Thursday 10 October 2019

XR Central

Picture my horror – no don't, it won't be pretty – when I happened on this extravaganza of imbecility just around the corner from my home in the demiparadise that is Platonic Carshalton. A blameless Edwardian semi has apparently been converted into XR Central, painted in hideous 'rainbow' colours, every surface covered with inane slogans and symbols, and an earth rampart covered with white stones ('Act Now!') thrown up in the front garden, along with various items of garden furniture, water features and unhappy-looking plants. The perpetrator of this monstrosity has proudly chalked his name on the pavement outside, and an Extinction Rebellion flag flies high over the lot (now I know where the one in the park came from).
  This invasion of public space by in-your-face assertions of ideology – and always the same ideology (because to its intellectually challenged proponents it's incontestable)  – is fast becoming one of the more tiresome features of modern life. Public space should be neutral, a forum for the whole of the community, not the preserve of strident ideologues. We English used to be very good at keeping our opinions to ourselves, and living peaceably as a result, rubbing along together in an atmosphere of mostly good-humoured mutual tolerance. How all that has changed, thanks to the emotions unleashed by Brexit and 'climate change'.
  Anyway, I hope the council has noticed what has been inflicted on this particular house and will take appropriate action, preferably something involving heavy machinery...

5 comments:

  1. Dear Sir Ness, so you live near Carshalton? That almost makes us neighbours but I won’t be inclined to say whereabout I hail from since there are certain powers who take an unhealthy interest in my whereabouts. But I must go and see that house - I kinda get your viewpoint (although you seem to lack a bit of sympathy for folk doing things sincerely) but I have a say I quite like that look. Reminds me of Louisiana where I passed so much ill spent time (drugs, women, drink, shooting gators). I’m a new man now and never take on more than two women at a time, and I go easy on the white powdery stuff (hope you do too!), but I still love colour in life and gotta say there ain’t much in south London. Sometimes I just wish the feds would just disappear and I could get back to the old place and a lifestyle of colour, warmth, music and all the pussy and substances in the world. You with me on this?

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  2. Dear Newman –  I'm rapidly forming the conclusion that you are a figment of someone else's imagination....

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  3. Dear Sir Baron of Carshalton, Loch Ness and the Islands (sorry, couldn't help it) this reminds me of a Ray Davies line in the Kinks song 'Ducks on the Wall' - "My neighbour's got the most deplorable taste."

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  4. Too right Guy. I wonder what they'll do for Christmas...

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  5. Talking of which, passing that way by night I noticed the whole damn thing is lit up like a Christmas tree, with large numbers of bulbs flashing on and off. No wonder there's a 'For Sale' sign next door...

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