The most watched programme on the BBC after the news is probably 'Doctor Who.' What has happened is that science fiction has been subsumed into modern literature. There are grandparents out there who speak Klingon who are quite capable of holding down a job. No one would think twice now about a parallel universe.
When you do a drama you are challenged to trust your inner voice much more. Because when you put a comedy in front of even a 25-person screening you know whether it's working or not. The barometer is overt.
The poet may be used as a barometer but let us not forget that he is also part of the weather.
Money is the barometer of a society's virtue.
At the end of the day sleep is a barometer of your emotional health. And so if you're not in the right place where you need to be then you're going to have voices keeping you up at night because you have to work through those issues.
The arts are an even better barometer of what is happening in our world than the stock market or the debates in congress.