Recent criticism of UK education - or its absence - in computer science by the head of Google no doubt has some justification.
However, the digital age has itself dumbed-down important areas of our personal and professional lives, as well as enriching these.
Many young people have professed themselves addicted to digital technologies which in recent weeks also facilitated destructive social disorder on our streets.
Digital sweatshops abound and few could not relate to some digital detox in their lives.
In the area of transport planning, for instance, whilst information technology has facilitated positive developments, professional practice has also become a slave to this.
The double edge of digital technology means that its usage can have regressive as well as progressive outcomes.
Critical thinking needs to be deployed and this is perhaps another shortcoming in UK education.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
UK'S "OUT-OF-CONTROL CONSUMERIST ETHOS"
A very interesting article appeared in yesterday's Guardian, some extracts from which follow;
"The recent riots in London and other big cities were the product of an "out-of-control consumerist ethos" which will have profound impacts for the UK economy, a leading City broker has said.
The report by the global head of research at Tullett Prebon, Tim Morgan, ....details recommendations to resolve what it sees as a political and economic malaise: new role models, policies to encourage savings, the channelling of private investment into creating rather than inflating assets, and greater public investment.
It warns: "We conclude that the rioting reflects a deeply flawed economic and social ethos, recklessly borrowed consumption, the breakdown both of top-end accountability and of trust in institutions, and severe failings by governments over more than two decades."
"The dominant ethos of 'I buy, therefore I am' needs to be challenged by a shift of emphasis from material to non-material values. David Cameron's 'big society' project may contribute to the inculcation of more socially-oriented values, but much more will need to be done to challenge the out-of-control consumerist ethos.
"The government, too, needs to consume less, and invest more. Government spending has increased by more than 50% in real terms over the last decade, but public investment has languished.....""
"The recent riots in London and other big cities were the product of an "out-of-control consumerist ethos" which will have profound impacts for the UK economy, a leading City broker has said.
The report by the global head of research at Tullett Prebon, Tim Morgan, ....details recommendations to resolve what it sees as a political and economic malaise: new role models, policies to encourage savings, the channelling of private investment into creating rather than inflating assets, and greater public investment.
It warns: "We conclude that the rioting reflects a deeply flawed economic and social ethos, recklessly borrowed consumption, the breakdown both of top-end accountability and of trust in institutions, and severe failings by governments over more than two decades."
"The dominant ethos of 'I buy, therefore I am' needs to be challenged by a shift of emphasis from material to non-material values. David Cameron's 'big society' project may contribute to the inculcation of more socially-oriented values, but much more will need to be done to challenge the out-of-control consumerist ethos.
"The government, too, needs to consume less, and invest more. Government spending has increased by more than 50% in real terms over the last decade, but public investment has languished.....""
Friday, August 12, 2011
RIOTS - COMPREHENSIVE INQUIRY REQUIRED
A wide ranging inquiry into this week's riots and disorder in London, English cities and towns is needed, of the kind now being called for by Labour leader Ed Miliband. A House of Commons inquiry conducted by the Home Affairs Select Committee will not have adequate scope to deal with all the contributory factors in this week's outbreak of violent unrest and looting, although it will no doubt have an important role in considering police intelligence and actions. A Royal (or Public) Commission may be a more suitable vehicle for the wider inquiry which will need to examine larger societal issues, such as the use of digital media technology and networks, as well as important area-based factors, including local deprivation and inequality, in the civil disorder.
Prime Minister David Cameron must not shy away from an in depth examination of the state of the national psyche, because it is precisely the shadow side of his "Big Society", in its tribalism, existential status anxiety, greed, absence of individual volition in the face of peer group pressure, addictions to quick fixes, and propensity to mass hysterias which needs to be confronted at the present time. These shortcomings are by no means confined to those young, and older, people who actually participated in criminal activities this week, but are increasingly part of wider socio-economic behaviour, and colluded in by business, the media and political classes.
