Saturday 21 November 2009

My Spectator

 

Jobs at Telegraph

Status Anxiety

Wednesday, 13th February 2008

Where is the next generation of Toby Youngs? It’s my turn to dismiss their drivel

In 1988, Weidenfeld and Nicolson published a book called The Oxford Myth. Edited by Rachel Johnson and containing essays by a variety of precocious undergraduates, it was the worst reviewed book of the year. ‘A singularly worthless volume,’ wrote Niall Ferguson in the Times. ‘Routine and uninspired,’ said William Boyd in the Sunday Telegraph. As the author of the first essay — on the subject of Class — I was singled out for criticism by almost everyone. Andrew Davies, the celebrated adaptor of literary classics for television, said it made him want to puke.

At the time, we comforted ourselves with the thought that this was just part of the hazing process. Of course we were going to get up the noses of more established writers and critics — as Emile Durkheim pointed out, generational conflict is one of the defining characteristics of the modern age. All aspiring journalists had to go through this ritual before being admitted into the fraternity. In due course, if we were lucky, we would succeed to positions of power and then it would be our turn to pour scorn on those seeking to supplant us.  

1 | 2  Next page 

More articles from: Toby Young | this section

Post this entry to:   del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Comments Post comment

Be the first to comment on this article!

Back to top

In this section

Is running a country just too big a job for anyone?

You don’t expect people to take their political inspiration from…

I’m famous at last — thanks to the internet (and this column)

I don’t know quite how to put this without sounding…

I must be prevented from becoming a Neighbourhood Champion at all costs

I was slightly alarmed by the news that Harrow Council…

Ancient & Modern

Socrates once met such a girl, Theodote. A stunning beauty…

Tales from the riverside

Amid the great and the glamorous sipping champagne at Sotheby’s…

sponsored links

Spectator recommends

Spectator classifieds

      GASCONY

GASCONY, SW France, near Condom-en-Armagnac 13th Century stone house, 21st Century luxury for 12 in 5 en-suites. 50 acres +

BIG SAND STEEL BAND

IF YOU ARE PLANNING A CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION and looking for some light entertainment, you can now hire London's busiest steel

BOSC LEBAT, Tarn et Garonne.

BOSC LEBAT, SW France. Only 45 minutes from Toulouse Airport with daily flights from most provincial airports avoiding the horrors