(Image: Sky News) Have we forgotten what fascism means? Today calling someone a “fascist” is more an insulting slur than a description of one’s political ideology. In a recent speech historian and author Yuval Noah Harari argued that too often is fascism confused with nationalism. Harari argues that nationalism has been one of the most benevolent ideologies in human history. Nations are communities built up … Continue reading Why Fascism Is So Tempting
Author: Anna Pomortseva Puidgemont in Brussels, members of Catalan Parliament under threat of imprisonment and more than 1000 firms transferred from Catalonia to Madrid, has Catalonia declared Independence ? ” 8 segundos de independencia ” – a new proverb for Catalonia, which speaks of a temporary phenomenon. The temporary phenomenon is the time period of independence, when on October 10th Carles Puidgemont signed a declaration … Continue reading Catalonia: Is Independence Worth It?
Author: Dean Molyneaux Can royal intervention solve a constitutional crisis? The Catalan experience suggests the answer remains ‘no’. For many of a certain age in Spain, the appearance of King Felipe VI in a rare live television address to the nation yesterday will surely bring back memories of the turbulent transition from dictatorship to democracy that the country experienced in the aftermath of Franco’s death. … Continue reading Why Spain’s King Felipe Made The Strongest Case For Catalan Independence
Professor Noam Chomsky speaks to BBC Newsnight to discuss the anger which has raged across the Middle and Working Classes of Western democracies since the economic collapse in 2008. Discussing the roots of the anger, the rise of far right nationalism as well as the optimistic signs of youth galvanisation around progressive policies on climate change and income inequality – Chomsky discusses why he would … Continue reading Why I’d Vote For Corbyn
Mel Robbins in this interview for Impact Theory explains why she believes motivation to be a debilitating concept which holds people back. She argues that people get fixated with the idea that “one day” they will do the things they really want to do and all that is missing is courage and motivation. In reality however, it will always be difficult to do things which create … Continue reading Stop Thinking You Need Motivation.
Simon Sinek explores the reasons why Millenials are getting a bad reputation. From growing up with a toxic addiction to social media to the sense of entitlement which is cultivated in today’s youth through instant gratification and pampering. This talk is a riveting insight into the potential damage of overuse of social media at a young age and poses some stark questions about how young … Continue reading Why Millennials Can’t be Happy
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qxBzcynHGEE In this clip Scottish Economist & Professor at Brown University, Mark Blyth discusses the state of global politics post The U.S election. Arguing that this giant shift has an economic source and the demise of Greece and rise of Podemos should have been the wake up call that the world needed: “The global economy has boomed in the last 30 years yet for most, their standard … Continue reading Economist who Predicted Trump & Brexit Explains What Happens Now
In this powerful, insightful interview Owen Jones speaks to actor Martin Sheen about Working Class Britain. He describes how you cannot underestimate the power of the “take back control” message. You are talking about communities that have lost all sense of control in terms of de-industrialisation, globalisation and abandonment from central government. However this is little to do with EU membership but needs to be … Continue reading Why Brexit Was an Anguished Cry For Community
“The People of this country.. have had enough of experts” The stunning words of Conservative MP and poster boy of the Vote Leave campaign Michael Gove when pressed on why organizations and governments were bashing his promises of a prosperous Post-Brexit Britain. His comment, while dramatic was certainly not surprising. The entire mantra of the Leave Campaign was not about facts or data but about … Continue reading When The Truth Becomes Boring
In this panel discussion Author & social commentator Elif Shafak talks about the degrading and increasingly hostile relationship between Turkey & Europe. In doing so she compares the rising nationalism in Europe to the rising Islamism in Turkey. This is an excellent overview of Shafak’s views on cosmopolitanism and extremism. Believing that extremism flourishes when identities are concentrated to a mono form. Be it “you … Continue reading Why Words Matter: Turkey vs. Europe
