This is the point of it all - knitting bobble hats for post boxes

This could be viewed as a little reductionist, even concentrating too much on a tiny detail, but the entire point of this whole civilisation thing is to knit bobble hats for post boxes. Capitalism and markets make us rich enough to be able to turn our attention to such tiny details, liberty means we can do so.

Jason Hickel, famously to us at least, complained that:

What's striking about capitalist civilization is that it has no real direction. There's no vision for social progress, no commitment to improving human welfare or ecology.

Incorrect: bobble hats.

As in, guerilla bobble hats:

At 4am on a July morning in Hertford, a group of about 20 female pensioners crept out of their houses and gathered in the town centre.

After a silent nodded hello, the clandestine group donned head torches and set about their work, moving quickly and efficiently in the early morning chill.

This was not an act of septuagenarian sabotage, although it is a grey area whether they are acting strictly within the rules. The women were part of a “yarn bombing” crew — a craft group which covers local structures, such as postboxes or bollards, with decorative knitted or crocheted creations. While harmless, the catch is they do it in secret, without official approval.

As we insist, this is the point of the whole and entire system. We approve, of course we do:

“We basically found our closest friends and asked, ‘Can you knit or crochet? Do you like to knit or crochet? Can you keep a secret?’ If they said yes to all three, then we said, ‘Right. We’ve got a little project in mind,’” Baily said.

If only the Boulting Brothers were still with us for the documentary. Even Pathe.

“By 7am everyone’s saying, ‘Wow, that’s appeared overnight.’ One of my members always says that when ladies get to a certain age, there’s not many chances for going out and being naughty at four in the morning.”

Those doing it enjoy doing it. That’s all the justification that is required in a free society.

Ultimately, the fun is in bringing joy to the public. “Sometimes they’re a little bit roughly crafted, but it’s to make people laugh. To bring a bit of humour and a bit of colour to the community, to make people smile,” said Simic. “But also, it gives us a bit of an outlet because I think we were all fed up with making jumpers that didn’t fit anyone.”

That works too.

Which is where Hickel is wrong. Where all of those who would constrain society with plans and visions and targets are wrong. The whole and entire aim of this economy thing, this idea of civilisation, is that more people get to do more of what people want to do. With the wealth - meaning time and resources, not mere gelt and pilf - to be able to do so and the liberty to get on with it without plans, permissions or permits.

We want to be free to do what we want to do. To have a good time. To have a purl party.

Yes, this is a tiny detail. Little old ladies are creeping out at 4 in the morning to put hand knitted bobble hats on post boxes. We love it when the idea for an entire civilisation comes together.

Tim Worstall