Are monks in and of themselves good humans. If not, who is?
As John McEnroe said, “You cannot be serious”. We are human beings with all our imperfections and no one entire group is good. Many Burmese monks actively support vicious persecution of the Rohingyan minority. To be a good human is aspirational: even if we try, all will fail at times. The evidence of how well a person succeeds is their deeds.
David Isaacs, Sydney, Australia
• Most may try to be, but only St Peter can identify truly good humans – a little late in the day!
Philip Stigger, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
• Monks, like everyone else, are a mixed bunch. This is noted in the saying: “When they are good they are very, very good but when they are bad they are horrid.”
Pat Phillips, Adelaide, Australia
• Ask Friar Tuck.
Bruce Cohen, Worcester, Massachusetts, US
• That surely depends on their habits!
Margaret Wilkes, Perth, Western Australia
• Nun can say.
Margaret Wyeth, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
You can cook in your caravan
Why are caravans still white? Why can’t we have leopardskin, psychedelic or simply purple nowadays?
Why do Arabs wear white robes? To deflect heat from the sun – and it’s the same for caravans. But colour has reached the van! The Minnie range offers caravans in orange, pink, bright green and scarlet. In Australia, vans for the outback quite often come in shades of grey, beige or black.
Ursula Nixon, Bodalla, NSW, Australia
N&Q people share the love
Isn’t it time we met some of the regular N&Q contributors in the space below?
Recently, when travelling in Halifax, Canada, I met a GW reader. Formalities over, she determined that I was indeed the bloke who contributes to N&Q and we went on to wonder about Joan Dawson (from Halifax) and Terence Rowell (from Dartmouth – across the river from Halifax).
Anyway, she was so charming and intelligent that rather than write something for the space below, I am resolved, dear N&Q readers, to travel the world and meet you all in person, one by one.
Stuart Williams, Kampala, Uganda
• I have been reading the Guardian Weekly since I moved to Western Australia in the mid-1980s, and I have known Margaret Wilkes in her various roles for about 10 years, but it was not until a week ago that I discovered that she was the very person whose contributions to N&Q I enjoyed so much.
I certainly agree with her that contact between your contributors would be a positive thing. She is a person whom many of your readers would enjoy and be stimulated by meeting.
Alex Main, Murdoch, Western Australia
Funny thing about humans
Is mankind an oxymoron?
The only oxymoronic thing I can think of straight off is the dogma of constant growth in a finite world.
Nicholas Albrecht, Paris, France
• Yes, along with civil war, military intelligence, pretty ugly, among others.
Guy Johnston, Kirchhundem, Germany
• No more so than Homo sapiens.
Brian Lentle, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
• Only if human waste is a tautology.
Adam Lippiett, Munich, Germany
Any answers?
What is the difference between a nerd and a geek?
Ted Webber, Buderim, Queensland, Australia
“Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Really?
Edward Black, Sydney, Australia
Send answers to weekly.nandq@theguardian.com or Guardian Weekly, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, UK
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