By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 4 Apr 22
“In effect, the Scandinavian countries leapfrogged into a leading position in the modern world. This was a kind of “developmental” leapfrogging. They didn’t follow the paths of Britain, Germany, and France step by step. They learned from them and jumped right to a later developmental stage of their societies, cultures, and economies — creating societies that were in many ways preferable to those in continental Europe. At the present moment in history, a similar opportunity may be presenting itself to countries that never fully entered into the modern, industrial world on fair and equal terms. As global society shifts from
“In effect, the Scandinavian countries leapfrogged into a leading position in the modern world. This was a kind of “developmental” leapfrogging. They didn’t follow the paths of Britain, Germany, and France step by step. They learned from them and jumped right to a later developmental stage of their societies, cultures, and economies — creating societies that were in many ways
By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 1 Apr 22
“Learning capacity” could become a school subject throughout the years, actively and deliberately drilling and repeating tasks that pertain to learning how to learn. It is, naturally, hard to imagine a more boring subject: repeating speed-reading techniques, practicing memory, going through notes, structuring work plans. The very word “drilling” makes chills go up spines – and it sounds as though all has been forgotten about making education embrace more of the intuitive and playful. But drilling the capacity to learn may very well be a sound investment that ultimately pays off even in terms of fun and playfulness: if children
“Learning capacity” could become a school subject throughout the years, actively and deliberately drilling and repeating tasks that pertain to learning how to learn. It is, naturally, hard to imagine a more boring subject: repeating speed-reading techniques, practicing memory, going through notes, structuring work plans. The very word “drilling” makes chills go up spines – and it sounds as though
By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 1 Apr 22
RUSSIA LOOKED STRONGER THAN IT TRULY IS We have been accustomed to thinking of Russia as the heir to the USSR and leader of the Warsaw Pact, and thus as a dormant superpower. But since Poland, the Baltics, and other countries have switched sides, and the economic gap has widened, the new power relation between East and West has shifted far away from Russia’s interests. In the late eighties, the countries of the Warsaw Pact had a population of roughly 400 million, versus NATO’s 600 million at the time (toady its 154 million versus NATO’s 951 million). Its troops were
RUSSIA LOOKED STRONGER THAN IT TRULY IS We have been accustomed to thinking of Russia as the heir to the USSR and leader of the Warsaw Pact, and thus as a dormant superpower. But since Poland, the Baltics, and other countries have switched sides, and the economic gap has widened, the new power relation between East and West has shifted
By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 1 Apr 22
AVOID A NUCLEAR WAR — BY HELPING RUSSIA TO SAVE FACE! In the end, it is true that: – Russia has a ten times stronger military than Ukraine (at least on paper). – The Russian government (and the apparatus it relies upon and shares interests with) will be very desperate to not back down. – Other countries are unlikely to directly intervene. – Putin is threatening us with the world’s largest nuclear arsenal. Thus, a complete military victory by Ukraine is, after all, unlikely. Even with crowdsourced support around the world, even with a morale boost of the Ukrainians unparalleled
AVOID A NUCLEAR WAR — BY HELPING RUSSIA TO SAVE FACE! In the end, it is true that: – Russia has a ten times stronger military than Ukraine (at least on paper). – The Russian government (and the apparatus it relies upon and shares interests with) will be very desperate to not back down. – Other countries are unlikely to
By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 1 Apr 22
RUSSIA IS TO BLAME — BUT UNDERSTANDING IT IS CRUCIAL Western media, and international media at large, do a fairly poor job at bringing nuance and understanding to the Russian side of this cruel equation. For instance, we are continuously informed about Ukrainian civilian losses, as well as Russian losses of military personnel, but the media is vague, silent, or unrealistic about Ukrainian military losses. We should have no illusions about the impartiality of reporting. It stands to reason — and viscerally feel — that Russia is an unlawful aggressor in this situation. But to seek to understand Russia (and,
RUSSIA IS TO BLAME — BUT UNDERSTANDING IT IS CRUCIAL Western media, and international media at large, do a fairly poor job at bringing nuance and understanding to the Russian side of this cruel equation. For instance, we are continuously informed about Ukrainian civilian losses, as well as Russian losses of military personnel, but the media is vague, silent, or
