tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14597059102725235922024-03-19T10:47:37.448+02:00Peripheral Visiona celebration of intellectual trespassing by a retired "social scientist" as he tries to make sense of the world..... nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.comBlogger1893125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-65497634013407892142024-03-18T09:33:00.014+02:002024-03-18T09:36:26.347+02:00MEANINGS<p><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Last week </span></span></em><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I discovered </span></span></em><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">no fewer than 3 books I needed to add to </span></span></em><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZmTgTVZLtzQPe3NsAylf4Rh6NSdhHViJzpV"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;">Just Words? A sceptic’s glossary</span></span></span></span></a></em><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> – </span></span></em><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">with the hyperlinks, that adds a couple of thousand pages you can now access to the dictionary. The books are -</span></span></em></p>
<ul>
<li><pre class="western"><em><a href="http://text-translator.com/wp-content/filesfa/Dictionary-of-political-thoughts.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="background: transparent;">The Palgrave Dictionary of Political Thought</span></i></span></span></a></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"> </span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">by </span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">Roger Scruto</span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">n</span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"> </span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">(1982</span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"> </span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">3</span></span></span></span></span></em><em><sup><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">rd</span></span></span></span></span></sup></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"> </span></span></span></span></span></em></pre>
</li></ul><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">ed 2007</span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">) This may have been produced by a con</span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">s</span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">ervative thinker </span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">but the </span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">conservative tradition is an honourable one</span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> </span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">and the </span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">750 pages</span></b></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> seem to offer </span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">very fair and acceptable definitions</span></span></span></span></span></em><ul>
<li><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">I
had forgotten that</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">Ralston
Saul</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">had</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">
produced </span></span></span><a href="https://books.google.mk/books?id=Q2WN0VGG0G0C&printsec=copyright#v=onepage&q&f=false"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="background: transparent;">The
Doubter’s Companion</span></i></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">(1994)
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">which
he sub-titled ”a dictionary of aggressive common sense” </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">and
introduced thus</span></span></span></p></li></ul>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.98in;">
<span face="DejaVuSans, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>In
the humanist view</b>, the alphabet can be a tool for examining
society; the dictionary a series of questions, an enquiry into
meaning, a weapon against received wisdom and therefore against the
assumptions of established power. In other words, the dictionary
offers an organized Socratic approach.</i></span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.98in;">
<span face="DejaVuSans, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>The
rational method</b> is quite different. The dictionary is abruptly
transformed into a dispensary of truth; that is, into an instrument
which limits meaning by defining language. This bible becomes a tool
for controlling communications because it directs what people can
think. In other words, it becomes the voice of Platonic élitism.</i></span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.98in;">
<span face="DejaVuSans, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Humanism
versus definition. Balance versus structure. </i></span></span><i style="font-family: DejaVuSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Doubt
versus ideology. Language as a means of communication versus language
as a tool for advancing the interests of groups.</i></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">John
Ralston Saul’</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">s
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><a href="https://eddierockerz.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/voltaires-bastards-the-dictatorship-of-reason-in-the-west-pdfdrive-.pdf">Voltaire’s
Bastards – the dictatorship of reason in the west</a>” </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>(1992)
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">was
already there</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>
– with</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
its stunning portrait of</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Robert
McNamara first as a bean-counter whizz-kid at General Motors, then as
an infamous “body-counter” in the Vietnam War and finally as the
ruthless head of the World Bank who inflicted “Structural
Adjustments” on poor countries.</span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/leanlogicdiction0000flem"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="background: transparent;">Lean Logic – a dictionary for the future and how to survive it</span></i></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: transparent;">David </span></span></span></pre>
</li></ul><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Fleming 2016. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">A curious endeavour from an ecologist with </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">the <a href="https://leanlogic.online/list-of-entries/">full list here</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">and</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> random entries </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">available below</span></span><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"></span></b><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.98in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://leanlogic.online/glossary/anarchism/">https://leanlogic.online/glossary/anarchism/</a>
</span></span></span>
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.98in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://leanlogic.online/glossary/community/">https://leanlogic.online/glossary/community/</a>
</span></span></span>
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.98in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://leanlogic.online/glossary/lean-economics/">https://leanlogic.online/glossary/lean-economics/</a></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So
if definitions are your thing, click on….</span></span></span></em></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-37252750237490435242024-03-12T13:51:00.098+02:002024-03-17T13:41:56.718+02:00 CAN GOVERNMENTS THINK STRATEGICALLY?<p><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">T</span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">he <a href="https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/covid-inquiry-bereaved-families-for-justice-boris-johnson/">revelations from the official COVID inquiry</a> </span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">of</span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> the tensions between the various parts of the government machine </span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">have</span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">been the last straw for the public – which needed little persuasion</span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> that the UK government machine </span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">wa</span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">s not “fit for purpose” and require</span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">d</span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> a complete overhaul. Such </span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">indeed </span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> is the conclusion of no </span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">less than 2 reports which hit the press this week - </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-03/Centre-Commission-final-report.pdf"><span style="font-size: medium;">Power with Purpose – </span><span style="font-size: medium;">final </span></a></span></span><a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-03/Centre-Commission-final-report.pdf" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">report from the Commission on the Centre of Government</span></a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;">(</span><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Institute of Government </span></span></em><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;">2024</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;">): </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.civilservant.org.uk/library/2024-Greenway_&_Loosemore-The-Radical-How.pdf?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email">The Radical How</a> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;">(Nesta </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;">2024</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;">)</span></p><pre class="western" style="break-before: page; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I </span><span style="font-size: medium;">have mixed feelings about the <a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/">Institute of Government</a>. At one level, it clearly </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="break-before: page; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">produces useful reports but</span><span style="font-size: medium;">, </span><span style="font-size: medium;">at another, it so obviously consists of the “</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Great </b></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="break-before: page; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>and the Good” who consistently fall into the trap of groupthink. </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> Nesta </b></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="break-before: page; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>report</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> seems to reflect a more inclusive style of thinking. </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">As someone </span><span style="font-size: medium;">with</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="break-before: page; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">16 years of experience of </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>leading and implementing strategic change in a </b></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="break-before: page; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>huge government body</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> (admittedly </span><span style="font-size: medium;">f</span><span style="font-size: medium;">in</span><span style="font-size: medium;">ishing in</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">1990</span><span style="font-size: medium;">) </span><span style="font-size: medium;">this post</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> offer</span><span style="font-size: medium;">s</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> some </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="break-before: page; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">tentative </span><span style="font-size: medium;">thoughts on the challenges </span><span style="font-size: medium;">involved. More systematic thinking can </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="break-before: page; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">be found in the reading list below</span></span></span></pre>
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;">w</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: medium;">e may have been dealing with more than 2 million citizens but knew that </span><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">the </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"><b>people we needed to persuade numbered in the hundreds</b></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> – namely </span><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">the officials of such departments as Education, Police and Social Work, </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">but also community activists</span><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">As a first step, we simply signalled (in 1975) that dealing with the issue we defined as “multiple deprivation” was our first priority.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It took a year to come up with the first statement of th</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">at strategy </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">and a </span><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">further few years to test that and produce in 1982 a </span><u style="color: navy; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lcFRO0Bz90LOHN3bxOw2lnoZICyfEra7/view"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Social Strategy for the Eighties</span></span></a> </u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: large;">which was further tweaked in 1988 dues to the changed political conditions </span><br />
<pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZMgl50Z7Qdiit1CkNJ8tCyT37y11BWTlI1X">Some Dilemmas of Social Reform</a> is a recent article in which I try to explain </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the process in more detail - </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i>Rosabeth </i></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i><b>Kanter</b></i></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i> is one of the most famous management </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i>writers and</i></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i><b> </b></i></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">offered, a few </span></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i><span>decades ago,</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i><b> 10 Commandments for implementing Change<a class="sdfootnoteanc" href="#sdfootnote1sym" name="sdfootnote1anc"><sup>1</sup></a> - </b></i></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i>start</i></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i>ing</i></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i> with the need </i></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i>for analysis and, </i></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><i>more specifically,</i></span></pre>
<i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Create a shared vision and common direction</i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Separate from the past</i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Create a Sense of Urgency</i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Support a Strong Leader</i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Line up Political Support </i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Craft an Implementation Plan</i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Develop Enabling Structures</i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Communicate, Involve People and be Honest</i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Reinforce and Institutionalise the Change</i></div><div><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><br /></i></div><div><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">I used this checklist as a retrospective test of my own experience, over a </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">15 year period, of developing and applying a strategy for the West of Scotland -</i><ul>
<li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The shocking </i></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=3iR8HKYnBNgC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>1973 “Born to Fail?”</i></span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> report identified the West of Scotland as a </i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">UK </i></pre></li></ul><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">leader in “multiple deprivation” and a few of us – instead of acting defensively </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">- saw </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">this as an opportunity to ensure that the Region, set up in 1974, recognised </i></pre><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>this need as its basic priority - </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i><b>and it certainly did establish and sustain a </b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i><b>shared vision</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>.</i></span></span><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><pre class="western">“<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Separating from the past” was easy at one level since the Region was </i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">starting from </i></pre></li></ul><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">scratch but enormously difficult at another since it was an </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">amalgamation of six </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">large powerful bodies – each with its distinctive style – </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">let alone the strength of </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">the professional cultures to be found in departments </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">such as Education, Police, </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">Water, Fire and Social Work</i></pre><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>That indeed had created a lot of potential enemies for the new Region – </i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">its very </i></pre></li></ul><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">scale made it difficult to defend and its power left a bitter taste in </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">the mouths </i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">of the politicians and officials working in the lower tier of </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">local government. </i><br /><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><b>There was an urgency in the Region having to prove itself </b></i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">– which gave us t<i style="font-size: 13pt;">he incentive to do things differently.</i><br /></i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">For the first 4 years, leadership was shared by 2 very different characters – a community minister being the public persona and a miner being the behind-the- scenes deal-maker. It allowed a rare combination of practicality and idealism to flow in the wider leadership</i><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And community activists were brought into that</i></span></span></pre>
</li><li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>With the implementation plan taking several years to evolve</i></span></span></pre>
</li><li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>and appropriate enabling structures – at both political, administrative and </i></span></span></pre>
</li></ul><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>community levels </i></span></span></pre><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Communication was intense and continuous – as you would expect of a </i></span></span></pre>
</li></ul><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>democratic system</i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><ul style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; white-space: normal;"><li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And appropriate structures reinforced and institutionalised the changes</i></span></span></pre></li></ul></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">Whether by luck or by design, </span><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">the Region got it about right</b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">. Our management of </span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">the strategy may not have met everyone’s standards but least we were spared </span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">Gordon Brown’s infamous target-setting! </span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">And here's <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/mar/17/britain-doesnt-need-reform-it-just-needs-to-rejoin-the-eu ">one guy who disputes the Institute for Government analysis</a> </span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 15pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Recommended Reading</b></span></span></span></em></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=EjQzxQw5HLIC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false">How Institutions Think</a> Mary Douglas </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">1986 </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Although an anthropologist, Douglas uses the </span></em></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">latest thinking on institutional theory to offer a very distinctive and unique presentation</span></em></span></span>
<em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/strategy-a-history-first-oxford-university-press-paperback-edition-9780199325153-0199325154-9780190229238-0190229233.h">Strategy – a history</a> Lawrence Freedman </span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">2009 </span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">A very accessible read by a military historian </span></span></span></em></pre><pre class="western"><em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">which does justice to both top-down and bottoms-up approaches</span></span></span></em>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/artofpublicstrat0000mulg">The Art of Public Strategy</a> <em><span style="font-style: normal;">Geoff Mulgan 2009 </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">From someone who has experienced </span></em></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">both the theory and the practice.</span></em></span></span>
</pre><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>There is no single formula for organizing strategy in public organizations. </i></span></span></span><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 12pt;">It </i><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 12pt;">can be </i></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 12pt;">led by specialized strategy teams and units, task forces and </i><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 12pt;">commissions; it can grow </i></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 12pt;">out of the discussions and collaborations of </i><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 12pt;">networks that cut across departments; </i></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 12pt;">it can have its roots in </i><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 12pt;">political parties, or in the civil service. It can be open and</i></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>inclusive, tapping into the collective intelligence of a society, or it can be closed and </i></span></span></span></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>tightly controlled. </i></span></span></span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #231f20;">But </span></i><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #231f20;">all successful governments have created spaces for thought, </span></i></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #231f20;">learning, </span></i><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #231f20;">and reflection to resist the tyranny of the immediate, and any</span></i></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="color: #231f20;">government or public agency that takes its responsibilities seriously
needs structures and processes to do these things. Otherwise the
competing forces that can be found within government, including party
tacticians, media and public relations experts, cynics, and
time-servers, are even more likely to sacrifice the future for the
present. The costs of strategy need not be high, but the </span><em><span style="color: #231f20;">benefits
can be, focusing energieswhere theymatter, and refreshing governments
</span></em><em><span style="color: #231f20;">that otherwise go stale.</span></em></i></span></span></p><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/leading-public-sector-innovation-co-creating-for-a-better-society-1nbsped-9781847426338-1847426336.html">Leading Public Sector Innovation</a> Bason 2010 A Danish take</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmpubadm/1625/1625.pdf">Strategic Thinking in Government</a> Vol I HMSO 2012 A UK Parliament Select Committee </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">report</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmpubadm/1625/1625vw.pdf">Strategic thinking in Government</a> (Vol II 2012) some written evidence to the Committee</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmpubadm/573/573.pdf">UK govt response</a> </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260801819_The_Blunders_of_Our_Governments_by_Anthony_King_and_Ivor_Crewe_London_Oneworld_2013_470_pp_2500_clothLeading%20Public%20Design"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Matt Flinders ‘ review of “</span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">The Blunders of our Government”</span></em></a><em><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">A superb take-down of an </span></em></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">over-ambitious book</span></em></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/leading-public-design-discovering-human-centred-governance-9781447325598.html">Leading Public Design</a> Bason 2017 </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">The Dane’s further thoughts</span></em></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/strategies-for-governing-reinventing-public-administration-for-a-dangerous-century-9781501745607.html"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Strategies </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">for</span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;"> Govern</span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">ing – retinventing public admin for a dangerous century</span></em></a><em><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></em></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Al</span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">asdair</span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;"> Roberts </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">2019 </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">A canadian political scientist rethinks PA</span></em></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=Rm5YEAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false"><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Why Governments get it wrong; </span></span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">and how they can get it right</span></span></em></a><em><span style="font-style: normal;"> Dennis Grube 2022</span></em></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">An Australian public servant now a Cambridge academic </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">takes on the subject </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">with an unusual if not flippant book</span></em></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://covid19.public-inquiry.uk/">https://covid19.public-inquiry.uk/</a> </span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></em></span></span></pre></span></span></pre><div id="sdfootnote1">
</div></div>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-6192439194442094922024-03-08T13:22:00.012+02:002024-03-08T13:27:26.743+02:00WORLDVIEWS<p><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><em>T</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><em>o
make sense of the world, </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><em>w</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><em>e
</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><em>all
</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><em>create</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><em>
patterns of meaning.</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><em>In my youth it was a t</em></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>ripartite
division </b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">–
conservatives, socialists and liberals. Not for me the Manichean
approach of left/right </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">or
insider/outsider</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
-</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">t</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">here
was always a third way. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It
was only in 2000, however, that I became aware of the </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>four
dimensions of grid-group theory </b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">which
anthropologist Mary Douglas introduced - consisting of four very
different “world views” (what she calls </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>hierarchist,
egalitarian, individualist and fatalist</b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">)
which came to be known as</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
“</span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261965370_Editor%27s_Introduction_Cultural_Theory%27s_Contributions_to_Political_Science"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Cultural
Theory</span></span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">”.
