A lively collection of letters published in the Guardian has sparked conversation on topics ranging from modern dating etiquette and personal grief to Britain's most curiously named locations.
Dating Dinosaurs and Financial Independence
In a sharp rebuttal to commentator Scott Galloway, reader Janet Tomlinson from Andover, Hampshire, challenged his views on dating and finance. Galloway had suggested in an interview on 3 December that "a woman is not going to have sex with a man who splits the bill with her."
Tomlinson branded this perspective outdated, stating that for many women, the opposite is true. "Some of us wouldn't want to have sex with a man who doesn't want to recognise a woman's independence – personal and financial – but wants to pay for them," she wrote. She advised Galloway to "catch up," arguing that an insistence on paying can be a turn-off, and that wealth does not automatically equate to attractiveness.
Finding Solace in Silent Community
Another poignant letter responded to a personal story about grief and discovery. Christine Hayes from Wokingham, Berkshire, was moved by Robin Craig's account of finding solace in a Quaker community after experiencing "unbearable grief."
Hayes, a lifelong Quaker, expressed gladness that Craig had discovered the community and found its peaceful, silent practices helpful. She highlighted a favourite piece of guidance from the Quaker "Advices and Queries": "Live adventurously." Hayes credited being a Guardian reader with helping her fulfil that advice.
Britain's Most Inaptly Named Locations
The correspondence also took a lighter turn with a discussion about peculiarly named British places, prompted by a previous letter about No Place in County Durham.
Bridget Cuthbertson from Hexham, Northumberland, suggested disgruntled residents could move to Pity Me, also in County Durham, or to Quaking Houses if feeling braver. Ian Elkington from Bicester, Oxfordshire, claimed the debate was settled by the existence of Titty Ho in Raunds, Northamptonshire.
Elsewhere in the letters, Kevin Bannon from Broadstairs, Kent, nominated the film "The Maggie" for a discussion on movies set on boats.
