…dubious new theory on culture shock…? (with special thanks to Richard Curtis –of Blackadder fame)

It’s quite amazing how the mind and body adapts to new environments. The phenomenon of culture shock is widely written about and documented. (For a quiki.. go to wiki) It goes a little something like this:

Edmund: [looks down at the cups] Errrrrr, yes... I suppose if someone had taken one and wished that he'd hadn't, he'd be able to do something about it...



Smedley: No, no -- they're very odd things, you see. The symptoms are most peculiar. First of all, the victims become very very depressed. [sits on the bed, face in his hands] Oh, god! [near to tears] This whole revolution is so depressing, I mean, sometimes I wonder why I bother... I mean, I'm so lonely, and nobody loves me...



Edmund: ...and after the depression comes death.


Smedley: No -- after the depression comes [jumps off the bed and grabs Edmund's lapels, shouting] the loss of temper, you stuck-up bastard!!! [turns to Baldrick] What you are staring at??? [punches Baldrick]


Edmund: ...and after the >temper< comes death.



Smedley: No! After the temper comes the, er... comes the, er...



Edmund: ...forgetfulness?


Smedley: Er, yes, that's it... er... comes the, er...



Edmund: ...forgetfulness.



Smedley: Yes, yes. Right in the middle of a...of a...thingy... you completely forget what it was you...oh, nice pair of shoes!



Edmund: ...and after the forgetfulness, you die.



Smedley: Oh, no! I forgot one! After the forgetfulness comes a moment of exquisite happiness! [laughs, jumps up and down, waving his arms in the air] Jumping up and down, and waving your arms in the air, and knowing that in a minute we're all going to be free! free!! free!!!



Edmund: [getting tired of this] ...and >then< death?


Smedley: No -- you jump into a corner first. [jumps into a corner; dies]



Baldrick: Hurray! It's the Scarlet Pimpernel!



Edmund: Yes, Baldrick...



Baldrick: ...and you killed him!



Edmund: Yes, Baldrick... I mean, what's the bloody point of being the Scarlet Pimpernel if you're going to fall for the old poisoned-cup routine? Scarlet Pimpernel, my foot!

Ok, well obviously not the dying part. But everything else is the same. Well obviously not the part about forgetfulness.. and well actually it’s all in a different order… and officially has only three stages rather than five.

Ok, well it’s not that similar but perhaps the parallel lies in the prescriptive nature of the stages and its annoying ridiculousness when you find yourself succumbing to it. It’s not until you know the beast that is ‘culture shock’ that you can ever try and errr… nice pair of shoes… now where was I? errr. ..do anything about it.

DISCLAIMER: Dubiously humorous in parts, but almost guaranteed to be indecipherable unless you like Blackadder and have watched Series III Episode ‘Nob and Nobility’ as many times as I have.