I cam</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">e
across Mary Douglas’ theory thanks to public admin theorist Chris
Hood’s “</span></span></span></span><a href="https://id.b-ok2.org/book/1162480/1e0fd5"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The
Art of the State</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">”
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">(2000)</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Another
approach was that o</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">f
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2021/05/ronnie-lessem.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">cultural
values</span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>
</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">–
the </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">work
of people such as de Hofstede; Ronald </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.iffs.se/media/1931/wvs-brochure-web.pdf"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Inglehart</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">;
Frans </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/ey-riding-the-waves-of-culture/$FILE/ey-riding-the-waves-of-culture.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Trompenaars;</span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Richard
Lewis (of </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.utntyh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/When-Cultures-Collide.pdf">When
Cultures Collide</a> </span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">fame)
and </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-geography-of-thinking.html"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Richard
Nesbitt</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
a body of writing which emphasises the </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>distinctiveness
</b></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">of
national </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>values
</b></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>m</b></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ost
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inglehart%E2%80%93Welzel_cultural_map_of_the_world#/media/File:Inglehart-Welzel_2015.jpg"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">graphically
illustrated in the Inglehart cultural map of the world</span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
best explained </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.iffs.se/media/1931/wvs-brochure-web.pdf"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">in
this brochure</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">M</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">ultinational
companies w</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">ere
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">fund</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">ing</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
a lot of this work as they tried to understand how they could weld
different nationalities into coherent and effective teams. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Other
c</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">ompanies
had </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">also
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">been
funding </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">a
lot of </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">this
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">work
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">to
try to get into the minds of their consumers - but international
charities suddenly realised a decade or so ago could also be used to
prise money out of all of us for </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">their
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">more
altruistic purposes (see below) – a politicisation of which </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fny99f8amM&ab_channel=crisalist">Adam
Curtis' documentaries have made us much more aware</a></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Those
were the days when a body of literature called “</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www-siepr.stanford.edu/workp/swp00011.pdf">path
dependency</a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">”
was raising important questions about how “sticky” cultural
values were…viz how difficult national behavioural traits are to
change. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">And,
just the other day, I discovered Betti’s argument that there were
actually twelve ways of seeing the world (see list below)</span></p>
<p style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">P</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">sychologists,
sociologists, political scientists and anthropologists have
approached th</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">is</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
question of </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">perceptions
and </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">values
completely separately and at different times - making few attempts to
engage one another in discussion It's such a critical issue that</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>
it's time they reached out to one another - </b></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>and
made the connection with the developing literature on world views</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Recommended
Reading</b></span></span></span></p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BOOKS</b></span></span></span></p>
<pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/id/2cafe6b9-b7d5-40b4-a3c7-24a030d0ee82/1005935.pdf"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #ff1900;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">Management development through cultural diversity</span></u></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Ronnie Lessem (1995) </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lessem is a south african who uses the four lens of the compass to show how the </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">environment governs our ways of thinking.</span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.utntyh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/When-Cultures-Collide.pdf"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When Cultures Collide – leading across cultures</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">; Richard Lewis (1996) The book </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt;">which introduced us to the field – and gave us marvellous vignettes of the strange </span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt;">habits of almost all countries of the world</span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://spiraldynamicsintegral.nl/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/McDonald-Ian-Introduction-to-Spiral-Dynamics-1007.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Spiral Dynamics – mastering values, leadership, change</span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">; Don Beck and Chris Cowan</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US">(</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US">1996</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US">)</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US">with </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US">crucial explorations of the very different levels of explanation needed </span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US">for discussions of behaviour and the values which underpin it.</span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.academia.edu/6693076/Riding_The_Waves_Of_Culture_by_Trompenaars?auto=download"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Riding the Waves of Culture – understanding cultural diversity in business</span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Frans </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner (1997) the Dutchman who took on de </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Hofstede’s mantle</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"> “</span></span></span><a href="https://id.b-ok2.org/book/1162480/1e0fd5"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The Art of the State</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">” </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Chris Hood (2000) uses Mary Douglas’ grid-group typology </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">brilliantly to help us understand the strengths, weaknesses and risks of these </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">various world views.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>- </em></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/100/19/11163.full.pdf"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>The Geography of Thought – how westerners and asians think differently and why</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>; </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>Richard Nesbitt (2003) An American social psychologist gives a thought-provoking book</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- “</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/49334/4/02whole.pdf"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Way of life theory – the underlying structure of world views, social relations and lifestyles</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">” </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">– a rather disjointed </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and abstract </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">dissertation by Michael Edward Pepperday (2009) </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US">an </span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/49334/5/01front.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">introduction</span></span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US">t</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-US">o which is here</span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>- </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><em><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304820733_ConsumerShift_How_Changing_Values_Are_Reshaping_the_Consumer_Landscape"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Consumer Shift - how changing values are reshaping the consumer landscape</span></span></a></em><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em> </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>(2011) </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>actually much more about values and world views than it is about consumers….</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>-</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>Th</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.jeremylent.com/uploads/1/7/3/7/17375669/patterning_instinct_introduction.pdf"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>e Patterning Instinct</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>; Jeremy Lent (2017) </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>how worldviews develop and can change </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>history </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span><a href="https://2lib.org/book/3594497/3563ba"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Cultural Evolution – people’s motivations are changing, and reshaping the world</span></a><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">;</span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Ronald Inglehart (2018) a political scientist </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">who</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> has been at the heart of discussion </span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">about cultural values for the past 50 years – and the book and </span></span></span></span><a href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/polisci-assets/Docs/Inglehart%20Articles/Modernization%20%26%20Cultural%20Change.pdf"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">this article summar</span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ise</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">d</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">that work.</span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/twelve-ways-of-seeing-the-world-9781912480227-9781912480128.html">Twelve Ways of Seeing the World</a> M Betti (2019 Eng – original German 2001) </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">a </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">curious book based on the work of Rudolf Steiner</span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.jeremylent.com/uploads/1/7/3/7/17375669/the_web_of_meaning_introduction.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Web of Meaning</span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">; Jeremy Lent (2021) an important follow up to his 2017 book</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/theories-of-international-relations-6nbsped-9781352012170-9781352012149-9781350932760-9781352012156.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Theories of International Relations</span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">e</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">d R Devetak and J True (6</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><sup><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></span></span></span></span></span></sup></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><sup><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></sup></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ed 2022)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/foundations-of-international-relations-1350932574-9781350932579.htm"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Foundations of International Relations</span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ed S McGlinchey et al 2022</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-battle-for-britain-crises-conflicts-and-the-conjuncture-9781529227703.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Battle for Britain – crises, conflicts and the conjunctures</span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">John Clarke 2023</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>ARTICLES</b></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1459705910272523592/4727348456628104862"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Wicked Problems and Clumsy Solutions</span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">; Keith Grint (2008) a short very useful article </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">by an academic</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1459705910272523592/4727348456628104862"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Common Cause – the case for working with our cultural values</span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(2010) </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a useful little manual for charities</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1459705910272523592/4727348456628104862"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Finding Frames – new ways to engage the UK public</span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(2010) ditto</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">-</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261965370_Editor's_Introduction_Cultural_Theory's_Contributions_to_Political_Science/link/00b4953bc626d37c36000000/download"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">A Cultural Theory of Politics</span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">” </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(2011) a short article which shows how the </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">grid-group approach has been used in a range of disciplines</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267514061_Grid_Group_and_Grade"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Grid, group and grade – challenges in operationalising cultural theory for </span></a></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267514061_Grid_Group_and_Grade"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">cross-national research</span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(2014) </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>is a very academic article although its comparative </pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;">diagrams are instructive</pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.britainschoice.uk/"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Britain’s Choice – common ground and divisions in 2020s Britain</span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(More in Common</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> 2020) </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a detailed </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>picture of the british people and their values these days</pre>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-49177609002766764242024-03-07T15:34:00.019+02:002024-03-08T07:35:35.356+02:00 Reassessing one’s World View<p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Last
month I posted about a book which </span><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2024/02/changing-ones-mind.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">mapped
the painful process of someone changing a worldview </a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">which he had
held passionately and, with some serendipity, a post then arrived
from my favourite blogger, </span><a href="https://howtosavetheworld.ca/2024/03/04/why-do-we-want-to-know/" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Dave
Pollard which deserves reproduction</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> (at least partially)</span></p>
<pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b></b></i></span></span></pre><blockquote><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>My worldview</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> is a model of the world as I (want to believe I) ‘know’ it, and I am </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>seemingly compelled to try to make everything ‘fit’ into that model. And I change </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>it reluctantly. I don’t think I’m unusual in this. </i></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">In this as in many other aspects of </span></i></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">human behaviour,</span></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><b> I am </b></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><b><span style="background: transparent;"><em>conditioned </em></span></b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><b>to believe what I believe</b></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> — </span></i></span></span></span></span></span></pre>
<ul>
<li><pre class="western" style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>by my personal experiences, </i></span></span></span></pre>
</li><li><pre class="western"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">by what I’ve been taught by people I trust (or, at least, don’t </span></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>dis</em></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">trust), </span></i></span></span></span></span></span></pre>
</li><li><pre class="western" style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>by stories that I’ve been told</i></span></span></span></pre>
</li><li><pre class="western" style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>by the beliefs of others I know directly or have read or listened to. </i></span></span></span></pre>
</li></ul>
</blockquote><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><b>All of this conditioning is </b></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><em>filtered through </em></span></b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><b>my current worldview</b></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span>. And the </span></i></span></span></span></span></span><br /><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span>result — what gets through that filter — is what I purportedly ‘know’….</span></i><br /><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span>I used to believe, quite strongly, </span></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0066cc;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://howtosavetheworld.ca/2021/01/11/all-the-things-i-was-wrong-about/">a lot of things that I no longer believe</a></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span>. My </span></i></span></span></span></span></span><br /><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span>worldview has changed, often slowly-and-then-all-at-once, as I found my old </span></i><br /><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span>beliefs simply weren’t tenable. Most recently, I’ve come to understand, to my </span></i><br /><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span>chagrin, that my belief in my country’s (Canada’s) political independence from </span></i><br /><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span>the US Empire was naive. </span></i><br /><blockquote style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li><pre class="western"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span>I’ve come to acknowledge that that Empire has been systematically </span></i></span></span></span></span></span></pre></li></ul></ul><pre class="western"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"></blockquote></pre></blockquote><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>and intensively </i></span></span></span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0066cc;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_involvement_in_regime_change">destabilizing and immiserating the lives of most of </a></span></i></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0066cc;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_involvement_in_regime_change">the world’s citizens</a></span></i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>, if they are unfortunate enough to live in countries </i></span></span></span></span><br /><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">that aren’t subservient to the Empire’s ideology, and have been doing so </i><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><em>for my entire life</em></span></i><br /><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><pre class="western"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote></pre><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span><span>I’ve come to realize that my belief that the PMC are, if ideologically </span></span></span></span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">bent, </span></span></span></i></span><i style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">nevertheless relatively informed about the world, open-minded, and </span></span></span></i><i style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">inclined to seek collaboration and compromise to solve problems, was </span></span></span></i><i style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">completely mistaken. </span></span></span></i></li></ul></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">I’ve come to appreciate that our newspapers and other media are not at </span></span></span></i><i style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">all committed to seeking and telling the objective truth. </span></span></span></i></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
</blockquote><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span>I suspect that, for many people, realizations that totally undermine one’s worldview </span></i><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span>and belief system would be gut-wrenching. But I’m preoccupied with knowing </span></i></span></span></span></span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; padding: 0in;"><em><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Why?</span></span></i></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></em></span><br /><blockquote style="text-align: left;">
<i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;">Why did my own conditioning lead me to so completely misunderstand what has</i><br /></blockquote><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i> been </i></span></span></span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">going on? </i><br /><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span><span>Why - when there have been such astonishing opportunities for global peace, </span></span></span></span></i><br /></blockquote><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">for </span></span></i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">redistribution of wealth, for solving the centuries-old problems of poverty and </span></span></i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">disease, for collaboratively tackling the horrific predicaments that are collapsing </span></span></i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">our civilization - has our conditioning instead led us to opt for preparations for an </span></span></i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">un-winnable, global, Empire-vs-Rest-of-the-World war? What madness has gripped </span></span></i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">our long-suffering species?</span></span></i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"></span></span></i><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 0.98in; text-indent: -0.25in;"></pre><p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">More
people seem to be talking these days about ”worldviews” (I’m
not sure if its one word or two) – so I’m going to develop this
theme in the next few posts, </span></span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-15778914437665056442024-02-29T15:10:00.011+02:002024-03-01T08:02:53.155+02:00 Is there a Scottish model of policy-making?<p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Scottish
government will celebrate 25 years of renewed existence on 12 May
this year. Originally conceived (by a Labour government) with a
</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">proportional representation</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> voting system aș a rebuke to the
much-maligned </span><a href="https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/106261/1/Government_and_Opposition_Westminster_model_Accepted_Version.pdf" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">bipolar
Westminster system</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">, it started with a Lab-Lib Coalition but
became, first in 2007, a Scottish Nationalist minority government
which went on to win, in 2011, a majority of the parliamentary seats.
In 2015 it reduced the Labour party to a single seat although the
last Scottish elections (in 2021) produced a 63/31/24 split for
SNP/Cons/Labour</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">After
25 years, it’s reasonable to ask </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: transparent;">what
impact the new system has made</span></b></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">
– whether on the Scottish public as a whole or on the “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chattering_classes">chattering
classes</a>”. It wasn’t as easy to get data on this as I had
imagined but <a href="https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/research-and-analysis/2022/10/scottish-social-attitudes-2021-22/documents/scottish-social-attitudes-2021-22/scottish-social-attitudes-2021-22/govscot%3Adocument/scottish-social-attitudes-2021-22.pdf">the
survey conducted in 2021/22 suggested that two thirds of citizens</a>
thought that the Assembly gave the ordinary person more say in how
Sotland was governed (as distinct from 5% who thought “less”). </span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span></span>
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">The
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: transparent;">chattering
class</span></b></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">
is a derogatory term applied to </span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">journalists,
academics, public intellectuals and politicians</span></span></i></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">
who </span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">try
to </span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">engage
us in discussion of ideas. And it is here that </span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: transparent;">Scotland
seems remarkably weak</span></b></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">.
</span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span></span>
</p>
<ul>
<li><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">The
powerful weekly <a href="https://electricscotland.com/history/scottish_review.htm">Scottish
Review</a> stopped publishing 4 months ago. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span>
</p>
</li><li><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">T</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">he
</span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">l</span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">ast
edition,of the<a href="https://www.scottishreviewofbooks.org/">
Scottish Review of Books was more than 4 years ago</a>. </span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span></span>
</p>
</li><li><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Although
<a href="https://scottishleftreview.scot/">Scottish Left Review</a>
is still going strong</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span></p></li><li><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><em style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><a href="https://sceptical.scot/">Sceptical
Scot</a> momentarily stopped appearing but has now resumed welcome
service</span></span></span></span></span></em></p></li><li><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><em style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">With
the recent death of <a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2023/01/tom-nairn-part-iii.html">Tom
Nairn</a>, the country has but a single public intellectual – the
inestimable Gerry Hassan who used to write in Scottish Review</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">but
whose writing is now difficult to find – apart from <a href="https://gerryhassan.com/">on
his blog</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></p></li><li><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">The
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">other</span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"> worthwhile blog is <a href="https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/">Bella
Caledonia</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span></span></p></li></ul>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Thank
god therefore for Paul Cairney who, for the past decade and more, has
been Professor of Public Policy at the University of Stirling – </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">but
also</span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">
<a href="https://paulcairney.wordpress.com/">a prolific blogger</a>
and <a href="https://paulcairney.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/paul-cairney-full-cv-feb-2024-weblinks.pdf">author</a>. </span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">Not</span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span></span><em style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"> surprisingly, he has been an adviser to both the Scottish government
and parliament with a recent paper posing the question </span></span></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/finance-and-public-administration-committee/decisionmaking_committeeadviserresearch_9mar23.pdf">What
is Effective Government?</a> </span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">as
part of a <a href="https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-finance-and-public-administration-committee/business-items/inquiry-into-public-administration-effective-scottish-government-decision-making">wider
process of inquiry being undertaken by the Parliament</a> – </span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">which
has </span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">produc</span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">ed</span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
t<a href="https://sp-bpr-en-prod-cdnep.azureedge.net/published/FPA/2023/7/3/f8fd92f0-dd28-42aa-b379-3c68f3d33249/FPA062023R6.pdf">his
report</a>. </span></span></span></span></em></span><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">And
he has just presented <a href="https://covid19.public-inquiry.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/18182215/INQ000274154.pdf">this
1</a></span></em><a href="https://covid19.public-inquiry.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/18182215/INQ000274154.pdf" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">4</span></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">0
page evidence to the Scottish end</span></em></a><em style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
of the UK official inquiry into Covid</span></em></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">The</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">Scottish
approach to politics is too often romanticised as not just democratic
but social democratic whereas the statistics for its civil society
activity and polling simply don’t bear that out. The country is
rather </span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: transparent;">petit
bourgeois </span></b></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">–
</span></span></span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">I’m
having difficulty with my internet speed at the moment and therefore
can’t give a link for that assertion. Ditto the other links I would
have wanted to insert. </span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span></span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">So,
for the moment, let me rest on this statement <a href="https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/37526/3/Elliott%20-%20The%20Implementation%20of%20a%20Strategic%20State%20in%20a%20Small%20Country%20Setting%20AAM.pdf">about
the “</a></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/37526/3/Elliott%20-%20The%20Implementation%20of%20a%20Strategic%20State%20in%20a%20Small%20Country%20Setting%20AAM.pdf"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">the
scottish model”</span></em></a>
and this article of Paul
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Cairney’s
“</span></span></span></span></em><a href="https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=ddcbcdd43fe3133bf35245ea4c62c6c686aa671c"><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Public
Administration</span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
in an age of austerity</span></span></span></span></em></a></span><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">”
</span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">from</span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
2012</span></span></span></span></em></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>
</em></span></span></span></span></span><br />
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Further
Reading</b></span></em></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.academia.edu/43551635/The_Case_for_Scottish_Independence_A_History_of_Nationalist_Political_Thought_in_Modern_Scotland">The
Case for Scottish Independence – a history of nationalist political
thought in modern scotland</a> Ben Jackson 2020</span></span></em></span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-58111545069145107172024-02-27T13:15:00.006+02:002024-02-27T13:15:54.549+02:00 In Praise of the Short Book/extended essay<p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">15
years of serious blogging has created almost 2000 posts here – some
of which are</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> extended essays </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">to be grouped together, with some
editing and an introduction, to become</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> mini-books</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">. This is the
process in which I am currently engaged around the </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">topic of
populism</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> – sparked by a reading of </span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-populist-moment-the-left-after-the-great-recession-1804292486-9781804292488.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">The
Populist Moment – the Left after the great Recession</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> by Arthur
Borriello and Anton Jaeger (2023).</span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
post, however,</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">is
more by way of a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>tribute
to the format</b></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
of the extended essay or short book for which I’m beginning to
notice an admirable growing trend. ”</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Populist Moment”, for example, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">i</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">s
only 147 pages long and another Verso book (this time about the
Italian right) - </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/first-they-took-rome-how-the-populist-right-conquered-italy-9781786637642-9781786637635.html">First
They Took Rome</a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
- is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">just
</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">174
pages. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span lang="ro-RO">For
several years, I’ve been urging </span></span></span><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2020/12/why-we-need-shorter-non-fiction-books.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">authors
and publishers to exercise more self-discipline</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span lang="ro-RO">
– so this is indeed a welcome trend.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">But
the unannointed king of the contemporary extended essay is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Perry
Anderson</b></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">whose
</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v42/n24/perry-anderson/the-european-coup">extended
essays in the London Review of Books</a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
have become </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">the
stuff of legend. ”Highly readable but serious” is the best way to
describe </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">the</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
writing </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">of
this Marxist historian who has been based variously in the UK and the
US and is the subject of a </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Anderson">very
inadequate Wikipedia entry</a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://jacobin.com/2020/08/perry-anderson-marxist-historian">Jacobin
article does him more justice</a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
I tried to google for other prominent extended essayists but all I
got w</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ere</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
guidelines for writing extended essays for the Internațional
Baccalauriat!</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">George
Orwell and <a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2012/07/koestler.html">Arthur
Koestler</a> wrote extended essays but the only contemporary
exponent of the art I’ve come across is <a href="https://aurelien2022.substack.com/">Aurelien</a>
</span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"> </span>
</p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Some
recommended reading</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://jwsr.pitt.edu/ojs/jwsr/article/view/1052/1525">Contesting
the Global Order – the radical political economy of Perry Anderson
and Immanuel Wallerstein</a> </span><span style="font-size: small;">by
Gregory Williams (2020)</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://vdoc.pub/download/the-h-word-the-peripeteia-of-hegemony-4c9ilo7f38v0">The
H Word – the peripeteia of Hegemony</a> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Perry
Anderson </span><span style="font-size: small;">(2017) is </span><span style="font-size: small;">156
pages</span></span></span></span></p><p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #993300; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/pessimism-of-the-intellect-a-history-of-the-new-left-review-9780850365566-0850365562.html">Pessimism of the Intellect – history of the New Left Review</a> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="en-GB">Duncan Thompson (2007)</span></span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-68704609094427832592024-02-24T15:52:00.006+02:002024-02-25T07:47:50.081+02:00In Praise of the Essay/Book Review<p><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">I
have always been a fan of tables and matrices – </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">reducing</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">
ideas to the simple format of a 2x2 or 6x3 (or whatever) table. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">They</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">not
only relieve the text but </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">force
you to whittle text down to the bare essentials. Perhaps that’s why
I love these Central Asian and Russian miniatures so much. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">And
it might also explain <a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2012/10/essays-and-images.html">my
preference for </a></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2012/10/essays-and-images.html"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">ESSAYS</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">
as against books - for which I’m <a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2020/12/why-we-need-shorter-non-fiction-books.html">developing
increasing distaste</a>. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">London,
of course, from the 16</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><sup><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">th</span></span></span></sup></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">
to the 19</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><sup><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">th</span></span></span></sup></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">
centuries, was home to the great Englosh essayists - </span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://pressbooks.pub/earlybritishlit/chapter/francis-bacon-essays/#:~:text=Francis%20Bacon%20had%20a%20passion,released%20in%201612%20and%201625"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">F</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">rancis
Bacon</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">.
