The Levellers

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Euan McColm recently argued that: “politics needs passion but leave out the hateful attacks” though yesterday he seemed to be forgetting his sage-like advice.

Obviously riled by the presence of David Hayman at the RIC13 – or perhaps that the event existed at all and gave a glimpse of the energy and ideas that are emerging – he tweeted:

“If you’re an actor at the radical independence conference, you’re every kind of prick I hate”

…before launching into – what can only be described in fairness as a hateful attack on David Greig, one of our very best playwrights.

Is it a generational thing?

Looking across the ranks of the No scribes there does seem to be an overdose of Angry Old Men perpetually foaming at the mouth about this or that sleight.Whether it’s Simon Pia or Ian Davidson or Brian Wilson or Michael Kelly – these guys seem to have one setting: apoplectic.

Time for a bit of collective pop-psychology. Is it regret? Is it denial? Is it age? Is it dawning realisation that the case is slipping away from them?

Poor Euan: “HATRED is a great leveller: it drags us all to the bottom of the swamp. If you’re thinking of hating another person, you’d better brace yourself for the self-loathing that comes with.

Indeed.

Answers on a postcard.

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