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Saturday 30 July 2011

Unmutalism

   We first learn of Unmutuals in the Prisoner epsiode A Change of Mind. No.6 is declared Unmutual, and is spurned by other members of the community, those being socially conscious citizens who are provoked by the loathsome presence of an Unmutual! Citizens keep their distance from an Unmutual, No.6 for example is refused service on the lawn of the Old People's home when he asks a waiter for coffee, and is generally ignored by his fellow citizens, effectively 'sent to Coventry!'
   There is a 1960's film called The Angry Silence, which demonstrates unmutualism perfectly. In the film Richard Attenborough playes a factory worker, Tom Curtis, who refuses to go on strike with his fellow workers, and crosses the picket line at the engineering factory.  Once the strike is over and the factory workers return to work, a meeting is called by the Shop Stewards, and all Union members in the factory attend.  For punishment for crossing the picket line, Tom Curtis is 'sent to Coventry,' effectively no-one in the factory is allowed to speak to Curtis, in the street, in shops, down the pub, nowhere.
   Okay, being decalred Unmutual in the Village is not so terrible, as we view it through the television screen, besides which No.6 does much perfer his own company to others in the Village. But birds of a feather do flock together. Even No.6 cannot remain a 'Lone Wolf' for too long!  What's more there's that name again - Curtis!   Be seeing you.

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