What a falling off is here

“What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult.” Sigmund Freud.

Not all children.

Debbie: Freud obviously never spent a Sunday afternoon in Pizza Express.

Me: He met only middle class children. Many children are dull little people alas though at puberty the dull ones get infinitely worse. Thank God I am no longer surrounded by 17 years olds as I was at 17.

Debbie: To be fair to SF, he lived in a time when children were not permitted to interrupt adult conversation. This system, I remember, prevailed in Orpington in the early 80s but now seems to have been largely abandoned. There are some honourable exceptions.


Me: Debbie you are a woman after my own heart. Speaking as a bachelor uncle. I blame the parents.

Debbie: Yep. Children these days are over-indulged. And then inflicted on innocent diners in restaurants. I despair for Britain when this current crop of ill-mannered monsters grows up. Again, there are many noble exceptions.

Me: Restaurants are sometimes good, children are sometimes good, but the two do not mix. Ever. 

But all the same I largely agree with Freud.