I read that social mobility is high on the agenda of our new coalition government and that Nick Clegg in particular is keen to push forward changes that will enable the disadvantaged to take a step up in our society. Trouble is, social mobility in this context is usually taken to mean the acquisition of material wealth and not much else. A fine representation of this can be seen in the shape of John Prescott; today an ennobled Lord, yesterday a member of the working classes, a ships steward and a union activist. Trouble is, Mr Prescott, despite his acquisition of power, position and material wealth, is in mind and deed, the same man that he ever was, or at least presents as being so, an uncouth roughneck. I have to say however, that in lightly researching Mr Prescott's past (via Wikipedia mainly) that I have come to accept that this man, like most of us, is quite a complex human being. Indeed, he would appear to be a modern day 'curates egg'; both good and bad in parts. Some would say that this makes the whole bad but, as I have had that label applied to me in the past (by a dysfunctional manager), I have to strongly disagree. My view is, that to be a fully functioning human being, we need to have our good and bad sides living within us; after all, without the dark we cannot see the light. The trick is to accept the whole of you and in so doing you remain in the driving seat of your life. So, rock on John. I have changed my mind about you a little and as a human being, you stand head and shoulders above that old boss of yours, Mr T Blair, who is yet to see the light! 'Fear is the path to the darkside' - Yoda.
