Category Archives: Education

Critic swallows book

The Sydney Book Review is my kind of book review. It’s online and free. Ever since I joined the blogging revolution in 2005 it’s seemed crazy to me (not to mention precious) that so many of our literary publications are … Continue reading

Posted in Cultural Critique, Education, Indigenous, Literature, Social Policy | 1 Comment

How Shorism might win Australia’s federal election

Looking at Australian politics right now, one thing stands out: the federal ALP has become a little Shorist. I don’t know how long it will last, or whether it’s even a conscious strategy. But it’s definitely happening.  What does “Shorist” … Continue reading

Posted in Economics and public policy, Education, Employment, Inequality, Politics - national, Social Policy | Tagged , | 11 Comments

Standards Part Three — Perverse by design: Parasitic comparative standards

Continued from Part Two. Introduction Within the fabric of our knowledge, some ideas serve more local needs — identifying a particular item — while others acquire a structural role. Thus, if you’re a physicist, ideas like ‘mass’, ‘velocity’, ‘momentum’ and … Continue reading

Posted in Economics and public policy, Education, Public and Private Goods | 4 Comments

Academia: when there’s no ‘there’ there

I The university is one of the finest creations of European culture. Alas, as a troublesome fellow once said, all that is solid melts into air. I’m a bit shy of attributing things to a single cause. These things tend … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Methodology, Philosophy | 2 Comments

Practical steps towards Ivan Illich’s world

I. Introduction Owing to quite a bit of recent hoopla about him, I’ve recently been reading Ivan Illich. Like the Molière character who discovers he’s been speaking prose his whole life, I discover I’ve been thinking a little like Illich for … Continue reading

Posted in Cultural Critique, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Education, Ethics, Health, History, Innovation, Philosophy, Political theory, Sortition and citizens’ juries | 6 Comments

The Great Covid Panic: now out!

It’s here, the booklet I am sure you have all been waiting for. The one which Gigi Foster and Michael Baker slaved over for 10 months. It is also on Kindle. It is dedicated to all the victims of the … Continue reading

Posted in Bargains, Coronavirus crisis, Dance, Death and taxes, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Education, Employment, Ethics, Health, History, Humour, Inequality, Isegoria, IT and Internet, Journalism, Law, Libertarian Musings, Life, Literature, Media, Medical, Parenting, Philosophy, Political theory, Politics - international, Politics - national, Print media, Public and Private Goods, Religion, Review, Science, Social, Social Policy, Society, Sortition and citizens’ juries, Terror, Theatre, Travel, WOW! - Amazing | 7 Comments

Unseen trends and the society we are becoming.

Societies are evolving and complex, which often makes it hard to see at any moment where things are going. It was thus with the move of Northern European countries towards democracy in the 19th century, which seems inevitable and clear … Continue reading

Posted in bubble, Bullshit, Business, Climate Change, Education, Employment, Geeky Musings, History, Humour, Immigration and refugees, IT and Internet, Social, Theatre | 21 Comments