PinnedLearn the 4 simple steps to forming positive habitsMost of our lives revolve around our habits. Habits govern a lots of our daily activities. For example, when stressed and incapable of making a decision, we resort to our habits. Old habits are hard to break. New habits are hard to form. This is due the behavioural patterns which…Habits6 min readHabits6 min read
PinnedCapitalism in crisis: we need profit with purposeEveryone can spot an unacceptable face of capitalism. But we’re not so good at recognising chief executives that do well by doing good. Here I argue that capitalism needs business leaders who can see the bigger picture. Friedman’s legacy There was a time when any activity detracted from financial success. Above all…Capitalism2 min readCapitalism2 min read
PinnedBig pharma’s shot at redemptionThe pharmaceutical industry has been much maligned in recent years. Take, for example, these price gouging scandals and the opioid epidemic. Events like this have made drug makers unloved by politicians and distrusted by investors. But as we roll out the Covid-19 vaccines, Big Pharma could have a shot at…Pharmaceutical2 min readPharmaceutical2 min read
PinnedLet’s be realistic about achieving net zeroCarbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions by balancing carbon emissions with carbon removal (often through carbon offsetting) or simply eliminating carbon emissions altogether (the transition to the “post-carbon economy”). In this post I argue that for a successful response…Environment4 min readEnvironment4 min read
PinnedArtificial intelligence is powered by ghostsConsider this report by the Onward think tank: looked at 50 areas in the UK where workers are the most vulnerable to automation, and 43 of these voted for the Brexit Party in the European elections. Without widespread retraining, it warns, there’ll be a political revolt. Contrast that with says…Robotics3 min readRobotics3 min read
Dec 19, 2021The reason why your boss enjoys the officeThe purpose of an office is to bring people together. Instead, they’ve become a source of division. There are two types of employees: those who can’t wait to see colleagues in the flesh and establish boundaries between home and work, and those for whom the office is nothing but pointless…Work1 min readWork1 min read
Dec 5, 2021New Year Resolutions: How to Succeed in 2022New Year resolutions, we all set them. We start to believe that we can improve our lives. Things are going to change for the better. We are not going to be stuck in the same old rut again this year. Regular readers of this blog will know that I’m a…New Year Resolution8 min readNew Year Resolution8 min read
Published inStoic Letters·Nov 17, 2021The untapped power of friends and the Golden Rule — Letter 48Seneca’s letters translated into modern English. In letter 48 he talks about what it means to be a real friend, along with the importance of the Golden Rule. I recommend you foster a sense of obligation to your fellow human. Always try to help a friend in trouble. A misconception…Stoic6 min readStoic6 min read
Nov 13, 2021Our economy: powered by dark satanic millsDo you know what powers our economy? Order a meal from a well-known restaurant on Deliveroo, and you’d assume your dinner was being cooked on their premises. Wrong. One of the 70 or so dark kitchens across Britain is likely to have made it. Based on industrial sites and rented…Economy2 min readEconomy2 min read
Nov 6, 2021Marx got it right about the iPhoneDoes Karl Marx have anything to say to us today, over 200 years after his birth? Have his predictions about a proletariat triumph over the bourgeoisie aged well? Read on … For me, his critique of capitalism still resonates, just not in their original context. Read the first few pages…Marx3 min readMarx3 min read
