The Decline of the Hat

The more I watch Poirot, the more convinced I become that the decay of society began when the English gentleman took off his suit with turned up collar and hat and donned a track suit instead. When "gay" and "ho(e)" and "queer" all meant very different things and murders were confined to manor houses motivated by that long forgotten "last will and testiment." Perhaps not... but I have limited resources to base my knowledge on.

The currency of society has always been suspicion. The "society pages" have always dominated the minds of the individual- speculating about the famous and infamous figures of the day. But today suspicion seems much more dark. I was shocked to read an article the other day speculating on some long dead actor being a paedophile. Stripping the article of all rhetoric and spite the only evidence to this was that he met his wife for the first time when she was 12. But let us look into popular culture. Monica (from long-running sitcom Friends) met Richard (boyfriend who was best friend of her fathers) when she was very young. Was he branded a pervert?

This actor may well have been a paedophile, but why are some articles so quick to be so spiteful in their suspicions? Well, I fear I know the answer. I read the Daily Mail.