"They f**k you up, your mum and dad.

They may not mean to, but they do.

They fill you with the faults they had

And add some extra, just for you."

I’m a fan of Philip Larkin. His poem This Be The Verse, which shocked the shires in 1971, isn’t just about the hand-me-down horrors our parents pass on to us, but the way our communities, cultures and countries shape us.

No work of literature is perfect, though. I’ve always felt there was a problem with Larkin’s poem, specifically a missing element.

It’s too fatalistic. It accepts that there’s no way to break free from the baggage of the past. The last lines state: "Get out as early as you can, and don’t have any kids yourself."

In other words, the only way to stop history repeating is to deny your humanity with an act of self-destruction: refusing the biological imperative and not having children.

While I agree with Larkin’s diagnosis – that your family, community, culture and country can f**k you up – I don’t hold to his treatment: withdrawal from the great game of human existence.

Read more by Neil Mackay

It seems Larkin is being deliberately misleading, however. As a human, he must have seen hundreds – thousands – of fellow humans challenge and overcome the prejudices and stupidities of their backgrounds.

Throughout my life, I’ve witnessed as many people turn their backs on the beliefs of their families and communities, as I’ve seen follow slavishly in their footsteps.

Sandie Peggie seems very Larkin in her outlook, or least........

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