A very socialist ceremony.

Dear Reader.

Okay I accept it the Olympic ceremony was very good (I loved the "petal cauldron")  and I'd probably agree with the way it was focused. I would agree that the industrial revolution, the NHS, children's literature, British music, radio, TV and comedy, multiculturalism and the inventor of the internet fit into the categories of "important to British history" or "something that the British people are actually proud of" and it never went too cheesily obvious which was one thing I was worried about.

I thought it was a good idea to start with the industrial revolution because though  it essentially destroyed the environment (the mill owners were definitely the baddies of the piece) this period probably was the start of what could be called "Modern Britain" with the increase of income and population growth it increased the amount of free time and started what became the "middle class" (if you believe such a thing exists) with the idea that you could become rich rather than just inheriting it, not to mention the rise of such things as women's suffrage, free healthcare and universal education. All in all I was pleased to see it was a very socialist opening ceremony (especially in the light of a conservative government) and I'm very happy to see that a Tory MP has already complained about it
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jul/28/olympics-opening-ceremony-multicultural-crap-tory-mp?newsfeed=true)
and then got in trouble for it (HA HA HA). But I think its expected that it would feel a little Labour/Socialist positive because the things it has brought are, well, worth celebrating (if nothing else its surprising that it works as well as it does).

I'm always a bit careful careful about dismissing these things a just a shiny bauble to keep people happy and quiet  because lets face it I want to become a writer (an artist of sorts). Making shiny baubles is what I'm going to be doing. I mean sometimes writers try to make a serious and complicated point and some even introduce ideas that change the world (on their good days) but really when it comes down to it's all a distraction from the monotony of everyday life and the inevitability of death. Its what they do, and it should be. The distractions are important. Distractions like, music, film, computer games and drink are fun and often beautifully so.