Should we celebrate diversity? To ask the question in the current political climate in the Anglosphere is to answer it: to respond with anything less than an enthusiastic “Of course we should!” is to risk upsetting all the lovely people in the picture above and worse, to invite the wrath of the Cancel Culture squads… Continue reading Should We Celebrate “Diversity”?
Hurtling to Oblivion
Captain’s log Stardate 76342.1; We are proceeding through the Orion nebula system, having just emerged from warp drive. The crew are in good spirits and looking forward to the festive season; The crew are putting up the seasonal lights and streamers in the bridge, much to Spock’s consternation…. Cap’n, ye have tae see this. A… Continue reading Hurtling to Oblivion
Equity Explained, Part 3: A Return to Fairness
As outlined in part 2 of this essay, equity as part of the EDI agenda represents a thoroughly dishonest and dangerous process of institutional capture, which subverts the historical trend of the rising freedom and empowerment of individuals, but also dissolves the natural bonds of affinity and sociality between individuals in organisations by a subtle… Continue reading Equity Explained, Part 3: A Return to Fairness
Equity Explained, Part 2: The Misdirecting Hand
“I think that there’s a lot of people more concerned about being precisely, factually, and semantically correct than about being morally right.” (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, US congressional representative and activist) Equity is defined as the quality of being fair and impartial (OED). As such it is uncontroversial and clearly a good thing, something we should all… Continue reading Equity Explained, Part 2: The Misdirecting Hand
Equity Explained, Part 1: The Promise and Problems of Equality
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” (George Orwell, Animal Farm) A new wind, balmy and soothing, is blowing through the halls of academe, the corporate world and civil society generally. Its name is equity, diversity and inclusion, frequently known by the acronym EDI. Its very suggestive reasonableness – even… Continue reading Equity Explained, Part 1: The Promise and Problems of Equality
The Stars at Night, Episode 51: Cosmic Symmetries
HelloandwelcometoanotherliveepisodeofTheStarsatNightwithmePatrickMoore. Myguestthiseveningisnotwithusinbody [S**t, Patrick] butverymuchinmind. ThereasonisduetothecutsattheBBC – tofundwokehistoricalre-enactments [Cut, for f**k’s sake] – thatthespacededicatedtoscienceprogrammes istoosmalltofit hisentourage. No, it’snotBrianMay, whoiswithusinthestudio (althoughwedon’thavemuchroom formuchelsethanme, [Right] Brianandhishair), buttheheir [Groan] toNewton, thepresentLucasianProfessorofMathematicsatCambridgeUniversity, Professor Stephen Hawking, whojoinsusonline. WelcomeStephen ………..It’s-a-pleasure-to-be-here-Patrick Youareofcoursefamousforthebook ABriefHistoryofTime, which, I understand, tieswithUlyssesasbeingthemostpopularbookthatnoonehasread [S**t, Patrick] ……….Yes-that-is-correct……….the-nature-of-time-is-very-complex……….very-few-people-understand-it……….perhaps-only-Einstein-and-myself-have-understood-it Andyet youwroteabest-sellingbookaboutit ……….Well-Patrick…………I-needed-a-way-to-fund-my-entourage-and-addiction-to-advanced-voice-simulation-technology…………Ha ha! Stephen, can I ask you a question? ……….Yes-Brian……….By-the-way-my-wives-and-I-enjoyed-your-series-on-Wonders-of-the-Universe Er,… Continue reading The Stars at Night, Episode 51: Cosmic Symmetries
Counting the Cost of Social Justice
It is a key feature of the Culture Wars that they tend to be winner-takes-all affairs. This is arguably because both sides tend to adopt rights-based approaches, then to assert mutually incompatible sets of rights. But is there not a more fruitful way of conducting moral discourse whereby the protagonists of both sides engage with each other in a less confrontational manner?
When the Lionesses Roared
“That was a lot of fun.” “Absolutely!” Thus began the conversation between the two young men who had just installed themselves with a couple of pints of ale in the corner of the Horse and Guardsman public house in Whitehall not two minutes down the road from Trafalgar Square where the victory parade of the… Continue reading When the Lionesses Roared
Collectivism and the Intolerability of Uncertainty
Collectivism is back in fashion at the moment, particularly with the young in the West, who have no experience of living in collectivist societies and who are a generation or two removed from the experience of their effects in the political sphere, and also with those who are enamoured of the moral kudos that comes… Continue reading Collectivism and the Intolerability of Uncertainty
Emancipation with a Clenched Fist: A Critique of Postmodern Critical Theory
At a time when we are encouraged to nod through policies embedding “diversity, inclusion and equality” in our places of work and subject to their ubiquitous manifestation in our entertainment industries, few recognise that this is not the spontaneous and organic growth of the desire of the mass of ordinary people but the outcome of… Continue reading Emancipation with a Clenched Fist: A Critique of Postmodern Critical Theory