Standing Room

7 February 2009

Sarah Standing starts her regular column

Now I see Facebook has added a new application called 25 Random Things that invites members to post cringingly introspective confessionals. Forget status updates. Random Things takes self-obsession to new heights. I am now tagged daily by cyberspace acquaintances who are keen to share the fact that they have a phobia about getting on a number 22 bus, wear cashmere socks in bed or once had constipation that lasted for a week. We’re rapidly turning into a mini-me generation that lives to trivialise, indulge and analyse every single emotion or thought we have.

Twenty years ago when my children were small we lived in Los Angeles. I remember eavesdropping on a conversation my four-year-old daughter India was having with her best friend Annie in the back of the car. They were having a catfight about whose turn it was to hold a stuffed monkey. India eventually won. ‘You’ve really hurt my feelings,’ said Annie. There was an ominous silence as India slowly digested this news followed by a long pause. ‘My Daddy says we’re English and we don’t have wanky feelings,’ she announced solemnly. If that conversation took place today India would probably be taken into care. I’m just waiting for Annie to share it with the world on Facebook.

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Brian Henry

February 6th, 2009 3:16pm Report this comment

Nicely done, except that 7 a.m. in the morning is redundant, and I have this terrible phobia dating from my childhood about redundancy. Time for a pill.