Columnist Liz Jones has expressed frustration with what she perceives as a pervasive sense of entitlement, particularly among young people educated at elite institutions and within certain professional environments. In a recent piece, Jones details experiences at the Cambridge Union and the Oxford Union where she felt students lacked curiosity about her career and displayed a self-absorption that overshadowed genuine engagement.
Jones, who attended the London College of Printing, recounted being invited to debate at the Cambridge Union. She described feeling a disconnect with the students, noting that despite her career as a journalist, none inquired about her experiences covering famines, meeting film stars, or attending fashion shows. She recalled a debate on the motion 'This house believes women are their own worst enemies in terms of the glass ceiling,' where she argued for the motion. Jones stated that she lost to glamour model Katie Price, and reflected on mentoring young women who later left their careers to marry, have children, or pursue other lifestyles. She expressed disillusionment with elite universities, citing what she termed their 'arrogance and carelessness.'
Further elaborating on her encounters with perceived entitlement, Jones described a debate at the Oxford Union two years later on the topic of promiscuity. She noted that the Union president, a 21-year-old student, allegedly paid little attention to her, focusing instead on his phone and leaving during dinner. Jones also referenced reports of the student's alleged involvement in a drinking society that encouraged misconduct.
Jones contrasted these experiences with her admiration for journalists like Philip Norman, who did not attend university. She suggested that Norman's background instilled a humility and self-deprecating humor that shaped his interactions with powerful figures. Jones described her own lingering fear of writing and the potential for subjects to threaten legal action, drawing a parallel to Norman's past experiences with writs.
Her commentary also touched on broader issues of work ethic, citing an instance where a public relations contact was unresponsive, with their manager stating the employee was working from home and adhering to a strict 6 p.m. finish time. Jones also made a brief mention of a personal inconvenience with her Range Rover, framing it within her overall theme of frustration with contemporary attitudes.