Yes, it is, unfortunately, Monday and not just any Monday; it is, in fact, the Monday after the Sunday before, which was supposed to bring snow to our fair land and instead gave us nothing but temperatures so cold they could make an Eskimo blush. [Update: we have just looked out of our window and noticed that there is in fact snow on the ground. We maintain though, that it is still too cold].
Nevertheless, now that we have defrosted our hands with some warm porridge, our question of the week follows the case of Jimmy Savile and the damning report which shed light on the true extent of his terrible legacy. Systematic abuse, which went on for years, with little police action and at least one event where suspicions were quashed (like those that were ignored at the BBC), meant that hundreds of victims went ignored.
Our question this week then is simply this: does our culture glorify celebrity and if so, is it responsible for the massive failings in how we handle abuse?
Possible answer: Yes, absolutely, but it is just part of a much bigger problem.
My answer to your question is definitely YES……….the celebrity culture in this country has a lot to answer for and the media that fuels it needs to rethink who should really be given this status and why. The honours list also has a great deal to answer for……why are people who are just doing their jobs and being paid for it being “honoured”!? Savile’s charity work was a means to a disgusting end…….we need to look closer at why people do the jobs they do, ie teachers, voluntary workers with children, social workers, etc.