If we were to believe the lamentably inexperienced minister currently posing as Defence Secretary, we would be well advised to stay indoors to dodge conventional incoming Iranian missiles. If the rookie is correct, purveyors of oaken tables, stout enough to break the inevitable falls of masonry, will be doing a roaring trade. ‘Nothing is written’, to quote the wise words of T E Lawrence. Yet, judging by the increasing size of the typical television screen, even in the tiny parlours of our rustic hamlet, we are not suddenly going to revive the tradition of conversing on our doorsteps as we puff clay pipes, or of joining communal outdoor games like dancing round the village maypole. Instead we will anaesthetise our fear by staying inside, glued to our individual screens. We will be streaming, watching sport or YouTube, in my case exploring the twilight world of Havergal Brian and his 3...
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