Nocebo awareness is nothing new (I made my husband ill with a few words – nobody is immune to the power of the nocebo effect, 8 May). Shakespeare knew of the syndrome more than 400 years ago. “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so” – Hamlet, act two, scene two.
Terence Adams
Birmingham
• Scattering my dad’s ashes in a river in Bannau Brycheiniog back in 2005 (Letters, 8 May), we had thought they would float gently away on the current. Instead, they sank straight to the bottom. My brother, in his surprise, lost his footing, fell in and emerged covered in the remains of the most wonderful father, who never did learn to swim.
Helen Ryan
Blandford Forum, Dorset
• At 82 and 83, we always go upstairs on the bus to Brighton – a great free ride in from Lewes (Letters, 7 May). But the front seats on the Regency 28 and 29 have no leg room. Keeping our knees bent for 40 minutes means a very shaky return to ground level. We use the second seats in.
Lynn Wiseman
Lewes, East Sussex
• I too refuse to accept the “old age” label despite being 82 (Letters, 7 May), but it is hard when your children are approaching 60.
Moira Robinson
Kidlington, Oxfordshire
• Retired for many years, one of my pleasures is spending Saturday morning with the Guardian and a glass of wine. Katharine Viner’s long read (How to survive the information crisis, 6 May) made last Saturday even more enjoyable than usual. I think a second glass is in order.
Robert Flack
Dilwyn, Herefordshire
• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
