Looking Sideways: 10 Things
A ten things this week filed from deepest, darkest Cornwall.
Looking Sideways is proudly ad-free and reader and listener supported. Thanks to all my paid subscribers, who help keep the podcast and newsletter free for everybody.
To support Looking Sideways with a free or paid subscription, click below:
1. I went to the Surfer’s Against Sewage Paddle Protest in Brighton. Most people there were patting themselves on the back about the turnout, but I was pretty underwhelmed.
200 odd people in a town of 135,000? To protest against the non-partisan issue of water companies profiteering by literally dumping sewage in the places where we swim, surf and play? How does that work? The apathy of the local surf community was particularly noticeable - I saw a grand total of two people I recognised from Brighton’s hundreds-strong surf scene.
It’s inspired me to explore the topic of protest and direct action in forthcoming episodes and blogs. If you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear ‘em.
2. RIP Martin Amis. Among the eulogies I read this week, this quote by Amis himself (above) on ageing stood out.
3. I’ve been sharing this radio documentary about ad-man Howard Gossage, ‘the Socrates of San Francisco’, with all-and-sundry. A really lovely listen.
4. A very interesting blog from my pals at Much Better Adventures on adventuring through the menopause.
5 I also loved this documentary: Taking Off: Tales of Older Women Who Surf. Click here to watch it.
6. Love this - surf filmer and photographer (and evident dreamboat 😍, which is probably helping with the numbers) Seth Hughes has gone quietly viral via the wry ruminations on our relationship to the natural world he’s been posting on his new urfromhere Instagram. Countryfile - sign this man up immediately.
7. After I shared her Note on Martha Stewart last week, Jessica DeFino went all in on why Martha’s SI cover is ‘ageism masquerading as age inclusivity’. Illuminating and thought-provoking stuff.
8. I haven’t read Spare, but I really enjoyed the Andre Agassi memoir, and hadn’t realised that Harry’s tell-all had been ghosted by the same writer, JR Moehringer. He’s written a fascinating column for the New Yorker about collaborating with Prince Harry. Read it here.
9. Steve Douglas has been hard at work on the line-up for August’s London Calling event - check the new details and dates above.
10. Finally, I should probably know better than to share this given it’s a) seemingly such obvious clickbait and b) aimed squarely at a book geek like me, but this The Case Against (Most) Books blog by Richard Hanania has been doing the rounds on here for a few weeks now.
Contains the actual sentence ”….the idea that someone writing more than say four hundred years ago could have deep insights into modern issues strikes me as farcical. If old thinkers do have insights, the same points have likely been made more recently and better by others who have had the advantage of coming after them.”
I’m amazed people have been taking such an asinine position at all seriously (Machiavelli has entered the chat) but hey, tis the internet, after all…
The menopause blog was spot on! - much like the mental health crisis creating, for some capitalist opportunists, the billion dollar 'wellness' industry - now we have the hot topic of menopause being turned into cash. If you are experiencing emotional and physical changes the answer could be as simple as just adapting what you do but don't stop doing it, eating well and resting.
Wow, lots to consider this week.
I could not agree more on your assessment of the paddle out however consciousness of the events I think was low. The local seahorse colony will have to look to others for support.
Note to self , read some Amis soon.
Love the London Calling poster. It sums up the era.
Oh dear. I assume the author of 'The case against books' is writing for a (very) narrow audience drawn from university life. The premise that because you can get your information elsewhere in a more cost effective and efficient way as being the primary consideration for the reasons why the general public (and most academics ) reads misses the point entirely. I suspect Richard knows this and is after as many clicks as he can get thus thus emphasising the value of the long form paper book over the amphetamine of social media approvals. It leaves me curious as to which date is the cut off for serious relevant thought too.