Different Parts, or A Bad Train Journey

Yet another stupid conversation I had to listen to on the train between Watford and Euston. This time a guy telling someone that “the company is diverse, but it is not about diversity”, No, it is “not about diversity but inclusion”, so they want some kind of symbol or image that reflects this. His first idea? A jigsaw with parts that are all different. They are different parts. After exhausting this idea of the different parts of a jigsaw, he decided he could be better: Russian dolls. Russian dolls are “a good symbol of inclusion”. He toyed around with this idea, but decided he could do even better. “What about the prism on the cover of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon?” This guy’s going places.

(It was unfortunate that I could not hear his explanation of why the prism is an appropriate symbol of inclusion, as I would have welcomed the further amusement. Also, one has to know who their enemies are.)

(It is fortunate that I could not hear his explanation of why the prism is an appropriate symbol of inclusion, as I would have been saddened further. Also, one has to try not to see too many people as enemies.)

A Note on Robert Walser

The Monkey
When asked "Who are you?" the monkey replies by telling stories of encounters he has had. Which is not an untrue response of who a person (or monkey) is.

Freudians versus Jungians

When undertaking some archive work with the psychoanalyst Malcolm Pines, I came across a photograph of cricketers, standing for a group portrait. I showed this to Malcolm, asking him to explain the photograph if he could. He looked at the photograph, then suddenly remembered. "That was when the Freudians played the Jungians", much to my delight. The battle of the minds' form of taking it to the streets. I asked if he could remember who won. He replied, "I think they agreed to call it a draw."

"Your reputation is you"

Hobbes said that "the reputation of Power is Power". What a good observation.