Swamp life

Theodore Dalrymple writing about the increase in overt emotionality that is becoming evident in the Western world today says:

“How is it that the fraudulence of this emotionality, its sheer inauthenticity, not to say mendacity, is invisible to those who indulge in it? Here indeed is a puzzle for psychologists. I am reminded of those people who cannot see the fraudulence of American television evangelists the moment they appear on the screen. It is as if we, or at least some of us, are in the process of becoming people without inwardness, who measure their own feelings by outward manifestations only.”

I would posit that main stream media, TV producers and politicised education departments have all played their part in the promotion of such ‘on your sleeve emoting’. That the whole culture has been building up (or disintegrating) to that moment when the phenomena 'went viral' with the death of Princess Diana and seems to be gathering momentum with each breath we take.

Public figures are promoted or vilified on how they ‘display’ their feelings. Where is that stoicism that used to be a part of our heritage? The dignity afforded our ability to weather the storms and arrows of unfortunate incident and unforeseen calamities. Look at what happened to Lindy Chamberlain, it was said that her lack of outward emotion is what caused many to believe her to be guilty.

 Perhaps we are indeed becoming people who are one inch thick and many miles wide – shallow and insubstantial.
What do we call a river with these characteristics?
A swamp!