Blogging from the Highlands of Scotland
'From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step' - Diderot

Tuesday 22 June 2004

Heritage is great - but let's not become "hung up" on it!

The British Library is working out how best to archive the best of the web in the UK for 'posterity'. Marvellous as this idea sounds, I hope it won't get in the way of what the web seems to be fostering - innovation and diversity. I sometimes feel that the 'heritage' industry in Britain is simply an excuse for wallowing in the past, to the exclusion of thrusting vigorously into the future.

Yes, our past needs to be cherished, but only so long as it doesn't get in the way of allowing people to make their own futures. I am thinking particularly of some of our planning laws as they relate to 'listed' buildings and the way these can often thwart sensible [to me, that is!] developments! I daresay some will accuse me of being a complete 'philistine' for daring to say such things, but there it is ...

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