Tag: Change

Against the destruction of free thought: Why only Ye can avert a Third World War and prevent a new Holocaust — some lessons from Hilberg, Arendt, Mearsheimer, et al.

‘Men have been found to resist the most powerful monarchs and to refuse to bow down before them, but few indeed have been found to resist the crowd, to stand up alone before misguided masses, to face their implacable frenzy without weapons and with folded arms to dare a no when a yes is demanded. … Continue reading Against the destruction of free thought: Why only Ye can avert a Third World War and prevent a new Holocaust — some lessons from Hilberg, Arendt, Mearsheimer, et al. →

Chaos: The energy, evolution, and end of capitalism

The economist Joseph Schumpeter termed the key to technological development under capitalism ‘the gales of creative destruction.’ For Schumpeter, the state plays a role in this market dynamism. This is because states compete with each other very much like corporations and classes do. All competition has the potential for conflict; and all conflict, for war … Continue reading Chaos: The energy, evolution, and end of capitalism →

‘This house regrets the Obama years.’ Draft speech from my university years

A draft speech for a Cambridge Union debate a while back. Thank you Mr./Mme. Speaker.  Perhaps the favourite book of my teenage years was Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father, given to me as it happens by my own father.  I, and I think I speak for many in this room, think hope is an … Continue reading ‘This house regrets the Obama years.’ Draft speech from my university years →

The uniqueness of genius

I’ve been thinking about genius. It is often said that genius is unique. But what does this mean? On the origins of genius: Plato and Aristotle in Raphael’s School of Athens. The uniqueness of a genius lies precisely, I argue, in their ability to see past their own uniqueness. While everyone else looks at the … Continue reading The uniqueness of genius →

From fission to fusion: The technological germ of a future past

Sociology follows technology. This has always been clear, as much as the following truth: politics follows economics. In language derived from seventeenth-century political theorist James Harrington, the ‘superstructure’ follows the ‘foundation’ of society. According to Harrington’s principle of ‘ballance’, the structure of politics follows the structure of the material world underpinning it. And according to … Continue reading From fission to fusion: The technological germ of a future past →

OJ, MJ, Kanye: How the media demonises our heroes in the name of antiracism — and how reconciliation would be truer model of justice for all

As I get a little older I realise life is perspective And my perspective may differ from yours - Kendrick Lamar, The Heart Part 5 I have considered how universities employ tacitly racist arguments in the name of antiracism. But now I would like to consider how mass media also employs racist tactics of divide … Continue reading OJ, MJ, Kanye: How the media demonises our heroes in the name of antiracism — and how reconciliation would be truer model of justice for all →

The tyranny of positivity

Today’s frantic world of social media contrasts with the equally frenetic world of twenty-four hour news, which is seen as relentlessly negative. Social media is, by contrast, full of positivity, with everyone broadcasting how wonderful their life is. But what both share is a certain emptiness — what philosopher Hannah Arendt termed ‘banality’. Staying on … Continue reading The tyranny of positivity →