One can see the point of adopting some traditional conservative qualities such as a bracing, courageous, can-do attitude, but it always feels a bit annoying if this, (as is often the case), is done off the back of others. By this I mean that I think that it must be a lot easier to be courageous and confident in one's abilities, if one is quite convinced that one is vastly superior in this way and have a superior insight into these qualities than loads of other people. This attitude has been perfectly exemplified both by Dr. Theodore Dalrymple and Olivia Glazebrook of the Spectator.
Olivia, whose reviewing career in the Speccie I have followed with green-eyed venom ever since she messed with the mind of DH's best mate, and worse by far, demonstrated beyond doubt that she could also play Chopin beautifully, (which is enough to piss anyone off, if you ask me), regularly rails against any fiction which demonstrates even the slightest tinge of neurosis.
But you have to give her some credit. Her "pull-yourself-together attitude" seems to work perfectly, at least for herself. She immediately feels pulled together, if only for having the remarkable good sense to have had this insight when so many others have clearly failed. I am not so sure though that her invocation works quite so well for the neurotic authors she trashes.
But hold on, what am I doing here, right now??? Nah...this is just proportionate self-defence.
She can'tplay the piano for toffee.
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