As always the estimable Dr. Theodore Dalrymple - not his real name but he is a real doctor who once practiced in H.M. Prison Service - serves up some sardonic humour:
I asked him why he had tried to kill himself with an overdose of antibiotics. 'I can't be arsed to live no more': How charmingly put, and with that delicate sensibility! If Hamlet were written today, the famous soliloquy would begin: 'To be arsed, or not to be arsed: that's the f---ing question.'
- Theodore Dalrymple, Second Opinion
Dalrymple is superb. As you would expect from a doctor, behind the cutting edge there is a really strong concern for humanity. He seems to like people, but to detest the mess that we can get ourselves into.
Posted by: Whyaxye | Wednesday, 14 October 2015 at 11:24
"Success is not final, failure is not failure," I just can't be arsed to continue
to paraphrase Winnie
Posted by: missred | Wednesday, 14 October 2015 at 14:31
That will be 50 lines by tomorrow morning, Miss Red, the quote is "... failure is not fatal".
(To 'tell truth and shame the devil' I'd never heard that quote before and so I had to look it up! Proper nit-picker, ain't I?)
Posted by: David Duff | Wednesday, 14 October 2015 at 18:03
("Proper nit-picker, ain't I?"
When its somebody else!)
Posted by: JK | Wednesday, 14 October 2015 at 18:41
sufficiently humbled. My clever post has been ruined.
Posted by: missred | Wednesday, 14 October 2015 at 19:13
I dare do all that may become a man; Who can be arsed to do more is none.
No Dalrymple is right, it doesn't quite work, but I'm sure the Guardian would make something of it.
Posted by: Uncle Mort | Wednesday, 14 October 2015 at 20:07
Well of course it's "when it's somebody else", JK, I'm hardly going to pick my own nits - in public, too!
You are forgiven, Miss Red, so long as you continue to publish those pictures of delightful ladies - and so long as continue to produce sentences like this in reply to one of your commenters on the subject of autumn:
"The colours, the smell, the coolness of the air. When I was younger a teacher tried to tell me it was a season dying. I could never see it that way. More like a season cuddling up for the winter...."
On the other hand, you, Uncle Mort, are a very naughty boy - but you make me laugh!
Posted by: David Duff | Wednesday, 14 October 2015 at 21:13
You should tell Dalrymple - 'ask a silly question and you get a silly answer'.
Posted by: john malpas | Wednesday, 14 October 2015 at 21:56
http://new.spectator.co.uk/author/theodore-dalrymple/
Crooks who are in prison are not burgling your house.
Posted by: jimmy glesga | Thursday, 15 October 2015 at 11:59