Category Archives: Media

Constant distractions are leading to major declines in top-level reasoning. What to do?

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Paul Frijters

Till 20 year ago, IQ scores in the West increased about 3 points per decade ever since the 1920s, a phenomenon known as the “Flynn effect”. That rise in IQ test scores, which have an average of 100 and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Employment, Gender, History, Inequality, IT and Internet, Media, Parenting, Public and Private Goods, Science, Social, Uncategorized | 17 Comments

A review of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, the prequel to “The Hunger Games”.

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Paul Frijters

[spoiler alert!] As a fan of the “Hunger Games”, a dystopian trilogy where teenagers are thrown into gladiatorial games to fight till the last survivor in a world that is a blend of ancient Rome and modern America, I eagerly … Continue reading →

Posted in Art and Architecture, Cultural Critique, Democracy, Films and TV, Geeky Musings, History, Literature, Media, Social Policy, Society | 3 Comments

How can the Covid-policies be countered with the help of Big Money?

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Paul Frijters

Suppose you agree with me that containment and elimination strategies pursued regarding Covid-19 do far more harm than good. Suppose you also believe that having an open economy and a vibrant close-contact social life is vital for the long-run health … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Death and taxes, Economics and public policy, Education, Employment, Health, Life, Media, Politics - national, Science, Social Policy, Society | 86 Comments

Defending independence in the age of deep spin

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Nicholas Gruen

pic.twitter.com/QhTWvcY4Ke — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2020 If you know anything about the latest State of the Union Address, you know that after Donald Trump had handed Nancy Pelosi his speech as if she were his secretary when … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, Democracy, Information, IT and Internet, Media, Sortition and citizens’ juries | 4 Comments

How Good are Refugees? This year’s MUST ATTEND dinner with Santo Cilauro. 12th Sept, Melb.

Posted on August 17, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

If these kinds of things existed in my country, I wouldn’t need to be running for President to fix everything up. Elizabeth Warren The only thing that didn’t leave a nasty taste in my mouth last year was the food. … Continue reading →

Posted in Blegs, Films and TV, Humour, Media | 4 Comments

Guest Post by Simon Molloy: Reducing political bias at the national broadcaster

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

Claims of a left-wing bias at the ABC are seldom absent from public discussion. These claims quickly lead to suggestions that the ABC should privatised. Of course, bias and impartiality are notoriously elastic and subjective concepts. The only arbiter that … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Media | 7 Comments

George RR Martin just reminded us of the horrors of war and our role in them.

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Paul Frijters

Episode 5 of the final season of Game of Thrones showed us a vengeful fallen angle, Daenerys Targaryen, after whom thousands of children in the real world have been named. Even though her enemies had been defeated and surrendered, she … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, Democracy, Ethics, Films and TV, Geeky Musings, History, Law, Life, Literature, Media, Print media, Religion, Social Policy, Society, Theatre | 26 Comments