Personal Pride 17 January 1988

Trevor Leggett was head of the Japanese Department of the BBC.

This is one of his broadcasts to Japan

Zubari for 17 January 1988

Hello listeners.

I am a broadcaster and we broadcasters have our special pride. We do not like to admit that we have made a mistake. I remember that a famous BBC news reader was reading a long piece of news containing repeated references to the Foreign Minister.

At the end of the long item, there was suddenly a comment by the Home Minister. But the news reader found himself mechanically saying: “a comment by the Foreign Minister.” Realising what he was doing, he went on smoothly, “a comment by the Foreign Minister’s colleague, the Home Minister.” Thus, he skilfully covered over the mistake.

Such pride is admirable when it leads to great efficiency. But it can be comical. A friend of mine, when he was young and not earning much, suddenly got a good job. His new company had a connection with a Savile Row tailor, and staff members could get a wonderful new suit for half the very high price. He could now just afford it. But he felt ashamed of his present cheap suit. So, first, he bought a middle-level suit, so that he could later walk into the Savile Row tailor without feeling embarrassed! This is very British.

I knew a scholar whose rooms were always very untidy and dusty. His friends persuaded him to get a cleaner every Thursday. But he himself dusted and tidied up on Wednesday; so that he would not feel too ashamed when she came.

Even so, she said to a friend that the rooms were terribly dusty and untidy. What he thought was tidy was, to her, untidy!

© Trevor Leggett