Notes and Comments: No. 10

The romance of the outlaw: Robin Hood, Jesse James, and so on. Now Delano Brown and Donnel Carty? I suppose the existence of those earlier figures does show that the fascination with the outlaw figure and ‘lifestyle’ has a long history. Since the invention of the ‘rebellious’ teenager in the 50s and the social liberalisation of the post-60s there is a feeling that something more fundamental has changed in this sort of attitude.

Another day, another comment:

It is just that the Christians were the latest to appropriate the ancient mid-winter festival to their own ends. Now that their influence is - at long last - on the wane, the older and far more important psychological needs for a mid-winter fillip are re-emerging some in the old ways like feasting, drinking and lights, some in new ways like a little chocolate now and then.

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Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Or, perhaps not.

And, nothing will come of nothing.