Tuesday 3rd February update (part 1)

The second day of spring, as some would have it, though you wouldn't think it to look at the weather. I'm quite proud of the first of today's Rickrolls, which built naturally into one of my own pet theories as well as marking a very teachable moment, so I'm making today's update a two parter. I'll give you the first story in detail in this post, then tell the next two in a second post.

The first class was a lecture on myth, this time on the relationship between the role of men and the role of the gods. I wanted to make the point that gods make the rules and enforce them rigidly, while the men of myth break the rules or otherwise evade them in creative and cunning ways.

So I began by asking,

"Irish folks in the room, answer this question. Say I invite you to a party, and say it starts at 8pm. What time would you actually plan to arrive?"

The answers flew back: 9, 9.30, even 10pm.

"OK." I said. "Now let me tell you what I'd do, as an Englishman. I'd arrive at five to 8, walk twice round the block to run down the clock, and ring the doorbell at one minute past eight."

This is true. As an Englishman resident in Ireland [CLUE!], I often had embarrassing moments at parties in my early months in Dublin.

"Why do English people behave one way, and Irish the other? I believe that it's something to do with our respective political histories. Imagine it's back in the days of empire: I'm Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and you're my subjects. You know the rules, and so do I. But I have to enforce the rules, because I'm in charge, and have to set a good example, whereas you can dodge and evade and find loopholes as much as you like, because you want to feel you're outwitting a tyrannical ruler.

"The English had an empire, and therefore had a vested interest in following the rules, even simple ones like when to come to a party, as closely as possible. The Irish, however, resented being told what to do - who doesn't? - and to this day have built up an inherent resistance to authority which manifests itself in a desire to evade, twist, or outfox even the simplest of rules.

"And that's what the relationship between gods and men is like in myth - just like the English and the Irish! The cruel English with their capricious rules, and the cunning Irish bravely resisting and outfoxing them."

Apart from the Rickroll, I reckon it's a pretty interesting point in its own right. Whaddaya all think?