John Cleese and nostalgia
John Cleese says the England he grew up in has gone, and with it the civilized courtesy and rhythmic way of life. But there a case for saying he has overlooked some of the bad aspects then, and that in some ways life is better today than it was then.
While John Cleese’s reflections on the England of his youth carry emotional weight and highlight real changes in culture and pace of life, there’s a strong case that he may be viewing the past through a nostalgic lens and overlooking significant challenges of that era.
Cleese misses a slower, more predictable rhythm of life, the greater formality and social courtesy that was exhibited then. He probably misses the shared cultural framework, where everyone watched the same TV shows, listened to the BBC, and read similar newspapers. There was a sense of national identity that felt more stable or cohesive, with less overt political or social polarization.
But these qualities often came with downsides that are easy to overlook in hindsight. Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.
The Britain of Cleese’s youth was highly stratified. Women were expected to be homemakers; working-class people had limited access to higher education or professional careers. Only 4% of school leavers then went to university.
There were authority figures at every turn to keep people in their place. There were park-keepers, bus inspectors, and local policemen to enforce conformity and ‘acceptable’ behaviour. Young people were expected to dress as junior adults, in similar conformity. Grey flannels for boys, smart dresses for girls. Aspiration to rise above your station was frowned upon. The ethos was: fit in, conform, don’t try to be different.
Sex before marriage was a subject of concern and scandal, and gay sex was illegal in England until 1967, and many were imprisoned for it. Public acceptance only came only much later.
It is natural for people to feel nostalgic for the cultural norms of their youth. The world felt more ‘ordered’ then because people knew their place — but that ‘place’ often involved being excluded or silenced if you were not part of the mainstream conformity.
John Cleese may be reacting to cultural disorientation, which many older people feel as the values they grew up with are questioned or overturned. But that disorientation doesn't mean things were objectively better, only that they were more familiar.
Today there is probably better health and wellbeing, and life expectancy has improved. Healthcare access is broader — though under pressure now, the NHS has made tremendous strides in treatments and preventive care.
Most of all are the changes in opportunities and technology. More people can travel, work internationally, and access information freely. Digital tools and connectivity allow for collaboration, creativity, and access to knowledge unimaginable in the 1950s.
Institutions are more accountable to the public, and corruption or abuse by authorities is more likely to be challenged and exposed.
Today’s cultural landscape is vastly more diverse, dynamic, and globally connected. People from all backgrounds can contribute to the arts, media, and public life. People are much more free to rise above their station, and more at liberty to express their individuality by their choices in lifestyle or dress. They can be themselves instead of being what other people think they should be.
Yes, there has been a decline in face-to-face civility. The pace of modern life can feel chaotic and impersonal, and a sense of community has eroded in many places.
But on balance, more people live freer, healthier, and more empowered lives today than in Cleese’s childhood England. The gains probably outbalance the losses.
Madsen Pirie