12 Comments
User's avatar
Toffeepud's avatar

Your niece may be wise beyond her years. Both my boys eschew "new" music....it's dull, repetitive, nothing. Although younger son is a fan of Maroon 5 but they've now been around for nigh on 15 years, they hardly qualify as new....The newest music on my 22hour playlist is Rihanna. From ten years ago. The oldest is Paranoia by Black Sabbath (quite the range, I grant you) and my lads pick and mix from it and explore outwards to find what they like, iyswim.

Where too is the new comedy? None of my favourite comics has produced anything funny in the past 5 years. I love Micky Flanagan, but his last dvd was just....meh. Digital diets and constantly being "switched on" are literally killing creativity in a whole swathe of artistic pursuits. TV dramas are just unwatchable. Dull. Unoriginal. Unless of course they are based on the superlative writing of JK Rowling, of course (desperately awaiting the next series of Strike 😆). I have a nickname for Zuckerberg and its not polite. I'm sure you can guess what it is 🤣

Expand full comment
Christopher Gage's avatar

I can!

Yes. Creativity has nose-dived. Chernobyl is the last gripping drama, I can think of. Oh, and that Post Office one was great. Slim pickings!

Expand full comment
TrentonUK's avatar

Try the Argentinian sci fi alien invasion series Eternaut. Seriously good, I´m into episode 4.

Expand full comment
Toffeepud's avatar

Yes, the post office drama was fab, because it was based on real life of course, which makes a difference. Sally Wainwright has written some good stuff (Happy Valley) but I'm not sure about her latest offering due to begin next week about a menopausal punk band 😂

Expand full comment
Michael Darr's avatar

Well said. Think of what might happen if Gen Z and the next one turned back to reading great books and listening to Bach and Chopin, Gershwin and even the Allman Brothers Band. Boredom gives one time to contemplate eternity and the god who created it. Maybe even give some thought to ones' place in that eternity.

Expand full comment
Christopher Gage's avatar

Gen Z gets a lot of flak, but in my experience, they are the most sceptical of digital culture. They're turning back from its worst excesses. (Buying physical media, dumb phones etc.)

Funny you say that. Until recently, I was a hardcore atheist. Beethoven shifted me toward optimistic agnosticism.

Expand full comment
Michael Darr's avatar

If you read the first three chapters of Genesis, the first book in the Bible, it explains the current state of mankind quite well. There's another book worth reading, "Is Atheism Dead?" by Eric Metaxas. It might be helpful to you. "The Case for a Creator", by Lee Strobel is a bit older, but enjoyable. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Expand full comment
Christopher Gage's avatar

Thank you. What do you think of near-death experiences? I’ve watched quite a few accounts. I find them compelling.

Expand full comment
Michael Darr's avatar

Nothing is too difficult for God. I've read a few accounts. The important thing to remember is that God will not do, or say, anything that doesn't match up exactly with the Bible. Anyone who is claiming something that isn't in the Bible is not telling the truth.

Expand full comment
Parker McCoy's avatar

Boredom is actually pure gold for any creative pursuit. Your mind will start kicking into gear with no noise in the background.

Expand full comment
WonderWalker's avatar

What a beautiful piece. And absolutely on the nail. Thank you summarising the western mailaise so succinctly.

Expand full comment
Pamela Fairbanks's avatar

It’s time we start conversations about the human condition. We need to talk about where it stems from. We need to go deep into ourselves to uncover where it all began. We are masters at contriving ways to avoid the conversation about it. Those avoidances aren’t solutions.

Why does our instincts clash with our intellect?

That’s a good beginning….

Expand full comment