Category Archives: Bullshit

Accountability from above and below

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Nicholas Gruen

Below is an essay I wrote in late 2018 but it wasn’t published on the Mandarin till a year ago. I should have published it here, but don’t seem to have. It’s the ‘prequel’ to – the problematic from which … Continue reading →

Posted in Bullshit, Cultural Critique, Economics and public policy | 5 Comments

Some thoughts from on high

Posted on September 27, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

Sometimes we should just be grateful in this country for the steady hand on the tiller at the very highest levels. People might mock but it’s easy to mock. Philip Lowe wants us to take a bow! I don’t think we … Continue reading →

Posted in Bullshit | 2 Comments

Is Trump getting Funnier? On Brexit and May.

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Paul Frijters

The Donald is visiting the UK and has had me in stitches a whole day. He’s clearly been having a chat with Nigel Farage about how to handle the Conservatives and has shown them up in spectacular fashion. Theresa May, … Continue reading →

Posted in bubble, Bullshit, Geeky Musings, Humour, Politics - international, Politics - national, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Me on forecasting

Posted on March 1, 2018 by Nicholas Gruen

Above is my presentation to CEDA’s Outlook conference in Brisbane a couple of weeks ago. I came after a McKinsey’s consultant talking about digital disruption which is always a fun thing to present or listen to because there are lots of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bullshit, Cultural Critique, Economics and public policy, Health, History, Humour | 1 Comment

Anglo-Saxon histories (US, UK, AUS)

Posted on January 30, 2018 by Paul Frijters

Anglo-Saxon countries are often heaped together as having a single culture. When it comes to migration, attitudes to sex, teenage-pregnancy, inequality, language, and bellicosity, that seems about right. At least, the UK, the US, and Australia are pretty close on … Continue reading →

Posted in bubble, Bullshit, Cultural Critique, Ethics, Geeky Musings, History, Humour, Indigenous, Libertarian Musings, Politics - international, Politics - national | 30 Comments

Evidence-based policy: why is progress so slow and what can be done about it

Posted on December 19, 2017 by Nicholas Gruen

Here’s a presentation I gave at the anniversary of Australian Policy Online which has been cunningly rebranded under its old acronym as Analysis and Policy Observatory.  I gave a similar one at Kings College London a few weeks previously. Note that some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bullshit, Cultural Critique, Economics and public policy, Philosophy, Political theory, regulation | 12 Comments

Let’s have another World War!

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Paul Frijters

Sometimes, it feels like 1910 all over again. Then, a confident Germany was the up-and-coming industrial power house, fearing an even more up-and-coming Russia, with the UK and France desperately holding on to their colonial empires. Now, a confident China … Continue reading →

Posted in Bullshit, Business, Climate Change, Cultural Critique, Death and taxes, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Employment, Environment, Ethics, Geeky Musings, Gender, History, Humour, Immigration and refugees, Indigenous, Inequality, Information, Innovation, Intellectual Monopoly Privileges, Journalism, Media, Miscellaneous, Music, Philosophy, Political theory, Politics - international, Politics - national, Public and Private Goods, Race and indigenous, regulation, Religion, Science, Social, Social Policy, Society, Sport-general, Theatre, Travel | 5 Comments