In the age of MRSA, how can we say that cleaning isn’t important?

The simplest, most menial work is dignified compared to not being able to work. And anything can be done slap-dash or carefully. A job done well is a source of pride no matter how menial. A simple smile and thanks go a long way. Recognition of success as well as failure.

Let wages reflect skill and expertise, but give everyone the dignity of acknowledging work well done and the opportunity to do a good job.

If it becomes impossible to do a job well (never mind excellently) or effort and slacking are treated equivalently, don’t be surprised that workers find their dignity outside the workplace and have no pride in their work.

There is a fine line between dignity and pomposity. When unions fight for one they are essential, for workers and society; when the other, they make themselves ridiculous and sow seeds of distrust.

It was a doss. The staff were miserable and cantankerous gits, so it set me up nicely for working later in Ulsterbus.

Just a tad patronising.

James is/was an astute and funny social commentator as long as he sticks with middle class foibles like cricket and Boys brigade.

As for postal workers being quoted in the press about how good the job used to be…Get real.

One should also beware old fogeys with half-baked ideas.

On climate change he said: “the number of scientists who voice scepticism [about climate change] has lately been increasing.”

Really? Where is the evidence of that? Even Richard Tol who is cited regularly by climate change skeptics would say that the science is definitely in.

And further on:
“either side [of the climate change debate] might well be right, but I think that if you have a division on that scale, you can’t call it a consensus. Nobody can meaningfully say that the science is in.”

Meaningfully say? I think, on the evidence of the above one can meaningfully say that Clive James talks a lot of old rot.

[disclaimer: quotes were taken from Monboit's piece in the Guardian today]