Sir, - I am writing to comment upon Aine McCarthy's "New Lads" article. "New Laddism" is simply, in my opinion, a creation of commercially astute media managers who have latched on to the cultural tidal wave that is "Britpop" to create a new niche in the market and sell more magazines. To take it any more seriously is to give the phenomenon infinitely more attention than it deserves, and it already has enough.
Men have been drinking, smoking, watching football and treating women like sex objects for generations. It has only now become commercially viable with the appearance of bands like "Oasis", etc. "New Laddism" is a fad and like all fads, it will be forgotten in a couple of years.
Ms McCarthy is, most likely, wasting her time commenting upon it in such an erudite journal. The "New Lads" will be too busy drinking, smoking and reading Loaded to bother. - Yours, etc,
Hollybrook Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3.