I gave up newspapers for ancient history in 2016. While I’m not sure I could say I’m happier for it, I certainly feel like I have a better understanding of our current world than I would otherwise.
Caroline Criado Perez‘s article on assisted dying gave me a lot to think about but couldn’t you use the same/similar arguments against abortion?
That during austerity some women could have felt pressure to have an abortion for financial reasons. Or that in a misogynistic society women could be pressured by their partner to have an abortion.
I thought this comment under CCP’s article raised some good points:
“You rightly bring up the genuine threat that vulnerable women face from violent men. Surely this legislation is a good thing in that regard. Currently people with life limiting conditions have no access to assisted dying. This leads some people to choose to end their own lives, sometimes with the help of their partner. There have been many cases in the past of people accused of bringing about the death of their partner to end their suffering. Such people are often treated lightly by the justice system and viewed as tragic cases.
As you point out, violent men can abuse this legal situation to justify their own abuse and effectively get away with killing their partner. By legalising assisted dying, the law would plug this loophole. Any man found guilty of killing their partner would no longer be able to claim it was a mercy killing, since they would immediately be asked why they did not arrange for assisted dying in a legal manner. Suddenly mercy killings would stand out as huge red flags and invite further investigation. Does this not lead to more protection for women in abusive relationships?”
Perhaps i can answer - it's our report that Caroline references. Short answer is no- men who kill disabled, elderly and infirm women will still try to find ways to get off with it. And in Canada, a recent 'carer burnout' killer successfully argued for lighter sentence now "things have changed...in Canada", we believe as MAID has softened the hard prohibition on femicide of disabled women.
Long answer is that these men are often respectable professionals (e.g. police officer, councillor, vet) who put some planning into their killings. We don't exactly know how they will behave when the state instead offers lawful and secret death. No one abroad collects data on this. But these 'mercy killing' men have managed to manipulate an adverserial public murder charge: police, prosecution, jury, judge, coroner, press. Before now, even some in the feminist domestic abuse sector and the assisted dying campaign argued that these men deserve leniency. If assisted death is offered they only need to persuade 2 doctors and a judge. And all in private. A much easier route...
We need our MPs to properly engage with safeguards on this - and to decide if our society can obtain benefits to some without (irreversible) harms to others
I’m just here to say thank you for another brilliant year-end quiz at Blocked and Reported. Warmest wishes for Festivus and whatever other holidays you might be celebrating!
I was thinking about Thucydides last night while watching, 'The Holdovers.' Paul Giamatti is teaching ancient history and mentions the Peloppenisan wars several times. I'm not selling the movie with that statement, but it's worth watching.
I love your christmas quizzes! I would watch a Helen Lewis christmas special, someone needs to pitch this. Could beat Quiz of the Year for me :) have good break!
Obviously clicked on the Danny Dyer link (excellent interview, still thirsty), then got sucked into GQ's deep dive on the watches in Rivals. OMG. I miss this kind of deep costumery wonkery (see Tom & Lorenzo Mad Style about Mad Men's costumes back in the 2010s, booted up from the archive with every re-watch).
I didn't read the article but the pull quote about Thurber was a bit simplistic. The book was co-written with EB White and they were both published in The New Yorker when it was on a soaring upward arch of cachet. Both were members of the Algonquin Round Table, the arbiters of literary taste at the time. Saying 'well he illustrated a book about sex and that did it' feels... awfully reductionist.
"Rachel Johnson on her artist mother, Charlotte Johnson Wahl, whose creativity was only unlocked when she had to be committed to a psychiatric facility away from her four young children."
As a mother, this is sheer brilliance which I do not have the guts to try. Maybe because I don't want Boris Johnson as my child. But it is true that being a mother is like having an anchor on the brain at all times. I know there are mothers who are fully dedicated and successful at their careers or hobbies but I do not know how they do it. This is one strategy.
I listened to the Words of The Year ep of Strong Message Here (hmm, abbreviates to smh 🤔) and yelped with laughter at the Taylor Lorenz "rawdogging the air" quote. What a wild world. Enjoy the M5, some of the signs are extremely scenic. Well, signic.
Happy Christmas, Helen! Really enjoyed B&R, thank you. If you want to read another interesting take on the Menendez case, Tina Brown has written about the brothers on her Substack.
The Thurber story reminded me of Edward Driffield, a character in Somerset Maughm's Cakes and Ale, which I randomly read a few months ago when the library didn't have Of Human Bondage. He's a writer near the end of his life who is now lionized for his authentic, working class characters, but whose work was regarded as tripe when published. Then a prominent critic of the day writes a glowing review of one of his early works and suddenly everything is retroactively granted status. Ironically, Driffield becomes something of a hack after that, doling out working class "authenticity" by the gallon in order to sell more books.
From the Charlotte Wahl article
“Special mention must be made of my father, Stanley, who always encouraged and acknowledged her talents and her work.”
But apparently not enough to let it interrupt his work or buy a dishwasher.
I gave up newspapers for ancient history in 2016. While I’m not sure I could say I’m happier for it, I certainly feel like I have a better understanding of our current world than I would otherwise.
