Contemplating the seemingly insurmountable challenge of climate change, could we harness a wealth of untapped solutions to not just halt, but reverse this global catastrophe? In an age where the brunt of climate change has begun to make its presence unequivocally known, Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming proves itself a lighthouse amidst stormy seas. A salient manifesto that integrates science, economics, and human resilience, it offers an in-depth exploration of practical strategies that provide hope for a cooler, sustainable future.
Lees verder “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, by Paul Hawken”State Surveillance Capitalism, with Chinese Characteristics
During this digital era, the currencies of power have expanded beyond traditional realms to include data and information. The advent of technology has given rise to new systems of socio-economic operation, one of which is surveillance capitalism. State surveillance capitalism with Chinese characteristics signifies a distinctive fusion of commercial and state surveillance activities, tailored to the political, economic, and societal context of China.
This system revolves around the vast collection, analysis, and utilization of data by both private corporations and the state. In the broadest sense, surveillance capitalism denotes a market-driven process where the commodity for sale is personal data, and the capture and production of this data rely on mass surveillance. The significance of this topic cannot be overstated. As data becomes an increasingly valuable resource, understanding the mechanisms behind its collection, analysis, and utilization becomes paramount.
However, when surveillance capitalism intertwines with state surveillance – the monitoring of individuals or groups by government agencies – we enter a new dimension of this concept. State surveillance, often justified in the name of national security and social order, can coexist and even synergize with surveillance capitalism, creating a formidable alliance of data gathering and processing powers.
Lees verder “State Surveillance Capitalism, with Chinese Characteristics”Fifty Things that Made the Modern Economy, by Tim Harford
Contemplating the sheer complexity of our modern economy, have you ever wondered about the seemingly innocuous inventions that silently sculpted the contours of our daily existence? There are few writers who can skilfully weave historical evidence, economic theory, and engaging storytelling into a coherent narrative as adeptly as Tim Harford. His latest oeuvre, Fifty Things that Made the Modern Economy, showcases the remarkable ease with which he guides the reader through a fascinating exploration of the transformative inventions that underpin our world.
Lees verder “Fifty Things that Made the Modern Economy, by Tim Harford”Over de particratie in België
Volgens Walter Zinzen, de voormalige journalist bij de openbare omroep VRT, is de particratie in België is inderdaad te ver doorgeschoten. Ik kan niet anders dan het met hem eens zijn. Terwijl hij zich jarenlang een eenzame roepende in de woestijn voelde, ben ik opgelucht te zien dat de discussie nu breder wordt gevoerd.
Lees verder “Over de particratie in België”Over toxisch leiderschap in de politiek
Het was de beroemde schrijver Lord Acton die zei: “Macht corrumpeert, en absolute macht corrumpeert absoluut.” Deze bewering is, helaas, even actueel als ooit tevoren. Zoals het recente artikel van Joël De Ceulaer onthulde, blijkt er in het Europees Parlement een diepgewortelde cultuur van toxisch leiderschap en machtsmisbruik te bestaan. 1Joël De Ceulaer, ‘Wie macht heeft, zal geen respect hebben voor wie zich zwak opstelt’: over wangedrag in het Europees Parlement, in: De Morgen, 5 juni 2023, p. 4. In dit artikel analyseren we de details en implicaties van deze onthullingen en proberen we enige context en inzicht te bieden in het grotere probleem van toxisch leiderschap in de politiek.
Lees verder “Over toxisch leiderschap in de politiek”Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne, by Katherine Rundell
Transcending the boundaries of time, are you prepared to delve into the labyrinth of a 17th-century poet’s soul, tracing the journey of John Donne through passion, power, and piety in a world unprepared for his genius? Katherine Rundell’s Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne, is an immersive exploration of the metaphysical poet’s evolution and a profound analysis of the fusion of the sacred and secular in his life and work. This biography of Donne probes the depth of the 17th-century English poet’s intellectual and emotional journey, with Rundell tracing his arc from a cavalier lover to an introspective divine. The work is neither a dry historical account nor an inaccessible literary critique. Instead, it’s a vibrant, 21st-century investigation of a man ahead of his time, embodying the baroque flair and vivid humanity that my readership would delight in.
Lees verder “Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne, by Katherine Rundell”