Prime Minister David Cameron must not shy away from an in depth examination of the state of the national psyche, because it is precisely the shadow side of his "Big Society", in its tribalism, existential status anxiety, greed, absence of individual volition in the face of peer group pressure, addictions to quick fixes, and propensity to mass hysterias which needs to be confronted at the present time. These shortcomings are by no means confined to those young, and older, people who actually participated in criminal activities this week, but are increasingly part of wider socio-economic behaviour, and colluded in by business, the media and political classes.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
RE-COMMITMENT TO REGENERATION NEEDED
That a senior minister from the Communities Department was busy railing against a left-wing conspiracy he percieved amongst countryside conservation groups, who object to proposed changes to the planning system, just as unprecedented rioting broke out in London, is evidence of the growing reality gap between much of government and England's major urban areas.
This is not to say that the Coalition, or Conservative politicians, are more to blame for the outbreak of violent unrest, arson and looting than the previous administration and now political opposition. For the structural under-employment, worklessness and social breakdown of many urban communities was largely by-passed during Britain's boom years, except in so far as the aspirations of their growing young populations were raised unrealistically by the consumer society they have now turned upon through collective acts of theft and destruction.
Urban regeneration during New Labour was largely housing and retail-led, with city centres like those of Birmingham and Manchester becoming ever-expanding shopping malls, whilst deprivation in many immediately adjoining areas continued to be a major problem due to the ongoing decline of industries which once provided mass employment. The same is true across much of London. That shopping centres should now become the focus for unrest is not surprising, although the actions of the past few days remain inexcusable.
Whilst these are not riots of the kind experienced in the 1980s, with modern gang culture clearly playing a much more significant role than collective social and political grievance, some of the key underlying causes of earlier violent unrest have, nevertheless, not only remained untackled but increased over the last twenty five to thirty years. Amongst these is not just the quantitative decline of manufacturing employment, but the relocation of this to areas outside major cities.
This process was facilitated by the planning policies of Conservative governments during the 1980s, and is once again being encouraged by Coalition proposals currently subject to public consultation. In addition, the government's Regional Growth Fund appears to favour speculative greenfield development, ill-defined as "growth", of the kind which could well lead to a further exodus of employment from major urban areas, and, indeed, the inner parts of smaller cities.
Instead of these potentially disastrous measures, the Coalition must make a re-commitment to the regeneration of England's major cities, with the creation of skilled-employment a priority. Only when young people there have the prospect of work that offers the possibility of a genuine livelihood, and where their skills and contributions secure the respect of peers and the wider community, will the need to turn to collective criminality be sustainably reduced.
Management of deep-rooted economic problems through increased policing and social programmes of the kind pursued by New Labour may have the short-term affect of supressing the symptoms of malaise, but make the situation worse in the longer-term. However, much of the most sensible comment in the run up to the 2011 riots has come from "Blue Labour" Peer Maurice Glasman, someone who could well be part of a possible political solution, along with "Red Tories" and senior Liberal-Democrat MPs like Simon Hughes.
The present government, meanwhile, must make regeneration centre stage again, and the work of ministers and civil servants within the Department for Communities and Local Government needs to be re-prioritised accordingly. With Parliament re-called tomorrow, this British summer can no longer accommodate a political silly season.
This is not to say that the Coalition, or Conservative politicians, are more to blame for the outbreak of violent unrest, arson and looting than the previous administration and now political opposition. For the structural under-employment, worklessness and social breakdown of many urban communities was largely by-passed during Britain's boom years, except in so far as the aspirations of their growing young populations were raised unrealistically by the consumer society they have now turned upon through collective acts of theft and destruction.
Urban regeneration during New Labour was largely housing and retail-led, with city centres like those of Birmingham and Manchester becoming ever-expanding shopping malls, whilst deprivation in many immediately adjoining areas continued to be a major problem due to the ongoing decline of industries which once provided mass employment. The same is true across much of London. That shopping centres should now become the focus for unrest is not surprising, although the actions of the past few days remain inexcusable.
Whilst these are not riots of the kind experienced in the 1980s, with modern gang culture clearly playing a much more significant role than collective social and political grievance, some of the key underlying causes of earlier violent unrest have, nevertheless, not only remained untackled but increased over the last twenty five to thirty years. Amongst these is not just the quantitative decline of manufacturing employment, but the relocation of this to areas outside major cities.
This process was facilitated by the planning policies of Conservative governments during the 1980s, and is once again being encouraged by Coalition proposals currently subject to public consultation. In addition, the government's Regional Growth Fund appears to favour speculative greenfield development, ill-defined as "growth", of the kind which could well lead to a further exodus of employment from major urban areas, and, indeed, the inner parts of smaller cities.
