‘Don’t point finger at On the Buses!’

THE past is gone forever, but how we remember it tells us much about today’s world.

I have heard 1970s society variously described as naff, sexist, homophobic and racist – the decade that knew no shame.

No end of TV programmes from that age, such as On the Buses, Doctor in the House and It Ain’t Half Hot Mum are derided by today’s intelligentsia as being primitive and offensive.

To modern judges, anyone with a yen for 1970s culture is a dinosaur or a Rip Van Winkle, a sorry soul who has not embraced our own enlightened age.

It is difficult not to regard much of this as sanctimonious piffle.

Today’s people trafficking, online grooming of children and trolling, modern-day slavery, fat-shaming and Liverpool FC fans being taunted by vile chants about Hillsborough do not suggest to me that we can plant our flag firmly on any moral high ground – especially as sexism, homophobia and racism have not gone away.

Perhaps we should address our own social issues rather than waste time pointing fingers at Reg Varney, Robin Nedwell and Windsor Davies. MERVYN EDWARDS WOLSTANTON