While schools seek compliance, employers demand disruption
By James Belchamber | Fri Apr 23 2021
Lesson: Educating our Children
Reading time: 5 minutes
Required watching: This chilling little video from the Department for Education, where this quote in particular stands out:
"Our silent corridors, where we transition around the building in silence, and having our equipment out ready to go when we arrive at our next lesson - all just helps get us focused and keeps us in that working set of mind when we arrive in our lessons"
Ignore the dystopian chill that just ran down your spine - just for a second. Ignore the inhumanity of expecting children to be silent in the small periods of free time between classes (socialising, one assumes, being limited to three "meals" a day). Just have a think..
..does anyone work like this?
Well, actually, yes - there is one class of worker that would be expected to work like this - but we're rapidly making them obsolete.
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The timing could not have been more aggressive. Derek Chauvin's trial for the murder of George Floyd started and, on the same day, the UK Government press-released the findings of its report into institutional racism: an investigation that had been sparked by the murder and ensuing civil liberties movement. The released findings were incendiary- Britain was free from institutional racism and race was not such an important issue anymore.
And then the controversy grew deeper.
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Prince Philip's death has unearthed the fake patriots
By James Belchamber | Sat Apr 10 2021
Philip's story is sometimes controversial, sometimes inspiring. It is sad that he has died, and I am sure I reflect the feelings of all Liberals in sending my condolences to the queen and to everyone that is grieving their loss. It is reasonable for public resources to be used in supporting and reflecting that grief, and I take no issue with reasonable coverage of Philip's death and his funeral.
But what isn't reasonable is the national tub-thumping that's going on, treating the population like worms that must rise to the beat of a drum of conformity. What isn't reasonable is the selective reading of Philip's own wishes for his death, in pursuit of a specific political agenda.
So let's talk about what it means to be a patriot - and I can assure you that it has nothing to do with royals, nothing to do with big black funereal bars on children's programmes, and absolutely nothing to do with the size or prominence of your flag.
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COVID: our big test is what happens next
By Rob Davidson | Fri Apr 09 2021
Can you imagine it? The cold beer brought to you in a tall glass so chilled there is condensation thick on the outside, obscuring the golden, frothy, elixir you've been waiting for. A hot sunny day, you are sticky but relaxed and it is the waiting staff that buzz around toiling. And the sound of people laughing and conversing, in groups (!), at tables all around you... and your friend leans in to deliver the punchline of a joke. Your whole table bursts into laughter.
These days may be near upon us. From 12th April, we can meet in pub gardens in groups of up to 6 people. There is light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel.
The story of the COVID vaccine is one of human triumph, a scientific work that may rival trips to the moon, if I may be so bold. When faced with a global pandemic, humanity was able to produce not one but several cures in less than a year. Our returning rights and freedoms have come from this great feat of bioscience, chemistry and logistics.
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I have been a proponent of Basic Income for many years and was delighted when it was adopted as party policy at last year's conference. That moment was the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people within our party who believe that Basic Income is a policy that combines the best of liberalism: faith in individual agency combined with the power of central government to be a force for equality and fairness.
But we also knew back then that the hard work was only just beginning. We still had to go out to the country and tell the British public about our vision for a Basic Income. We are starting that process in Wales at this election.
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Fire your rockstars
By James Belchamber | Mon Mar 29 2021
This week, the Free (Libre) and Open Source Software community are attempting to remove an activist (known for their repugnant and bigoted views) from the board of the Free Software Foundation, an important institution in the FLOSS community. The activist - Richard Stallman - founded the organisation and is widely considered to be the founder of the Free Software movement.
He is also something of a cult figure amongst many, who respect his achievements and follow his leadership in all walks of life - something of a problem with leaders that (in a most charitable reading) are thoughtless about who they harm when they speak.
Every community starts with one person - as such, it's tempting to think that these "rockstars" are an inevitable and innate risk. But what if we re-framed the role of a leader - not as a big personality that led from the front, becoming an embodiment of the community they created - but with an expectation that they create communities that quickly outgrow them, and build the processes and institutions that don't need them?
What if we expected all leaders to become quickly unnecessary, before some of them become embedded and toxic?
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