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">(1</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">561-1626</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: comic sans ms;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="en-US">);
J</span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Addison"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">oseph
Addison</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">
</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">(</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">1672-1719</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">)
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hazlitt">William
Hazlitt</a></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">(</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">1778-1830</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">)
and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lamb">Charles Lamb</a></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lamb"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">
</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">(</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">1775-
1834</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">)</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But, these days, I am more interested în the political essayists – two of </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">whom I would like to draw to me readers’ attention, a Brit and a German</span></span>
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">William Davies is one of my favourite political scientists </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">with <a href="https://williamdavies.blog/">several books </a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><a href="https://williamdavies.blog/">to his credit</a>. He’s just penned a review of two important<a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2024/01/2010s-revolutionaries?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=emai"> books about the </a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2024/01/2010s-revolutionaries?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=emai">apparent decline of the left</a> and some of his <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/author/william-davies">other essays can be found here</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="background: transparent;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/this-is-not-normal-the-collapse-of-liberal-britain-9781839761010.html">This is not normal – the collapse of Liberal Britain</a> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="background: transparent;">is a collection of his </span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="background: transparent;">essays which appeared in 2020.</span></span></span></span></span>
<em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Wolfgang Streeck </span></span></span></em><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">is</span><span> a <a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2019/01/how-will-it-all-end.html">German sociologist who</a></span></span></span><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2019/01/how-will-it-all-end.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>se writing has been celebrated </span></span></span></a></pre><pre class="western"><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2019/01/how-will-it-all-end.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>several times</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> on this blog. But I have failed to mention the essays he gave us </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">in </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/critical-encounters-capitalism-democracy-ideas-9781788738743.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Critical Encounters – </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>capitalism, democracy, ideas</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>(</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>2020</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>) </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>which reviews </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>books by the likes of </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mark Blyth, Perry Anderson, Quinn Slobodian, Yanis </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Varoufakis, </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jurgen Habermas</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Peter Mair. </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s</span></span>
</pre><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: DejaVuSans, serif;">...
a collection of essays on political economy, stimulated by reading
books for review. It is also a </span><span style="font-family: DejaVuSans, serif;">c</span><span style="font-family: DejaVuSans, serif;">elebration
of the book as a medium of communication among scholars and with a
wider public.... </span></i></span>
</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: DejaVuSans, serif;">Different
book reviews by the same author, as collected in this volume, are
only loosely connected: by accident of personal acquaintance, of time
believed to be free, or of the reviewer’s sense of adventure.</span></i></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: DejaVuSans, serif;">How
to review a book that is worthy of being reviewed? For me it requires
deep reading, beginning usually with the last chapter, then the
introduction, then several expeditions into the interior. This takes
time. During reading sessions, I highlight what I find remarkable and
sketch my own emerging views in the margins, or on the last pages
where the publisher advertises other, often related, books. When I </span><span style="font-family: DejaVuSans, serif;">am
finished with a book, it looks a little deranged. Having let it sit
for a while in this condition, I return to it and read my </span><span style="font-family: DejaVuSans, serif;">notes.
Where they yield a pattern, for example by repeating themselves, is
where the reading has left an impact. Then I begin writing. </span></i></span><i style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: DejaVuSans, serif;">Writing
book reviews means taking the book seriously as a vehicle of
scholarly communication; or, as in my case, even extolling it. In the
social sciences, journal articles have come to predominate, which I
find deplorable.</span></i></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On
th</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">e</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
logic </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">of
minimalism, </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
should be a fan of poetry </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">but
draw the line at Brecht, Burns, Eliot and Mitchell (Adrian)</span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-4152749998662617852024-02-21T11:36:00.014+02:002024-02-21T11:38:23.777+02:00 The Importance of Good Questions<p> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Rachel
Donald is a climate change activist and podcaster/blogger who invited
her subscribers over the New Year period </span><a href="https://www.planetcritical.com/p/keep-trying-in-2024-rachel-donald" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">to
send her questions</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> – with some impressive
results, grouping them into a dozen - viz</span></p>
<pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Is there a picture building in your head which brings together and synthesises these </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">threads, or could start a conversation to do just that?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- What political ideology would you say you closest identify with?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- How can we quickly change the way everyone on the planet understands and engages </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">with the causes and effects of climate change, so that we can have more concerted and </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">faster progress to prepare for it's effects and stop it from becoming worse?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Truly deeply madly, what do you, (you personally) - based on all the knowledge you have </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">acquired through your interviews - think this world will look like in 2100?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- What role do you see for religious innovation/improvisation in our civilisations ongoing </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">& unavoidable decline?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- People talk of the gut/brain axis, and the heart/brain axis. When you were moving </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">towards Planet: Critical, what was your road between your gut, your heart, and your mind?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- How has what you have learned from Planet Critical changed you? Your mindset, priorities </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">and how you live?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Can climate action happen without the government?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Do you think mainstream centrist politics will ever come round to the idea of degrowth </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">or the steady-state economy?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Can women save the world?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- What helps you stay steadfast and optimistic in the face of so much knowledge of how </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">deeply tragic our situation is?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Members of Novara Media say it is very important to them that they work in a team with </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">editors. You seem to be all alone. How do you manage?</span></span></pre><p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">G</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">ood
questions are a spur to creative thinking....they take us out of the
groove </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">in which we so often find ourselves</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">.
</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">At the start of the new millennium I had a
3 year Civil Service project in Uzbekistan which involved training
their</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"> civil servants.</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">
I </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">used to</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"> start
each session by inviting the participants to pose questions about the
subject of the "lecture" which </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">I
would use to give off-the-cuff responses</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">. I
then wrote the </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">presentation</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">
up afterwards in the light of what </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">I had
found myself saying in </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">these </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">exchanges
with the “students”. </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">The results were
quite fascinating – at least for me!</span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">One
of the books I admit to dipping into from time to time is Ryan
Holiday’s <a href="https://ia902308.us.archive.org/1/items/the-daily-stoic-366-meditations-on-wisdom-perseverance-and-the-art-of-living-pdfdrive.com/The-Daily-Stoic_-366-Meditations-on-Wisdom-Perseverance-and-the-Art-of-Living-PDFDrive.com-.pdf">The
Daily Stoic</a> which poses, for each day of the calendar, such
questions of ourselves. And it’s a <a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2014/06/good-questions.html">discipline
I recommend to others</a>. Indeed I recently wondered <a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2022/06/why-dont-we-ask-more-interesting.html">why
we don’t ask ourselves more interesting questions</a></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">The
great practitioners of asking great questions were, of course, Italian journalist
<a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2006/12/hitchens200612">Oriana
Fallaci</a> and Irish psychiatrist <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-psychiatrists-chair/id868014792">Anthony
Clare</a> whose interviews can actually still be heard on this BBC
podcast.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">There
are, of course, others who have gained reputations for interviewing
such as <a href="https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v36/n11/jenny-turner/utterly-in-awe">Lynn
Barber</a> (otherwise known as Demon Barber) one of whose <a href="https://www.jgballard.ca/media/1987_sunday_express.html">efforts
(on JG Ballard) can be read here</a></span></span></span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-883683728814855352024-02-16T14:51:00.002+02:002024-02-16T14:51:37.627+02:00Changing One's Mind<p> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="ro-RO">I
have been totally blown over by </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="ro-RO">Dougald
Hine’</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="ro-RO">s
</span></span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/at-work-in-the-ruins-finding-our-place-in-the-time-of-science-climate-change-pandemics-and-all-the-other-emergencies-9781645021858-2022055729-2022055730-9781645021841-1645021858.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">At
Work in the Ruins</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> (2023) </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">which
I read as the most profound exploration of </span><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">our world views</b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> -
and of how the combination of his experience of</span></p>
<ul>
<li><p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">climate
activism </span></span></span>
</p>
</li></ul>
<ul>
<li><p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">changing
his domicile to Sweden a few years before Covid struck</span></span></span></p></li></ul>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">caused
him <b>to question those world views</b>. And to pose more profound challenges than simply those of global warming. The book digs deep into the ways we try to make sense of the world - a subject which <a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZ0wrrVZeErGP5xUee7dci9cCoIJtbaHL5y7">I dealt with not so long ago</a>. Here's how Hine describes it -</span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<em>“</em><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>Two
paths lead from here: one big, one small. </em></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><b><span style="background: transparent;"><em>The
big path</em></span></b></i></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>
is a brightly-</em></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>lit
highway on which many lanes converge. It unites elements of left and
right, from Silicon Valley visionaries and Wall Street investors,
through a broad swathe of liberal opinion, to the wilder fringes of
Fully Automated Luxury Communism, and in some form it will constitute
the political orthodoxy of the 2020s. It sets out to limit the damage
of climate change through large-scale efforts of management, control,
surveillance and innovation, oriented to sustaining a version of
existing trajectories of technological progress, economic growth and
development.</i></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>The
small path</b> is a trail that branches off into many paths. It is
made by those who seek to build resilience closer to the ground,
nurturing capacities and relationships, oriented to a future in which
existing trajectories of technological progress, economic growth and
development will not be sustained, but where the possibility of a
‘world worth living for’ nonetheless remains. Humble as it looks,
as your eyes adjust, you may recognise just how many feet have walked
this way and how many continue to do so, even now.</i></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Which
of these paths I would have us take is clear enough. <b>The big path
is a fast track to nowhere.</b> We will not arrive at the world of
fossil-free jumbo jets promised by the airport adverts. The
entitlements of late modernity are not compatible with the realities
of life on a finite planet and they do not even make us happy. But we
may well follow that path for a while longer, as it leads us deeper
into dystopia and leaves us more dependent on fragile technological
systems that few of us understand or can imagine living without. </i></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And
what I think I can see now is that the <b>very language of climate
change will be owned, from here on out, by the engineers and
marketeers of the big path.</b> Any conversation about the trouble we
are in, so long as it starts within the newly politicised frame of
<span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">science,
will lead inexorably to their solutions.</span></span></span></span></i></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">However
far it may be </span></span></span></span>from our political roots,
we find that w<b>e have more in common</b> with assorted
conservatives, dissidents and sceptics – including some whose
scepticism extends to climate science – <b>than with the mainstream
progressive </b>currents that have so far had a claim to be on the
right side of history when it comes to climate change. Under the
authority of ‘the science’, <b>talk of climate change will belong
to the advocates of the big path</b>, and those of us who do not wish
to contribute to that future will need to find another place to start
from when we want to talk about the depth of the trouble the world is
undoubtedly in.</i><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">”
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(pp34/35)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Along
the way the author meets other travellers who also challenge the
conventional wisdom – people like my compatriot <a href="https://archive.org/details/soilsoulpeopleve0000mcin">Alastair
McIntosh</a> and others such as </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.academia.edu/54097541/Hospicing_Modernity_Facing_humamitys_wrongs_and_the_implications_for_social_activism">VM
de Oliveira</a> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(“Hospicing
Modernity”)</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://vdoc.pub/download/new-dark-age-technology-and-the-end-of-the-future-5vqvrq99jnj0">James
Bridle</a> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(“New
Dark Age”) </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
<a href="https://harpers.org/archive/2022/06/permanent-pandemic-will-covid-controls-keep-controlling-us/">Justin
Smith</a>. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
book continues thus -</span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Th</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>e
path we are on now looks like a dead end and we are left to look for
other paths worth taking. The way we answer such a question can be
informed by science, but science alone cannot answer it for us
because we’re </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>not
dealing with the kind of question that can be answered definitively
through processes of observation, measurement and calculation</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>.
