The greatest?
Not won round
Oliver Dowden talks of “the greatest generation” in Thursday’s VE Day supplement. The idea of a greatest generation is an obscene emotional abuse. It’s assault on whole generations’ self-worth, with historical bloodshed actually used as the stick for that purpose, has long been used to encourage
attitudes that made possible the economic marginalisation of youth since the 1980s, and the reemergence of modern poverty and ‘I Daniel Blake’ situations.
They were enabled to happen exactly by older people refusing to believe they could happen, as part of the ‘young people today’ attitude and the generational ego conceit that all superlatives happened in the 1940s.
It is absurd to believe that the superlative solving of everything to do with major wars and poverty and old infectious diseases altogether was all done in one era. MAURICE FRANK
Dundas Avenue South Queensferry
Regarding John Wann’s ideas on getting people back on to the golf course (Letters, 7 May), I enjoy a round of golf, and given my wayward hitting, social distancing would not be an issue for any of my potential playing partners.
I’m not sure, though, that I would feel wholly comfortable, at this time and being privileged enough to get on a golf course in the first place, enjoying a round with my golf-playing pals.
It strikes me that we all went into lockdown together and while golf is a sport played by many and all sorts, I doubt I’d be bumping into many residents of the top floors of Edinburgh’s high-rise ‘cooncil’ flats during my round.
Maybe we should all come out of lockdown together too, with equal access to the sport and leisure opportunities and pastimes we all had individually in the past.
Rebooting the economy is one thing, but when others are risking lives to protect us all, I’m not sure I could get comfortable with the idea that a four-ball with a few buddies
adds much to the ‘war effort’.
In times like these, sometimes perception is as important as practicalities.
IAN GRAY Moray Place, Edinburgh
So the British Government is thinking of “allowing outdoor sports venues such as golf courses and tennis courts to reopen and even permitting outdoor pavement seathis
ing in cafes” (your report, 8 May). Nicola Sturgeon is also thinking of “lifting once-a-day exercise limit”. In the Islamic faith Muslim prayers can be performed in open spaces, so it is worth considering Friday prayers and sermon, which are obligatory, in open spaces, gardens, seasides with social distancing.
HASAN BEG
Harcourt Road, Kirkcaldy