The exchange with Sir C below has got me thinking. Do we simply know too much about the potential

[Berni]

depths of human depravity these days? And does this familiarity make us too quick to assume the most appallingly negative things about people? Do we now, as Eliot said of Webster "see the skull beneath the skin" and, in doing so, fail to see and appreciate the skin?

In short, why should we - the wealthiest, healthiest and most calorie-rich generation ever to occupy these isles, be so relentlessly misanthropic and reflexively miserable?

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

We seek to elevate ourselves by rubbishing others. We sneer at those who enjoy movies we dislike. We mock the necktie choices of those who have done nought to deserve mockery.

In short, we are nasty, malicious souls who, if there were any justice, would be swept from this earth by a biblical flood.

I hate humanity, b. :-(

[Classic Jorge]

& bow tie combo.

I also hate to admit that the only joy in life is feeling superior to your awful film choices.

:cry: just ship me off to Dignitas, there's nothing left for me in this world!

['Neg]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

And a film that you don't like is 'awful'? I am sure that there are films which you have enjoyed which I didn't - would these films therefore be 'awful', or is your opinion the only valid one?

[Berni]

Whereas former generations had no real expectation of happiness and therefore were pleasantly surprised by the world being anything other than horrid, we were brought up expecting things to be lovely and are therefore in a constant state of disappointment. This makes us miserable and resentful.

[Classic Jorge]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

If I were to say, "I really enjoyed Henry V on Thursday evening", people would be queuing up to advise me how **** the theatre is in general, how **** Shakespeare is in general, how peculiarly **** Henry V is, how **** the particular production I saw was, in fact, anything to try to piss firmly in my chips.

That's just unpleasant.

[Berni]

feel the desperate need to howl our worthless opinions on such matters into the void in the hope that someone - anyone - acknowledges our existence before we finally die and are forgotten?

[Monty91]

Or, to be even more generous, it is borne out of a genuine frustration that people simply don't have as good taste as you.

When I slag people off for not understanding football, it is a manifestaton of my frustration that there are so few people able to discuss the game on my level.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

I am, in this way, able to believe in my own superiority in this issue. And so the circle is closed.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

You stand (almost) alone, up there with such worthies as Hitler, Mao Tse Dong and Neil Kinnock. Not unhappy, not troubles, not compromised, not weak, just... nasty. So your opinion isn't really relevant in this discussion of humanity per se.

[Berni]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

words. Don't make me go all Giles Coren on your arse, b.

;-)