I love this term – the oxygen of publicity. Although – didn’t Margaret Thatcher come up with it first, in the context of learning to starve the oxygen from terrorism, or something? I’m using it here to refer to negative views and comments that seem to fill the internet and the airwaves and come to us like wasps, stinging and demanding to be heard. We need to ignore them and prevent bad publicity spreading. It might be useful to be aware of what’s out there, but in terms of our own sanity sometimes, we need to listen to the people who count.

It might be human nature to focus on small meaningless negatives and ignore all the good things. Like when a teenager gazes in the mirror at their beautiful face, and all they can see is one red spot. Like beng in a fabulous house, and all the visitor notices is the cobweb in the corner. Like watching an exciting football match, and the pundit repeatedly goes on about one human error that heppened in the first five minutes. Let’s not do it. Let’s starve bad publicity of all oxygen. Let’s listen to the important stuff instead.

Some strange people walk amongst us and we shouldn’t give them too much of our time. It might seem frustrating dealing with them, but I’m really only interested in giving my energy to lovely people, needy people, good people.

Recently, I was reading an author’s remarks on a Facebook page. She’d written a great book and a reviewer had commented, ‘What does she know about ADHD to write that character?’ Well, she has ADHD. So does her daughter. Another brilliant author was given a similar negative review. ‘His book was rubbish – what does he know about the prison service?’ In fact, he’s been working as a warden for years and has an incredible depth of knowledge. But the person who was being critical hadn’t bothered to find that out, which makes their comments pointless. I had a similarly strange review of one of my books. ‘All her characters were elderly, but it didn’t spoil the story.’ God forbid this white lady should read The Color Purple. Or Black Beauty. How on earth could she empathise with the characters and enjoy their story? It made me laugh. In a world where we have so many brilliant reviewers who are lucid and talented, who give their time so generously, I’m not prepared to listen to the odd one out.

The same is true of politics. During the run up to the general election, I was driving home one evening with the radio on, listening to a programme with a phone in, the presenter asking for opinions from the public. Beatrice from Somerset phoned in and said, ‘All young people should do national service. It might help with the knife crime.’

I burst out laughing.

She went on… ‘We all have to do things we don’t like. I have to pay taxes.’

I was tempted to phone in and suggest she became a cleaner or picked potatoes in all weathers for a few months. That might be something she wouldn’t like…But it’s easier to change the channel and listen to sensible people, or rock music. I don’t want to hear someone like Beatrice.

So, I’ve decided that I’m not going to give oxygen to bad publicity. I’m not going to let it irritate me. It doesn’t matter at all. The opinions of the great and the wise interest me, and spending time with those who add something to my life. People with interesting views and conversation, warm people, kind people, those who like me and like other people, who are positive and generous in spirit and fun to be with.

I’ve no time for whingers who want to spread criticism, bitterness and hatred. Their views can vanish into thin air. But I do wish them the best in life and I hope that, through all their negativity, they will somehow learn to breathe again and be kinder and more thoughtful in what they say..