Some more philosophical musings from the continuing impressiveness that is Teach Yourself Modelcraft:
In these days of restrictions it is good for us to have our minds set free in the realm of a new interest. If our authorities really knew the value of such a recreation, revealing itself in its capacity to keep people contented in days of endemic discontent, they would no doubt considerably extend their generosity towards the home handicraft, and would do more than they at present do to encourage it.
There is today a tendency away from ready-made amusements. The film has grown restricted in its appeal, owing to controls. Papers and magazines due to the same cause, no longer provide either the quality or quantity of reading. Fewer people can afford cars and petrol to enable them to see the country or to visit their friends. If our home hobbies have benefited, it is because in this realm there is still a certain measure of relief.
I believe the restrictions Mr. Coleman is referring to are the post World War II rationing ones in the UK that continued until the mid ‘50s. They were different restrictions than those of our pandemic world, but I hear a few echoes of our times in there, although other parts have no resonance.
"...endemic discontent..." Yep. I suspect we don't know the half of it yet. Still, I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Coleman. I find "a certain measure of relief" in the blessed moments of solitude, hunched over a workbench, lifting a long-forgotten model from it's cardboard coffin and resurrecting it to serve again on my railroad.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I got a bit burned out hobby-wise during the 3rd wave, I guess with it I would have burned out much, much earlier.
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