Depression is either a) horribly debilitating, painful and wounding; or b) a bit like shopping for shoes. As Sylvia Plath’s quasi-autobiographical novel, the Bell Jar, is re-released, take a guess what the cover designer thinks. Continue reading
Why Peppa Pig is Simply the Best
My daughter loves Peppa Pig. I love Peppa Pig. We all love Peppa Pig!
For those without kids (because if you have them, you know Peppa Pig), Peppa Pig is a series of short cartoons featuring a family of pigs. Peppa is the oldest child. She has a younger brother, George, a mum and a dad. They live in a brightly coloured world with many other animal families. Continue reading
The Pitfalls of Populism
There’s a very odd debate going on in the UK at the moment, between two words that no-one uses in everyday talk, but have polarised the country. The words are “shirker” and “striver”. Ask yourself if you have ever used either of these in ordinary conversation. It’s unlikely. How then, can these phrases encapsulate a hugely significant argument about social security, work, effort and reward? Continue reading