Rather, what we have is </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>a
question that calls for the exercise of judgement. </b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And
it cannot not be answered, since any response to climate change will
contain an implicit answer. If the question is not made explicit –
if the existence of upstream questions, these questions that take us
beyond the boundaries of what science can tell us about climate
change, is not recognised – then the default answer will be to
treat it as</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>
bad luck and pursue some combination of techno-fixes and lifestyle
adjustments.</b></i></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
trouble is, compared to the promise of science, the exercise of human
judgement looks terribly fragile and fallible. Indeed, from early in
the development of modern science, before it even got that name,
there have been those who hoped that scientific ways of seeing and
knowing the world could free us from dependence on the exercise of
judgement and the disputes to which it often leads. You can trace
this hope within the history of environmentalism and the climate
movements arising from it. Yet <b>to expect scientific knowledge to
take the place of the exercise of judgement is to ask too much of
science,</b> and those who have done so tend to end up disappointed,
as we shall see.</i></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>In
1987, the Brundtland Report had established </em></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>‘sustainable
development’ as the frame within which the international community
would talk about the planetary situation: a framing which yoked the
pursuit of ecological sustainability to the trajectory of economic
and technological development, without any proof that this pairing
could pull in the same direction. In hindsight, the five years
between its publication and the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 appear as a
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>high
tide of international concern and intergovernmental action around the
environment that remains unsurpassed to this day.</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>
This was also the moment at which the environmental movement drew
back from the terrain of culture and established a new relationship
with science. No longer was the scientific evidence a starting point
for a larger questioning of society or making political arguments;
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>now
the evidence itself was to</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>
make the case for change, to carry the weight and </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>do
the work of politics.</b></i></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This
turn is not hard to understand: in countries where Green politicians
had entered parliament, the demands of working within existing
institutions drove a certain kind of ‘realism’. Meanwhile, the
journey of David Icke from BBC sports presenter to Green Party
principal speaker to promoter of lizard-related conspiracy theories
offered a cautionary example of how the attempt to call your whole
culture into question could unravel. </i></span></span><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><em>pp59-60</em></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-78824756992761291612024-02-13T15:35:00.054+02:002024-02-14T13:18:38.759+02:00Some Politicians can – and do - make a Difference<p> <span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;">”<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 15pt;"><a href="https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/emancipations/">Emancipations</a>”
is a ”journal of critical social analysis” edited by Albena
Azmanova and James Chamberlain to both of whom I am grateful </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 15pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;">for
their acceptance of </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZMgl50Z7Qdiit1CkNJ8tCyT37y11BWTlI1X">Dilemmas
of Social Change</a> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">for
publication in a future issue. The article’s title may be a play on
the title of a famous book from 1967 </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=zSC_XV8MQVQC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=true">Dilemmas
of Social Reform</a> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">but
it really does spend a few pages spelling out the dilemmas some of us
faced aș we wrestled with developing, in the early-1980s, the UK’s
very first social strategy.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
article is an update on one I drafted last year ,choosing to ask at
both its start and end, the simple question of why it is now so
difficult to get politicians to give any sort of priority to the
”marginalised”. Instead they are stigmatised and hounded. This is
how the article starts -</span></span></span></span></p>
<pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;">There was a sense of shock when poverty appeared on the agenda in the 1960s – the </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;">US launched an official War against it - the UK, typically, was more restrained in its </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;">reaction </span></span></span>to such television portrayals as “Cathy Come Home” in 1966 and </pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;">the establishment of the Shelter campaign. After all, the 1945-51 </pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;">Labour government was supposed to have eradicated it. And it was to take </pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;">a couple of decades before it became an issue for the Europeans.</pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In looking at the circumstances which cr</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">eated the UK’s first “Social Strategy”, </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">th</span></span></span><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">is article </span></span></span><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">asks the </span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>larger question of why politicians are so </b></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>reluctant </b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>to take action</b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> against the </span></span></span></span>scourge of poverty. Is it simply public </pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;">indifference – or do the roots lie deeper in various myths <span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">and </span></span></span></span><a href="https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=3cb9c1e12024deb302ebf811cedf5fbf806951e9" target="_blank"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">rationalisations </span></span></a></pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;"><a href="https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=3cb9c1e12024deb302ebf811cedf5fbf806951e9" target="_blank"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">as argued by Daniel</span></span></a> <a href="https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=3cb9c1e12024deb302ebf811cedf5fbf806951e9" target="_blank"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #196ad4;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><u>Dorling</u></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> viz that </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">exclusion is necessary; prejudice </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.49in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; widows: 2;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">is </span></span></span>natural; greed is good and despair is inevitable. </pre><p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
had the good fortune to be in at the start of a great adventure in
1974 – the inauguration of a new system of Scottish local
government and, more specifically, the creation of Strathclyde Region
covering half of Scotland’s population. In May of that year I was
one of 74 newly-elected Councillors who assembled one Sunday to find
myself in a leadership position and able to help forge its priority
strategy relating to the scandal which had emerged the previous year
(in the</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
“</span></span><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=3iR8HKYnBNgC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Born
to Fail?</span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">”
report) a</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">bout
the conditions in which many people in the urban areas lived viz of
what we then knew as ”multiple deprivation” or a triple whammy of
insults – poor housing, poor health and unemployment.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My
luck extended even further – the Region had attracted the most
talented of officials and politicians who discovered new ways of
getting the best out of each other in something, for example, called
”Member-officer” groups and were also blessed by a serie of other
innovations from the Labour government of 1964-70, not least a new
planning regime and corporate management.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But,
equally, the Region’s very legitimacy was in question from the
start by virtue both of its size and the prospects of a Scottish
Assembly which were then being actively discussed - before being
settled by the 1979 devolution referendum. Arguably, however, this
was one of the factors which pushed us into commiting to the more
open and community-based style of policy-making which was our legacy. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">It was </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">just a</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"> few </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">politicians and officers </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">who </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">pushed those initiatives but we rarely felt any pushback </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">–</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"> whether from councillors, officials or the wider public. </span></p><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The behaviour of politicians </b><b>does not receive the attention it deserves in </b></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>political science. </b><b>Political psychology - despite Trump’s arrival – still seems </b></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>a marginalised subject.</b> </span></span>Here’s how the Oxford Handbook (see below) defines the subject - <pre class="western"></pre><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>Political psychology, at the most general level, is an application of what is
known about human psychology to the study of politics. It draws upon </i></span></span></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>theory </i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">and research on biopsychology, neuroscience, personality,</i></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>psychopathology, evolutionary psychology, social psychology,
developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and intergroup
relations. It addresses political elites—their personality,
motives, beliefs, and leadership styles, and their judgments,
decisions, and actions in domestic policy, foreign policy,
international confl ict, and confl ict resolution. It also deals with
the dynamics of mass political behavior: voting, collective action,
the influence of political communications, political socialization
and civic education, group-based political behavior, social justice,
and the political incorporation of immigrants.</i></span></span></p>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I remember the impact Leo Abse’s “<a href="https://www.iwa.wales/agenda/2023/08/revisiting-leo-abse-private-member-aneurin-bevan/">Private Member</a>” made on me when it </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">was published in 1973. It did a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/aug/21/labour.houseofcommons">Freudian dissection of the personalities</a> of </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">people such as Hugh Gaitskell and Harold Wilson in a way I had never seen </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">before – and, later, of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>These are the only books I feel able to recommend </b>on the subject </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-psychology-of-politics-1138551678-9781138551671-w-7596009.html">The Psychology of Politics</a> B Richards (2019) focuses too much on populism</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/how-statesmen-think-the-psychology-of-international-politics-0691175055-9780691175058.html"><span style="font-size: small;">How Statesmen Think – the psychology of international relations</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">R</span><span style="font-size: small;">obert </span><span style="font-size: small;">Jervis </span><span style="font-size: small;">(</span><span style="font-size: small;">2017</span><span style="font-size: small;">) </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">limits itself to foreign affairs</span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-oxford-handbook-of-political-psychology-2ndnbsped-0199760101-9780199760107.html">The oxford handbook of political psychology</a> </span><span style="font-size: small;">ed L Huddy et al (</span><span style="font-size: small;">2013</span><span style="font-size: small;">) runs to 1000 pages!</span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.academia.edu/23877235/The_Psychology_of_Politicians">The Psychology of Politicians</a>; Ashley Weinberg (2012) </span><span style="font-size: small;">For me, the most interesting and </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">readable of the titles</span></span></span></pre>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-34731016605128489642024-02-09T16:30:00.008+02:002024-02-10T00:51:45.948+02:00SNIPPETS<p><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">1.
Down with Centrists</b></p>
<p lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
have just u</span><span style="font-size: medium;">nsubscrib</span><span style="font-size: medium;">ed</span><span style="font-size: medium;">
from ”The Rest is </span><span style="font-size: medium;">P</span><span style="font-size: medium;">olitics”
</span><span style="font-size: medium;">podcast which has
consistently been voted the number one podcast în the UK. My reasons
are well <a href="https://www.councilestatemedia.uk/p/who-the-hell-rehabilitated-alistair">caught
în this recent post from Rikki </a>- but I did at least convey to
Cambell and Stewart my reasons for stopping the subscription viz that
<a href="https://alastaircampbell.org/blog/">Alaister Campbell,</a>
despite my initial admiration for openness about his mental health,
is a criminal warmonger who deserves prosecution; and Stewart,
despite my initial respect, is a <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2023/09/rory-stewart-interview-book-views-career">self-confessed
egocentric</a></span></span></span></span></p>
<p lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>2.
Brexit. </b></span></span></span>
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I’ve
been a bit remiss în not keeping my readers updated on this subject
on which, each week, there is no better chronicler than Chris Grey.
For almost 8 years now he has regaled us once a week with his
analyses of this discourse. His <a href="https://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/unpicking-defences-of-brexit.html">most
recent post is, for me, one of his best</a> – în suggesting that
Brixiteers are like communists with their argument that it has</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">never been </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>properly
attempted or has been betrayed</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A recent example is the </i></span></span></span><span style="color: #196ad4;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u><a href="https://api.follow.it/trackstatistics/v2/UeR-ztErnCZPj_UMBGMxjAAf2uqKWrjFnz4B3BXZP-Y5s-P5mPoygOtisy8rMY22jdoo59msUfNmuEPHzVLEtU0JHehjie1x?key=--XHZqzvL81JZ98NkrJ1b_xQUgHn2zmhWBSwuELkGP7kNXUK7gm70HP_mDCmec5HyygYQVNNCV6ECWlcyaH05w" target="_blank">discussion on GB News</a> </u></i></span></span></span><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>between Jacob Rees-Mogg and </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Nick Tyrone, which Tyrone </i></span></span></span><a href="https://api.follow.it/trackstatistics/v2/UeR-ztErnCZPj_UMBGMxjAAf2uqKWrjFnz4B3BXZP-Y5s-P5mPoygOtisy8rMY22jdoo59msUfNmuEPHzVLEtU0JHehjie1x?key=--XHZqzvL80ZHbKFj-TU5RjuGHR6KnXLUIoKv63ZwN848DmQwQwhsDR7nT3C93EZmY_IP2as8RmWkH4SrvJp0Su_54S1s11-" target="_blank"><span style="color: #196ad4;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u>described on his Week in Brexitland Substack</u></i></span></span></span></a><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>. Tyrone </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>did as good job as anyone could of responding to Rees-Mogg’s salvoes, the more so </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>given the huge advantages his interlocutor had by virtue of being the host. But it is </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>impossible to ‘win’ such encounters because they are intended to confuse rather than </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>to clarify, and setting innumerable false hares running is one of the easiest ways of </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>doing so. This doesn’t just apply to broadcast interviews. In any number of published </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>comment pieces, Brexiters layer falsehoods upon half-truths upon questionable </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>assumptions, in ways which can only be unpicked </i></span></span></span><a href="https://api.follow.it/trackstatistics/v2/UeR-ztErnCZPj_UMBGMxjAAf2uqKWrjFnz4B3BXZP-Y5s-P5mPoygOtisy8rMY22jdoo59msUfNmuEPHzVLEtU0JHehjie1x?key=--XHZqzvL80SCg3CZU_7vNFgpDxAehrP5b_h7dkzezeafvUwAVdWXTaYTZVdNvfKtGilG_LMNtGeR7oILG65q-MYjASDLoTy" target="_blank"><span style="color: #196ad4;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u>through line-by-line ‘fisking’</u></i></span></span></span></a><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>, which </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>is incredibly time-consuming, and </i></span></span></span><a href="https://api.follow.it/trackstatistics/v2/UeR-ztErnCZPj_UMBGMxjAAf2uqKWrjFnz4B3BXZP-Y5s-P5mPoygOtisy8rMY22jdoo59msUfNmuEPHzVLEtU0JHehjie1x?key=--XHZqzvL81JZ98NkrJ1b_UCr50Lns2fnnvO2sW7ivBvv8kJPy4IL-ywbzCzl4kKriu4faNAKvNhABOlk9DfVw" target="_blank"><span style="color: #196ad4;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u>not especially effective</u></i></span></span></span></a><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>.<br />
Nevertheless, it’s worth disaggregating and examining some of the commonest arguments </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>currently used to defend Brexit, an especially those about sovereignty and democracy, </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>which are the Brexiters’ last redoubts. Even so, despite being the longest ever post </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>on this blog, it’s impossible to provide an exhaustive analysis.<br />
</i></span></span></span><strong><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Stonewalling and denial[ </i></span></span></span></strong><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>These are the now boilerplate defences of Brexit, so </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>commonly made as to not need specific links. They include the claim that ‘it hasn’t </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>been done properly’, which comes in variants ranging from ascribing this to governmental </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>incompetence, to blaming it on EU punishment, right through to positing betrayal by </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>various actors up to and including ‘the deep State’.<br />
All of these were virtually baked into Brexit, partly because it made utopian promises </i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>that could never come true, and partly because it thrives on narratives of </i></span></span></span><span style="color: #196ad4;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u><a href="https://api.follow.it/trackstatistics/v2/UeR-ztErnCZPj_UMBGMxjAAf2uqKWrjFnz4B3BXZP-Y5s-P5mPoygOtisy8rMY22jdoo59msUfNmuEPHzVLEtU0JHehjie1x?key=--XHZqzvL80SCg3CZU_7vNFgpDxAehrP5b_h7dkzezeafvUwAVdWXTu3itdXjb6F0s2UlYkGH4IUfCbE_d7QtltlwQ5Gow0UfoScgCHtBj_6YmZg8O5uIg" target="_blank">betrayal</a>, </u></i></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: #196ad4;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u><a href="https://api.follow.it/trackstatistics/v2/UeR-ztErnCZPj_UMBGMxjAAf2uqKWrjFnz4B3BXZP-Y5s-P5mPoygOtisy8rMY22jdoo59msUfNmuEPHzVLEtU0JHehjie1x?key=--XHZqzvL80SCg3CZU_7vNFgpDxAehrP5b_h7dkzezeafvUwAVdWXa47YXDg2hNAh_Vd5teOkw09W8Dpx1YGT81wkd1523pY" target="_blank">treachery</a> </u></i></span></span></span><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>and </i></span></span></span><a href="https://api.follow.it/trackstatistics/v2/UeR-ztErnCZPj_UMBGMxjAAf2uqKWrjFnz4B3BXZP-Y5s-P5mPoygOtisy8rMY22jdoo59msUfNmuEPHzVLEtU0JHehjie1x?key=--XHZqzvL83ypSX3-ykp_xyK_eD7cKq34JpwOEYlUAg_yraziz66CieIEmaHO32elmYV27M8P0cpAUXiDDDhz3mbAc5Hdqx1KVTlLLUmVM_Wu4vQSXmPQauo9gf_TEuuT8zU4NE_AWCU3fwNEkVpTw" target="_blank"><span style="color: #196ad4;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u>victimhood</u></i></span></span></span></a><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>. So, l</i></span></span></span><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>ike apologists for communism,</b></i></span></span></span><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> Brexiters say it has </i></span></span></span></pre>
<ul>
<li><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;">‘<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>never really been tried’ </i></span></span></span></pre>
</li><li><pre class="western"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>f</i></span></span></span><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>allen victim to counter-revolutionaries and to renegades from the true path </i></span></span></span></pre>
</li></ul><pre class="western" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>of pur</i></span></span></span><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>ity</i></span></span></span></pre>
<pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>3. EP Thompson’s 100<sup>th</sup> Anniversary</b></span></span></pre><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
famous British historian and activist was born on 3rd February 1924
with one of the few <a href="https://tribunemag.co.uk/2024/02/e-p-thompson-at-100">tributes
being in The Tribune</a>. His </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">“</span><a href="https://archive.org/details/writingbycandlel0000thom"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Writing
by Candle</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">light</span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">”
(1980) </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">gives a flavour of
the quality of his writing. And Bryan Palmer has given us a <a href="https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/llt/1993-v32-llt_32/llt32ob01.pdf">superb
</a></span><a href="https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/llt/1993-v32-llt_32/llt32ob01.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Homage
</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">to the man – in two
parts, the first here</span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">
and the <a href="https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/llt/1994-v33-llt_33/llt33art01.pdf">second
here</a>. </span></span></span>
</p>
<pre class="western"> </pre>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-45273937729641538982024-02-04T14:43:00.013+02:002024-02-09T15:12:12.425+02:00 Travails of Socialism<p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Britain,
it seems, is so </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><b>cautious,
conservative and class-ridden </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><b>a
country</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">that
it has taken a hundred years for it to come to terms with the first
Labour government of 1924. That is, if we are to believe 2 books which
have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/jan/28/the-men-of-1924-britains-first-labour-government-peter-clark-the-wild-men-david-torrance-review-remarkable-story-first-labour-government-ramsay-macdonald">just
appeared on the subject – Peter Clark’s ”The Men of 1924” and
David Torrance’s ”The Wild Men</a>. </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">A</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">
possible explanation for this sad state of affairs </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">was
explored in </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.gci.org.uk/Documents/Guardians_of_Power.pdf">Guardians
of Power – the myth of the liberal media</a> </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">(2006)
</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">namely</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">that the british masses
</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">a</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">re
simply too stupid to understand where their true interests l</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">ie</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">.
