Madam, – Daily the evidence mounts that we now live in a fractured society. Concepts such as integrity, honour, respect, professionalism, leadership, patriotism and public service have been relegated from the lexicon of public life only to be replaced by the instant vapid vanities of populism,organisational self-preservation,parochialism, selfishness and public pontification on matters great and small. The former “pillars” of our society have crumbled due to the searing heat of public scrutiny and scorn.
To enable our children avoid making the mistakes of my generation (that of a post-retirement pleb), might we offer them an accurate new lexicon to identify and address the various collectives of politicians, bankers, economists, bishops, developers, planners, psychiatrists et al who have so thoroughly brought us to our sad sad present state?
To start, I offer the following suggestions: a bunkum of politicians; a jinx of bankers; an elasticity of economists; a fudge of bishops; a mangle of developers; a flood of planners; a pomposity of psychiatrists. Any suggested improvements? – Yours, etc,