The Big Issue - UK (2020-03-09)

p 10 | BIGISSUE.COM ǻȄɯǼȀCY+ǽǻǽǻ

ged 27 I wasabullish,loud-mouthedprinterworkingfor
theEnglishFolkSongandDanceSocietyinCamdenTown,
London.Newlymarriedandambitioustobea publisher,I
wantedasmanypeopleaspossibletobeabletoholdwhat
I hadprintedandpublished.I wasknee-deepinrevolutionarypolitics,
ƫż S ģĪĜŏģĪģS ǝżǀŧģģż ÿƣƸǣƫƸǀdzłƸż żdzłƫĪƸƸŊĪģƣǣƣĪÿŧŰżł ĪĜżŲżŰŏĜÿŲģ
politicalverbiagethatI wasawashin.
S ěżǀŃŊƸÿŲ żŧģěżżŤżł ƠƣŏŲƸƫżł ƸŊĪěƣŏģŃĪƫżł ƸŊĪ¦ŏǜĪƣ
¼ŊÿŰĪƫ᠁ŰÿģĪƠƣŏŲƸŏŲŃƠŧÿƸĪƫÿŲģƠƣŏŲƸĪģżdzł ÿ ŲĪǝǜĪƣƫŏżŲżł
thebook.Allblessedbymyemployerswholikedmeaspiring
beyondmachine-minding.
InmyholidaysI jumpedonmylittle125ccVelocettemotorbikeand
ǝĪŲƸǀƠ ÿŲģģżǝŲƸŊĪ¼ŊÿŰĪƫßÿŧŧĪǣƫĪŧŧŏŲŃƸŊĪěżżŤÿƸ ƫŊżƠƫłƣżŰ
hżŲģżŲƸż Ǣłżƣģ᠇ŲģŧżǜĪģŏƸ᠇ ŧÿƫ᠁ÿŰŏģƫƸÿŧŧ żł ƸŊŏƫšżǣŰǣŰżƸŊĪƣ
died.AndI waslostandremaindiminishedbyhergoing.
S Ŋÿģÿŧŧ żł ƸŊŏƫǵŧżżģěÿĜŤŏŲƸżŰǣŰŏŲģƫŏŰƠŧǣěǣ ƠŏĜŤŏŲŃǀƠ ¼ŊĪŏŃ
IssuebookputtogetherbyourtalentedbookseditorJaneGraham.
LetterToMyYoungerSelfisa brillbook.I openedtheopeningstoryand
ƣĪÿģŰǣżǝŲŧĪƸƸĪƣ᠇¼ŊĪěĪƫƸěŏƸ żł ÿģǜŏĜĪS ŃÿǜĪǝÿƫᡆŧżǜĪǣĪƣŰǀŰÿŲģ
ģÿģᡇ᠇¼ŊĪǣŰÿǣŲżƸěĪ ŊĪƣĪłżƣĪǜĪƣ᠇
S ģż ŲżƸŰĪÿŲƸŊŏƫƸż ŰÿŤĪǣżǀŃƣŏŰÿěżǀƸƸŊĪŰżǀƸŊ᠇ǀƸƸż
remindusallhowtemporary istheworldwelivein.Thatweneedto
treasurethelivingoneswhomadeus,somethingI didnotdo,
ƸŊƣżǝŏŲŃÿǝÿǣƸŊĪģżǭĪŲƫżł ŧĪƸƸĪƣƫ᠁łżƣ ŏŲƫƸÿŲĜĪ᠁ƸŊÿƸŰǣŰǀŰ
sentmewhenI wasbangedup.
Thecoronavirus,gallopingabouttheplace,remindsusallalsojust
howinsubstantialandperilousareouruniverseandouruniversalsupply
ŲĪƸǝżƣŤƫ᠇ǀŏŧģŏŲŃÿŲ ĪĜżŲżŰǣěÿƫĪģżŲ ƸŊĪłÿĜƸƸŊÿƸƫǀƠƠŧŏĪƫǝŏŧŧěĪ
ĜŊĪÿƠĪƣƸŊżǀƫÿŲģƫżł ŰŏŧĪƫłƣżŰǀƫ ŏƫ ƫŊżǝŲǀƠ łżƣ ƸŊĪƠĪƣŏŧżǀƫƣĪÿŧŏƸǣ
itcouldbe.Nottomentionthehealthrisktotheyoung,theoldandthe
ŏŲǿƣŰěƣżǀŃŊƸżŲ ěǣ ƸŊŏƫĪŰĪƣŃŏŲŃĪƠŏģĪŰŏĜ᠇
I shallbedoingmybesttoavoidthevirusandhavealreadycurtailed
ŊÿŲģƫŊÿŤĪƫÿŲģŤŏƫƫŏŲŃĜżŰƠŧĪƸĪƫƸƣÿŲŃĪƣƫ᠇tżŊǀŃƫłƣżŰŰĪŏł ǣżǀ
ƫĪĪŰĪŏŲ ƸŊĪƫƸƣĪĪƸ᠇dǀƫƸÿ ƠżŧŏƸĪŲżģÿŲģƸŊĪƣĪłǀƫÿŧƸż ƣĪĜĪŏǜĪŤŏŲģ
ĪŰěƣÿĜĪƫ᠇NŏŃŊǿǜĪƫÿƣĪŧŏŤĪǝŏƫĪżǀƸǀŲƸŏŧǝĪŊÿǜĪƠÿƫƫĪģƸŊƣżǀŃŊƸŊŏƫ
ŧÿƸĪƫƸĪǢƠƣĪƫƫŏżŲżł żǀƣǜǀŧŲĪƣÿěŧĪƠÿƫƫÿŃĪƸŊƣżǀŃŊŧŏłĪ᠇Ųģżł ĜżǀƣƫĪÿŲ
ÿŰƠŧĪÿƠƠŧŏĜÿƸŏżŲżł ÿŧĜżŊżŧŊÿŲģǝÿƫŊ᠇
ŰżŲŃƫƸÿŧŧ żł ƸŊŏƫƸŊŏŲŤŏŲŃÿěżǀƸĜÿƣĪłǀŧŲĪƫƫƸŊżǀŃŊS ŰĪƸƸŊĪ
łżǀŲģĪƣżł SŲĜƣĪģŏěŧĪ/ģŏěŧĪ᠁£ÿŰàÿƣŊǀƣƫƸ /᠇àŊÿƸÿ ģżƫĪżł
łĪĪŧᠵŃżżģŲĪƫƫƫŊĪÿģŰŏŲŏƫƸĪƣƫ᠇hŏŤĪÿŲ ĪŲżƣŰżǀƫģżŧŧżƠżł ĜżŰŰżŲ
ƫĪŲƫĪÿŲģĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸǣÿĜƸŏżŲÿƫ ÿ ŤŏŲģżł ƫżĜŏÿŧŰĪģŏĜŏŲĪ᠇Sᡉģ ĜżŰŰĪŲģƸż
ÿŲǣżŲĪŊĪƣ¼/'ƸÿŧŤƫżŲ æżǀ¼ǀěĪ᠀ƫŊĪƣÿģŏÿƸĪƫÿ ěƣŏŧŧŏÿŲƸƫżĜŏÿŧĪĜŊż᠇
¼ÿŤŏŲŃżģģěŏƸƫżł ƠǀěŧŏĜƫƠÿĜĪŏŲ ŊĪƣżǝŲƫŰÿŧŧƸżǝŲŏŲ àĪƫƸ
æżƣŤƫŊŏƣĪᙷᙷ ǣĪÿƣƫÿŃż᠁ƫŊĪƠŧÿŲƸĪģǜĪŃĪƸÿěŧĪƫłżƣ ĜżŰŰżŲǀƫĪ᠇ŲģżǀƸ

