Readers Digest UK - December 2021

what’s happening. I think focus is
a lovely byproduct of playing football,
not to mention great cardio and all
the health benefits it brings. I’ve
played it all my life. It’s just the most
enjoyable thing. It really is this time
when I feel perfectly in the moment.

We’d find a way to solve peer
pressure. People tend to blame
bad behaviour on peer pressure.
So, I think there should be properly
vetted, responsible adults, who could
be implanted in the social circles of
kids, kind of like teaching assistants.
I’ve noticed that my child, for
example, used to eat anything you put
in front of her such as carrots, all kinds
of vegetables—brilliant kid, I thought
she’d live to 150. But as soon as she
started going to school where she’s
surrounded by other kids, it was like,
“Oh, carrots, they’re gross.” That
opinion came from other kids, and it
shouldn’t be allowed. So, during
formative years, I think there should
be more adult presence in children’s
lives to prevent that peer pressure
from making them go off the rails.

I would make veganism compulsory.
Everybody would live longer. People
would be really mad at first, but they’d
have to retrain. No apologies. I think
eventually that is what’s going to have
to happen anyway. I don’t know
whether it’s in the next ten, 20 or 30
years. If I was in charge, I’d make it
happen immediately. It’s going to save

a lot of lives and make the world more

inhabitable for a bit longer.

Niceness would be enforced. I see

a lot of people preaching compassion

and then not really being able to show

it. It shouldn’t be something that

people need to work on. Some people

just have a compulsion to be a tw*t.

And I’ve suffered with it myself. I think

there’s a time and a place for it, but in

general, the default should be “nice”.

And if you can’t be nice, you should be

punished. You don’t have to wear tie-

dye and be “awakened” to show

compassion to your fellow person. And

if the only people who are capable of

doing it are the ones that wear tie-dye,

then it should be mandated.

Budget travel would be banned.

It’s ruining the planet. Travelling by

plane should be elitist, it should be

a privilege. People just get so spoiled;

they’re standing there like, “Oh, my

flight’s five minutes late.” It’s a f****g

EasyJet, it costs 35 quid, what are you

moaning about? Of course it’s going

to be late. I come from a really small

town by the seaside where Victorian

tourism used to be the main source

of employment for everybody. But

now, with the advent of cheap travel,

nobody goes there anymore and it’s

dead. It doesn’t have to be like that.

There are so many great things we can

explore locally. Q

As told to Eva Mackevic

DECEMBER 2021 • 67

INSPIRE