Born in 1954. Chequered career including Lecturer in English, Social Worker and Lecturer in Social Work. Had breaks related to mental health that also meant I worked in social care. Now retired.
What happens when artists are asked: “What have you been working on?” What have you been working on?” is a catch-all question? Does it ask what task are you currently working towards completion. It might mean that and it might at the same time refer to a task in at your paid work role. Alternatively, … More What happens when artists are asked: “What have you been working on?”
Whatever the meme above was meant to signify in its original use, it speaks volumes about the ethical nature of pride as mode of self-congratulation. Pride is an error only when divorced from an object in which to be proud, when it refers not to some achievement in actual time and space that will lose … More If pride comes before a fall, then admire the ‘fallen’ who remain proud of what is to be learned in the process.
I suppose the key word here – the one that should set warning bells ringing is ‘unproductive’, for as a word it has long differentiated from what seem to be a synonym, non-productive. Yet since the words are often confused the term ‘counter-productive’ has been invented to show that their scale of the unproduction from … More Malevich’s ‘Taking in the Rye’, looks like the dissection of a rainbow! Aim to be lazy!
The role of expert and intellectual in the politics of social change and trust in the concept of a leadership that achieves the sense of stability conducive to effective change. As I opined about Elon Musk yesterday, I wondered whether I was oversimplifying the phenomenon he represented – a man keen to assert his origins … More The role of expert and intellectual in the politics of social change and trust in the concept of a leadership that achieves the sense of stability conducive to effective change.
The Peterloo Massacre: flying the St George Cross has accompanied the success of Anarchy, Murder and Fraud in internal politics and always has. Below the equivalent, which Shelley might have described as the chanting of: ‘Anarchy, to thee we bow,Be thy name made holy now!’ As we peer through the dark of our current political … More Elon Musk poses as Success Embodied and looks like the epitome of Shelley’s Anarchy, feeding his lapdog, Yaxley-Lennon the bodies of the naive and self-oppressed: “And with glorious triumph, they / Rode through England proud and gay, / Drunk as with intoxication / Of the wine of desolation”.
‘Be near me’: A good neighbour is one of those near to me who are willing to be still closer. I will keep the English spelling of neighbour that is not used in the prompt question, that question having come from the United States who dropped the ‘u’ in words ending ‘-our’ long ago. However, … More ‘Be near me’: A good neighbour is one of those near to me who are willing to be still closer.
Can ‘principles define how you live’, if you live in the world as it is. This blog looks at this by examining a recent (and edited) play text of George Bernard Shaw’s ‘Mrs Warren’s Profession’, which we see live-streamed on 23rd October at the Gala Theatre Durham. Geoff and I will be seeing this play … More Can ‘principles define how you live’ if you live in the world as it is. This blog looks at this by examining a recent (and edited) play text of George Bernard Shaw’s ‘Mrs Warren’s Profession’, which we see live-streamed on 23rd October at the Gala Theatre Durham.
Counter-transference is more common than we think. Acknowledged and worked with it is a positive tool. But it happens most in encounters where the therapist is too inexperienced, or neither reflective, reflexive or self-unaware to notice it. For anyone who has been in a therapeutic encounter as either a therapeutic practitioner or person seeking assistance, … More Reluctant and resistant. Moi? The double bind of therapy.
‘Putting off’ is a relative thing. It is as likely that we ‘put off’ even things we know we will do, either because we must or because we are driven by the pain that reality brings as much as by the pleasure of fantasy in the yet unrealised event in the future. This blog tests … More Maybe we all put off exposure to the moment of disappointment. Is it because we doubt the reality of our espoused passions? This blog tests that view by exposing my anticipations of the Lee Miller retrospective to be seen on October 21st 2025 at Tate Britain.
Violence: How should we respond, and how do we respond? The tragedy born out of inappropriate response Above are the bare facts of the violence that occurred at Heaton Park Synagogue m Manchester. People died as a result not only of the violence of one man (and others if others backed him up) but also … More Violence: How should we respond, and how do we respond? The tragedies about to be born out of inappropriate and thoughtless response.
The appreciation of art is not a matter of ‘personal choice’ or ‘favour’; it is a duty. This is so not only for its maker but its reading, for reading is, in part, co-making. Duty, of course, does not exclude personal pleasure if it does exclude banal ideas of choice between pleasures. The quotation and … More The appreciation of art is not a matter of ‘personal choice’ or ‘favour’; it is a duty. This is so not only for its maker but its reading, for reading is, in part, co-making.
What is the worst that might happen? Is it the fear of failure or to hope that you might eventually fail, and to dread failing to fail. An infographic from Verywell Mind website detailing the signs and symptoms of a ‘fear of failure’: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-fear-of-failure-5176202 The title I give this blog may sound like nonsense? No … More What is the worst that might happen? Is it the fear of failure or to hope that you might eventually fail, and to dread failing to fail.
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