T</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">he Brits have every
reason to be grateful </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">if
not complacent </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">– the
country was </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;"><b>the first
to industrialise and used this to build an Empire</b></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">
- </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">l</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">ittle
wonder, </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">then,</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">
that they felt, what a friend of mine used to call, ”illusions of
adequacy”. Such feelings were understandable </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">i</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">n
the immediate post-war period – when I grew up – but </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;"><b>surely
the younger generation knows better?</b></span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">In
Scotland it does and has said very clealy ”A plague on both your
houses” </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">i</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">n
preferring the SNP </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">in
recent polls</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">. </span></span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><b>But
why does the Labour party remain so unattractive? </b></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">A</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">fter
all, a <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/18205-nationalisation-vs-privatisation-public-view">majority
of British citizens support the renationalisation of public
utilities</a>. </span></span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Last
autumn I discussed <a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-decline-of-political-parties.html">several
books here which analysed the debates which have torn the party apart</a>
in recent decades – but</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><b>
none of them dealt properly with the critical question of why people
apparently feel such resistance </b></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><b>i</b></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><b>n
voting for the party</b></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">. </span></span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">It’s
understandable that progressives feel antipathy to Keir Starmer –
the media has </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">done an
effective job în painting him aș an unreliable, indeed duplicitous,
individual. For a better treatment of the question, I recommend </span></span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><a href="https://progressiv ebritain.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Warring-Fictions-FINAL.pdf">Warring
Fictions - left populism and its defining myths</a> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Christopher
Clarke 2019</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="text-decoration: none;">)</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">whose</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal;">basic</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> argument is that conventional ways of understanding Labour’s </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">civil war focus on the wrong issue. The conflict doesn’t really run along a political </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">spectrum – between ‘left-wingers’ and ‘centrists’, between ‘radicals’ and ‘moderates’</span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">, or through degrees of egalitarianism. Instead, it is a clash between two world </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">views: characterised by the author as ‘left populism’ and ‘left pluralism’. </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">As the book’s title suggests, it’s at the level of narrative and analysis where </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">the crux of this distinction lies. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">T<a href="https://policynetwork.progressivebritain.org/publications/books/warring-fictions/">his review puts it well</a> -</span></span></span>
“<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Warring Fictions” focuses on three myths, which sustain left populism but are not </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>found on the pluralist left: the Dark Knight, the Puppet Master and the Golden Era.</i></span></span></pre>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>The Dark Knight</b> claims that the political spectrum is a moral one; that </i></span></span></pre></li></ul><li><pre class="western"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">the left is where virtue lies and that the further to the right you go the </i></pre></li><li><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">more wicked or self-serving. It frames policy questions in terms of good </i></li><li><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">and evil, and treats those with different values as enemies and traitors.</i></li><ul><li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>The Puppet Master</b> myth describes the belief that far-sighted elites </i></span></span></pre>
</li></ul><li><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>coordinate and control society for personal gain. It holds that there is a </i></span></span></pre></li><li><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">singular ‘will of the people’ which is frustrated by ‘the establishment’ – and </i></li><li><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">that governments wield immense power, oppressing wilfully rather than </i></li><li><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">mediating badly.</i></li><ul><li><pre class="western"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><b>The Golden Era </b>is the declinist view that a left-wing Arcadia – a spirit </i></pre></li></ul><li><pre class="western"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">of </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">‘original socialism’ – once existed but has been polluted by modernity. </i></pre></li><li><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">This is </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">fed by the notion of a drift to the right on all fronts. It undermines </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">internationalism, </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">and stops the left engaging with an interconnected world.</i></li>
</ul>
<pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"></pre>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-71537404010056358182024-02-01T13:03:00.008+02:002024-02-01T13:07:43.726+02:00 John Pilger RIP<p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">I
have to confess, to my shame, that I had mixed feelings about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Pilger#Personal_life">John
Pilger, the great investigative journalist</a> who died at the age of
84 due undoubtedly to the influence of the media aș demonstrated so
brilliantly by the likes not only of Noam Chomsky (</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">in
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">”</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_Consent">Manufacturing
Consent</a>” 1988</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">)
but </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">in
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Edwards
and Cromwell’</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">s</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">
</span></span><a href="http://www.gci.org.uk/Documents/Guardians_of_Power.pdf" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Guardians
of Power – the myth of the liberal media</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">which
actually contains a </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">foreward
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">by</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">
John Pilger. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Let
Pilger’s words (written </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">i</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">n
2006) speak for themselve -</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
latest ‘bad things’, such as America’s and Britain’s bombing
of civilian targets with cluster bombs, and use of napalm and
depleted uranium, in Iraq and Afghanistan, are not reported as acts
of rapacious conquest but as imperfect liberation, justified by the
myths of the ‘good war’ and the Cold War. The principal conveyer
of these myths is that amorphous extension of the established order
known as ‘the media’. While occasionally begging to differ on
tactics and political personalities, journalists know, almost
instinctively or by training, or both, the true nature of their
tasks, especially when the established order appears to be
threatened or goes to war. <b>Societies are to be reported in terms
of their threat or usefulness to ‘us’. </b>Offi cial enemies are
to be identifi ed and pursued. Parallels are to be drawn with the
‘good war’ and the Cold War, while official friends are to be
treated as one views one’s own government: benign, regardless of
compelling evidence to the contrary.</i></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>What
has changed is the public’s perception and knowledge. </b></i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt; text-align: left;">No
longer trusting what they read and see and hear, people are
questioning as never before. A critical public intelligence is often
denied by journalists, who prefer notions of an ‘apathetic public’
that justify their mantra of ‘giving the people what they want’.
These days, however, the public is well ahead of the media, refusing
to accept the limits of what academics called ‘the public
discourse’. For example, according to the polls, a majority of the
British people regard their prime minister as a liar: not one who has
‘misled parliament’ or ‘spun <span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="ro-RO">the
facts’, but a liar. That is unprecedented. </span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="ro-RO">(</span></span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">remember
this was 2006)</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
<a href="https://braveneweurope.com/john-pilger-there-is-a-war-coming-shrouded-in-propaganda">last
article Pilger wrote was a few months ago</a> and warned of how we
are being prepared for war -</span></span></span></p><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></span></pre><blockquote><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>In literature, the likes of John Steinbeck, Carson McCullers, George Orwell are </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>obsolete. Post-modernism is in charge now. Liberalism has pulled up its political ladder.</i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A once somnolent social democracy, Australia, has enacted a web of new laws protecting </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>secretive, authoritarian power and preventing the right to know. Whistleblowers are </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>outlaws, to be tried in secret. An especially sinister law bans ‘foreign interference’ </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>by those who work for foreign companies. What does this mean?</i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Democracy is notional now; there is the all-powerful elite of the corporation </b></i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>merged with the state and the demands of ‘identity’</b>. American admirals are paid </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>thousands of dollars a day by the Australian tax payer for ‘advice’. Right across the </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>West, our political imagination has been pacified by PR and distracted by the intrigues </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>of corrupt, ultra low-rent politicians: a Johnson or a Trump or a Sleepy Joe or a Zelensky.</i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>No writers’ congress in 2023 worries about ‘crumbling capitalism’ and the lethal </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>provocations of ‘our’ leaders. The most infamous of these, Blair, a prima facie criminal </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>under the Nuremberg Standard, is free and rich. <b>Julian Assange,</b> who dared journalists </i></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>to prove their readers had a right to know, is in his second decade of incarceration…..</i></span></span></pre></blockquote><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">The article then discusses the hypocrisy evident in the media’s portrayal of </span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">the Ukraine war </span></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">In Britain, the silence of the liberal intelligensia is the silence of intimidation. </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">State-sponsored issues like Ukraine and Israel are to be avoided if you want to </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">keep </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">a campus job or a teaching tenure. What happened to Jeremy Corbyn in 2019 </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">is </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">repeated on campuses where opponents of apartheid Israel are casually smeared </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">as </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">anti-Semitic. </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">Professor David Miller, ironically the<b> country’s leading authority </b></i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><b>on </b></i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><b>modern propaganda, was sacked by Bristol Universit</b>y for suggesting publicly </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">that </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">Israel’s ‘assets’ in Britain and its political lobbying exerted a disproportionate </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">influence </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">worldwide — a fact for which the evidence is voluminous. The university </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">hired a </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">leading QC to investigate the case independently. <b>His report exonerated </b></i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><b>Miller </b></i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">on the ‘important issue of academic freedom of expression’ and found </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">‘Professor </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">Miller’s comments did not constitute unlawful speech’. </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">Yet Bristol sacked him. </i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">The message is clear: no matter what outrage it perpetrates, </i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">Israel has immunity and its critics are to be punished.</i></pre><pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A PILGER RESOURCE</b> </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://johnpilger.com/">https://johnpilger.com/</a> </span><span style="font-style: normal;">His website</span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://library.uniteddiversity.coop/More_Books_and_Reports/Hidden_Agendas-John_Pilger.pdf">Hidden Agendas</a> John Pilger (1998) A superb collection of the causes he took on</span></span></pre><p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://asmawoo.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/the-new-rulers-of-the-world-john-pilger.pdf"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">T</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">he
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">N</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ew
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">R</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ulers
of the </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">W</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">orld</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">John
Pilger</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(2002)
His expose of the conditions in which modern corporations expect
their global workers to sweat.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<pre class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://vdoc.pub/documents/tell-me-no-lies-investigative-journalism-and-its-triumphs-6k268a461df0">Tell me No Lies – investigative journalism and its triumphs</a> John Pilger 2004</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxgZZ8Br6cE&ab_channel=AwakenConsciousness">The New Rulers of the World</a> John Pilger – the video verion of the book </span></span></pre><p align="justify" lang="ro-RO" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://highprofiles.info/interview/john-pilger/">https://highprofiles.info/interview/john-pilger/</a>
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-56876843386911150212024-01-27T12:07:00.000+02:002024-01-27T12:07:06.877+02:00 Post-Modernity, Anyone??<p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">The
1960s was a critical period for Europe. My generation left the
austerity of the postwar years behind and tasted freedom - not just
in the UK but in the world as a whole as vividly shown in this
brilliant production by the German Historical Institute </span></span></span><a href="https://www.ghi-dc.org/publication/1968-memories-and-legacies-of-a-global-revolt" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;">1968
– memories and legacies of a global revolt</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">
(2009). </span></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">These
past few days, I stumbled on a short draft about Post-Modernity which
I felt needed updating – not least because it traces my
intellectual development, a subject on which I tend to be a bit
reticent. I’m </span><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZ0wrrVZeErGP5xUee7dci9cCoIJtbaHL5y7" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">attaching
the new draft</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;"> because I suspect it reflects the experience of my
older readers and might help my younger readers make more sense of
the world.</span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
consider myself lucky because my upbringing made me particularly</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>
aware of the very different ways people look at the world</b></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
for various reasons </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</p>
<ul>
<li><p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My
parents lived in a mansion in the West End of a Scottish town –
but were poor, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">m</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">y
father </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">being</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
a presbyterean Minister. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</p>
</li><li><p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
went to a State school although some of my friends cam</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">e</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
from more privil</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">e</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ged
backgrounds. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</p>
</li><li><p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
became a Labout councillor at a young age (25) in a town very
sensitive to class differences and, as a result, became a bit of a
“mugwump”. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</p>
</li><li><p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">At
University, I was exposed to the teachings of Karl Popper and
therefore resisted the easy ideology of the New Left – despite my
avid readings of the early editions of th</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">e</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://newleftreview.org/issues"><span style="font-size: small;">New
Left Review</span></a><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">from
1960, with various hiccups, right through to the present. Whether
you agree with it or not, it is the most thoughful of publications.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
</li></ul>
<p align="justify" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">This
is a short paper but an important one for me given that we have so
many</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">
lens through which we look when we’re trying to make sense of the
world - </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">be
it 2, 3, 4, 5, 12 or 57. The exact number is not a matter of great
importance – what does matter is that we recognise that there are
these differences in how we view the world. But that is something we
seem very reluctant to do. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">The
paper tries to -</span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><p align="justify" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">explain
how my upbringing and university experience predisposed me to a
postmodernist way of thinking</span></span></span></p>
</li><li><p align="justify" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">demonstrate
the influence of such writers as EH Carr (1961) and Peter Berger
(1966)</span></span></span></p>
</li><li><p align="justify" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">show
how the mix of academic and political work developed in me an
appreciation of the different ways people understand the worldview</span></span></span></p>
</li><li><p align="justify" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">suggest
how this was confirmed in my later reading and work</span></span></span></p></li></ul>
<p align="justify" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
paper can be accessed <a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZ0wrrVZeErGP5xUee7dci9cCoIJtbaHL5y7">here</a>
– or in the list at the top-right column of the blog</span></span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-45902343186814369202024-01-25T16:42:00.010+02:002024-01-27T14:01:37.392+02:00Rabbie Burns<p> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">January
25th see</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">s</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">
Scots all over the world coming together to celebrate the Scottish
values we’ve long seen as embodied in the life of our national
poet, </span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Rabbie
Burns</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">.
A ploughman and then customs official, Burns wrote in revolutionary
times; understood its hypocrisies; and sympathized with its struggles
against injustice. </span></span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-best-laid-schemes-selected-poetry-and-prose-of-robert-burns-9781400831746.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">The
Best Laid Schemes – selected poetry and prose of Robert Burns</a> <span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">ed
by Robert Crawford and Chris MacLachlan (</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">2021</span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 14pt;">)
sets the scene well in this Introduction -</span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tender,
humorous, sly, sometimes stinging, Robert Burns is one of the world’s
greatest love poets. His vernacular tone of address can have a
beguiling intimacy about it at the same time as sounding cheekily
egalitarian. In tone and tenor Burns, not Shakespeare, is the
representative poet of modern democratic cultures. In his work a
warmth and a radical political alignment, a bonding of poetry to the
causes and traditions of ‘the people’, are immediately apparent
and engaging. Though his politics are complex, even at times
contradictory, recent writing has reshaped understanding of
Scotland’s national poet as a politically radical writer of
republican sympathies, one schooled by knowledge of the American as
well as the French Revolution.</i></span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>One
of the world’s most mercurially alluring writers, Burns is the
first modern poet to be acclaimed a national bard. His erotic verse,
like his own life, ranges from the lyrically delicate to the
scandalous and bawdy. He lived much of what he wrote about, and Burns
lived with dramatic intensity. In 1796 he burned out, dying at the
age of 37. His depressive temperament (hinted at early on in the poem
‘To Ruin’), his struggles with poverty, and his engagement with
his own celebrity status make his life and work remarkably forceful.
Repeatedly there is an insistent performative impulse. His poetry is
bound up with his own life, but his songmaking is also splendidly
universal so that verses like those of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ are
relished and used in cultures very different from his own. The innate
drama of his life and the reach of his poetry transcend the locally
Scottish, and appeal to the global community. </i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">The
modernity of his radicalism did not compromise his artistic gift, and
presses the case that contemporary egalitarian societies round the
world should recognise him as both ancestral and familiar, should
regard him still as ‘The Bard’.</i></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;">This
is a wonderful <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=andc5GcE53A&ab_channel=EdinboroHighlandGames">BBC
documentary presented by a Scottish writer Andrew O’Hagen</a></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;">
</span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;">and
this is a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUV4hwGhY2I&ab_channel=UniversityofStAndrewsAlumni">typical
Burns’ Supper</a></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></span><p></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-58458816278798848732024-01-21T12:51:00.012+02:002024-01-22T09:45:25.005+02:00WHAT IS TO BE DONE?<p> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
last post suggested that </span><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2024/01/why-do-so-many-new-titles-waste-our-time.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;">too
many books simply regurgitated what most of us already know</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> about
the economic system and that what is needed is a text which builds on
this knowledge and identifies the detailed steps required for us to
achieve a better world. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Since
my retiral in 2011, I’ve actually been working on such a book and
am pleased to present the latest version - </span><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZhohV0Z5aK1EKso8LzAeQOTQor3zFNa3hQV" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="ro-RO">What
is to be Done? </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span lang="ro-RO">Dispatches
to the next generation.</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">
This runs in at 150 pages</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">
</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span lang="ro-RO">but
is linked to a larger version which is double the size.</span></span></p>
<p lang="ro-RO" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">One
of the Annexes gives hyperlinks to several hundred books which
purport to thrown some light on the operation of the economic system
– </span><span style="font-style: normal;">în some cases with some
notes</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Each
of its chapters contains a table with links to the posts which
inspired the text – with a ”takeaway” message. Let me summarise
the chapters </span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 15pt;"><b>Chapter
</b></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 15pt;"><b>1.
Critical junctures identified</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>History
is written by the victors – and the sycophants who surround them.
