The horrific murders in Southport earlier this month were followed by horrific riots and horrific counter-riots. But fear not. Because then the official account of Paddington Bear tweeted, ‘Perhaps it’s time for a little more kindness’.
At times of wickedness, disorder and the worst of humanity, what do we 21st century moderns look for to save us, to bring comfort and hope? The redeeming power of Christ’s eternal love? Maybe the enduring core of human dignity in the face of human evil? Nope. We have a whimsical, passive-aggressive CGI teddy tweeting with furry opposable digits. What next, posters reading ‘Less arson, more yummy scones’ or ‘Don’t turtle a cop car – it’s wine o’clock’?
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a red wellington boot stamping on a human face, forever.
This ghastly Kumbaya-ism infests our times. A spat between teams at the Olympic volleyball was defused when ‘Imagine’ was played over the tannoy and the players were instantly becalmed.
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