Caroline Criado Perez‘s article on assisted dying gave me a lot to think about but couldn’t you use the same/similar arguments against abortion?
That during austerity some women could have felt pressure to have an abortion for financial reasons. Or that in a misogynistic society women could be pressured by their partner to have an abortion.
I thought this comment under CCP’s article raised some good points:
“You rightly bring up the genuine threat that vulnerable women face from violent men. Surely this legislation is a good thing in that regard. Currently people with life limiting conditions have no access to assisted dying. This leads some people to choose to end their own lives, sometimes with the help of their partner. There have been many cases in the past of people accused of bringing about the death of their partner to end their suffering. Such people are often treated lightly by the justice system and viewed as tragic cases.
As you point out, violent men can abuse this legal situation to justify their own abuse and effectively get away with killing their partner. By legalising assisted dying, the law would plug this loophole. Any man found guilty of killing their partner would no longer be able to claim it was a mercy killing, since they would immediately be asked why they did not arrange for assisted dying in a legal manner. Suddenly mercy killings would stand out as huge red flags and invite further investigation. Does this not lead to more protection for women in abusive relationships?”
Perhaps i can answer - it's our report that Caroline references. Short answer is no- men who kill disabled, elderly and infirm women will still try to find ways to get off with it. And in Canada, a recent 'carer burnout' killer successfully argued for lighter sentence now "things have changed...in Canada", we believe as MAID has softened the hard prohibition on femicide of disabled women.
Long answer is that these men are often respectable professionals (e.g. police officer, councillor, vet) who put some planning into their killings. We don't exactly know how they will behave when the state instead offers lawful and secret death. No one abroad collects data on this. But these 'mercy killing' men have managed to manipulate an adverserial public murder charge: police, prosecution, jury, judge, coroner, press. Before now, even some in the feminist domestic abuse sector and the assisted dying campaign argued that these men deserve leniency. If assisted death is offered they only need to persuade 2 doctors and a judge. And all in private. A much easier route...
Fiona Mackenzie
Thank you for taking the time to reply - I’m definitely going to read your report in full.
Thank you - it's free to read over on https://open.substack.com/pub/otherhalforg/p/safeguarding-women-in-assisted-dying
and happy to talk more.
We need our MPs to properly engage with safeguards on this - and to decide if our society can obtain benefits to some without (irreversible) harms to others
I’m just here to say thank you for another brilliant year-end quiz at Blocked and Reported. Warmest wishes for Festivus and whatever other holidays you might be celebrating!
I was thinking about Thucydides last night while watching, 'The Holdovers.' Paul Giamatti is teaching ancient history and mentions the Peloppenisan wars several times. I'm not selling the movie with that statement, but it's worth watching.
I love your christmas quizzes! I would watch a Helen Lewis christmas special, someone needs to pitch this. Could beat Quiz of the Year for me :) have good break!
Obviously clicked on the Danny Dyer link (excellent interview, still thirsty), then got sucked into GQ's deep dive on the watches in Rivals. OMG. I miss this kind of deep costumery wonkery (see Tom & Lorenzo Mad Style about Mad Men's costumes back in the 2010s, booted up from the archive with every re-watch).
I didn't read the article but the pull quote about Thurber was a bit simplistic. The book was co-written with EB White and they were both published in The New Yorker when it was on a soaring upward arch of cachet. Both were members of the Algonquin Round Table, the arbiters of literary taste at the time. Saying 'well he illustrated a book about sex and that did it' feels... awfully reductionist.
Fabulous hearing you on BaRpod again. Episode was too short but on the bright side I mostly failed the quiz.
"Rachel Johnson on her artist mother, Charlotte Johnson Wahl, whose creativity was only unlocked when she had to be committed to a psychiatric facility away from her four young children."
As a mother, this is sheer brilliance which I do not have the guts to try. Maybe because I don't want Boris Johnson as my child. But it is true that being a mother is like having an anchor on the brain at all times. I know there are mothers who are fully dedicated and successful at their careers or hobbies but I do not know how they do it. This is one strategy.
I listened to the Words of The Year ep of Strong Message Here (hmm, abbreviates to smh 🤔) and yelped with laughter at the Taylor Lorenz "rawdogging the air" quote. What a wild world. Enjoy the M5, some of the signs are extremely scenic. Well, signic.
Happy Christmas, Helen! Really enjoyed B&R, thank you. If you want to read another interesting take on the Menendez case, Tina Brown has written about the brothers on her Substack.
The Thurber story reminded me of Edward Driffield, a character in Somerset Maughm's Cakes and Ale, which I randomly read a few months ago when the library didn't have Of Human Bondage. He's a writer near the end of his life who is now lionized for his authentic, working class characters, but whose work was regarded as tripe when published. Then a prominent critic of the day writes a glowing review of one of his early works and suddenly everything is retroactively granted status. Ironically, Driffield becomes something of a hack after that, doling out working class "authenticity" by the gallon in order to sell more books.
This was the first Substack I subscribed to, and it's always a fine start to my Friday - thank you! Have a nice break and see you next year.
Have a great Christmas Helen, you are one of our best journalists, thank you!
I love pieces by or about Alistair Cooke! Thank you for sharing it!