Words and expressions pass quickly into common usage.
Stephen Potter’s books (see yesterday’s blog) spawned “brinkmanship” and “taxmanship” et al.
“Although the practice of brinkmanship has probably existed since the dawn of human history, the origin of the word comes from a 1956 Life magazine interview with former U.S. secretary of state John Foster Dulles, in which he claimed that, in diplomacy, “The ability to get to the verge without getting into the war is the necessary art…if you are scared to go to the brink, you are lost.” In response, American politician and diplomat Adlai Stevenson derided Dulles’s “brinkmanship” as reckless.” (Britannica.com)
”Taxmanship” was coined by Prince Philip in 1957. He accused accountants of taxmanship – the art of minimising payments to the Inland Revenue without actually cheating. As in many things he was percipient although he may unwittingly have spurred accountants to greater creativity. Taxmanship today is called tax avoidance and arises from something as small as buying a Premium Bond and goes on to colossal corporate chicanery.
Last month Hammersmith Bridge re-opened for pedestrians, dogs, cyclists and river traffic. It had closed in August 2020. The developer on Fulham Reach has adapted its sales pitch: “our evidence based approach to building communities empowers residents and brings people together”. Have you ever heard such a lot of piffle and puffle?
Berkeley is playing developer-ship: the art of making as much money as possible from building flats and selling to investors, foreigners and rich folk who want a second home in London. “Evidence based” is the new mantra espoused by the government to justify Covid restrictions that would be a bit iffy in a dictatorship. “Building communities” is old hat – it means driving out the indigenous Hammersmith tribe and selling to an international plutocracy. Pioneers on wagon trains in 19th century built communities. “Empowers residents” and “brings people together” funnily enough hits the nail on the head. Local people are brought together to protest against business and residential development that has not been thought through and will in all probability result in empty buildings and a loss of revenue for the council and loss of benefit to the wider economy.
Meanwhile, downstream, the development of Craven Cottage is going well and will result in a link in the Thames Path between Bishop’s Park and Stevenage Park obviating a diversion around Fulham footer pitch.