“Arguably, never in the decline and fall of the avant-garde had so few sold out for so much so quickly. From 1997, when the Royal Academy daringly mounted the Sensation exhibition, in less than five years, the likes of Hirst, Tracey Emin, Marc Quinn et al., went from maybe scandalising to definitely cashing in: far more than the Britpop bands, it’s these lite – and often quite high – artists who personified the Blair era, with its serious comfort when it came to being seriously rich sugar-wrapped in social conscience.”
On the n-word
“Obviously, written words are received in a different context to spoken ones – but both allow for discursive explanation. If I teach Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, I give a trigger warning to students about the ten instances of the n-word in the text, but I also reserve the right – should we be discussing one of the relevant passages – to utter the word. In practice, I don’t think that has ever occurred (Huckleberry Finn might prove more problematic, since it’s bedizened with n-words), but the principle remains that to render any word unspeakable and un-writable, is to impose totalitarian double-think rather than advance the cause of racial justice.”
On the Kardashians
Will’s latest New European column has landed.
Mark Francois’ Spartan Victory is illiteracy on parade
Will’s review of Mark Francois’ self-published memoir in the New European.
On the betrayal of Afghanistan
Will’s latest column for The New European.
On prejudices
Confirmation bias and its role in culture and society.
On driving too fast
In this week’s Multicultural Man column, Will writes about his second speed-awareness course, this time a virtual experience.
The Great British Bake Off
On the politics behind the nation’s beloved baking show.
On Daniel Craig
This week’s Multicultural Man column considers the James Bond actor’s comments on his fondness of gay bars.
