Content-full

I suppose that we watch a lot of detective dramas on DVD's and ITV3 because they are largely content-free. Enough to amuse, but not enough to get one going on a quiet winter's evening, when one wants to wind down rather than up.

Nevertheless, it made a change yesterday to watch an elderly episode of Lewis (a pound a shot from the Epsom branch of CeX of reference 1, the source of a lot of our viewing), which did have some content. To wit, an airing of the problem of the extent to which serious crimes of childhood, after due process, can be consigned to oblivion. With many of the issues arising applying equally to serious crimes generally.

Our view by breakfast time following, was that if someone, say X, does some dreadful deed as a child, like murdering his gran, he is put away for a while. He is probably damaged goods and will probably remain so for life. Notwithstanding, after a while, X might well be deemed to be fit for release.

But in order to give him a bit of space in which to rebuild his life, X is given an expensive new identity, in some new place where no-one will know him. If X is careful, his cover will not be blown.

X may go on to build a successful new life. But if X goes on to build a successful new relationship, he should tell his new partner, perhaps under seal of secrecy. And if X goes on to be a candidate for some public position, he should come clean. It is neither sensible nor reasonable for X to take on a public role with some large chunk of his past blotted out or papered over. Not sensible, because his past is likely to leak out in time, perhaps at a bad time. Not reasonable, because the rest of us have a right to know what sort of a person is being given public responsibilities. If X just wants to live a quiet life, to live down his past, fair enough. But he cannot expect to go far without coming clean.

So such things are not consigned to oblivion. They are just put in a safe place, a cupboard from where they can be got out should need arise. With careful protocols erected around access to the cupboard.

PS: I am reminded that the Russian option of internal exile to some remote place in Siberia has much to commend it. A sort of half-way house. An option which is not available to us, in our much more densely populated islands. Nor do we have access to the antipodes for such purpose any more.

Reference 1: https://uk.webuy.com/.