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June 24, 2005
Men, Cars & Cooking
In her latest BOSS Endnote, the always interesting Amanda Sinclair. currently occupying a visiting position at the Judge Institute of Management at Cambridge Univeristy, points to a profound social phenomenom currently taking place in Britain.
The machine is being replaced at the heart of traditional masculine identity by ... wait for it ... cooking.
With barely a murmur, the once unthinkable has recently taken place — the last vestige of the British car manufacturing industry has disappeared with the demise of MG Rover. Observing the pride with which British men regard their cars Sinclair opines
Machines have clearly been at the heart of the construction of traditional Enlgish masculinity
Not to fall into absolut despair however, Sinclair notes that parallel with the decline of England as a manufacturing power, new roles have emerged for men. It appears that English chefs now lead "their rivals in France and Italy as pioneer of fantastic English eating" while "Organic farming and and premium foods are also enjoying huge popularity for some English men."
chriscurnow.com is not a great fan of the "poor lost men" philosophy of the modern men's movement, but this loss of identity has huge ramifications for the evolution of English society. Perhaps it is a hugely Good Thing.
It makes interesting reading with the juxtoposition of Sinclair's observation of morphing of male identity with the highly criticised actions of the 'Pheonix Four' (senior executives of MG Rover) who left the company with tens of millions while workers redundancies were left unpaid.
Perhaps having a generation of executives who have a profound connection with the land, primary produce and how to make great food from it might just result in building great British enterprises.
Posted by chriscurnow at June 24, 2005 1:48 PM
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