A

żłƸŊŏƫ᠁ŊǀŲģƣĪģƫżłĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸŏĪƫ

through the UK and throughout the

world have taken up the project.

/ǜĪƣǣģÿǣƸŊżǀƫÿŲģƫżłƠĪżƠŧĪ

are involved in this communal

ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸǣĪdzłżƣƸ᠇GŏǜŏŲŃƸŊĪĜŊÿŲĜĪ

żłŏŰƠƣżǜŏŲŃģŏĪƸÿŲģŏŲǜżŧǜŏŲŃ

ƠĪżƠŧĪŏŲƸŊĪŏƣżǝŲǝĪŧŧěĪŏŲŃ᠇SƸᡉƫÿ

ŃƣżǀŲģǀƠƠƣżšĪĜƸłƣżŰƠŧÿŲƸŏŲŃÿŲģ

łĪĪģŏŲŃÿŲģŲżěŏŃƠżƫŊƠƣżĜĪƫƫżł

making us happier in our world.

FżƣƸǀŏƸżǀƫŧǣƸŊĪƣĪᡉƫŰĪƸŊŏŲŤŏŲŃ

about this perilous supply chain

ĜżŰŏŲŃÿƠÿƣƸěĪĜÿǀƫĪżłÿǜŏƣǀƫ᠇

Ųģ£ÿŰŏŲƸƣżģǀĜŏŲŃŰĪƸżÿ

ĜżŲĜĪƠƸżłŃżŏŲŃěÿĜŤƸżƸŊĪ

ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸǣ᠇¦ĪěǀŏŧģƸŊĪĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸǣ᠇

¦ĪǜŏƸÿŧŏƫĪƸŊĪĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸǣěǣŃĪƸƸŏŲŃ

people active.

ŲģżłĜżǀƣƫĪŰżǜŏŲŃƸżǝÿƣģƫ

the day when we can get our supply

chains supplied more locally.