Events were generally much more finely balanced than first versions
admit. </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>Many
people consider that the West has lost its way recently - and are
struggling both to identify the reasons and to explore how a
different future could be built. For some, it is simple – just a
question of turning the clock back to the golden days....But most
people recognise this as no more than an emotional tic and really
want to understand how we – in the UK, the European mainland or the
US – managed to make such a mess of things; and then what steps
might be taken to build better societies...</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i><b>This
chapter looks back at the events of the past 80 years</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>
to try to identify </i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>the
crucial points which have turned the hopes of the postwar period to
the despair which currently grips many societies</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Supporting
Arguments can be found in </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="https://oxfam.app.box.com/s/l19pcuea2z49f8dv5zt3ph511otcxokv" target="_top"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Covid
19 as a Critical Juncture</span></span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(
D</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">uncan
G</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">reen
2020</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">)
and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q_3hKjy3ncH26nOOvUkCevmWSVbi0pmz/view" target="_top"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Out
of the Belly of Hell</span></span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Anthony
B</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">arnett
2020</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br />
</p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Chapter
2.Trespassing encouraged</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>Intellectual
specialisation has made it difficult for us to understand the world </i></span></span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; text-align: left;">Most
leaders of organisations are in the grip of </i><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; text-align: left;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink">groupthink</a></i><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; text-align: left;"> and need
countervailing mechanisms of accountability to help them see new
realities</i></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>Boundaries
– whether between countries, fields of study, professions, classes,
religions or political parties – are usually heavily protected. But
those able and willing to cultivate cross-border connections are
often hugely rewarded – not just with monetary profit but with new
insights. Just look at the Hanseatic League and the intellectual and
cultural – let alone commercial - richness of towns and cities
which lay on trading routes.</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Supprting
Arguments can be found in </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Irving
</span><span style="font-size: medium;">Janis’ “</span><span style="font-size: medium;">Victims
of Groupthink” </span><span style="font-size: medium;">(</span><span style="font-size: medium;">1972</span><span style="font-size: medium;">),
</span><span style="font-size: medium;">Gillian Tett’s “<a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=ga7_BgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false">The
Silo Effect</a>” (2015) </span><span style="font-size: medium;">and
</span><span style="font-size: medium;">Matt </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Syed’</span><span style="font-size: medium;">s</span><span style="font-size: medium;">
“</span><span style="font-size: medium;">Rebel Ideas”
</span><span style="font-size: medium;">(2019)</span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>chapter
3. Economics – rather than statues – should be toppled from its
grip on our minds</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>2008
should have been the death knell of economics since it had succumbed
some decades earlier to a </i></span><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="http://rethinkingeconomics.blogspot.com/2014/03/pluralism-since-1992-plea-in-aer_12.html" target="_top"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span lang="ro-RO"><i>highly-simplified
and unrealistic model of the economy</i></span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i> which
was then starkly revealed in all its nakedness. But the subject had,
perhaps deliberately, been made so boring that people felt they had
to ”leave it to the experts”.</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>John
Kenneth Galbraith’s ”Almost Everyone’s Guide to Economics”
(1978) was probably the first book to try to rectify this – but it
is only in the new millennium that things have shown sign of
improvement. Annex 3 lists texts which are enjoyable as well as
useful. But we have to be realistic about the chances of a real
reform in the education of economists. Academic economists have
invested a lifetime’s reputation and energy in offering the courses
they do - and neither can nor will easily offer programmes to satisfy
future student demands for relevance and pluralism….. chances
are, they think, that the next cohort will be more pliable... </i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Supporting
arguments can be found in </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Steve
Keen </span><span style="font-size: medium;">and</span><span style="font-size: medium;">
Brian Davey’s ”<a href="https://credoeconomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/credo.pdf">Credo</a>”
</span><span style="font-size: medium;">(2014)</span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>chapter
4. Probing the Elephant</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>Talk
of capitalism and post-capitalism is too loose and reified. There are
various equally legitimate ways of perceiving the “beast”. </i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; text-align: left;"><b>Why
do we have so much difficulty finding a word to describe the nature
of the system which is wreaking so much havoc on the world? Is it
globalisation? Neo-liberalism? Capitalism? And does it matter?</b></i></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>It’s
more than ten years since the global financial meltdown – although
a lot of writers now concede that the rot started a lot earlier…The
Marxists may be a bit extreme in suggesting about 200 years
earlier…..although there is a christian school of thought that
would go back to the Garden of Eden….</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>Exploitation”
is not a word you hear a lot about these days and yet it so vividly
captures what we have done – with ever increasing intensity - to
people, to the land, to resources. Initially the suggested remedies
were technical in nature – if massive in their financial
implications - with private debt being nationalised and traumatic
increases in state debt. Slowly we have realised that political and
moral responses offer the only real hope. But the neoliberal model
has gone from strength to strength – with no real attempt made to
rein in the financial sector. </i></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>This
chapter will look at various attempts which have been made to
understand the nature of the Beast whose voracious appetite keep us
all in thrall and to which Varoufakis gave the name </i></span><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-global-minotaur.html" target="_top"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span lang="ro-RO"><i><b>The
global minotaur</b></i></span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>.</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Supporting
arguments can be found in </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2020/01/framing-capitalism.html" target="_top">57
Varieties of Capitalism</a></span></span></span></span></u></span></p><p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: navy;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span></u></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>chapter
5. A new social goal is needed for the commercial compan</b>y</span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>Shareholder
value ignores other crucial dimensions – such as the wider
community and workers, Cooperative and social enterprises employ
more people than we think – but have to struggle for legitimacy</i></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>In
certain circles, to be accused of trying to reform – rather than
“destroy” or “transform” – capitalism has long been one of
the gravest criticisms if not crimes. Not only this accusation but
the very distinction has, however, always seemed a bit ridiculous.
What would “transformation” actually mean?</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>And
who on earth could be attracted to the notion of wholescale
nationalisation and associated bureaucratic power – to say nothing
of even worse scenarios?? I, for one, would rather support workers’
cooperatives…</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>Although
Margaret Thatcher kept asserting that capitalism was the only way –
or, in her own words, “there is No Alternative”, a mantra which
soon attracted the acronym TINA – we have, since the end of the
Cold War, become familiar with the “Varieties of capitalism”
literature. </i></span><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="https://readingfromtheleft.com/PDF/SRPP/PostCapAlternatives.pdf" target="_top"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span lang="ro-RO"><i>Eased
into it by Michel Albe</i></span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>rt,
with later work by the likes of Crouch, Hall and Soskice being much
more academic and, often, impenetrable. But by the turn of the
millennium the message seemed to be that</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>-
Capitalism takes various forms</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>-
although it’s actually called “globalization” and</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>-
will always be with us.</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>But
all that changed in 2008 – earlier pages have plotted the
increasing dystoptic aspect of book titles on the subject and the
increasing use of the previously unmentionable word beginning with C</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>chapter
6. Lessons of change explored</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>So
much protest fails and few social enterprises have a multiplier
effect. </i></span></span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; text-align: left;">How
do we create winnable coalitions? </i><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i>We
use the concept of “change” all the time but there seems to be
surprisingly little written about it as an all-embracing concept. The
</i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i><b>literature on
change</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i> is, of
course, immense but is divided very much into several</i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i><b>
completely separate fields </b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i>which
guard their boundaries very strongly - dealing with</i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i><b>
the individual, the organisational and the societal</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i>
respectively (forgive the last term but “social” does have a
rather different meaning from activities relating to a particular
society). </i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i>The
first field tends to be interested in things like </i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i><b>stress</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i>;
the second in the </i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i><b>management
of change </b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i>(but
in 3 separate sectors); and the last in </i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i><b>collective
challenges to power</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; text-align: left;"><i>
which often go under the label of “social change”</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i><b>Capacity
development</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i> is
one of the few approaches which recognises the importance of all
three – although, in reality, its focus is on training and it never
ventures into the dangerous field of social change. It’s only in
the past year or so that people have dared challenge this.</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>Our
understanding of that phenomenon generally comes from </i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i><b>history
books</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i> the most
popular of which deal with individuals - who are easier to identify
with. Talk of technological and economic forces tends to be too
abstract for most people – although recent books from the likes of
Jared Diamond and Yuval Hari are enjoying a new vogue by virtue
presumably of our increased awareness of the power of technology</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">For
more – see </span></span></span><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZH6eX0Z70QclesIS9jHBeHkp3S3RXxvd9I7"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">A
short note and annotated bib on Change</span></span></span></span></a></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; text-align: left;"><br /></b></p><p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">7.
Change agents and coalitions sought</span></b></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Progressives
are good at sounding off – and bad at seeking common ground</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>This
book started with questions which I was posing 20 years ago to help
identify where I should be putting what energies I had left in me. I
have to confess that, so far, the book (and the blogposts on which it
draws) is the only tangible result of those questions!</i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i><b>An
issue I keep returning to in the book is our inability to make
”common cause” as the world seems to be collapsing around us.</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>
It’s not that we don’t care – or are apathetic. A lot of us
participate actively in discussions and demonstrations. It’s rather
that our energies are dissipated in too many, diverse fields of
concern... And in increasingly polarising debates – sometimes
about issues which have echoes of the medieval debates about ”angels
dancing on the head of pins”. </i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i><b>Why
is this?</b></i></span></p>
<p align="justify" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i><span style="background: transparent;">Our
developing egocentricity </span></i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>seems
also to undermine the possibilities of effective collective action.
For example, too many of the big names who write the tracts about the
global crises present their analyses and prescriptions with
insufficient reference to the efforts of others. They have to market
their books – and themselves – and, by that very act, seem to
alienate others who could be their comrades in arms. </i></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><i>For
more see </i></span><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="https://b-ok.global/book/3704334/a0afd6" target="_top"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Common
Ground – democracy and collectivity in an age of individualism</span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="ro-RO"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Jeremy
Gilbert</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-51789212256629671982024-01-19T14:08:00.003+02:002024-01-19T14:08:54.940+02:00 WHY DO SO MANY NEW TITLES WASTE OUR TIME?<p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">“The Silent Coup”, “The
Big Myth”, “Rentier Capitalism”…are titles of some of the books which have hit
us in recent years. People keep churning out books which just repeat what most
of us already know!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When is someone going to <b>build
on these critiques from the past 50 years and do a proper exploration of “what
is to be done”</b> to give us a civilized society? One of the best is “<a href="https://ia802902.us.archive.org/3/items/pdfy-p9AtqAO-OafzzhdC/The%20Capitalism%20Papers%20-%20Jerry%20Mander.pdf">The
Capitalism Papers - fatal flaws in an obsolete system</a>” published in 2012 by
the famous US activist and journalist Jerry Mander. <b>It has everything</b> – <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">the
ecological concerns; <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">questioning
of the legal basis of the corporation and the inequities and iniquities they
cause; <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">recognition
that military spending and advertising supports the whole rotten system<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">that
democracy is being privatised <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">as
is our very consciousness</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mander draws it all
together in a masterful conclusion in some 35 pages starting at page 258 (of
the hyperlink given in the title above) which has 4 sub-headings - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Nature
Comes First <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The
Primacy of Scale: Not Globalization, Localization<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Experiments
in Corporate Values and Structure. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Hybrid
Economics . . .</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The only thing it’s light
on is an annotated bibliography. It has a 7 page bibliography but would have
been useful to have had Mander’s reasons for selecting those particular works
(from p296)</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">None of the titles with
which this post starts</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> have a recommended reading list but all have extensive notes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-big-myth-how-american-business-taught-us-to-loathe-government-and-love-the-free-market-9781635573572-9781635573589-6808150002-9781788118569.html"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The Big Myth – how American businesses taught
us to loathe government and love the marke</span></a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">t N Oreskes and E Conway 2023 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://dokumen.pub/silent-coup-how-corporations-overthrew-democracy-1350269980-9781350269989.html"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The Silent Coup – how Corporations
overthrew Democracy</span></a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> C
Provost and M Kennard 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/rentier-capitalism-who-owns-the-economy-and-who-pays-for-it-9781788739740-9781788739733.html">Rentier
Capitalism – who owns the economy and who pays for it?</a> Brett Christophers
2020<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-57808230049346357622024-01-16T12:17:00.006+02:002024-01-16T12:17:59.068+02:00 The Real Lessons from British Justice<p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">Yet another major miscarriage of justice has
surfaced in the UK – to add to those which have plagued the poor suffering
Brits, be it </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_disaster" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">Hillsborough</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">,
</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenfell_Tower_fire" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">Grenfel</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">l or </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Six" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">the Birmingham Six</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">, The
current issue of the New Statesman expresses it most clearly -</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">As a miscarriage of
justice, it is perhaps unrivalled in British history. Between <b>1999 and 2015,
at least 3,500 sub-postmasters were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false
accounting by the Post Office</b>. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The fault lay with the
defective Horizon IT system, which incorrectly suggested that there were
financial shortfalls where none existed.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Trapped in a Kafkaesque
nightmare, workers protested their innocence, but this did not stop them being trampled
upon<b>. More than 700 sub-postmasters received criminal convictions and 236
were imprisoned.</b> Others were forced to pay back tens of thousands of pounds
and suffered financial ruin. Family homes were lost and marriages destroyed. At
least four victims are thought to have taken their lives as a consequence.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">For years, this story
has played out in the background of British public life. In 2019, a group of
campaigners led by Alan Bates – the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance – <b>won
a major legal victory when the High Court found that the Fujitsu-developed
Horizon system </b>contained “bugs, errors and defects”, and that there was a “material
risk” that financial shortfalls in branches were caused by it. <b>Dozens of
Post Office workers subsequently had their convictions quashed by the Court of
Appea</b>l in 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">A police investigation
and an independent public inquiry into the scandal were also launched during
this period.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">But it
has taken a TV show – “</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: CanelaText-RegularItalic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: CanelaText-RegularItalic; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Mr Bates vs The Post Office” </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">– to give the affair
the political prominence it deserves. </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: CanelaText-Regular; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The four-part series, which was broadcast on ITV
at the start of this year, is testimony to the power of drama.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">But it was one of my favourite blogs – <a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2024/01/how-our-institutions-work.html">Stumbling
and Mumbling</a> – which put it all in the necessary perspective –</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A well-ordered society has
mechanisms which prevent such people getting power or doing much damage if they
do get it. <a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/202%204/01/how-our-institutions-work.html">The
Post office scandal</a> shows that we lack such mechanisms, in at least four
respects:</span><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> - There's good evidence that <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/08/the-science-behind-why-so-many-successful-millionaires-are-psychopaths-and-why-it-doesnt-have-to-be-a-bad-thing.html">companies</a> actually <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2179794">select</a> for <a href="https://brainfodder.org/ceo-psychopath/">psychopaths</a>. People who are
unusually concerned with status and power are precisely those who aim for the
top of hierarchies (whereas many others of us just want to get on with our jobs),
and psychopaths' superficial charm and fluency appeals to hirers. As David
Allen Green says, "the likes of Paula Vennells are always with us and will
always somehow obtain senior positions." This is consistent with a finding
by Luigi Zingales and colleagues, that a lot more corporate <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2222608">fraud</a> occurs
than is actually detected. What's more, companies also <a href="https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5zz0q2r0">select</a> for <a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2010/09/overconfidence-pays.html">over-confidence</a> as
they <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/apr/analysis-overconfidence-dictates-who-gets-top-jobs-and-research-shows-men-benefit-more">mistake</a> "competence
cues" - the right body language or the illusion of knowledge - for actual
ability. (All this might also apply to politics).<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> - Ministers failed to control or to
replace Post Office management, believing - in a remarkable example of not
understanding the function of ownership - that it "has the commercial
freedom to run its business operations without interference from the
shareholder." Ed Davey distinguishes himself from the other ministers
merely by being so uncouth as to have <a href="https://twitter.com/Ian_Fraser/status/1742864478713081919">blurted</a> this
out in public.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> - Police for years did not
investigate the likely fraud and perversion of the course of justice by Post
Office bosses. The fact that they have <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67899189">begun</a> to do so
since the screening of the ITV drama reminds us that the Met is more concerned
with PR than with justice. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> - The courts failed to acquit
innocent sub-postmasters, for systemic reasons <a href="https://davidallengreen.com/2024/01/how-the-legal-system-made-it-so-easy-for-the-post-office-to-destroy-the-lives-of-the-sub-postmasters-and-sub-postmistresses-and-how-the-legal-system-then-made-it-so-hard-for-them-to-obtain-justice/">discussed</a> by
David Allen Green. This was not an isolated miscarriage of justice; it occurred
over <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67905194">700</a> times.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We should think of our
main social institutions - markets, the democratic process, the legal system
and so on - as selection devices. <b>What we have here is evidence that these
do not operate as you might think they should, not in one or two instances but
systematically and persistently.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Post Office board and government ministers did not select honest or competent
bosses. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
police did not choose to investigate serious crimes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">And
the courts failed to correctly distinguish between the guilty and the innocent.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">These, however, are by no
means the only selection mechanisms which don't work as one might imagine they
should.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Politicians
are <a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2023/02/weird-politicians.html">selected</a> for <a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2017/11/selecting-for-inadequates.html">fanaticism</a> rather
than <a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2018/08/our-broken-politics.html">competence</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Financial
markets often do not select the best investment opportunities, which is why we
have asset price bubbles and under-performing fund <a href="http://www.economics-ejournal.org/economics/discussionpapers/2012-20/">managers</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Product
and labour markets do not eliminate the "long tail of extremely badly
managed firms" <a href="https://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp0716.pdf">described (pdf)</a> by
Bloom and Van Reenen. Peer review often does not select the best academic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis">research</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And
the media does not select for <a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2019/12/the-failed-marketplace-in-ideas.html">informed</a> expertise.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Society's main social
institutions, then, very often do not select the best or <a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2015/09/filters.html">filter</a> out
the worst. Often, they do the opposite. What should we make of this fact? </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">One reasonable inference
is that it is just really difficult to make good decisions with limited
information and so there will always be a </span><a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2020/10/a-great-deal-of-ruin.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">great
deal of ruin</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> in the nation.</span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If this were all, though,
we'd expect to see political activity and debate focusing upon how we might
improve such mechanisms. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">But it isn't. Instead in
recent years politics has been consumed with Brexit and other culture war
issues. Which is of course yet another example of a selection mechanism:
politics selects to focus on irrelevancies rather than more important matters.</span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This is part of a pattern.
