Thursday 31 July 2008

Heroes and Villains: Quiz night at the Lamb

The annual street market quiz took place at the Lamb last night based around this years theme 'heroes and villains'. The quiz was as ever well attended and eventually resulted in victory for the team known as 'the marketeers'. Thanks to Maxine and Richard for writing the quiz. The picture round, as ever, proved tricky with this particular participant misidentyfying Gen Sir Redvers Buller as General Pinochet, although I suspect their politics probably were not dissimilar. Our team, largely the same as the one that played at The Trout on sunday, again finished fourth. Sport again proved problematic along with elements of popular culture.

Whilst participating in the quiz I was reminded that its worth remembering how many of those who appeared in questions in one category, could in different circumstances have appeared in the other. Although Nelson Mandela would be regarded by most these days as being in the hero category its not so many years ago that Young Conservatives attended their conference wearing T Shirts demanding that he be hung. Che Geuvara may well be a hero and inspiration to millions around the world but would be seen very differently if you held a similar quiz in Miami. Gen Sir Redvers Buller might have been a hero to Brit imperialism in the 19th century but was no doubt viewd very differently by the Boers and Zulus who he came into contact with in a military capacity. Not forgetting of course Maggie Thatcher... but there again who could forget her. I suspect we shall see some very different views of her status as hero or villain displayed if the current proposal that she merits a state funeral is ever implemented.

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