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Must We be Sensible Forever?

by Toby Young
28 May 2021 12:38 PM

We’re publishing a new piece today by Dr. Sinéad Murphy, an Associate Researcher in Philosophy at Newcastle University, about the lasting psychological impact of lockdowns and the philosophy of safetyism underpinning them. Here is an extract:

We have been prodded this year by the devilish theme of safety, which has dramatically altered the contour of our lives. But now the colour of our lives may be changing too, as we are encouraged from all sides not only to stay safe but to be sensible.

On May 15th, the FA Cup final was attended by twenty-two thousand supporters. The fans were back. Football was back. And certainly, the real crowd did foreground how anaemic has been its virtual equivalent. But when Leicester scored the goal that won them the cup, their cheering fans were faced down by a line of officials, caped in plastic over their high-visibility jackets and fanning their outstretched gloved hands, palms downwards, in a calming gesture – Let’s be sensible, folks.

Two days later, May 17th, brought the return of hugging for anyone who had been observing the ban. But it is not a rush-into-the-arms hugging, not a big hugging, not a tight hugging, all of which have about them this new taint of excess. It is sensible hugging: faces turned in opposite directions and got over with as quickly as possible.

There is a new kind of puritanism abroad – casting its pall over our lives, already so out of shape. Those moments when life is brimming over, when we act on impulse, when our sides split with laughter, when we cry with anger or with joy, when we cannot let go our embrace or when we could talk and talk for hours: all have about them a new hue of poor taste. The palate of human life has been dimmed; Let’s be sensible, folks.

Worth reading in full.

Tags: HuggingReopeningSafetyism

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18 Comments
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Julian
Julian
4 years ago

Have we been being sensible? I hadn’t noticed. Lockdowns and the coronapanic are anything but sensible.

33
0
Julian
Julian
4 years ago
Reply to  Julian

Yes I understand what is meant hopefully

My point is that the loonies think they’re being sensible but they really aren’t

19
0
Fingerache Philip
Fingerache Philip
4 years ago

I’ve been sensible for over 70 years, that’s why I’m a lockdown sceptic.

66
0
Brett_McS
Brett_McS
4 years ago

Puritans have always been an element of society. It’s just that this is their time to shine, and they are making the most of it.

19
0
JamesM
JamesM
4 years ago

Sooner or later somebody in government will have to stand up to SAGE. Life is for living and not merely surviving. We need to move away from the idea that the country revolves around the NHS – we are not all hypochondriacs. Yes, there will always be new variants; but this cannot be an excuse for remaining in lockdown for ever, particularly when the IFR of these variants is well below 1% for the population as a whole. If we want to restore quality of life, then we will have to live with Covid in the same way that we have lived with influenza for centuries. It is up to us to make our voices heard.

56
0
Carlo Emilian
Carlo Emilian
4 years ago
Reply to  JamesM

Ditto and I work for them!!

6
0
Mike Yeadon
Mike Yeadon
3 years ago
Reply to  JamesM

In my view, you’re all looking in the wrong direction for the conductor of the particular orchestra.
It isn’t in Parliament & might not even be in the country.

1
0
Catee
Catee
4 years ago

I found out yesterday that an elderly but sprightly gentleman from the bowling club to which I belong died during lockdown. He used to swim for an hour a day at the local pool and was very sociable. Lockdown closed the pool and he died of loneliness and inactivity, but that isn’t what will be on his death certificate. I was feeling so angry thinking about him when out for a walk in a country park earlier that when three middle aged people walked past muzzled up I didn’t bleat quietly to myself as is usually my wont, I did it out loud. One of them responded with “yes, yes, we’re sheep”, I’m guessing it wasn’t the first time they’d been bleated at.

35
0
chas cowie
chas cowie
3 years ago
Reply to  Catee

Well done Catee. Perhaps more of us need to call out the sheep.

1
0
R G
R G
4 years ago

I’m sick of seeing the word safety, and I’m sick of living under its tyranny.

44
0
HelenaHancart
HelenaHancart
4 years ago
Reply to  R G

Control has been renamed as ‘safety’

14
0
Judy Watson
Judy Watson
3 years ago
Reply to  R G

I have told my friends in no uncertain terms NEVER to say the meaningless expression ‘stay safe’. I cannot find the words to describe the anger I feel about being told to ‘stay safe’

I want to take risks, I want to enjoy my life I don’t want to be admonished by pathetic ignorant bedwetters.

7
0
Annie
Annie
4 years ago

I’m not sensible. I’m not cautious. I’m not safe.
I’m alive.

18
0
chas cowie
chas cowie
3 years ago
Reply to  Annie

Snap! and I’m nearly 72 so it must have worked!

1
0
Stephensceptic
Stephensceptic
4 years ago

Ivor Cummins described what is happening as insanity. I can find no argument to disagree with him. This is just nuts.

19
0
LMS2
LMS2
4 years ago

“when Leicester scored the goal that won them the cup, their cheering fans were faced down by a line of officials, caped in plastic over their high-visibility jackets and fanning their outstretched gloved hands, palms downwards, in a calming gesture – ”

It’s a shame the Leicester fans didn’t show those officials what they really thought of them.
It’s time for some real civil disobedience.

10
0
Think Harder
Think Harder
4 years ago

There are many who want to be subjugated for some reason and many who want to us to be. Can’t these 2 groups go off to some den of ill repute and play their dominatrix-submissive games together and leave the rest of us to get on with normal FREE lives?

10
0
chas cowie
chas cowie
3 years ago

Another good thinking piece by one of my favourite contributors. I hope we are going to see some British “Danser encore” today but I am not going to rely on the MSM to report on it.

0
0

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