Why do we as humans make art? That, of course, is an extremely vast, open-ended question, but one possible short answer is that we make art as a way to reflect on ourselves. Art casts light on the human condition. Painting depicts people in ways really does not; novels often put characters throughout ordeals people would never face in reality, and in doing so articulate aspects of our existence which would otherwise remain hidden. Thus art is an essential means to reflect upon ourselves.

If you were watching BBC Breakfast earlier, however, you would have witnessed someone articulating one of the most moronic things earlier ever. They were interviewing Badenoch, and the subject got onto the Netflix series Adolescence. Adolescence seems to now be causing quite a stir, and has got people talking about issues which previously were rather taboo. The Tory leader, however, replied that she hadn’t seen the series, and didn’t need or intend to watch it as she already knew about the issues it raised.

I’m sorry, but that must be one of the most stupid, arrogant things I have ever heard anyone say. It’s like refusing to watch Star Trek because you had already seen a rocket launch, or read Tolkien because you already own a ring. Again, art reflects humanity; we create art in order to comment on the human condition. To refuse to engage with such art, to trumpet that you already know all you need to about an issue, so there is no need for you to engage with anything more about it, surely tells us all we need to about this arrogant, big-headed cow and her wretched party.