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Victims and aggressors
During the Cold War, the United States and Russia were presented as opposites, like Yin and Yang. However, most people in the United States and Russia have this in common: they believe they are victims of the rest of the world, which justifies the use of force and therefore aggression. This aggression allows for colonial…
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Mission Possible – Options
Achieving long-term social and environmental development goals requires a systemic approach. In every country, there are very different opinions on what should be done. We must live together. No group, whether on the right, left, or center, can impose its will on the rest of the population. Punishing part of the population is unnecessary. Governing…
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All equal before the law?
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Animal Farm – George Orwell In theory, in countries that have established human rights, we would all be equal before the law. In practice, there are people who are always above the law. In France, the “grandes écoles” (elite universities) teach their students…
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Losing sight of the “big picture” while fixated on a detail
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Stop funding hatred
The sad experience of Radio Mille Collines in Rwanda, which led to the genocide of the Tutsis, was analysed at length and even judged by the International Criminal Court. The judgement concludes that the media are responsible: ‘The power of the media to create and destroy fundamental human values comes with great responsibility. Those who…
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Ayn Rand is popular today; but her ideas lead to destruction, what are the solutions?
Ayn Rand’s ideas have grown since the early 2010s. Between 2012 and 2020, her book Atlas Shrugged was the second biggest seller in the USA after the Bible, thirty years after her death. Friday essay: We all live in the world of Ayn Rand, egomaniac godmother of libertarianism. Can fiction help us navigate it? –…
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What I am worth depends neither on market nor on race
Today, to be worthy you have to…be good-lookinghave a well-paid jobown your own homehave lots of new clotheshave a huge carhave talented childrenknow how to cook trendy dishes with lots of accessorieshave the latest iPhonego to the beauticianwork outhave plastic surgerygo on vacation abroadtake selfiesbe whitehave followerspursue long studieshave perfect teethbe computer literatebe skinnyalways buy…
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Immigration
The images are frightening. We see caravans of migrants crossing Central America on their way to the United States. We see boats filled to the brim off the coast of Florida or in the Mediterranean. In border towns, we see hordes of young men on the streets, destitute, jumping the barriers of detention centres, living…
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Portrait of Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay (1761-1804) and her cousin Lady Elizabeth Murray (1760-1825).
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Farmers will make butter
Too many producers of milk in France live below the poverty line. This is a scandal that those who feed the population are treated this way! Farmers chose to act. Some butter producers have found better buyers in other countries which has created a shortage of butter in the supermarkets because they refused to increase…