons on marriage, one of which said that women should be submissive to their husbands.

And so the Church of England continues its determined onward progress into – oh, at least as far as the Victorian age.

It could well be, of course, that the series of sermons provided a balanced, sensible, thoughtful viewpoint on the way a modern marriage should work.

On the other hand, the curate has apparently forbidden his wife from talking to the press.

Says it all, doesn’t it?

THE Government keeps telling us that school standards are soaring, that our children are doing brilliantly at maths and the results are better than ever.

Then Sainsbury’s says it has had to introduce remedial maths lessons for many of its staff as schoolleavers especially just can’t do the sums.

Now which do you think paints the most accurate picture?

■ THE average woman has apparently £200 worth of unworn clothes in her wardrobe. Bought on impulse, in a sale, while drunk, in a hurry, or when persuaded by a helpful sales assistant.

£200? Is that all?

CHILDREN cared for by their grandmothers are more likely to be overweight, say medical researchers.

Only the day before, other researchers had found that carrying a little extra weight helps you live longer.

See… Granny knows best again.

Get rid of the gimmicks

NOW it’s been up and running for some time, has the fancy new queuing system in Darlington post office actually speeded things up? When you go in, you get a little ticket – just like at the deli counter – and then wait for your number to be called and a voice to tell you which cashier to go to. Why?

There has to be a member of staff permanently standing by the screen and ticket machine to explain how you get your queuing number; there are still people who miss their turn because they can’t see, can’t hear or are just plain confused by the whole system. People still queue, even though they don’t have to. And it still took quarter of an hour to get served.

Wouldn’t it be cheaper, easier, and just as effective to ditch the whizzy new gimmickry, go back to the old, single queuing system and take that extra member of staff away from explaining how the whole unnecessary system works and actually back behind the counter serving?

Euro millionaires

HER mum and partner win £56m on the Lottery and all Georgia Laycock could say was “whatever...”

Couldn’t you just love her? Sometimes teenagers are wonderful.

Mrs Laycock’s former husband has been gracious and said absolutely all the right things. Justine Laycock and partner Nigel Page seem sensible and levelheaded and are already planning to give chunks of their dosh away.

After too many tales of Lottery disasters, isn’t it great to see money going to people who might actually enjoy it and do something with it?

Jealous? Moi? Well, yes actually, I think I am...

Backchat

Dear Sharon,
IT does no good to think back in old money. My husband came back from the farmers’ market with a leek which had cost 84p. That’s 16s/10d in old money. When my sister and I used to do the week’s shopping at the Coop, my mother used to give us £2 and that was enough for a family of five back in 1950. I’m not sure my pension has gone up that much.

Someone worked out in the summer that the cherries in Marks & Spencer cost something like two shillings each.

Each! Once I knew that I’m afraid I just couldn’t bring myself to buy them.

Margaret Dickins, Sedgefield.

Dear Sharon,
I DON’T think Pauline Prescott is wonderful. All the fuss about her husband’s affair had died down long ago. She’s just raking it up again so she can make money from her book. She should have some dignity and put it all behind her.

Pat Frost, Darlington Dear Sharon,
IT’S not just in their homes that people insist on wearing T-shirts all year round. Even in this cold weather there are plenty of young lads going round not properly dressed and girls still showing their midriffs or wearing very short skirts and skimpy tops.

I remember my mother warning me years ago when I went out in my miniskirts, “You’ll pay for that one day, my girl.” I think she was right. Now when it’s too late, I wear all the layers of clothes I can and wished I’d listened to her 40 years ago.

Jenny Matthews, Darlington.