TIME TO LEAVE THE VILLAGE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 893, 14 September 1956, Page 5

TIME TO LEAVE THE VILLAGE

Sir,-Your criticism of those "who feel unable to express an opinion in letters to papers except over a penname" reminds me of other such comments I have seen and with which I firmly disagree. Logically, there is no real point or importance in signing the name, as long. as the editor is aware of the details. The subject matter of the letter is what counts, not a writer’s identity. The only occasion on which the latter point might seem important is when a publicly known person is writing in to stress certain debating angles with which his name is already associated. Otherwise, signature or nom-de-plume could not matter less. There is an erroneous idea prevalent that guilty inhibition or "shamefacedness" must be responsible for disinclination to air one’s name-this is needling at complexities which do not even exist. Everyone has simple reasons why they like to use a pen-name-one reason, the writer may have relations who share his

name, but not his gnore controversial views, so he does not wish to cause embarrassment, Again, a use of a variety of pen-names obviates the chance of the constant writer to the press becoming a tedious bore by continuous flourishing of his quite insignificant signature. Several do this, self-righteously, and I for one would find their repetitive opinions more refreshing over a change of name! As for lack of humour and anaemic dis-cussion-those will always remain faults of the self-satisfied nation. .

LESS EGO

(Wellington).

(There are, of course, people who have good reasons for not signing their names, and who use anonymity with discretion; but we have found that opinion is generally more responsible when it appears over a signature.-Ed.)