On International Men’s Day last year I wrote about how the Beer Club I am in with old school mates had gone online during Covid. The main point of the article was about the need for men to talk openly about how they are. A poll on the article showed that almost a quarter of… Continue reading Men, grief and talking the talk
Category: Social commentary
Addicted to hope – by Adrian Lock
As the flatscreens are packed away, the coffee cups recycled and the lights go out at COP 26 in Glasgow, I reflect on the events of the past few weeks. Three very different individuals have really made me think: an ageing monarch, a seasoned politician, and a new-born baby, just 14 days old when the… Continue reading Addicted to hope – by Adrian Lock
Crossing Jordan: Peterson & polarisation
Jordan Peterson provokes intensely strong reactions. Maybe you have just experienced one in seeing the title and image of this blog post. Peterson's talks and lectures online are incredibly popular, especially with young men. His book 12 Rules for Life and his famous interview on Channel 4 News with Cathy Newman (since watched 34 million… Continue reading Crossing Jordan: Peterson & polarisation
The mental health conversation is big. Let’s start somewhere small – by Corin Pilling
‘If you were to pick one word to sum up the last 12 months, what would it be?’ I’ve asked a number of friends this question, and the responses were remarkably consistent. Usually the answer comes in one syllable and in anglo- saxon vernacular. Yet in the conversations that followed, we began to explore the… Continue reading The mental health conversation is big. Let’s start somewhere small – by Corin Pilling
‘Fractured: Why our societies are coming apart and how we put them back together again’ by Jon Yates [review]
“The problem is not that we are different from each other; it is that we are distant from ‘the other’.” Jon Yates believes our country has a serious problem. It’s one which undermines our economy, democracy, security, well-being and health. Yates calls it the People Like Me syndrome (PLM for short). It is ‘the villain… Continue reading ‘Fractured: Why our societies are coming apart and how we put them back together again’ by Jon Yates [review]
How much is enough?
Indian priest Anthony de Mello tells this story. .................................. "A rich industrialist from the North was horrified to find a Southern fisherman lying leisurely beside his boat. 'Why aren't you fishing?' asked the industrialist. "Because I have caught enough fish for the day" said the fisherman. "Why don't you catch some more?" "What would I… Continue reading How much is enough?
Why Prince Philip’s death moves us – by Jon Yates
On 17th April, they will put him in a box. And we will stop and slow and pay respects to a man we did not know. They had put him in a box before, of course. A one year old refugee lying where fruit should have been, saved by a British warship, fleeing from home.… Continue reading Why Prince Philip’s death moves us – by Jon Yates
What the Church can learn from addicts
In my last job, I was based in a church building which hosted a huge range of 12 Step recovery groups in its basement. The most famous of these is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), but there were also groups specifically for people struggling with many of the compulsive behaviours that Brand lists above. Disarming In my… Continue reading What the Church can learn from addicts
No one deserves to battle alone – by Hannah Ryland
Hi, my name is Hannah. I’m 16, and recently, I lost my dad, suddenly, to suicide. He suffered with his mental health, from what we’ve discerned it was undiagnosed bipolar disorder, for 35 years, and not once did he receive any proper support for it. He always said that he had too much to live… Continue reading No one deserves to battle alone – by Hannah Ryland
Men and the menopause (and other period-dramas)
I will never forget a trip to the supermarket with my Mum when I was about 12. As we unpacked the trolley, I held up one item and said quite loudly ‘What kind of towels are these? They’re tiny!’ The cashier suppressed a laugh and my Mum looked a bit embarrassed. ‘I’ll tell you about… Continue reading Men and the menopause (and other period-dramas)
Grace + Truth 