Feb 8 2013: But modern schooling is specifically designed not to get all questioning. The object is to mass-produce obedient little drones not actual thinkers. Teaching the textbook passes the exam, which keeps Teacher in a job.
Sigh. It would be nice if this kind of innovation didn't get you fired.
BTW, sourcing off the Internet isn't perfect. Creationists and climate change deniers have websites. How to integrate ideas into the classroom - that's the hard part.
Jan 16 2013: That logic taken far leads to no-one doing anything ever. At which point the terrorist win - they required no effort to make you live in terror - you did it all yourself. Every human endeavour includes weight cost for benefits, and provided the benefits outweigh the costs, the idea that maybe someone might be naughty .. well .. have we got rid of every technology that could be applied to weapons? From sticks upward?
Jan 7 2013: Wonderful ideas about left and right working together. Shame he's thinking in the wrong century.
There is no 'left and right' - both Democrat and Republican are what we used to call right.
Here in the UK we have Lib Dems, Conservatives and New Labour - centrish, rightish and rightish (however none conform to the classical model, for example, Conservatives proposing amendments to marriage to allow gays to do so). These parties are most easily described as the Blue Red and now Yellow Tories.
The major poilcy differences ... pretty much come down to exactly how much of the welfare state can be butchered, and to which companies the functions of government should be outsourced. No-one in government is thinking 'maybe some kind of safety net is important' nor 'if we spend money, people will have more income and so will be able to pay more taxes and maybe employ more people'
Such ideas are anathema to a political class which is largely marking time until the comfortable directorship in one of those outsourcing companies.
I'll happily work with any politician who would like to get in touch with the other world (the one where people work for a living) - but when the man (still few women in politics) over the desk gets a wage and expenses package 6 or 7 times my income, it's quite hard to believe 'we're all in this together' particularly when it's followed by 'you've got to take a cut in your income, but I'm getting a raise'
Them and us is not about blues or reds. It's the blues ganging up with the reds and yellows to screw over the (possibly grey coloured?) plebs
Dec 6 2012: RE point 2: this discrimination applies not only to ex-offenders, but to 'innocent' people too. If a family member has a criminal record, so do you. Mothers have been thrown out of social housing because their sons stole; wives lose their jobs if hubby goes to jail. We need to stop seeing people as non-people, just because some idiot cop can't be bothered.
Oct 25 2012: Family: the people who love and look after you. A good mate of mine is a single dad. His wife left some years ago. Are he and his two sons not a family? My housemate was brought up by Grandma. Are they not a family? Family is not defined by dangly bits. Family is the people who love you. Me and my partner are a family without children - but we're part of an extended family that has uncles and aunts and cousins and all. Inlaws and outlaws and halves and steps. Its just family.
No family and we have one of a whole range of social systems including tribalism, capitalism and communism.
A perfect system does not exist - as Mr Sissay points out all families are a bit dysfunctional. Like the foster one that tried to tell an 11 year old that he was of the Devil, because... still haven't quite worked out why.
Some good mates are fosterers, the kids they get can be difficult, but all they can do is love them, try to understand, and help them grow up as best they can. Like any other parent, really.
Thanks for the reminder Mr S that the care system needs working on. Improved, but never good enough.
Sep 8 2012: Ok, everyone except you? Maybe it wasn't called a bribe. Check that you haven't paid any protection money (community contribution, Council Tax), outright bribe (Administration fee) or payment to make sure we get round to you this decade (priority management fee).
We've just had to pay part of the Council to do the job they're already paid to do. It's call a licencing fee, and is only a hundred quid, but it's still basically a bribe. Sometimes the choices are 'pay up or not do business' Since there's no other jobs to be found, it's not really a choice.
Jul 12 2012: Oh noes! Criminals using tech available to everyone! To communicate!
I recall studying a terrorist attack facilitated by the most recent technology, allowing radicals from disparate groups to communicate and form a cell to attack our very democracy. Only thing is, the radicals were Catholics, the technology printing and the attack was the Gunpowder Plot. He's surprised that the newest wave of malcontents use the tech available to them. Why surprised? Celtic rebels used imported iron weapons from Gaul to defend against Roman invaders. The IRA telephoned press as well as police to get their message out. Go read some history and get unsurprised.
Criminals aren't automatically dumb. Perhaps if we as societies stopped soliciting and encouraging crimnalism, this wouldn't be so much of a problem. But excluding people from social events based on color; arresting entrepreneurs; and punishing families just lead to a whole lot of people who feel they need to fight back against oppression.
Remember, terrorists who win are called governments.
Jun 17 2012: In the Uk all companies must have a written Equal Ops policy for gender, disability, sexual orientation religion and race. I offer mine for others to make use of.
"People are different. Get over it. If we were all the same, it would be boring"
This means when they find a new minority to shout about, I don't have to change it. For my grandparents, it was Germans and Jews. My parents, blacks and women. My generation it's Pwds and Poas (that is: Persons with Disability and Persons of Alternate Sexuality) Next along it'll maybe be Earthers and Marsies, or possibly cyborgs. Who knows? It's the same fear of the different.
For my reference I remeber a line from Robin Hood Prince of Theives.
Child: Why are you like that?
Moor: Because Allah loves wonderous variety.
Apr 26 2012: Interesting that you think that the internet doesn't encourage empathy - I've found the reverse to be true. Whereas before, I was largely restricted to my 'peers' - people who are socially, economically, and culturally similar - now I talk to and think with a whole array of people with differing experiences. Realising 'I think x but not everyone thinks like that' is surely the foundation of empathy?
