the brilliantly leaping gazelle

They were at it again last night, the happy clappers.

The ones who show their support for NHS and other care workers, not by voting Conservative, not going on any marches against privatisation, but by going the extra yard out of their front door and clapping for a bit. Words alone cannot convey how nauseatingly virtue signalling I find all of this and the fact that it stems from a keenness to show solidarity and support for staff putting our needs above their safety only compounds this. I could hear them, whopping and cheering like it meant something to someone other than themselves.

Is this cynical? I don’t know, but what I do know is that my partner informed me that they were at it on her street as well and from her first floor window she could see the neighbours checking out who was – and wasn’t – taking part. But given that most of her neighbours moved there within the last few years, are young families who earn enough to buy a house in N16 – she is housing association – and have a street party once a year, shock this is not. It’s not enough that you do something, oh no, people have to see you doing it. Then it accrues it’s proper social purpose, that of being well regarded by your neighbours.

How very English!

LMS has drawn a picture, lovely and colourful it is too, spelling out ‘NHS’, which Marge and Joe have put up in our window. In a parallel universe, I’d have put up a sign in big black lettering that said ‘Virtue signalling’ We could then take a ‘photo of it and claim it was deeply ironical, and share it with the Twaterrati.

So, bread and water for me tonight then!