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Most affluent postcodes in Britain
God love the Sunday Times and its obsession with money! So they have looked at UK postcodes and combined property price, mortgage debt, income, spending/saving patterns to come up with not just the most expensive places, but where people genuinely have tons of money. The ones that stood out for me (none are in Scotland,…
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Hokusai's Great Wave
Great wave off Kanagawa From 1830s. Seen as archetypal Japanese but actually not that old: Prussian blue used (ie synthetic dye from Germany), perspective is European! Japan was still closed to all but a few Chinese and Dutch traders until 1859 having closed its borders to trade for some 200yrs, but this shows how European…
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Caesar on death
Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come. [Shakespeare’s Caesar]
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One of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy
“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness” JK Galbraith
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Foucault and crises of governmentality
According to Foucault, a supposedly liberal government will sometimes be driven into contradictory efforts to constrain individuals’ freedom. People can only act as responsible citizens if they are made conscious of certain dangers eg financial ruin, communicable diseases, that demand appropriate behaviours eg insurance, immunization. Foucault would add fear of crime through news or fiction…
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Tristan and Isolde
Story tellers always seem to be on the side of the lovers, despite their illicit, tragic affair. What this story created was the idea of love as a force independent of individuals’ own volition, indeed, having its own ethical imperative. They can be forgiven, because they were driven by love. Tristan is a typical hero…
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Charity needs to think big
Charity is stuck in small scale, limited vision with no potential to deal with the massive social problems they often seek to address. They are unable to attract the best talent by offering competitive wages, unable to advertise, unable to invest in growth (cf Amazon, no profits for 6yrs), unable to take risks due to…
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Neds rule
Neds (self identified) more widespread than might be expected for what is usually a perjorative term. In fact, often perceive themselves as popular and respected in schools! Disengagement from education is more important than class – middle class Neds not uncommon! Although minority groups may reclaim perjorative term eg queer, negro as a means of…
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Dangerous status dogs
Dangerous “status dogs” differ from other dogs equally large/powerful because they are perceived in particular communities as potentially vicious. Owning one can be seen as a pragmatic adaptation to status deficit in a street centred culture. Buy a pitbull cross – instant status, simply through the implied potential for violence. Highly associated with criminal record.…
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Love
Love is the most codified of all emotions, the most subject to the rules of society & culture yet we continue to believe it the most spontaneous & genuine! In medieval society it was bound up in valour & chivalry (producing the Tristan and Isolde paradox, that the best knight deserves the queen but must…