Stunted Growth

I HAVE mentioned the increasing ‘Disneyfication’ of modern society on a number of occasions, but hesitate to complain about falling testosterone levels at a time when everybody in the world seems determined to kill one another. However, we still require strong men - and women, come to that - who are capable of fighting back against their oppressors.

One thing I have noticed, is that the modern boy’s bedroom resembles some kind of plastic cocoon in which young males look terrified to move in case they interfere with the all-encompassing Adidas theme imposed by their adolescent parent(s) who, sadly, are determined to create little carbon copies of themselves. This disturbing trend even extends to a lack of real toys. Oh, there are plenty of action models all lined up in their original packaging, but none of them have been utilised and are plainly there for show. The same goes for the contemporary obsession with collecting energy drinks that have not even been opened (thank goodness, I say).

Some people like to make the point that childhood never existed prior to the Victorian period, but these days it never seems to end. Going to bed in a Spiderman babygro at the age of fourteen is bound to end in tears. Quite literally, in many cases.