By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 1 Apr 22
Despite the best efforts over the last century, the educational systems are almost unanimously criticized by all observers as being too dry, too mechanical, too bland, too focused on quantitative results and measures (more on this last point later). They all say that children are playful and curious, but that schooling and education, at least partly, kill that spark. Univocally, commentators ask for a more humanized, sensitive, and person-centric form of education—but from thereon, unsurprisingly, the ideas and analyses begin to differ. The question thus presents itself: “If almost all commentators, educational science scholars, teachers, school principals, philosophers and psychologists
Despite the best efforts over the last century, the educational systems are almost unanimously criticized by all observers as being too dry, too mechanical, too bland, too focused on quantitative results and measures (more on this last point later). They all say that children are playful and curious, but that schooling and education, at least partly, kill that spark. Univocally,
By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 1 Apr 22
PUTIN IS ACTING MORE “RATIONALLY” THAN IT APPEARS (BUT HE IS JUST ABOUT TO LOSE IT) Much ink has been spilled to gauge the sanity or insanity of the autocratic Russian President. If you listen to some of the more astute analyses out there, it becomes clear that the Russian leadership are in a long-term decline and may feel that their hand is forced in the matter: – If Ukraine joins NATO and the EU, with more than 40 million people switching sides, Russia will no longer be a geopolitical powerhouse. If Russia could add the former Soviet republics, Russia
PUTIN IS ACTING MORE “RATIONALLY” THAN IT APPEARS (BUT HE IS JUST ABOUT TO LOSE IT) Much ink has been spilled to gauge the sanity or insanity of the autocratic Russian President. If you listen to some of the more astute analyses out there, it becomes clear that the Russian leadership are in a long-term decline and may feel that
By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 1 Apr 22
“As the Greta Thunberg movement of school strikes has put on display, the young generation around the world worries about their future in terms of ecological sustainability and the possible collapse of ecosystems and societies. It is not a farfetched question to ask: – What might education and schooling look like if students of life were to feel that going to school (or other corresponding outlets of education), rather than striking, was the best way to activate oneself for a sustainable and ecologically rich future? Viewed from this perspective, the very emergence and persistence of the Greta Thunberg-inspired movements highlight
“As the Greta Thunberg movement of school strikes has put on display, the young generation around the world worries about their future in terms of ecological sustainability and the possible collapse of ecosystems and societies. It is not a farfetched question to ask: – What might education and schooling look like if students of life were to feel that going
By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 1 Apr 22
From my latest article on Medium (don’t forget to follow in case facebook blows up): “We accept the reality of something we cannot control but we don’t need to condone it. As such, Acceptance goes beyond tolerance. It is both deeper and more compassionate than tolerance — and it can help us discern when to tolerate and what to tolerate. Tolerance, a highly celebrated virtue in liberal democracies, is overrated. Just consider what you’d prefer: a society where we just tolerate one another despite our flaws, or a society where we accept each other — including our less admirable sides.
From my latest article on Medium (don’t forget to follow in case facebook blows up): “We accept the reality of something we cannot control but we don’t need to condone it. As such, Acceptance goes beyond tolerance. It is both deeper and more compassionate than tolerance — and it can help us discern when to tolerate and what to tolerate.
By: The Posts Author | Posted on: 1 Apr 22
AVOID A SPLIT INTO A NEW COLD WAR — BY WINNING THE WAR AND CAUSING REGIME CHANGE IN RUSSIA! It is highly unlikely that the Russian regime will survive in its current form if it loses the war. Think about the consequences if Russia would successfully capture and control Ukraine, and from there on secure its geopolitical and economic goals. When would the West be able to lift its sanctions? Not for ages. The world would effectively be split into two Cold War spheres of influence, where Russia and China would approach one another, which would further isolate them from
AVOID A SPLIT INTO A NEW COLD WAR — BY WINNING THE WAR AND CAUSING REGIME CHANGE IN RUSSIA! It is highly unlikely that the Russian regime will survive in its current form if it loses the war. Think about the consequences if Russia would successfully capture and control Ukraine, and from there on secure its geopolitical and economic goals.