WHILE THE HUGE harms of coronavirus are well-known — death, illness, lockdowns, unemployment, recession, etc. — less attention has understandably been paid to the benefits. Even clouds this dark have silver linings. Crises produce opportunities,…
Browsing Category Society
Dying for a day at the beach
CHRIS, A 75-YEAR-OLD caller to a BBC phone-in (just before lockdown became compulsory) said she’d rather risk death than give up her simple pleasures. So she had visited the beach, laid flowers on her mother’s grave, and…
Coronavirus: how much is a life worth?
CORONAVIRUS may cause many deaths and a global recession, depending on what governments do. Millions could die if the pandemic isn’t contained — but lock-downs risk financial collapse. This raises a major issue in economics, ethics, and…
Oddly, Britain has never been happier
LIFE IN THE UK has got much better since the millennium, largely unnoticed. For despite financial & political chaos, austerity, terrorism, wars, and fears about Brexit and the environment, Britons have got happier and happier — probably…
Are demonstrating and voting worthwhile?
IF YOU want to influence politics, you should do so in ways that make optimal use of your time. Based on rough estimates of their effectiveness…