Illustration by Clara Nicoll
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Has the world become more unstable, more ugly, more vicious? Or was it always like that, just less overtly?
Or am I just feeling my age?
I was watching the tennis the other day. One of the players’ behaviour verged on the psychotic. Talking and swearing to himself, shouting hysterically at the umpire, his coach, the audience. Then the other participant freaked out too, whacking one ball hard at his opponent’s body, and then another dangerously into the crowd. I remember a time when we were shocked by a little badinage…
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