Today, as Mr Ascherson took pains to stress, any systematic overview will have to accommodate a subversive jostling within mosaic societies, at once more fragmented and universal than anything known before. True, after the Great War and the October Revolution, his Darwinian theory of how a civilisation ossifies into ceremony and pattern until overwhelmed by a creed-inspired neighbour did have European relevance. But if Spengler is to be invoked, it may be kind to warn any girding their loins to read him that he has so little to say about “the decline of the West” that one suspects the “sunset” title (far more potent in German) was a catchpenny wheeze; he is much more concerned with ancient Egypt and China. ANNE McElvoy’s perceptive piece (“We’ve taken the West fo granted for so long …”, 1 February) brought some consolation for the departure from the Independent on Sunday of the unblinkered Neal Ascherson. Excited at suddenly finding themselves with lots of new friends, an esoteric group to belong to, and a busy church- based social life, they are quickly drawn into the highly dubious practice of experience-based Christianity, including the induction of “mesmeric crisis” states to simulate divine ecstatic experiences. A group like this has been operating in many “alternative” clubs in Leeds for several years, and I am disturbed by the influence they have had on a number of people I know.
M ShrewsburyLeeds. Outer Directeds compare themselves to others, they are competitive and concerned with appearance.
Compare this with Wilson: “The Inner-directed type of man is the man with pioneer qualities; in an expanding and changing society he …

possesses the self-discipline to drive towards a goal he himself has chosen. The Outer-directed man cares more for what the neighbours think than for what he wants in his own person.”Ho hum, plus ca change.Fizz FieldgrassSt Albans, Hertfordshire. I WAS very disturbed by your article about nightclubs (“Meet Tracey, the first nightclub chaplain in Britain”, 1 February). A number of “charismatic” Christian groups have realised that nightclubs are good places to recruit, as many of those attracted to the night scene are vulnerable young people. AS THEY say, nothing is new under the sun: a 1950s reflection in social philosophy can become a 1990s marketing tool. I was struck by Synergy Consulting’s “innovative” post-modern classification of Inner Directed people and Outer Directed people (“Marketing for the Me Generation”, 1 February). It uncannily echoes the archetypes described by Colin Wilson in his 1959 Age of Defeat.

Synergy’s Inner Directeds want to “discover themselves”, while “Self Explorers” are “tolerant, self-aware people” who believe in being “true to yourself” “Experimentalists” are creative and self-confident. Few lenders say openly that they prefer borrowers with a known wage from a stable job, but the attitude, especially of building societies, varies widely. It can be hard, if not impossible, for people who work for themselves to meet the lending criteria for the best offers.
Lenders claim they are more aware of self-employment but, if anything, interest rate rises are making mortgage companies more cautious. But the risks are high, particularly among the small fry, where a catwalk star can become a fashion victim overnight And bear in mind that even the big groups stumble. Despite strenuous attempts at resuscitation, shares in Sears, once Britain’s biggest shoe seller (and owner of Selfridge’s), are currently languishing at a 15-year low..

British Gas is in effect offering a third off any existing home insurance premium. The discount comes in the form of vouchers off your gas bill. You have to switch your home insurance to British Gas’ preferred supplier, Privilege Insurance, which then charges whatever you would pay your existing insurer. At the end of the first year, Privilege will then reassess your premium, and also offer a further pounds 20 of vouchers as an incentive to renew with the company. There is no requirement to stick with Privilege after year one Call 0870 900 0110. Half of all credit cards in issue – 19 million – now have “loyalty points” programmes, but 85 per cent of people are said never to have redeemed any of their points. Most holders of loyalty plastic cards would prefer to save their points towards a more significant item rather than redeem them regularly, according to an NOP survey commissioned by the GM Card, which offers points that can be exchanged for discounts on new cars from Vauxhall.
Birmingham Midshires building society, which is being taken over by Royal Bank of Scotland, says it is putting together a windfall distribution plan that will include many of its disabled and elderly members even if their savings or mortgage accounts are held in someone else’s name Full details of the windfall payouts will be known by April.

Cheap mortgages for the self-employed look like they are some way off.. Headline variable rates (before discounts)

Self-employed (self-certified) borrowers: Bank of Scotland Banking Direct 8.69 per cent (pounds 250 arrangement fee, can be added to loan).
Standard borrowers: Nationwide 8.1 per cent (no fee); Halifax 8.7 per cent (no fee)Fixed-rate loansSelf-employed (self-certified) borrowers: UCB 6.69 per cent fixed for two years (pounds 295 fee, can be added to loan)Standard borrowers: Bristol & West 4.99 per cent, fixed for two years (pounds 295 fee); Woolwich 5.29 per cent, fixed until 1 April 2000 (pounds 295 fee)Source: John Charcol mortgage brokers. But this service is not free: John Charcol charges up to 1 per cent of the mortgage’s value for its help This sort of charge is typical. Mr Boulger says a broker will know which lenders will be flexible about their criteria and may be able to secure a loan for a client who would be rejected by the high street branch.