Death of the stiff upper lip: Duchess of Devonshire hits out at 'sloppy and sentimental' modern

[cali]

culture.

By Maysa Rawi
Last updated at 9:49 PM on 04th February 2010

One year shy of her 90th birthday, The Duchess of Devonshire is a formidable lady who has experienced more than her share of scandal and dark times.

Deborah, known as Debo, is the last of the Mitford sisters, whose colourful and tragic family history caused controversy in the 1930s and 1940s.

But it's the state of modern society, which she brands 'sloppy and sentimental', that most concerns her in her dotage.

Ms Mitford laments the demise of the stiff upper lip, slamming the new kiss-and-tell generation for dwelling on their problems.

In an interview, she said: 'I think we made little of sorrow. we weren't sloppy-sentimental. It wasn't the thing to bellyache.

'Money and illness and sex were not talked about in those days and they are the only things people talk about these days, aren't they?'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1248496/Death-stiff-upper-lip-Duchess-Devonshire-hits-sloppy-sentimental-modern-culture.html#ixzz0ebsPFfQN

For anyone who knows anything about the Mitford sisters this is quite amusing. Emoting was not something they held back on, and spilling their guts was a family past time.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. Jessica Mitford did more to promote public discussion of death than anyone... like ever.

I love Jessica Mitford.

[cali]

2. I love her too.

have you ever read "hons and rebels"? maybe not your cup of tea but a revealing look about how she became who she became.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

3. No, just a book of essays/articles and American Way of Dying

[comrade snarky]

4. My wife and I were talking about this recently

Or almost this anyway.

We were watching one of those cooking contest shows (embarrassing admission, holding head low) and one of the finalists had his wife brought out. Now they have been apart for about two weeks while he did the show and he starts crying and going on about how much he misses her. Tears rolling down his cheeks, almost unable to stand up. Two weeks...

OK, they make these things stressful intentionally so people crack pretty for the cameras but come on! What the hell is happening to us? Does he have to be so weepy about it? Can't we keep a little Robert Mitchum in our lives? (been watching a lot of film noir lately) Don't get me wrong, I think we should break the all gender stereotypes we want. I'm a guy who cooks and sews, I made my own favorite coat and have several of my wife's dresses that I really should get around to hemming for her. I'm all in favor of being in touch with your emotions and self knowledge and stuff, but can you try it with a little dignity? A little self control?


Maybe I'm getting overly curmudgeonly in my middle age but damn it, it's different now, and I'm not sure it's better!