Breaking the Mould

After watching episode one of ‘The Apprentice’ I must admit I felt a bit sorry for Alan Sugars first victim. Whereas usually I watch with self indulgent glee as Lord Sugar systematically crushes egos and shatters dreams, Edward Hunter’s exit left me feeling nothing but pity for the accountant turned contestant. Now don’t get me wrong, he was a bit of an moron and clearly had few valuable business skills, but when he said in his defence in the board room, ‘I don’t fit the mould’, in a plea to prove he wasn’t your average accountant and win kudos, he was thoroughly criticised for doing just that. For some reason he chose not to employ any of his numeracy and accountancy skills, and anyone watching his chaotic attempt to win the task would have been surprised if he had any more than a B in GCSE maths. Did he break the mould? Well yes, he was an accountant who couldn’t count...edgy. Maybe if he had chosen to fit the mould a little better, he would still be in the running to become Lord Sugar’s business partner.

This lead me to thinking...why are we constantly told to break the mould, to do something different, to think outside the box? It seems to be a constant message in our post-modern world, be individual, be yourself, don’t follow the crowd. These messages are imbued into every aspect of everyday life, from the marketing of holidays and clothes, to our university tutors constantly demanding individual and original thought. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t do this, thankfully our society does not advocate dull conformity, and we are encouraged to live, think and behave in our own unique way. Although arguably due to capitalism, consumerism and globalisation it is not possible to produce anything original anymore, at least we are encouraged to strive to do so. 

However this has produced a new sort of problem, if everyone is constantly trying to break the mould, is there even a mould to break anymore? Does the act of breaking the mould become the new mould, or is everyone in a constant continuum of mould creating and breaking faster than ever before....I’m confusing myself! I’ll try and illustrate my point a little better. A few weeks ago I decided to take a break from my boring third year existence and try a new night out in one of Newcastle’s many after-dark haunts. The night promised to be something ‘different’ (sure), so a few friends and I decided to go. Now I’m not a great dancer, I like it a lot, especially when I’m pissed but I’m pretty talentless. I do on the other hand have a couple of friends who are pretty good dancers, so I generally try to keep a low profile and sort of copy them a bit, definitely not wanting to break the mould! There was a group of fellow party-goers on the dance floor next to us, mostly girls, none of whom I recognised but who all looked exactly the same. In what I presume was an attempt to ‘break the mould’ one of them was partaking in some quite odd dance moves which involved throwing each limb in different directions and banging her head backwards and forwards with such force that I’m surprised she didn’t have concussion. I’m aware that I sound like an old woman right now, and I do have some friends whose dance moves are also quite energetic. But I don’t think it’s purely biased when I say that said friends moves are undoubtedly her own, and she also manages to keep in time with the music, whereas this girl just looked ridiculous. Worse still, her friends, all of whom were wearing a uniform of brightly coloured, miss-matched, ill fitting clothes (another mould breaking attempt I feel), were all copying her. Thus a new mould was created right there on the microcosm of the dance floor...bad luck girls.

So is it always a good idea to strive break the mould? No, actually, it’s not. 

Poor Kate

Watching the news today it was interesting to see the media frenzy that has already started in London. As you would expect hundreds of photographers and journalists have already set up camp to get their scoop on the wedding of the year. One Colombian reporter irritated me by calling Kate Middleton a 'commoner'.....yes....with no apologetic tone he called her a 'commoner'. Poor Kate. I'm sorry but in no way can our future queen be described with this dated, vile term. The media has really latched onto the fact that Kate's parents are not aristocratic. The Middleton’s made their money from running a successful party supplies company, and the media have repeatedly commented on the fact that Mrs Middleton was, shock horror, an airhostess!!! Not an airhostess, how uncouth!! First of all; what’s wrong with being an airhostess? It’s a respectable, reasonably well paid job that flies you all over the world, good for her I say. Also, it’s not as if Kate...oh sorry Catherine...is a rags to riches story, which is such an ideal wet dream for the international media. She attended one of the most expensive, prestigious schools in the country, lives in a beautiful house in the sleepy English country side, went to a good university, studied the oh-so classed degree Art History, and in no way can be described as a commoner!! I think the way the media have scrutinised her family is insulting to society. Isn't it better that our future queen comes from a sensible, hardworking family, that have inevitably imbued to their children the need for down to earth hard work and the principles of good business? I think so. Better that than some ignorant, silver spooned, aristo-brat who thinks that lavish lifestyles grow on trees and no sense of the value of well...anything! Leave them alone, I feel that the values of hard work and sensibility are much more necessary for a future royal than delusions of grandeur tied up in land and a title! I look forward to the wedding, and hope that the media give her a break!