By Jonathan Rayner24 May 2021 There is an event that catches my eye as interesting – a talk with questions, organised for people like me by someone who ultimately hopes to get some money out of our relationship. So here I am, as so often before, sitting promptly and comfortably with an early evening glass of wine waiting for a topical lecture to start. Only the socks drying on the radiator detract from the feeling that I am having a nicely high-level experience. This event - for university alumni, as it happens – is, of course, online. Even though the organisers could open the event to anyone at little cost, it is invitation-only, and apart from the hosiery aspect I am feeling quite special – right up to the point where my eldest daughter, who has joined me, leans over and types a message to the speaker in the event chat box: ‘I like yr shelves!’ (a comment that, of course, all attendees can see and which is attributed to me).