Invited to dinner by a relative I’m fond of and reached to find that she’d also invited a couple of other aunts and uncles. It was an uninteresting evening, though enlivened by a couple of neoliberal uncles of a kind whom I, in my global woke bubble, rarely encounter, so it was refreshing to see an extremely rich industrialist with vast compounded and initially inherited wealth and privilege arguing fluently for removal of taxation, trade barriers and all social welfare. To be fair, he was also arguing fluently for removal of the subsidies that have distorted (in every sense) the economy in this country which would certainly not be in his personal interest. Part of this is envy speaking, as I too would like vast amounts of inherited wealth and to join the rentier classes as quickly as I might.
Much of the conversation was about a new hotel being established in the north, and the plan for all of them to travel there for a pre-opening family gala, some in their private planes. Also sounds horrific, and sad that those untouched places are touched so thoroughly, and I never had a chance to see them.
I’m glad I don’t see the extended family more than once a year or so, I like them much better this way. I can’t imagine living here and going to these horror shows more often. As it is, I can just feel like I’m getting in touch with my roots, get a little sentimental, and then forget about them.