After reading In-laws and Outlaws, I looked up its author on Google and discovered various lists of his aphorisms. The one that struck me most forcefully - and that seems most pertinent to an understanding of recent events in London - is this one:
'The chief product of an automated society is a widespread and deepening sense of boredom.'
I quite agree. I suspect that a lot of people joined in the rioting because it was fun and they felt alive. Every area where the rioting took place is marked by a lack of open spaces and the primacy of economic activity over human needs.
ReplyDeletePeople also need to remember that the 'mob' has always existed in society, but factors like war, full employment, social cohesion and reform kept a lid on it. I wasn't shocked by the unrest. I'm more surprised by the fact that they're the first serious riots to take place for 30 years.
What really surprised me was the huge demand for televisions when there's barely ever anything worth watching.
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