Bureaucrats around the world - you have a new leader!

Philip Colechin, Senior Customer Services Officer of Gospel Oak District Housing Office, has successfully transformed himself from a human being into The Man Who Knows The Rules. So even though a 99 year old woman needed help, Philip reminded me (at length) of the Rules and thank goodness - otherwise I might have gone through life putting other people first. And what a fool I would have felt!

Thank you Philip. Your adherence to The Rules has saved me from a life of compassion and kindness. Thank goodness we have people like you putting The Rules first, whatever the circumstances. (If you fancy knowing the circumstances, I've posted them in Comment.)

Do the right thing? What tosh. Follow The Rules!

Through Philip's example I now understand how we got ourselves into the state where policeman stand on the side of rivers watching people drown because they're following The Rules. Where fireman have to read a four page dossier before they can sit down on a chair. Where apparatchiks like Philip happily disregard humanity in slavish adherence to The Rules.

What mad genius created these Rules? Why as a society do we accept them?

No doubt Camden will give Philip Colechin a bonus. The bureacrats have certainly won the battle. Is there anything we can do to prevent them winning the war?