Jonathan Dodd‘s latest column. Guest opinion articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication. Ed
One of the things that everyone loves about children is their absolute and natural ability to just be and do, without even realising that they probably ought to be regulating their behaviour. We love the idea that the play of children is a sort of sacred right, and we spend huge amounts of money and time providing them with opportunities to play and have fun. But don’t we also wish that we could join them?
Having fun is an absolute right of children, it seems. But this doesn’t apply to adults. In fact there comes a time in the lives of all children when they’re conditioned to stop having fun. They’re encouraged to stop being silly, to become serious and to act like everyone else. Adulthood is seen as the opposite to childhood, when we put behind us those childish things and don the sober clothing and habits of responsible citizens.
(Other peoples’) children behaving abominably
I think this is a shame and a mistake. I can’t understand why there should be derisory comments when a Prime Minister takes his shirt off. On the beach. During his holiday. I often say – ‘Have fun!’ to people, and sometimes they give me a strange look, as if I’m suggesting something strange and inappropriate to them. Why not have fun if you possibly can?
We feel as parents that we should encourage our children to behave in a sensible manner when out in public, and there’s nothing wrong with that, as we can all cite examples of (other peoples’) children behaving abominably. But we go too far, expecting them to be serious too, and it all becomes a sort of fun-dampening competition. And as parents we also moderate our own behaviour so we can be good role models for our own children.
Several life-changing thoughts on every page
I’ve been thinking about this all week, because we went to Southampton last weekend to watch the Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Radio Show Live. I’m of the generation that first listened to H2G2 on the radio and then watched it on TV, and then read the trilogy – all five volumes. I have never understood why H2G2 should not be compulsory reading in schools, because it contains several life-changing thoughts on every page, and because it’s a work of genius that’s based on fun.
Several members of the original radio cast stood on a stage and read extracts from the original scripts with help from a band and sound effects and a visiting guest reading from the Hitch Hiker’s Guide itself. Despite having done all this innumerable times already, they were all quite clearly having a ball, and everyone in the theatre was having tremendous fun too.
Unremittingly po-faced about everything
The thing about Douglas Adams is not just that he was tremendously intelligent and creative, but he was able to let all this out through the medium of having fun. The Hitch Hiker’s Guide is ludicrous and silly and crazy and serious and angry and mad all at the same time. Just like every one of us, and just like the whole of Life, The Universe, and Everything.
Every generation throws up one or more examples of this. I can think of Monty Python and Spike Milligan and the Goons, and the Radio series I’m Sorry I haven’t a Clue, and my favourite band, the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. These work for me. They’re a reminder that life can include imagination and silliness and fun, and laughter, and that it’s not good for us to be unremittingly po-faced about everything.
I started to behave like myself
I’m not sure that there are many examples of this at the moment. I seem to have missed them if there are. The important thing is to remember that silly isn’t bad, and that the worst thing that can happen to you if you make a fool of yourself is that people might laugh at you. Is that a bad thing?
At some point I made a decision that it was just too much hard work trying to be someone that I imagined nobody anywhere might take any exception to, so I stopped trying to impress imaginary people and started to behave like myself, and life became so much easier. I go to quite a lot of interviews for my work, and a few years ago I stopped working hard at them and just turned up as myself. This didn’t seem to make any difference to my success rate.
What I did while I was unemployed
I once spent a previous recession out of work. Everyone I ever asked told me to make something up in my CV in case anyone wondered why I wasn’t working. Instead, I described what I did while I was unemployed, and that was what all my interviewers were most interested in. That and the NLP.
I also like to wear Hawaiian shirts, as often as possible. It’s not just because I love them, it’s because they make me feel good, and they make me laugh. When people ask me why I like Hawaiian shirts so much, I tell them that everyone always has fun when I’m wearing one. And guess what? That’s what happens.
So please, whatever you’re doing, force yourself if you have to, but just make sure you have some fun.
If you have been, thank you for reading this.
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