Someone was asked once what they missed about being away from Ireland and answered: the insincerity! Well, in like fashion, I miss the demise of the old polite society. Sure it was stock full of pretension and was ruthlessly manipulated by those seeking to control it. But that is the way of every society whatever its mode. The polite society had an element of theatre. People put on an act. They spoke in such a way that nodded to respect and concern, that their dealings with you were not just opportunistic.

I’ve said already that it’s probably better to have a world where people are more sincere about their motivation, even if that is openly selfish. And I still think that is true. But I nevertheless miss that theatre, the fake friendliness and the momentary lift that can come from it.

And there’s another ‘but’. Does being openly selfish and more honest mean we have to give in to a society dominated by shit-heads? This is the danger of conceding to selfish interest and individualism, that you diminish the value of ‘good’ and actually make society more delinquent than it need be.

Much as the demise of the old society with its fraudulent emphasis on virtue and character and its strict adherence to fixed morality was necessary, I wonder if we have replaced it with something equally odious where selfishness, rudeness, contempt for the earnest and respect for the frivolous are given pride of place. Have we only managed to substitute the old and pretentious for the new and obnoxious?