Judging by the number of hairy caterpillars that have taken up residence on the top lips of our male office staff, Movember has been a great success in this part of the world. All in a good cause, of course, raising awareness of men's health and prostate cancer, I believe.
Which got me to thinking about what other stunts could be used to raise awareness of neglected areas of health. We already have the Think Pink campaign for breast cancer and red AIDS ribbons. I reckon the next step should be for a mental health lobby group to start up a campaign to make Monday into Moan-day. Because I have this theory that a good whinge is good for your mental health, and we should all have a day set aside for a bit of catharctic complaining.
On my last trip to the UK I was able to confirm that the poms certainly live up to their reputation for having a good whinge. After a week of sitting in pubs lending a sympathetic ear to people unhappy about everything from the wife, the telly and the cricket, I felt like I was doing my bit for Better Outcomes in Mental Health.
So I started moaning about all the moaning and immediately felt a lot better. It's good to get it all off your chest. As an American resident of London told me, in New York everyone has a therapist, in Britain everyone has a local pub, cafe or bus queue where they unburden themselves of their grievances, big and small. And if they don't have anything to complain about there's always the weather. Or the French. And it's surprising how much the supposedly reticent stiff upper lip Brits open up when given the chance for a good whinge.
So I reckon we should set aside every Monday to have a good moan as well. Feeling fed up with work? Family driving you up the wall? Car playing up? Let's let it all hang out on Moan-day. And if the psychologists and SSRIs makers lose customers, well they can have a whinge too.
Judging by the number of hairy caterpillars that have taken up residence on the top lips of our male office staff, Movember has been a great success in this part of the world. All in a good cause, of course, raising awareness of men's health and prostate cancer, I believe.
