Jonathan Dodd‘s latest column. Guest opinion articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication. Ed
Sometimes you just can’t win. There are occasions when you’re not even competing or attempting to win anything, but you end up being landed with all sorts of labels and reputations that you never even looked for. And your actual reasons for doing something become buried under everyone else’s reinterpretations based on nothing more than their own attitudes or reactions.
Does that make any sense? Of course it doesn’t. Not on any level. But if I was to mention a certain Mr Gerald Ratner, who used to own a chain of successful jewellery shops, and who made an off-the cuff remark at a private dinner concerning the quality of his merchandise, it might become clearer. He happened to make that remark while an off-duty reporter was walking past.
Doing a Ratner
The result of that is history. His remark was quoted in headlines, he lost his shops and business, and his workers were sacked. Nobody questioned whether the newspaper had a right to publish an off-the cuff remark made in private as a news story, and as far as I know nobody has expressed regret to Mr Ratner or his ex-employees for destroying his business and their livelihoods.
We live in a so-called culture where it seems necessary to pick on tiny facets of others and blow them up into headline proportions before vilifying them and destroying whatever success they used to have. I have never understood this, and I never will.
We must remember this
There are so many examples of this behaviour that I don’t need to make a list. But the sad thing is that no newspapers would print such distortions and even lies about people if they didn’t profit from it. It’s no surprise to me that millions of people expressed disgust at the antics and illegal activities of the Sun, even though its circulation hardly dipped at all while these dirty tricks were being revealed during the Leveson Enquiry.
We really need to grow up. There’s a difference between a person’s job and their private life. There’s a difference between someone’s religion and their political beliefs. There’s a difference between how they look and how good a job they’re doing. Far too often there’s a difference between what people say and what they believe. We need to remember this.
Here yesterday, gone today
We suffer from collective rushes to judgement and short-term concentration issues. Just because something happened a week ago doesn’t mean it’s less important today. If someone is on the television doesn’t mean they’re better than you or me. If someone wears clothing that differs from ours that doesn’t mean they’re less worthwhile or valuable than us.
I was heartened to hear this week that Tommy Robinson, the leader of the English Defence League, has resigned and is actually sitting down and talking to Moslem leaders, some of whom used to be extremists but who now espouse dialogue. And Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban because she stood up for the education of girls, might just have won the Nobel Peace Prize by the time you read this.
Come in from the cold
England is supposed to be a civilised country, a haven for refugees of all creeds and nationalities. We’re supposed to be interested in ideas and dialogue and common sense and above all, the fight against prejudice and injustice. We’re supposed to support the underdog, we’re supposed to love sportsmanship over dirty dealings, and we’re supposed to love animals. We’re supposed to be the good guys.
We also have a reputation for misery and narrow-mindedness and believing we’re better than we are, and we take far too much pleasure in the fall of those we elevate onto pedestals.
Getting better every day
One thing we share with other humans the world over – we’re far too easily satisfied feeding on the pap that’s offered to us rather than making our own minds up and coming to our own decisions. Now that we have access to unlimited education and all the world’s information we’re getting better at this, but I suppose it takes time.
Meanwhile, I happened upon a television programme this week by accident which featured various people being filmed while watching television in their living rooms. I’m supposing it’s only a matter of time before we have a programme showing people watching other people watching television.
No matter how far the world moves on, something will always take you by surprise.
If you have been, thank you for reading this.
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