This may seem a parody of postmodern social reality and eerily suggestive of a future dystopia, but it is only a slight exaggeration. Schools tend to focus more on mainstream socialisation, engaging with mass-marketed youth culture and pastoral care than with reading, writing, maths and real science. Self Confidence Sam’s self-esteem has grown throughout the
⋯Having your cake and eating it
Imagine you had a choice of three political parties. The welfare party promised better public services, but admitted it may need to increase taxes. The small business party promised lower taxes, but admitted it will need to cut public services. However the magic bullet party promised to slash taxes and boost investment in healthcare, education
⋯capitalism, immigration, migration, Power dynamics
Rebel without a cause
Do you like to indulge in drugs and booze ? Surely only boring losers would abstain from the exciting social life facilitated by binge drinking, cocaine parties and ecstasy-enhanced all-night raves. Maybe you like to gamble or play first-person shooters online with your virtual friends and imaginary foes. And what self-respecting young adult would not
⋯capitalism, Computing, corporatism, Power dynamics
A culture of automotive entitlement: the anti-cycling brigade
Cycling been very much in the headlines in the UK. In the last fortnight 6 cyclists have been killed on the streets of London and today a young female motorist was fined for boasting on Twitter about how she accidentally knocked over a cyclist and did not bother to stop. To many the rivalry between
⋯corporatism, limits to growth, population
The Sheer Arrogance of Tony Blair's Clone
“But let me be clear – Britain may be a small island, but I would challenge anyone to find a country with a prouder history, a bigger heart or greater resilience.” David Cameron So presumably thousands of years of Chinese, Indian or Middle Eastem history, literature, innovations count for little, and Britain’s neighbours have little
⋯hegemony, human rights, Power dynamics
Left, Right and Plain Wrong
When political analysts first chose to classify opinions on a left-right spectrum during the French Revolution over 210 years ago, the left stood up for the underprivileged working classes, while the right defended the interests of the aristocracy and the emerging class of entrepreneurs. That was long before the emergence of the welfare state, mass
⋯capitalism, communism, migration, Power dynamics
Multinational Scroungers and Tax Dodgers
Just before Christmas the British media revealed some large up and coming multinational outfits had taken advantage of tax loopholes and the wonders of early 21st century globalised trade to evade taxes. Suddenly Labour supporters had a cause they could all rally behind and win support from hardworking voters rightly fed up with high taxes
⋯capitalism, Computing, Power dynamics