During my stay overnight in hospital I watchd Martin’s Close, the BBC adaptation of M.R. James’ ghost story. It captures the tone of the short story, the trial of a young country squire who had murdered an “innocent” woman excellently. The layers of narrative: the story-teller, the trial, the flashbacks and the harrowing final scene were deftly constructed. It Peter Capaldi is suitably “toned down” as the prosecutor and Elliot Levey as Hanging Judge Jeffrys are both well-cast. The depiction of the ghost is grim and piteous rather than frightening for fhe viewer. I liked it a lot and Mark Gatiss has directed a Christmas ghost story worthy of the 1970s classics.
Also watched a Storyville documentary about Jim Jones. Struck by his comment about controlling people in his quasi political-religious cult, The People’s Temple: “Keep them poor. Keep them tired. Then they won’t leave.” His cult management style seems to me a basic mechanism of control. It’s what I’ve long believed to be how much of society works – let alone cults – and by over-working people, paying them less than they need (let alone deserve) it stops people from seriously challenging what’s wrong or immoral or unequal. Fear of losing a poor-paying, time-consuming, life-draining job makes people do things they know are toxic and damaging. People wind up blaming themselves or their colleagues for the terrible conditions and then give even more loyalty to their managers or leaders. Quite often it’s less the personal style of the leader (though personality is important) but the position in the hierarchy. The toxic fear of being unemployed, of having no money is something that I believe damages people. Supposedly, over 10% of teachers are on anti-depressents with more suffering mental health problems that need counselling. My experience is that even more are likely taking medication or using alcohol (drugs, even) to deal with the stress caused by control and tiredness. I bet other professions have it even worse. Thinking about how Jim Jones controlled his church and my experiences of management styles, is quite chilling.
My operation seems to have gone well though I haven’t seen the scar which is covered by a large blue dressing. Sent home with a big box of codeine and an even bigger bottle of laxative, I’m sore but not immobile.
