Thought for the day, 7 July 2025

Honestly, I've had the most extraordinary day. You wouldn't believe it.

It started first thing, when I got on the train. 'Tickets, please', said the clippie. I fumbled with my wallet. 'Hurry up, dickhead', the clippie sneered, and laughed.

Shaking my head, I got off the train, and I made my way to work. 'Mōrena!', I said. 'Speak English', a workmate replied. I looked for a moment, not knowing how to respond, then took my seat.

Around midday, I popped out to buy my lunch. 'And that's why you're a bit chubby', the worker behind the counter tutted, as he spooned satay into my takeaway container. I stared back at him in surprise.

I knocked off a little early to go to the dentist. 'You're late', the dentist said, and then called me a c*** under her breath. By now, I couldn't even think of a retort.

Of course, none of these things actually happened. And they didn't happen for a reason. That reason is professional ethics - something most of us don't even think twice about.

Because most of us accept that when we go to work, we sign up to a set of standards. We've got a responsibility to the people around us and the people we serve. We don't aim for the rock bottom: free speech. We opt instead for dignity, decency and maturity.

And yet every other day, we watch our national leaders exchanging the most childish insults - or increasingly, attacking the public. Their justification, if you can call it that, is the same free speech rock bottom that would get most of us sacked. They're not even embarrassed.

Remind me again why when it comes to professional ethics, the ones at the top are so proud of their unaccountable race to the bottom?

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