It's normal for people to neglect structural and societal forces and to pay
more attention instead to individual humans. Which is why public anger is
focussed upon Paula Vennells rather than the mechanisms that recruited and enabled
her. People like a witch-hunt and are attacking Vennells in the same way that
criminals attack nonces - to remind themselves that they are morally superior
to at least somebody.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Even good people can
inadvertently reinforce this tendency. In exposing the detail of the Post
Office scandal there's a danger of missing the big picture. Both <a href="https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2023/09/being-a-news-avoider.html">journalism</a> (even
when done well) and drama look more at human interest stories than at social
structures.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">And this suits the ruling
class. It has long flattered itself that the system works because "<a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/online-event/good-chaps-norms-and-conventions-constitution">good
chaps</a>" will be in charge. The fact that "good chaps" so
rarely are - and that the Post Office merely joins a list of systemic
injustices such as Hillsborough, Windrush and Grenfell - doesn't seem to
undermine this complacency.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Which brings me to a
concern. You might have noticed that I've avoided using the word
"failure" to describe all these different selection effects. This is
because they might not be failures at all. The fact that the powerful can
enrich themselves at the expense of the powerless; that markets permit the
incompetent wealthy to stay rich; and that politics is a clownish sideshow that
avoids substantive issues all suit the elite perfectly well. Prem Sikka is
right to <a href="https://leftfootforward.org/2024/01/the-post-office-scandal-shows-how-the-uk-is-a-hotbed-of-corruption-and-cronyism/">say</a> that
the Post Office affair "has once again shown the UK to be a hotbed of
corruption and cronyism where in pursuit of profits and private gains innocent
people are bludgeoned to silence and submission."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It has thus shown what
Marxists have long known - that law and justice are veils behind which lay
exploitation and cruelty.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The question for the establishment is how they might bring
these veils back down.<o:p></o:p></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-32983540546849221442024-01-11T11:16:00.048+02:002024-03-05T09:18:58.831+02:00 Ways of Seeing<p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Each of us has a particular lens through which we look when we’re trying to make sense of the world. The International Relations people have it down to a fine art – with their </span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/foundations-of-international-relations-1350932574-9781350932579.htm" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">classification of the subject into no fewer than 8 schools</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> – realism, liberalism, marxism, structuralism, feminism, postcolonialism etc. (Chapter 7 of the link gives the lowdown on the various schools) </span></p><pre class="western"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">In my youth, I was aware of a </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><b>tripartite division </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">– conservatives, socialists </span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">and liberals. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">I didn’t like</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> the Manichean approach of left/right - </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">t</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">here was </span></span></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">always a third way,</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> be it green or ecological. </span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It was only in </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the new millennium</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">, however, that I became aware of the </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>four dimensions of grid-group theory </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">which anthropologist <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261965370_Editor%27s_Introduction_Cultural_Theory%27s_Contributions_to_Political_Science">Mary Douglas</a> </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">introduced - consisting of four very different “world views” (what she calls</span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>hierarchist, egalitarian, individualist </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>fatalist</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">) which came to be known </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">as “Cultural Theory”. I </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">first came</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> across Mary Douglas’ theory in </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1998</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">, thanks </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">to public admin theorist Chris Hood’s “<a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=TSLd6saDjREC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false">The Art of the State</a>” which uses her </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">typology brilliantly to help us understand the strengths, weaknesses and risks </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">of these various world views. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But it appears we have yet </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>another way of understanding the world – viz </b></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>“conjunctural analysis</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">”. I agree it’s a bit of a mouthful but it basically denies </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the bias in the various schools and argues that we need to recognise the complexity </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">of the world and to accept there are different levels of explanation for the </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">way things are. John Clarke sets out the argument in </span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-battle-for-britain-crises-conflicts-and-the-conjuncture-9781529227703.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">The Battle for Britain – crises, </span></span></span></a></pre><pre class="western"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-battle-for-britain-crises-conflicts-and-the-conjuncture-9781529227703.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">conflicts and the conjunctures</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">which, I have to confess, I found very hard going.</span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Further Reading about “World Views”</b></span></span></pre><p lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">-
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-battle-for-britain-crises-conflicts-and-the-conjuncture-9781529227703.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Battle for Britain – crises, conflicts and the conjunctures</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
J</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">ohn</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Clarke 2023</span></span></span></span></p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">-
<a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/theories-of-international-relations-6nbsped-9781352012170-9781352012149-9781350932760-9781352012156.html">T</a></span></span><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/theories-of-international-relations-6nbsped-9781352012170-9781352012149-9781350932760-9781352012156.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">heories
of </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">I</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">nternational
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">R</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">elations
</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">ed
R Devetak and J True (</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">6</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
ed </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">2022</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">)</span></span></span></span></p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">-
<a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/foundations-of-international-relations-1350932574-9781350932579.htm">Foundations
of International Relations</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/foundations-of-international-relations-1350932574-9781350932579.html">l</a>
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">ed
S McGlinchey et al </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">2022
</span></span></span></span>
</p>
<pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://www.britainschoice.uk/">Britain’s Choice – common ground and divisions in 2020s Britain</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">(</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">More in Common </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">2020) a detailed picture of the british people and their values these days</span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;">- <a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/twelve-ways-of-seeing-the-world-9781912480227-9781912480128.html" style="font-family: "DejaVu Serif", serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Twelve</span></span></a> <a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/twelve-ways-of-seeing-the-world-9781912480227-9781912480128.html" style="font-family: "DejaVu Serif", serif; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ways of Seeing the World</span></span></a> M <span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Betti </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">2019 </span></span>Eng <span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– original German 2001</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">) </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive; font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">based on Rudolf Steiner's thinking, this offers a curious typology</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://2lib.org/book/3594497/3563ba">Cultural Evolution – people’s motivations are changing, and reshaping the world</a>; </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ronald Inglehart (2018) a political scientist,</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">who </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">has been at the heart of discussion </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">about cultural values for the past 50 years – and the book and <a href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/polisci-assets/Docs/Inglehart%20Articles/Modernization%20%26%20Cultural%20Change.pdf">this article summar</a>ise</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">s</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">that work.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267514061_Grid_Group_and_Grade">Grid, group and grade – challenges in operationalising cultural theory for cross-national </a></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267514061_Grid_Group_and_Grade">research</a> (2014) is a very academic article although its comparative diagrams are instructive</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- “<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261965370_Editor's_Introduction_Cultural_Theory's_Contributions_to_Political_Science/link/00b4953bc626d37c36000000/download">A Cultural Theory of Politics</a>” (2011) a short article which shows how the grid-group </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">approach has been used in a range of disciplines</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304820733_ConsumerShift_How_Changing_Values_Are_Reshaping_the_Consumer_Landscape">Consumer Shift - how changing values are reshaping the consumer landscape</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Any </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hines </span></span>(2011) actually much more about values and world views than it is about consumers….</pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1459705910272523592/4727348456628104862">Common Cause – the case for working with our cultural values</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">(2</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">010) a useful little </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">manual for charities</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1459705910272523592/4727348456628104862">Finding Frames – new ways to engage the UK public</a> (2010) ditto</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- “<a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/49334/4/02whole.pdf">Way of life theory – the underlying structure of world views, social relations and</a></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/49334/4/02whole.pdf"> lifestyles</a>” </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">(2009) </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">– a rather disjointed dissertation by Michael Edward Pepperday </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">and </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/49334/5/01front.pdf">introduction</a> to </span></span>which is here.</pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1459705910272523592/4727348456628104862">Wicked Problems and Clumsy Solutions</a>; Keith Grint (2008) a short very useful </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">article by </span></span>an academic</pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- </span></span><a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/100/19/11163.full.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>The Geography of Thought – how westerners and asians think differently and why</u></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">; </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Richard </span></span>Nesbitt (2003) An American social psychologist gives a thought-provoking book</pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- “<a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=TSLd6saDjREC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false">The Art of the State</a>” </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Christopher Hood (1998) </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">A brilliant essay on the usefulness </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">of </span></span>grid-group analysis</pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://www.academia.edu/6693076/Riding_The_Waves_Of_Culture_by_Trompenaars?auto=download">Riding the Waves of Culture – understanding cultural diversity in business;</a> Frans </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner (1997) the Dutchman who took on de Hofstede’s </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">mantle</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">-<a href="http://www.utntyh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/When-Cultures-Collide.pdf">When Cultures Collide – leading across cultures</a>; Richard Lewis (1996) The book which </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">introduced us to the field – and gave us marvellous vignettes of the strange habits of </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">almost all countries of the world</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">- <a href="https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/id/2cafe6b9-b7d5-40b4-a3c7-24a030d0ee82/1005935.pdf">Management development through cultural diversity</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ronnie Lessem </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">(1995) </span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent;">Lessem is a south african who uses the four lens of the compass to show how the </span></span></span></pre><pre class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent;">environment governs our ways of thinking.</span></span></span>
</pre>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-36394606683245634332024-01-03T10:33:00.038+02:002024-01-05T10:29:49.380+02:00WHISTLING IN THE WIND<p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">R</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">ather belatedly I’m uploading this past year’s collection of posts to which I’ve </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">given the title </span></span></span></span><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZk7dk0Z6CD6ibbsbH0qyvrdogjctVKO3zNV"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Whistling </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">i</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">n the wind</span></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">According to the dictionary, “Whistling in </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">the Wind” means trying to change something which cannot be changed. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: large;">2023 was certainly a grim year – Russia’s brutal invasion continuing to murder </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: large;">hundreds of thousands and Israel inflicting ethnic cleansing on the Palestinians. </span></p><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And the world seems consumed with hatred and bitterness. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But I certainly don’t want to give succour to those who believe it can never be </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">changed. The title of this year’s collection is rather meant to convey the sense </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">of being in a select group in fighting against the irrationality and fatalism </span></span></pre><pre class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">gripping our societies. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s interesting to look at some previous titles of these collections -</span></span></pre><p style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, serif;"><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZiX6DVZiGYBPeUDIqmiyDMXPrySb0RMR8h7"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">This too will Pass – the 2022 posts</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span> - </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span>a title which perhaps fell into th</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span>e</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span> trap </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span>of fatalism</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZ9GIaXZCBGjho3wNkJuPcULGNKWffA5SgMX"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">V</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">oices in the Air – </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">the </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">2021 </span></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">posts - </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">a title from the <a href="https://www.quora.com/Are-practical-men-really-the-slaves-of-academic-scribblers-Keynes">famous quote from Keynes</a> when he talked of the unnoticed influence of </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">book</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">s on our minds</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZPVdk0Z1kljheUvYcS3wLuOLxyRfj8iPJsV"><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">P</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">eripheral Vision</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> – the 2020 posts. </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">This celebrates the blog’s notion of creativity</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"></span></span></span></span></p><p style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZwABskZgv3rkCdTR0J89NGDSrzWljkdjxaV">To Whom it may Concern</a> – the 2019 posts. Normally written in support of someone’s application</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/e475c8_d560c6019e964aaf9bfa9e2374a34d41.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">The Search for the Holy Grail – the 2018 posts</span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"> </span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Something I’ve been guilty of</span></p><p style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/e475c8_bf040298ca9e44269ef80212d5da85c8.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">Common Endeavour – the 2017 posts</span></a></u></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"> </span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">An important concept for me</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="http://media.wix.com/ugd/e475c8_37e937c1254f44839ff99190c9dbf17b.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">The Slaves’ Chorus – the 2016 posts</span></a></u></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"> </span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>I remember listening to an emotional rendering of this chorus in a Brno theatre in 1990. I hadn’t realised that the full title of this song is actually the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY79yY247Eo&ab_channel=maestrohartung">Hebrew Slaves’ Chorus</a></span></span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: navy;"><u><a href="http://media.wix.com/ugd/e475c8_8b277c8738724585aa89282a0c105233.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">In Praise of Doubt – a blogger’s year</span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><span lang="en-GB"><span>(2015)</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>An allusion to the <a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2009/10/brecht-and-candide.html">Brecht poem</a> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>of that title</span></span></span></span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><b>Let me draw your attention to some important features of the blog -</b></span></span></span></span></span></div><p class="western" style="break-before: page; line-height: 100%; page-break-before: always;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>List of E-books</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It
took me some time to realise that the blog contained an amazing
resource for English-speakers….the top-right corner has the list of
E-books which have resulted from a careful selection and editing of
the posts. They are, effectively, <b>annotated guides to such
subjects as </b>-</span></span></span></p><ul>
<li><p class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">change
– in all its aspects</span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">culture
in the broadest sense</span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">patterns
of decline</span></span></span></p></li><li><p class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">The
critical writing of the past half century about our economic system</span></p></li><li><p class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">The
literature on administrative reform</span></p></li><li><p class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">The
debate about Scottish independence over the past decade</span></p></li><li><p class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Cultural
aspects of countries such as Romania, Bulgaria and Germany</span></p></li></ul><ul>
</ul><p align="left" class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">I
can safely say that no such guides exist elsewhere in the English
language. But I’m not able to crack the question of their wider
dissemination. They’re little use if noone knows of their
existence!! </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">This is an issue I have to address. </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Ironically,
however, the “resource” offered by the reading lists which have
become such a feature of the blog is not something I seem to avail
myself of too frequently! I tend all too often to “skim and save”
– and generally fail to return to the link and read it properly. At
this time when New Year Resolutions are so popular, there’s a bad
habit I need to discipline!!</span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>“Insights into other worlds – good writing and painting”</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%;">– <span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>aka
Blogroll </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">This
offers hyperlinks to some 70 sites which I follow. At the end of each
year I note the new links I subscribe to and remove those which no
longer function. The new entrants are -</span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://accidentalgods.life/">https://accidentalgods.life/</a>
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">wonderful site which
mixes environmental concerns with existential and spiritual</span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://aurelien2022.substack.com/">https://aurelien2022.substack.com/</a>
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">one of the most
interesting new links which “tries to understand the world” with
someone with senior experience in both government and academia</span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://areopagus.culturaltutor.com/profile">https://areopagus.culturaltutor.com/profile</a>
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">breathtaking insight
(and sounds of) to cultural treasures</span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://memex.naughtons.org/">https://memex.naughtons.org/</a>
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">an IT journalist’s
diary</span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Those
which no longer function and have been removed include </span></span>
</p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Scottish
Review, a great little internet weekly whose <a href="https://electricscotland.com/history/scottish_review.htm">superb writing can still be seen here</a></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Public
admin Reform – my own site which was suddenly removed </span></span>
</p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Renegade
Inc</span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 100%;"><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">4</b><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">.
</b><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Search Facility</b></p><p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">
</span></p><p class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">And
if you punch a key phrase into the search facility, chances are it
will instantly give you something interesting. Try it. </span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-11727114596680532082023-12-20T15:50:00.002+02:002023-12-20T15:50:34.966+02:00LINKS – and what they tell you about someone<p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">My
blogroll lists 70 blogs I try to follow – one being an old site of
mine which was suddenly removed, without notice. So, be warned, </span><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">all
those precious papers and books could suddenly vanish</b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">!!. And
buying a web address is not a solution – as this, just as easily,
can also vanish via a takeover. Indeed that’s just happened to one
of my bank accounts – </span><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">NatWest International </b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">who seem to have
taken over the Royal Bank of Scotland - which has intimated that they
are closing the account in which I have 5k dollars in late January.