Instead of these potentially disastrous measures, the Coalition must make a re-commitment to the regeneration of England's major cities, with the creation of skilled-employment a priority. Only when young people there have the prospect of work that offers the possibility of a genuine livelihood, and where their skills and contributions secure the respect of peers and the wider community, will the need to turn to collective criminality be sustainably reduced.
Management of deep-rooted economic problems through increased policing and social programmes of the kind pursued by New Labour may have the short-term affect of supressing the symptoms of malaise, but make the situation worse in the longer-term. However, much of the most sensible comment in the run up to the 2011 riots has come from "Blue Labour" Peer Maurice Glasman, someone who could well be part of a possible political solution, along with "Red Tories" and senior Liberal-Democrat MPs like Simon Hughes.
The present government, meanwhile, must make regeneration centre stage again, and the work of ministers and civil servants within the Department for Communities and Local Government needs to be re-prioritised accordingly. With Parliament re-called tomorrow, this British summer can no longer accommodate a political silly season.
Friday, August 05, 2011
ECONOMY: NO BOOM AND MORE BUST?
The BBC radio 4 debate between supporters of Keynes and Hayek at the London School of Economics the other day was well-timed, with Business Secretary Vince Cable amongst others now pressing for more quantitative easing. This may be inevitable at the UK and international levels, but is not something I support, despite having Keynesian leanings, for the reasons given below.
Measures to protect the international banking system from collapse in 2008, a fate which would have been particularly disastrous for London as a global financial centre and the wider British economy as a consequence, were nevertheless always going to have highly undesirable side effects. These include preventing necessary downward price adjustments, in the property market and public service provision, for instance, which would provide a much more sustainable economic stimulus than further quantitative easing. The continuing inefficiency of the UK financial sector, reflected for instance in the poor performance of pension investments compared to other countries, also remains an ongoing problem with, as yet, little prospect of cure.
Therefore, like the majority of those attending the LSE debate the other day, I found myself siding with supporters of Hayek, up to a point. I do, however, believe that there is a strong case for highly focused public expenditure, which some will regard as Keynesian, in areas such as basic infrastructure maintenance and improvement - as distinct from high profile mega projects like high speed rail - social rented housing provision, and employment programmes for young people linked to environmental technologies and conservation.
Unfortunately, because the UK economy remains particularly exposed to the continuing shortcomings of the international financial system, currently focused on the problems of the Eurozone, and the Coalition has a Schizoid - in the Osborne-Cable politically split personality -approach to economic policy and government spending, my concern is that a necessarily nuanced response to the present crisis will not emerge and we will have a more of the same situation in the immediate future. The question is whether this can stave off a further down-turn/recession, or whether another bust is inevitable because the international and UK response to the banking crisis of 2008 was both inappropriate and inadequate.
Measures to protect the international banking system from collapse in 2008, a fate which would have been particularly disastrous for London as a global financial centre and the wider British economy as a consequence, were nevertheless always going to have highly undesirable side effects. These include preventing necessary downward price adjustments, in the property market and public service provision, for instance, which would provide a much more sustainable economic stimulus than further quantitative easing. The continuing inefficiency of the UK financial sector, reflected for instance in the poor performance of pension investments compared to other countries, also remains an ongoing problem with, as yet, little prospect of cure.
Therefore, like the majority of those attending the LSE debate the other day, I found myself siding with supporters of Hayek, up to a point. I do, however, believe that there is a strong case for highly focused public expenditure, which some will regard as Keynesian, in areas such as basic infrastructure maintenance and improvement - as distinct from high profile mega projects like high speed rail - social rented housing provision, and employment programmes for young people linked to environmental technologies and conservation.
Unfortunately, because the UK economy remains particularly exposed to the continuing shortcomings of the international financial system, currently focused on the problems of the Eurozone, and the Coalition has a Schizoid - in the Osborne-Cable politically split personality -approach to economic policy and government spending, my concern is that a necessarily nuanced response to the present crisis will not emerge and we will have a more of the same situation in the immediate future. The question is whether this can stave off a further down-turn/recession, or whether another bust is inevitable because the international and UK response to the banking crisis of 2008 was both inappropriate and inadequate.
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