School holidays continue to fog my brain. Methinks I have a touch of the writers’ block.
There’s been a lot of stuff about 1968 around, seeing as apparently many journalists laboriously counted their fingers and toes twice and realised that 1968 was exactly 40 years ago. By general acclaim, this weekend’s column on th elegacy of the ’60s by Greg Sheridan (aka The Talking Cardigan (h/t Helen)) takes the gong for most vapid and incoherent. (Weekend Australian, Review, back page)
It is not overstating things to say there was a kind of madness abroad in the culture in those days, not a whimsical eccentricity but a wilful, self- indulgent, nihilistic and destructive madness.
Much that is wrong with our culture today — especially the hatred of the Western tradition among many intellectuals and the self- obsessive, critical sterility of much academic theory — comes directly from that time.
Yawn, yawn. Someone can’t let go of the 60s, and it’s not the leftists.
The best homage to 1968 I’ve seen so far is a video of Brigitte Bardot singing Serge Gainsbourg’s sci-fi love-song “Contact”. Indescribable, really. Go look.
Oh, and the cat approves of our new dining table.
I have to make it public that I’m not the originator of the term “talking cardigan”. I got it from someone, possibly Chris Sheil back in the days of Back Pages, I think.
Helen’s last blog post..While I?m out walking the dogs
*Googles* ..no, it’s Glenn Condell.
http://www.roadtosurfdom.com/2006/09/14/bush-porn/#comment-48314
http://antonyloewenstein.blogspot.com/2005/09/quiet-diplomat.html
http://antonyloewenstein.com/blog/2006/09/05/the-unreality-of-greg-sheridan/#comment-12375
I like “full metal cardigan”, too. Are not cardigans hilarious?!
Helen’s last blog post..While I?m out walking the dogs
Ummm… cardis are popular again. And stylish. And practical. I’ve been making quite a few and I love them. Having a hot flush? Whip the cardi off. Cooling down? Grab the cardi again. Pull it round your shoulders if you don’t need the full cover. Reclaim the cardi!
And I don’t know about the cat, but I love your new table. :)
M-H’s last blog post..Riley bulletin
M-H, I think the popular and practical cardies you describe have only the most superficial resemblance to The Talking Cardigan, which is modelled more closely on a straitjacket complete with a rod in the most uncomfortable place one could imagine.
and re the table: ta! We like it lots. Now just have to get the new kitchen stove-top and it’s back to the occasional dinner party.
Hah! I’d forgotten – I once had a job interview at the Institute of Company Secretaries (I think they’ve updated themselves in the last few years and have a new name). The CEO was carefully describing to me how conservative some members of the organisation were, and I asked (rather cheekily) “Do they wear blue cardigans?” A glimmer of a smile crossed his carefully composed face. “Cardigans? Certainly they do. Grey ones, blue ones, beige ones even!” He replied. He almost smiled at me. I didn’t get the job, but I remember that moment from the interview. I wonder if he does too.
M-H’s last blog post..Riley bulletin
Oh I miss having a cat.
blue milk’s last blog post..Most inappropriate children?s t-shirt ever
I love the way that pooshcat’s collar tones in with not just one but both fabrics. They never get ther backgrounds wrong.
Pavlov’s Cat’s last blog post..More tennis-tragic blogging: Federer v Tipsarevic
It’s a clever trick, isn’t it?
Took the kids shopping at the mall for back to school stuff today. We did the obligatory drop into the pet shop to ooh and aah at the baby animals. Lots of cute kitties, a macaw and cockatiels, and a couple of fabulously wrinkly dachshund puppies. Tew kyewt.