They offer no option to allow me to transfer the money to another
account. Such are the ways of corporate capitalism.</span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
revenons aux moutons – to the matter of what links can tell you
about a person. The last post led with a link to a file containing <a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZ9cU70ZNw4XNdiE8wk5Y8ioI6Dmj8iIWvgV">a
100 page list of the hyperlinks</a> I had selected this year for
their interest. Both the blogroll and this list of hyperlinks tell
you a lot about what grabs my interest – for example.</span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p align="left" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Journal of Intellectual History is onec of my favourite journals and
occasionally has free articles. Two recent were </span></span>
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/56/article/901494/pdf">Neoliberalism
– an intellectual history</a> N Mulder review of 3 recent books</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">one
on <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/56/article/879543/pdf">Anti-fascism
</a> which places the literature in the wider context of
anti-colonialism</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/we-are-not-ready">We
are not ready - policymaking in the era of era of environmental
breakdown</a> </span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" class="western"> <span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">(IPPR
2020) which assesses the UK against 3 criteria</span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Putting
the Gaza ethnic cleansing in context</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://consortiumnews.com/2023/12/18/chris-hedges-the-death-of-israel/">https://consortiumnews.com/2023/12/18/chris-hedges-the-death-of-israel/</a></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://consortiumnews.com/2023/12/12/patrick-lawrence-gaza-confronting-power/">https://consortiumnews.com/2023/12/12/patrick-lawrence-gaza-confronting-power/</a>
</span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://contendingmodernities.nd.edu/global-currents/israeli-apartheid-and-its-apologists/">https://contendingmodernities.nd.edu/global-currents/israeli-apartheid-and-its-apologists/</a>
</span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Human
Rights Watch 2021 <a href="https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/media_2021/04/israel_palestine0421_web_0.pdf">Report
on Israeli use of apartheid</a></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://ifit-transitions.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/First-Principles-The-Need-for-Greater-Consensus-on-the-Fundamentals-of-Polarisation-Final.pdf?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email">polarisation</a>
article</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Ending-stagnation-final-report.pdf">https://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Ending-stagnation-final-report.pdf</a>
</span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://thetricontinental.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/180918_Tricon_Working-Document-1_EN_Web.pdf">In
the Ruins of the Present</a> Vijay Prashad 2018</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">How
to understand a world of unemployment and annihilation, of poverty,
climate catastrophe and war? What concepts do we have to grasp these
complex realities? The modes of thought that come from North American
positivism – game theory, regression analysis, multi-level models,
inferential statistics – are at a loss to offer a general theory of
our condition. Steeped in common sense understandings of power and
naive about the role of elites in our world, these approaches might
explain this or that aspect of our world.</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.councilestatemedia.uk/p/politicians-who-respected-kissinger?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2">https://www.councilestatemedia.uk/p/politicians-who-respected-kissinger?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2</a>
</span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.noemamag.com/what-ai-teaches-us-about-good-writing/">https://www.noemamag.com/what-ai-teaches-us-about-good-writing/</a></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Some
recent Development material</b></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Newsletter
from “<a href="https://twpcop.substack.com/p/twp-cop-december-2023-newsletter">thinking
and working politically</a>”</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">P<a href="https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/+/http:/www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/prominstdevsourcebook.pdf">romoting
institutional and organisational development</a> 2003</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://i.unu.edu/media/cpr.unu.edu/attachment/2232/Assessing-Fragility-Risk-and-Resilience-Frameworks.pdf">Fragility,
Risk and Resilience</a> UN 2016</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1187227/FCDO_Understanding_Institutional_Analysis_Sep_23.pdf">understanding
institutional analysis</a></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.corruptionjusticeandlegitimacy.org/cs-jm-paper">civil
servants, social norms and corruption</a></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
the number of downloadable BOOKS is increasing eg</span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><p class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/tomorrows-communities-lessons-for-community-based-transformation-in-the-age-of-global-crises-9781447361138.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">T</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">omorrow’s
Communities</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Henry
Tam 2022</span></span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/the-gutenberg-parenthesis-the-age-of-print-and-its-lessons-for-the-age-of-the-internet-9781501394829-9781501394867-9781501394850.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Gutenberg Parenthesis</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jeff
Jarvis 2023</span></span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://files.libcom.org/files/Murray_Bookchin_The_Ecology_of_Freedom_1982.pdf">The
Ecology of Freedom</a> M Bookchin 19</span><span style="font-size: small;">82</span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/b2236e6d-3956-5311-bdec-1fc231e29169"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">Institutions
Taking Root - </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">Building
State Capacity in Challenging Contexts</span></a> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">World
Bank 2014</span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/7c752387-ddf0-4279-8f2a-a19377a9489e"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Government Analyics Handbook – </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">leveraging
data to strengthen p</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">ublic
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">a</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">dministration</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">D
Rogger and C Schuster World Bank Sept 2023 </span></span></span></span>
</p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://vdoc.pub/documents/passion-craft-and-method-in-comparative-politics-3aeqpl16dcu0"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Passion,
Craft and Method in Comp</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">a</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">rative
Politics </span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gerardo
Munck and Richard Snyder 2007</span></span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311370677_Globalisation_and_Contestation_The_new_great_counter-movement"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">G</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">lobalisation
and contestation -</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
the new great counter-movement</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ronaldo
Munck 2007</span></span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/24567/1/9780367333430_text17oktober.pdf">Digital
Transformation and public services</a> A Larsson and R Teigland 2020</span></span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=kXZPEAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">S</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">truggle
makes us human</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">V</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">ijay
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">P</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">rashad
2022</span></span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/prisoners-of-time-9780141997322.html"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Prisoners
of Time - prussians, germans and other humans</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">chris
clark 2021</span></span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5002&context=open_access_etds">Walter
Kempowski’s Familienchronic</a> thesis </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">1990</span></span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><a href="https://newuniversityinexileconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/the-language-of-politics.pdf"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">The
Language of Politics</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">A</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">drian
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">B</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB">eard
2000</span></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: DejaVu Serif, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://books.google.ro/books?id=7cTLDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">F</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">aith
seeking </span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">C</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">onviviality</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">S</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">am
</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">E</span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">well
2020</span></span></span></span></p></li></ul></blockquote><p align="justify" class="western"></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-14896019945312969602023-12-18T17:46:00.001+02:002023-12-18T17:46:24.769+02:00 SOME RECENT LINKS<p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">My
hyperlinks have been piling up – indeed those for </span><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZ9cU70ZNw4XNdiE8wk5Y8ioI6Dmj8iIWvgV" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">the
full year already fill more than a hundred pages</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">. I find them
very useful as reminders of my daily finds. So time to identify what
I have found useful in the last few weeks. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">It’s
not all focused on texts – there have been some useful discussions
on both </span><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">video and podcast</b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">. I have huge respect for John
Mearsheimer who engages </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNVm-oXFK9k&ab_channel=TheInstituteofArtandIdeas" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">here
in discussion with Stephen Pinker about R<span style="font-size: 15pt;"><b>eason
and the Enlightenment</b></span></a></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cornel
West is another who commands admiration and has a rather
mutual-congratulary<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wm-AOz2-lI&ab_channel=UsefulIdiots">
discussion here with Gabor Mate</a></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western">“<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
Great Unravelling</b>” is a term used increasingly to denote the
“polycrises” which seem to be bedevilling the world and is
explained in a useful <a href="https://www.postcarbon.org/publications/welcome-to-the-great-unraveling/?mc_cid=d62e606ed4&mc_eid=e26c997282">report
from the Post-Carbon Institute</a> which is important background for
this <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7m3G6nmEQ93H7pbas8mAtO">podcast
exploration by David Runciman on whether the “anthropocene” is a
useful term or whether “Leviacene”</a> night not be a better term</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Duncan
Green is an Oxfam blogger I follow who frequently <a href="https://frompoverty.oxfam.org.uk/new-and-old-power-a-new-way-to-understand-and-cultivate-digitally-mediated-activism-or-just-another-framework/">confronts
the issue of power</a> which is also the topic American academic Jeff
Pfeffer writes about- <a href="https://www.porchlightbooks.com/globalassets/changethis/213--june-2022/pdfs/213.03.7rulespower-fa.pdf">this
being a recent typical piece of his on the subject</a></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Moses
Naim wrote <a href="https://ebsp.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/endofpowerb.pdf"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
End of Power</b></span></a> (2013) about how powerful people in
powerful roles are experiencing greater limits on their power. Naim
notes how many people with fancy titles had confided in him about the
perceived (or claimed) gaps between the power others attributed to
them and both what they could get done and their own self-expressed
perceptions of their power. When Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame
launched a book club, he named this book his first selection. I trust
you appreciate the irony. As I write this, Zuckerberg is
recentralizing his control over Facebook, and of course Facebook,
like many of its Silicon Valley peers, has a supermajority voting
structure that assures that Zuckerberg cannot be fired regardless of
what he does. Some people may face the end of power or limits on
their power, but certainly not Zuckerberg; a lot fewer people have
tenuous power than claim to. </i></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>In
this same book, which I often hear about as an example of how
theories and realities of power have fundamentally changed, Naim asks
what globalization was doing to economic concentration. The
presumption was that the globalization of business—and therefore,
competition—would disperse economic power. He asked that question
in 2013. By now the answer is clear, and it is not what many
expected. Not only in the US but around the world, antitrust
authorities are girding for battle because globalization has
increased the concentration of power and wealth, particularly in
technology multinationals but in other industries as well, such as
telecommunications and even retail (perhaps you have heard of
Amazon?). Following the 2008–2009 financial crisis, banks that were
criticized as being too big to fail got—bigger. The story of
nonexistent antitrust enforcement and increasing concentration of
economic power is one often empirically told. </i></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Then
there are Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms, authors of<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>
<a href="https://hbr.org/2014/12/understanding-new-power">New Power</a></b></span>
(2018) Their thesis is that power wasn’t ending, but that power and
its bases and use were being fundamentally transformed by things like
the internet, social media, and new communication modalities. The
result of this social and technological change was to be greater
democratization, a word they use often, as the ideas of new power
would make power less concentrated and available to more people.
Their basic argument, expressed by numerous others, was that the
ability of many individuals to readily acquire a communications
platform (think blogs and accounts on social media platforms like
Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) and to easily access the world’s
information (think Google) would lead to a proliferation of
innovation and social movements. Much like the oft-discussed but
ultimately unsuccessful Arab Spring, there would be, to take a phrase
from the 1960s, more power to the people, including those lacking
formal positions of power. </i></span></span>
</p>
<p align="justify" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Unfortunately,
reality intruded, and the most successful users of the new
communication methods and social media platforms turned out to be
those who already held political and economic power.</i></span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><b>More to follow</b></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-35857246060312574952023-12-12T17:12:00.004+02:002023-12-12T17:12:33.425+02:00 Just Words<p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">One
of the books of which I’m most proud is “</span><a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZmTgTVZLtzQPe3NsAylf4Rh6NSdhHViJzpV" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Just
Words – a sceptic’s glossary</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">”</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 13pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">and that’s not just because of the pun in the title - the
first word can be read to mean either “mere/only” or
“fair/impartial”. Two very different senses.</span></p>
<p class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.academia.edu/104697016/Diary_of_a_Tightrope_Walker_Victor_Klemperer_and_His_Posterity">Victor
Klemperer</a> (1881-1960) came to Western notice only after 1995 when
his German publisher started to release the Diaries which he had kept
since an early age at the start of the 20<sup>th</sup> Century; and
it was several years later before UK and US audiences were able to
read the English versions of <a href="https://ia600209.us.archive.org/7/items/KlempererVictorIWillBearWitness19421945ADiaryOfTheNaziYears/Klemperer%2C%20Victor%20-%20I%20Will%20Bear%20Witness%20%20A%20Diary%20of%20the%20Nazi%20Years%2C%201933-1941.pdf"><span style="font-size: small;">I
</span><span style="font-size: small;">Will Bear Witness
1933-41</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">and
</span><a href="https://archive.org/details/KlempererVictorIWillBearWitness19421945ADiaryOfTheNaziYears/Klemperer%2C%20Victor%20-%20I%20Will%20Bear%20Witness%201942-1945%20%20A%20Diary%20of%20the%20Nazi%20Years/"><span style="font-size: small;">I
</span><span style="font-size: small;">Will Bear Witness
194</span><span style="font-size: small;">2</span><span style="font-size: small;">-45</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
– </span><span style="font-size: small;">let alone </span><a href="https://ia800207.us.archive.org/5/items/KlempererVictorTheLesserEvilTheDiariesOfVictorKlemperer194559/Klemperer%2C%20Victor%20-%20The%20Lesser%20Evil%20%20The%20Diaries%20of%20Victor%20Klemperer%201945-59.pdf"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Lesser Evil The Diaries of V K</span><span style="font-size: small;">lemperer</span><span style="font-size: small;">
1945-59</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">. </span><span style="font-size: small;">That’s
some 40 years after his death!!</span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
</p>
<p class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He
was a philologist who used his experience of listening to passengers
on the Dresden trams and buses to publish, in 1947, <a href="https://vdoc.pub/download/language-of-the-third-reich-lti-lingua-tertii-imperii-213h6tm6nvi0"><span style="font-size: small;">T</span><span style="font-size: small;">he
</span><span style="font-size: small;">L</span><span style="font-size: small;">anguage
of the </span><span style="font-size: small;">T</span><span style="font-size: small;">hird
</span><span style="font-size: small;">R</span><span style="font-size: small;">eich</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">.
</span><span style="font-size: small;">It was 2000 – more
than 50 years after his death – before it appeared in English and
has now pride of place in the </span> “Roll-call of Honour” which
is chapter 4 of “<a href="https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZmTgTVZLtzQPe3NsAylf4Rh6NSdhHViJzpV">Just
Words</a>”.</span></span></p>
<p class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
book has now 73 pages and can boast</span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><p class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">25
pages of definitions</span></span></p></li>
<li><p class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>all
the key authors</b> – <span style="background: transparent;">from
La Rochefoucaul</span><span style="background: transparent;">d</span><span style="background: transparent;">
and Flaubert through </span><span style="background: transparent;">Pierce
and</span><span style="background: transparent;"> Klemperer </span><span style="background: transparent;">to
Susan George and J Ralston Saul</span></span></span></p></li></ul>
<p class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s
a quite unique compendium - and I thoroughly recommend it.</span></span></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-56802334806697913432023-12-10T23:42:00.006+02:002023-12-10T23:46:15.550+02:00Fathers<p dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1633" data-original-width="1350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVDi_J6waSgcS8z5mCTepfmrRCZeZPQQPNk1BfawTu8_0aDEBk_uPvodI1QvIKMUYn4Tt5KBG_tU0oojQNKGQCYb5Vji0-CWKqMyCgVTV746DFCgkZf_iSkDID5z2hMD6rc_sPENZHAFa7IDaLiZIo60mkFeP7cL4hfwf8sBQ5tL6zGVDtKEsY32uUnW_/s320/father.gif" width="265" /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Today was the day my Dad was born – in 1907. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Some 14 years ago I paid </span><a href="https://nomadron.blogspot.com/2009/10/fathers.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">my extended tribute to hi</a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: 14pt;">s memory which started thus -</span> </div><p></p>
<p align="left" class="western">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We
are all shaped by our upbringing – family; neighbourhood; and
education. My father was a Presbyterian Minister (in a Scottish
shipbuilding town) whom I would like to have known better. Last year
I found myself discussing the possible establishment of a series of
lectures (better perhaps “conversations”) which would celebrate
my father’s passions and values. These can be tentatively but not
adequately expressed in such words as understanding.. <b>tolerance..
sharing.... service....exploration.... reconciliation.... and also,
in pastimes, such as "boats, books, bees and ben</b>s".</i></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
discussion involved me drafting the following thoughts - partly in an
effort to clarify why I felt my father's memory deserved
resurrection; </i></span></span>
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>partly
because I was aware that he represented a world we have lost and
should celebrate. And partly, I realise, because I was trying to find
out what being Scottish now means to me. Memorials are normally for
famous people – but the point about my father is that he had no
affectations or ambitions (at least that I knew about!) and was
simply “well ken’t” and loved in several distinct communities.
It was enough for him to serve one community (Mount Pleasant Church
in Greenock for 50 years) and to use his time on earth to try to open
up - to a range of very different types of individuals - the richness
of other fields of knowledge. So he tutored in ancient languages and
history – he was a prison chaplain – he was chairman of
Greenock’s McLellan Gallery and Philosophical Society – latterly
he was a lecturer on a British circuit about his travels (which
included an expedition to Greenland in his sixties!). In all of this,
of course, he was quietly supported by my mother. His well-known
passions for books and travel were expressions of his passion for the
world. His service as an independent (“moderate”) councillor (and
Baillie) on Greenock Town Council equally showed his lack of dogma
and his openness. When, in my late teens, I became both an atheist
and socialist (offending some of our West-end neighbours) I felt only
his quiet pride that I was, in my own way, searching for myself and,
in different ways, living up to his values</i></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western"><br />
</p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1459705910272523592.post-53657957768254023622023-12-06T09:38:00.021+02:002024-02-21T14:52:18.559+02:00Die Qual der Wahl<p>“<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candide">Candide</a>”
was Voltaire’s takedown of the Enlightenment - Andersen’s “<a href="https://owlcation.com/humanities/EmperorsNewClothes">The
Emperor has no clothes</a>” is a lesser tale which demonstrates the
power of ”groupthink”</span></span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.rorystewart.co.uk/">Rory
Stewart</a> seems everywhere these days – his craggy face on
television interviews about his life, his gravelly voice on podcasts
revealing what is clearly a "beautiful mind". He has recently been
promoting his latest book “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/sep/04/politics-on-the-edge-by-rory-stewart-review-blistering-insider-portrait-of-a-nation-in-decline">Politics
on the Edge – a memoir from within</a>” which paints a
devastating picture of the state of British politics. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS", cursive; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Few
doubt the scale of his commitment to public service. It was bred in
him at Eton - after a brief period in military service, he became a
diplomat, ran a NGO in Afghanistan, became an MP in 2010, a Minister
shortly thereafter, actually ran a campaign to be Prime Minister and
was one of an illustrious group of 21 to be booted out of the
Conservative party in 2019</span></p>
<p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
what exactly is his motivation for the excessive marketing of his
brand? He clearly enjoyed his time wielding what power he had as a
Minister but, as a 50-year old he clearly suffers from what the
Germans call “Die Qual der Wahl” – the torture of choice. He’s
had <a href="https://www.tatler.com/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-rory-stewart-mp">too
gilded a career</a> - he doesn’t know which of the many options
open to him he should choose for the rest of his illustrious career.</span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">His
latest book seems quite brilliant in its analysis of how the
exercise of power eats into the soul (I have only <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1qd6M4Kxuc&ab_channel=RemarqueNYU">these
interviews to go on</a>). So he could become an interesting member
of <b>the political punditry</b> – although he might need to
extend his range to cover more than British politics</span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He
already manages an international NGO encouraging cash transfers so
could eventually land up with a <b>plum job with a key international
agency</b></span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">he
remains a (traditional) conservative but is unlikely to be tempted
back to ministerial roles. His caustic comments about colleagues
make him “unreliable” – a great sin in politics.</span></span></p></li>
<li><p align="justify" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He
has an American wife – perhaps he should acquire US citizenship
and lobby to become President of the World Bank</span></span></p></li></ul>
<p align="left" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;">Other
interviews</span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IbnTBgYxGbJLi39lE3KZT">https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IbnTBgYxGbJLi39lE3KZT</a>
with mary beard</span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbA5hfHCnjw&ab_channel=Tortoise">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbA5hfHCnjw&ab_channel=Tortoise</a>
</span></span>
</p><p align="left" class="western"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"></span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zbGxZ_nmnY&t=16s&ab_channel=LBC">James o’brien interviews Rory Stewart</a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><em><span style="font-variant: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS, cursive;">J<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8EwDqBexx8&ab_channel=Seen%26Unseen">onathan Aitken interviews Rory Stewart</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em></span></span>
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><br /></span><p></p>nomadronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.com1