Keith Lindsay-Cameron (aka Keith Ordinary Guy) is a tireless campaigner against government policy that penalises and oppresses the penalised and oppressed. Because of this The Daily Mail has called him ‘Britain’s biggest whinger’.
We at Dorset Eye are excited and privileged to publish an interview with Keith through the questions sent to us by his supporters and followers.
Who is Keith?
I am a 62 year old artist, photographer and, above all, a thinker. I live a reclusive life brought on by what I think may well be a genetic disposition to mental illness and childhood trauma. I am caring, empathic and considerate but cannot bear bustle and noise which cut me like razors and have a shattering effect on me, so I live mostly in silence. I do not own a television and do not remotely understand the consumer society and consider advertising the ultimate and most enraging form of bullshit. I trained and worked as a Community and Youth Worker having several breakdowns along the way until the nineties when I had the grand daddy of them all and lost the ability to function in society any more. Since then I have devoted myself to continuing my research in understanding the human condition, photography and thinking. Some five years ago I put together my research into ‘Intuitive Learning’ and build a web site to help others explore this amazing way of growing and being. This government coming to power in 2010 felt like something my entire life had prepared me for and that I could in some way contribute to opposing the neoliberal agenda they were pursuing. I came up with the idea of writing a letter a day as a way of sharing information and the rest is now history.
1. Of the 470 plus letters that you have written, do any stand out and if so why?
There are days when I think, ‘Got it!’ but there are so many now I can’t remember what I’ve written any more. Each day is a new day and if I can write a letter that day, that’s good enough for me.
2. How do you manage to make every one different and not repeat yourself?
I treat each day as unique; I am not trying to follow a daily plot or storyline. Once I am writing there are underlying rules, keep it in plain language, make sure it makes sense, be creative and be aware of what’s going on underneath the surface of every issue, which involves a great deal of thinking outside the box. As a creative process I don’t see it as any different to painting a picture or writing a song.
3. Have you ever had a response from Cameron’s office regarding your letters?
I have had five standard replies just thanking me for writing, but I have never had anything more than that. The last reply was in June 2012.
4. How do you manage to not sink under the weight of the anger and stress the issues cause?
I have sunk many times, some worse than others. There have been times when I have been in the pits of despair and even felt I’d be glad when I die and am out of this unholy mess. I have lived with profound depression all my adult life so I am no stranger to the extreme lows and have coping tools I use, good and bad ones. The worst tool is just going on a bender, it works, but the payback is disgusting. The best tool is to talk to trusted friends and loved ones and talk out the distress and let the tears out. Tears are the body’s natural healing process for distress; they are very, very good for us. At 62 I know, though I do lose sight of it at times, this too shall pass.
5. Do you ever envisage being able to step away from all these things that drive you, or is this clarity of yours a curse as well as a blessing, that can never be ignored ?
It’s a blessing and a curse, there is no way to step away from it. From my earliest years I wanted to know, it was a driven hunger. I’ve never had any interest in how wide the river is, I have always only been interested in cutting it deeper, or breaking out and going in a completely new direction, like Intuitive Learning. If you think of humanity as a train journey, most people are quite naturally happy to be on the train, some like to be passengers and some like to drive, others like laying tracks, but others like to be way out in front exploring where the tracks could go and I am one of them. I’ve been told many times I think too much, even by a fellow student at university, and I’ve always thought that was ridiculous thing to say.
6. I would ask you: ‘What was the catalyst that started your ‘letter a day’, and has writing the letters helped solve or heal the problem?
The catalyst was a growing horror at what I was seeing going on until it reached an intolerable moment when I had to do something because doing nothing was humanly unendurable for me. The letters help me try to address the problems, we are a long way from solving them and further yet from healing them.
7. What have been the best and worst moments of your campaign so far?
A best moment was realizing that the letters were being read by people in despair and they told me that the letters helped, that is an ongoing love and joy. Another great experience was a gathering that we had in Birmingham to celebrate a year of letters from which have come great and loving friendships (I am afraid my brain is too addled to now remember all those who organized it, for which I am very sorry). Another was when some of those friends painstakingly organized the ‘We Shall Overcome’ event and went to London on 3 August this year and held a beautiful picnic to remember those we have already lost in this austerity war. Linda Strickler, Adam Roche, Michelle Kent and Hayley Golding-Pollins were the major movers and shakers of the event, they are burned in my heart with astonishing love. For those of us who could not go to London Sarah Tomkins dedicated the day at Fusion Radio to accompany events in London, many of us were reduced to tears many times over the day by what Sarah was broadcasting and as pictures and messages came in from London and we shared them on Facebook. That was one of the greatest days of my life. I have to mention the group Admins of ‘A Letter a Day to number 10’, Denise Bellamy, Lorna Wright, Michelle Owens, Sarah Wiley Wiles and Jason Wilding who have given me priceless laughter and sanity when everything else had gone bent, amongst trusted Admins you can say all kinds of crap that you can’t say anywhere else. Last but not least, Chris Nash flogged his butt off to put together a compilation album to support the letters and 31 artists kindly donated 40 tracks for the album. I still haven’t got my head round that one. Amazing!