I'm afraid my evidence to this effect is anecdotal - but I am reminded of the look of horror, during the first week of University, when someone discovered I did not own a passport, and hence had never been abroad; and the similar confusion when I learned that she couldn't cook.
Apr 20 2012: It is possible for people to marry and not expect her to be a baby machine. Personal level: my partner respects and loves me more than ever, for being confident enough of our love to say 'I don't want kids - I'm happy as a person and don't need to justify my existence'
Ms Gates is not advocating 'using men for their resources' in fact, most of the examples she gives allow the woman to be a MORE contributing partner - if she isn't constantly pregnant, she can care for children better, or even dare to have a job.
TEDCred score: +4.00 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.
A reply on Talk: Tyler DeWitt: Hey science teachers -- make it fun
Sigh. It would be nice if this kind of innovation didn't get you fired.
BTW, sourcing off the Internet isn't perfect. Creationists and climate change deniers have websites. How to integrate ideas into the classroom - that's the hard part.
Ref: Ken Robinson's various TED talks
A reply on Talk: Ellen Jorgensen: Biohacking -- you can do it, too
A comment on Talk: Jonathan Haidt: How common threats can make common (political) ground
There is no 'left and right' - both Democrat and Republican are what we used to call right.
Here in the UK we have Lib Dems, Conservatives and New Labour - centrish, rightish and rightish (however none conform to the classical model, for example, Conservatives proposing amendments to marriage to allow gays to do so). These parties are most easily described as the Blue Red and now Yellow Tories.
The major poilcy differences ... pretty much come down to exactly how much of the welfare state can be butchered, and to which companies the functions of government should be outsourced. No-one in government is thinking 'maybe some kind of safety net is important' nor 'if we spend money, people will have more income and so will be able to pay more taxes and maybe employ more people'
Such ideas are anathema to a political class which is largely marking time until the comfortable directorship in one of those outsourcing companies.
I'll happily work with any politician who would like to get in touch with the other world (the one where people work for a living) - but when the man (still few women in politics) over the desk gets a wage and expenses package 6 or 7 times my income, it's quite hard to believe 'we're all in this together' particularly when it's followed by 'you've got to take a cut in your income, but I'm getting a raise'
Them and us is not about blues or reds. It's the blues ganging up with the reds and yellows to screw over the (possibly grey coloured?) plebs
A reply on Talk: Jeff Smith: Lessons in business … from prison
A reply on Talk: Lemn Sissay: A child of the state
No family and we have one of a whole range of social systems including tribalism, capitalism and communism.
A perfect system does not exist - as Mr Sissay points out all families are a bit dysfunctional. Like the foster one that tried to tell an 11 year old that he was of the Devil, because... still haven't quite worked out why.
Some good mates are fosterers, the kids they get can be difficult, but all they can do is love them, try to understand, and help them grow up as best they can. Like any other parent, really.
Thanks for the reminder Mr S that the care system needs working on. Improved, but never good enough.
A reply on Talk: Robert Neuwirth: The power of the informal economy
We've just had to pay part of the Council to do the job they're already paid to do. It's call a licencing fee, and is only a hundred quid, but it's still basically a bribe. Sometimes the choices are 'pay up or not do business' Since there's no other jobs to be found, it's not really a choice.
A comment on Talk: Marc Goodman: A vision of crimes in the future
I recall studying a terrorist attack facilitated by the most recent technology, allowing radicals from disparate groups to communicate and form a cell to attack our very democracy. Only thing is, the radicals were Catholics, the technology printing and the attack was the Gunpowder Plot. He's surprised that the newest wave of malcontents use the tech available to them. Why surprised? Celtic rebels used imported iron weapons from Gaul to defend against Roman invaders. The IRA telephoned press as well as police to get their message out. Go read some history and get unsurprised.
Criminals aren't automatically dumb. Perhaps if we as societies stopped soliciting and encouraging crimnalism, this wouldn't be so much of a problem. But excluding people from social events based on color; arresting entrepreneurs; and punishing families just lead to a whole lot of people who feel they need to fight back against oppression.
Remember, terrorists who win are called governments.
A comment on Talk: LZ Granderson: The myth of the gay agenda
"People are different. Get over it. If we were all the same, it would be boring"
This means when they find a new minority to shout about, I don't have to change it. For my grandparents, it was Germans and Jews. My parents, blacks and women. My generation it's Pwds and Poas (that is: Persons with Disability and Persons of Alternate Sexuality) Next along it'll maybe be Earthers and Marsies, or possibly cyborgs. Who knows? It's the same fear of the different.
For my reference I remeber a line from Robin Hood Prince of Theives.
Child: Why are you like that?
Moor: Because Allah loves wonderous variety.
A reply on Talk: Michael Norton: How to buy happiness
I'm afraid my evidence to this effect is anecdotal - but I am reminded of the look of horror, during the first week of University, when someone discovered I did not own a passport, and hence had never been abroad; and the similar confusion when I learned that she couldn't cook.
A reply on Talk: Melinda Gates: Let's put birth control back on the agenda
Ms Gates is not advocating 'using men for their resources' in fact, most of the examples she gives allow the woman to be a MORE contributing partner - if she isn't constantly pregnant, she can care for children better, or even dare to have a job.