It does raise the issue that

ƸŊĪŲĪǢƸƫƸÿŃĪżłěǀƫŏŲĪƫƫǝŏŧŧ

ƠƣżěÿěŧǣŊÿǜĪƸżŧżżŤÿƸǝÿǣƫżł

trying to trade locally as much as

possible. The big supply chains

may have to be rethought. And

ǝŏƸŊƸŊÿƸƸŊĪƣĪĜŧÿŏŰŏŲŃżłżǀƣ

community supplying.

SƠŏĜŤĪģǀƠÿĜżƠǣżłLetter to

My Younger Self in a local bookshop.

¼ŊĪǣŊÿģƫżŧģģżǭĪŲƫżłĜżƠŏĪƫ

żǜĪƣ ŊƣŏƫƸŰÿƫÿŲģǝŊÿƸƸŊĪǣĜÿŧŧ

ƸŊĪěżżŤƸżŤĪŲƫĪÿƫżŲżłdÿŲǀÿƣǣ᠇

®ǀĜŊŃżżģǝŏŧŧŏƫƫǀĪģłƣżŰƸŊĪƫƸÿdzł

ƸżǝÿƣģƫƸŊĪǝżƣŤżł¼ŊĪŏŃSƫƫǀĪ᠇

All the local vendors were praised.

SłĪŧƸŃżżģÿƫSŧĪǽƸ᠁ŧĪÿǜŏŲŃƸŊĪŧÿƫƸ

ĜżƠǣżłƸŊĪLetters book behind.

àŊÿƸÿǿŧŧŏƠ᠇

The last big scare I would equate

current concerns with was the

rŏŧŧĪŲŲŏǀŰǀŃ᠇rĪŧƸģżǝŲǝÿƫ

ƠƣżƠŊĪƫŏĪģ᠇¼ŊĪŏŃSƫƫǀĪƸżżŤÿ

łǀŧŧᠵƠÿŃĪÿģŏŲThe Guardian, then

still a large broadsheet. Our message

ǝÿƫƸŊÿƸƸŊĪěŏŃŃĪƫƸěǀŃłÿĜŏŲŃǀƫ

ƠżƫƸᠵᙸᙶᙶᙶǝÿƫƸŊÿƸżłƠżǜĪƣƸǣ᠇Ųģ

ƸŊĪģĪƫƠżŧŏÿƸŏżŲżłƸŊĪĪŲǜŏƣżŲŰĪŲƸ᠇

¼ŊĪłĪÿƣǝÿƫĪŲżƣŰżǀƫ᠇FżƣƸǀŲÿƸĪŧǣ

ŏƸǝÿƫÿŧŧƫĪĪŲƸżěĪÿěŏƸżłƠǀdzłƸż

ŃĪƸƠĪżƠŧĪŰżƣĪģŏŃŏƸÿŧŏƫĪģ᠇ŧżƸżł

money was made by the new media.

ǀƸĜżƣżŲÿǜŏƣǀƫŏƫŰżƣĪƣĪÿŧ᠇¼Ŋŏƫ

ŏƫŲᡉƸÿŊǣƠĪƠǀƸƸżŃĪƸŊĪƣěǣƫżŰĪ

żǜĪƣƫĪŲƫŏƸŏǜĪƠǀěŧŏĜ᠇ǀƸǝĪŲĪĪģƸż

remain calm. And panicky behaviour,

witnessed in panic buying, may add

to the problem.

¼ŊĪƫŧżŃÿŲᡆfĪĪƠ ÿŧŰÿŲģ

ÿƣƣǣŲᡇŏƫƠƣżěÿěŧǣÿŃżżģ

ěŏƸżłĜżŰŰżŲƫĪŲƫĪŲżǝ᠇ěŏƸ

like growing vegetables in our

ĜżŰŰǀŲŏƸǣłżƣ ƸŊĪěĪŲĪǿƸżł ÿŧŧ᠇

THIS WEEK JOHN WILL BE

READING: The Impostor:

A True StoryěǣdÿǜŏĪƣ ĪƣĜÿƫ

WATCHING: ǼƸĪƣhŏłĪ,

ÿtĪƸǵŧŏǢƫĪƣŏĪƫǝŏƸŊ

¦ŏĜŤǣGĪƣǜÿŏƫ

LISTENING TO: The Stan Getz

Quartet in Paris

ATTENDING: The second

ƣĪÿģŏŲŃżłŊŏƫàĪŧŧěĪŏŲŃżłFǀƸǀƣĪ

GĪŲĪƣÿƸŏżŲƫŏŧŧǝŏƸŊłĪŧŧżǝƠĪĪƣƫ

ŏŲƸŊĪNżǀƫĪżłhżƣģƫ

John Bird is the founder and

Editor in Chief of The Big Issue.

@johnbirdswords

linkedin.com/in/

johnbirdswords

[email protected]

JOHN BIRD

The answers lie in the

ground beneath our feet

Growth industry

Incredible Edible’s model gets

to the root of so many issues