Archive for the ‘theory’ Category
The myth of selfishness: Part 3 – A new gift economy
If society is in tune with human proclivities it works better, because people enjoy what they do. You only have to look at small boys playing “hunting”, or notice the difference between the incentives necessary to get people to sit in an office shuffling papers compared with those required to get people to dance and [...]
The myth of selfishness: Part 2 – The Rise of Capitalism
Much of this has a European focus, and I apologise for that, especially because colonialism and its devastating effect on the world are consequently not given proper attention. The focus of the article is narrow and designed as a contrast to the situation described in Part 1 – Ancient Economics. By the way, I’m no [...]
The myth of selfishness: Part 1 Ancient Economics
This article is the first in a series. I’m leading up to something and it takes quite a long time to get there, but it’s generally about my idea that people are far less self-interested than it appears.
NB:
In the following I have used the term “traditional culture” to refer to the ancient and complex social [...]
Hope, poverty, and fuck you
All the drowning children.
The world is full of ways in which thoughtful and compassionate people have been able to find ways to help those in need, transforming lives of poverty and desperation.
The Fred Hollows Foundation, for example, trains local eye surgeons to perform simple cataract operations which allow otherwise blind people throughout the developing world [...]
Rootlessness
A touching scene from a television documentary this evening: a family celebrates orthodox Easter in procession with candles. They stop at intervals, shielding the candles from wind, as the priest intones the ritual. The child’s face shows boredom but he’s comfortable in the traditional environment – the bosom of a hundred generations of his family.
It [...]
Politicians and emotional vampires
Dramas and moral panics
A small child stamps his foot and demands attention. Tantrums become less effective as he gets older, however, and there comes a point of decision. He can become self sufficient, or find more successful techniques of manipulation.
How many times have you seen this happen? Someone needs attention; they tell of their terrible [...]
Citizen arbitration: an utopian suggestion
This is the third part of a series examining the morality of the behaviour of groups, corporations and governments. The first two talk about the Psychology of tribes, and Meme systems and category mistakes. This time I’m really going out on a limb, making a suggestion about what could be done to balance the power [...]
Meme systems and category mistakes
This is the second part of a series of articles which will make up an examination of the morality of behaviour of groups, corporations and governments.Disclaimer This article buys into a lot of the same territory as the film “The Corporation”, but hopefully in a way which is a little less simplistic. It was a [...]
The psychology of tribes
This is the first part of a series of articles which will make up an examination of the morality of behaviour of groups, corporations and governments.
Morality of Groups 1: the psychology of tribes
When acting in ways which relate primarily to their membership of a group, a person’s behaviour changes to reflect the beliefs and aspirations [...]
Labels, names, and flags
Naming something is inherently disadvantageous to understanding it. Any label, any flag, any uniform, any acceptance of a signifier stands between the thing itself and the comprehension of its reality. Without names the world is not filtered; some scary and intense things can get through to the senses and the heart, and therefore people cling [...]
