Things In Life That Irk Me

My word, this topic could fill a few books but I will start with a couple of minor rants & raise more in future posts.

The near universal use of 'try and' in verbal and written communication has always bothered me. To 'try' means to attempt to do something and thus implies more than one possible result , while the conjunction of 'and' suggests a certainty of outcome. That this should have become commonplace in the everyday vernacular almost permits me to excuse the populous at large. That Oxbridge educated TV fronts, newspaper hacks, politicians and professionals also use it denies them my pardon  It's 'try to', you morons! Stop doing it! It's bad english and makes no sense.

I happened to notice a commercial on the television today. This is unusual because if I happen to be within reach of a remote these are invariably muted and ignored, to the inexplicable chagrin of anyone else present. It is another gripe of mine that I pay both a TV licence fee and a monthly subscription to a 'content' provider for the dubious privilege of being sold crap I don't need.

But I digress. What appeared on the box was one of the most recognisable men on the planet. He isn't a great scientist, an inspirational leader (I believe these all but became extinct by the 1960s), a notorious criminal or even famous in the field of art. No, his name is David Gandy and he's a clothes horse. To my mind this is a sad indictment of the consumerist society we live in today. The absurdity of an individual commanding fame, fortune and reverence by dressing up ought to be evident to all. Then again, perhaps similarly trite distractions have been with us through the generations. That the history books don't record them doesn't mean they haven't existed. It merely points to the ephemeral nature of such things and the minimal long-term impact they have.

Comments are always welcome.