This, I suggested, was an example of a broader complexity we are faced with in our lives, particularly our working lives. "Modern evolution almost requires complexity as a matter of course." Feedback from many of you over the years has reinforced that I wasn't alone with these thoughts.

Has anything changed? That depends on your point of view.

Spare me the dramatics. Spare me the countless column-inches of ‘how did it happen?’ analysis. The most surprising aspect of the recent financial market crisis has been the surprise itself. It was always going to happen. Now that it has, perhaps we can remind ourselves of a few home-truths. 

At its core, the current economic situation is no different from any previous collapse. It boils down to too many financial institutions lending too much money to too many people in excessively risky situations.

Email can damage your IQ. I’ll tell you how in a moment. First, I need to get something off my chest. You see, this revelation has got me thinking about a recent present I bought my daughters. At the time I just thought I was helping them to build a sense of responsibility. Now I wonder if I’m damaging their IQs too.

When I was growing up, we were lucky to have lots of pets. Dogs, cats, budgies, a hamster. I even had a terrapin who lived in a fish bowl with a fake palm tree to shade itself under. All these pets helped us develop that sense of responsibility.

These days, the nature of our busy 21st century lives leaves us less time and space for pets. My kids have been limited to a couple of short-lived goldfish and, more recently, the pet of the moment: Tamagotchi.

Simon sauntered. It was rare that he had the chance to take a lunchtime walk beside the city’s river. He wasn’t going to waste this one. And in any case, he desperately needed some space. Oblivious of the grey skies, the grey path and the rush of other grey suits weaving their way around him, he wrapped himself in his thoughts.

It was the music which caused Simon to stop. A busker was playing his harmonica with an energy that even the most distracted mind couldn’t avoid. 

The musician was playing fast and loud, notes spilling from his instrument with the enthusiasm of a happy child. Combining complex riffs into a frenzied melody, his sound was a splash of colour on the dull canvas of the day.

“Thinking about thinking? That sounds a bit weird!” said my daughters. So much for the open minds of the young. For the last month I’ve been fulfilling a long term desire to lubricate my mind with the oil of philosophy. Along the way I’ve tried to explain to my offspring (clearly with limited success) what I’ve learnt and why it’s important.

Of course I can understand why the idea of thinking about thinking seems a bit bizarre. In the age of Go! Go! Go! even a pause for thought is likely to get you an impatient push from behind.

It’s midnight on New Year’s Eve. The neighborhood air fills with the sounds of out-of-sync countdowns, out-of-tune renditions of Auld Lang Syne and the occasional pop of a fairly feeble firework. These were other peoples’ noises – we were having a quiet one – and they soon faded. Unlike much of the other noise we have to live with. 

We all live with an increasing din of other peoples’ noise. Technology has replaced the clicks and hums which used to accompany the music on our records and cassettes. But they have been replaced by much more ubiquitous noise – both audible and otherwise. Noise we can’t turn off.