W o n d e r f u l
Such a glorious rant from Alistair. I have to disagree with him though about the silliness of hipsters (if 'hipsters' is the word?) If one grew up with primitive audio, as I dd, the educational benefit was considerable: I learned a second language. So can they.
This accomplishment was something worthy of demonstration when drunk. At a client reception one day in (ye gods) 1970, a hugely boring affair as they always are, I partook of too much lunchtime free alcohol and when the talk turned to the value of business arising from the company's new Far East deal, I revealed I could speak Japanese. Oh yes. Asked to prove it, I said 'Aiwa-Akai Nakamichi', which means, 'I am very pleased to meet you, and may you have a long and happy life.' This so greatly impressed a colleague with no interest whatsoever in hi-fi (or hi-fi shows at airports -- why were they always held there?) that he shot off to the far side of the banqueting suite to bring the Japanese sales director over to meet me. I remembered then I had an urgent hospital appointment, so left.
Everyone should be encouraged to expand their linguistic horizons. And especially, hipsters.