Lennon: and the value of nothing

Despite his burbling on about imagining no possessions, John Lennon was quite fond of things. However, he wasn't afraid of helping other people imagine lives without things - for example, when he went round Hugh Hefner's house, he happily stubbed out a fag on a Matisse.

Hefner was forgiving:

“He was separated briefly from his wife YOKO ONO and was in a very bad mood.

“He was drinking a great deal. He misbehaved a little bit and a couple of my friends took exception to it.

“He put a cigarette out on a Matisse and one of my friends was going to kick his butt. But he’d been drinking.

“He was under tremendous pressure. And Lennon was one of my heroes.”

The lack of respect from one supposed artist towards another's work is interesting. It's not just Jesus who Lennon thought he was bigger than.