My worst moment was realizing I was having a mini breakdown and I thought that was it for the letters. I’d reached the point of uncontrollable shaking, tears and exhaustion. I stopped for a break and within a week or so I realized I still wanted to write but needed to make it easier so I simply stopped hand writing them and rid myself of that odious task. It had been like saving my least favorite food till the end of each meal. Now the printer takes that strain.
8. Keith, would you consider standing as a candidate in any political party?
Not ever, not least because I am just not well enough.
9. If you could change Britain where would you start?
By being involved, as I am with writing the letters and doing what I am able to do. Be the change.
10. Do you believe that the selfishness and ignorance of many people can be overcome? And if you do. How?
No I don’t. People choose to change themselves, if they don’t want to change that’s none of my business. If you choose to be the change you want to see in the world, as Gandhi said, you will make a difference. Love, tolerance and kindness are very, very powerful, but ultimately change is down to a personal choice.
11. What would be your ten commandments for the future?
I would never presume to write any commandments, I don’t want to play God and nor, I hope, am I a paternalist.
12. Are you aware of anyone else who is campaigning against the coalition in a similar way to you? If yes are you in contact with them?
Yes, there are many people writing to the government and putting information out, I am in touch with a few of them, but there are plenty of others I am not in touch with. Taken together there are incredible numbers of diverse activists and protesters active today and they are growing at an incredible rate.
13. What would be a perfect day for you?
Walking, sitting and thinking where there are waterfalls.
14. Are you comfortable with the level of expectation upon you and would you welcome others to pick up the baton?
I am a recluse with my own struggles going on; I am not easy with others expectations and I try not to react to them. Writing the letters is a full time occupation and I resist anything that might interfere with that. If I fail to meet others expectations I am not sure in what way that would be my problem. As far as I am able, if people need assistance or help, I try to point them in the direction of those who can, as it were, pick up the baton. I don’t always manage it though.
15. Has anyone ever tried to hijack your campaign? If yes how did you manage it?
I have no idea and I wouldn’t care anyway, if they are campaigning, good. This isn’t about egos or trademarks or being precious about other people doing a letter a day to number 10. I would welcome that. The more the merrier.
16. What would be the ultimate message for your friends and followers and others who support your campaign?
Thank you so much.
17. Do the mainstream media offer any solutions or do we now need media alternatives to appeal to the disenfranchised?
I still think there are some good mainstream media outlets, but the independent media, including blogs and social networking, is a great power in the world now.
18. In the unlikely scenario of a Labour victory in 2015 would you continue writing letters to Ed Miliband or whoever they have at the helm?
I will write if they are betraying the people of this country.
19. Have you considered publishing your letters (or some) in a hard format? Could it be on a par with Tom Paine?
I have thought about it, but this is a live campaign, it is conducted on a daily basis. Publishing would be for the history records and I don’t have time for that now. As far as I am concerned the time that matters is right now and keeping on for the change that we need in this country.
20. Beyond this generation do you feel hope or despair for humanity?
I have worked with people all my adult life, I cannot imagine despairing of humanity. Bear in mind that humanity is still incredibly young, we haven’t been around very long at all compared to the universe. Despite all the technological advances we’ve made in the last 2 – 300 years, our consciousness has not really advanced that much. Right now we are seeing that change somewhat, but I think that ‘things’ are still dominating our ‘modern’ world. As long as our focus is on ‘things’ we will always be traveling in the wrong direction. Our bodies are the vehicles that carry our minds around, every creature on Earth needs food, shelter, and can procreate and take a dump, some can use tools as well, it is our minds that make us human and our progress is pretty slow in that area. No one can imagine what might happen if we put as much energy into expanding our minds and consciousness as we’ve put into technological advancement. That’s a revolution waiting to happen that I will not live to see, but when it happens, it will be amazing! I hope, though, that maybe I have been able to contribute something towards it and I wish everyone well, and love, on the journey.
Thank you Keith!
