Weathering a War

We travelled north this week, so that Mark could look into another possible option for doctoral study in October up in Scotland. On our way, we stopped off at a second hand bookshop which boasts that it is one of the biggest and best. We didn't think it was as good as Goulds. But then it really would be hard to beat Goulds. Gould's is a very impressive, rambling bookshop with piles of unsorted books all over the place. Barters, by contrast was neat and well presented, but (we thought) rather sparse. It probably is only possible to do one or the other well.

However, this bookshop had various curious features which made our half hour stop there mildly enjoyable. It was built in an old railway station, and played up that aspect of its history. There were waiting lounges, paintings of railway stationmasters, a model railway running around near the ceiling through the shop and so forth. Cute.


But what really caught our eye was the poster on the way out:

Yes, you read it right: Keep calm and carry on. And the crown gives it away: this is not just some friendly advice from one citizen to another, but this is a directive from the (then) King of England. Apparently it was almost issued to the public (by the Ministry of Information) at the outbreak of World War II, but never quite made it.

It's rather like the Australian ad campaign to us all to: "be alert but not alarmed" with a number to ring in case we should become very alert to the possibility of terrorism (without ever moving into the 'alarmed' category, mind). Or the American version - superbly captured by Kramer on Seinfield with his mantra 'Serenity Now' designed to ward off the slings and arrows of outrageous (mis)fortune by the simple application of making something true just by saying it. And which requires ever more manic renditions to create this impassible oasis of unperturbness.

'Keep Calm and Carry On' is that strange thing, the official war propoganda that John West rejects. But of a special English flavoured sort. It captures something of the ideal English citizen.

We've gotten this impression from the impact of the credit crunch. In Australia it is of course, entirely the government's fault (previous or present, pick one), and they should fix it. Here, people talk about going back to WWII rationing, or asking why the government didn't 'put money away' for this kind of thing, and there is serious attempts made to cushion the blow particularly for the most vulnerable (by the government and other groups). I'm not arguing that there are no disconnected, angry people, but there is a lot more interest in everyone doing there part, or getting other people to do their part. The government is not the only actor in national affairs.

We like it.

As for the poster, well, it has captured the imagination of the good folk at keepcalmandcarryon.com who will sell you various items of apparel and such helpfully inscribed with the message to keep calm and carry on. I imagine it is of great benefit to be reminded of this in times of crises, less intense but none the less as real as the crisis of World War II.

There you are driving down the road with an impatient driver travelling too close behind you. What do you do? Keep calm, carry on.

Too much to do in a day, not enough time? Keep calm, carry on.

Can't work out whether you are alert or alarmed or making other people alarmed by your alertness? Keep calm, carry on.

Throat hoarse from an excessive need to call down 'Serenity Now' on your current situation? Keep calm, carry on. Maybe a little less fervently or drink some lemon tea for your throat. But feel free to carry on by all means. (Maybe you could get out of earshot of innocent people around you too...)

Frustrated by hostile forces bombing your city and threatening to invade? Scream, run for your life... Oh. Wait. No. Keep calm, carry on.

Not advice for the faint-hearted.