Grrrrr....

As I've said before I hate the word traditional, well at least the way it is used to justify the continued existence of something that has no intrinsic cultural value whatsoever. Well I'm thinking of adding the word culture to the list of hate words especially when it is used in expressions such as, "another nail in the coffin of British culture," or "another part of our heritage and culture that is disappearing because of immigrants and alien cultures."

No, stop, please.

Popular culture evolves. Culture evolves. Clinging to something simply because it was around when your Grandfather was born is the last refuge of a society that has lost it's way in the dark and has forgotten to bring spare batteries for its head torch. Morris Dancing was only saved at the beginning of the 20th Century by Cecil Sharp and half a dozen survivors from a handful of 19th century dance groups. Morris Dancing never did sell out the Albert Hall. It was never a big deal - never ever.

Where do we get this idea from that culture has to remain preserved in some idealised form as if the National Trust and English Heritage has a list of events and pastimes that must be carried on regardless and can be bought into like jars of jam and naff tea towels. Culture and popular culture today include, among others, televised professional football, radio, messageboards and internet chatrooms, none of which were even around when Morris Dancing was on its last legs just over one hundred years ago.

If Morris Dancing does die out in the immediate future what is to stop it being revived at a later date in the same way that Cecil Sharp did, except we won't have to rely on word of mouth, they'll be television pictures of digitalised images.