Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
We're getting increasingly used to Donald Trump's bullying tactics; it's time to encourage U.S. tech leaders to persuade him to back off, by applying the same (Greenland-based) level of tariffs on their exports to Europe and the UK. Meanwhile, ID verification should not be used so much to restrict young people from work in the UK as to help them make a good start to adult life in their countries of origin. Background music: 'Dance of the Mammoths' by The Whole Other
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
We're looking forward to a significant step forward towards inter-generational rebalancing as a result of Share Alliance's two-day conference in May: the first day focused on academic research and the second on policy options. Please let us know if you're interested by visiting this 'Save the Date' page: https://www.sharealliance.org.uk/ig-rebalancing-conference-registration/. This will hopefully be a refreshing contrast to the mix of nostalgia and charisma which seems to be driving so much of politics at present, and which was the subject of an interesting discussion between Amol Rajan and Louisa Munch in his BBC 'Radical' podcast last week. Background music: Generations Away' by Unicorn Heads'
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Trump's assault on Venezuela casts a major question mark over his claim to be a peacemaker — resorting to military action to deal with criminal activity is a poor substitute for international law and order. We urgently need to listen to Xi Jinping's call for global leadership — on a new basis of participation, not dominance. Background music: 'World's Sunrise' by Jimena Contreras Image source: Wikipedia
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The first year of Trump's Mark 2 presidency has seen huge swings in critical areas for the future of humanity, including climate change, the risk of existential conflict and wealth polarisation. Where are the statesmen who can look ahead further than the next election, and at the interests of future generations? And is Rutger Bregman right to claim that a moral revolution can be delivered by national governments? Background music: 'Hopeful Freedom' by Asher Fulero
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There's not much love being shared between Russia and Ukraine this Christmas. Putin calls for respect, but respect for others doesn't come naturally for him. Meanwhile, it's time that Rutger Bregman should see evolution as the essential process of continuous creation driven by our conscious creator who is unconditional love. Background music: 'O Holy Night' by DJ Williams
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Few would disagree with St. John's conclusion that the nature of our conscious creator — of God — is love. In the Christian faith, it's at the heart of the two great commandments and inspires the whole amazing journey against all odds. But the word is totally absent from the Nicene Creed, repeated each Sunday in Churches. Christmas is the time to celebrate love in all its many splendours, but particularly to share love with children and young people. Let's hope that strategies announced by the UK Government over the last few days for children and young people are just the beginning, in terms of showing love for the generations who will follow us. Background music: 'Carol of the Bells' by Quincas Moreira
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Labour MPs' celebration of the Chancellor's abolition of the 2-child welfare benefit cap in last week's Budget statement completely eclipsed the outstanding need for a comprehensive strategy to address the economic and familial stresses impacting children, adolescents and young adults: so much worse than a few decades ago. We focus on three specifics in this commentary: the continuing denial of Government to deliver Child Trust Fund money to low-income young adults unaware of their money; the punishing burden of the student loan system, and the instability and insecurity caused by a society which has lost its moral compass. Background music: 'Generations Away' by Unicorn Heads
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Is it the cacophony of everyday noise or the fact that 'a week is a long time in politics' which is driving long-term thinkers out of the centre ground? You know that the emperor has no clothes today when young people make that challenge. However, the major long-term issues of climate change, intense wealth differentials and geopolitical tensions are global, not just national — and we don't even have a democratic basis of global governance to tackle them. No wonder we can't see the wood for the trees. Background music: 'People Watching' by Sir Cubworth
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Unemployment is not just an economic scourge — it also substantially undermines mental well-being, as Tom Paxton described so vividly in his 1964 song, 'A Job of Work'. Universal Basic Income offers a very inadequate substitute, as voters in Hamburg have shown. Automation is however, an indisposable part of modern life — again, Tom Paxton warned of this sixty years ago. As we commented three weeks ago, the solution is for all to participate in tech giant wealth creation, bringing responsibility through participation in ownership. Background music: 'Taking in The Changes' by Everet Almond
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Universal publicly-funded welfare, including health care and education, has proved a very expensive Marxist experiment in western democracies. Far from resolving the challenge of eliminating poverty and disadvantage, it has loaded a huge debt burden on public finances which Rachel Reeves needs to address in the forthcoming UK Budget. But there is no point in loading still more income and capital taxes on the wealthy: they'll just leave the country in ever greater numbers, and economic growth — and tax revenue — will fall as a result. A much more practical solution is that people who can afford to pay for these services should do so, so that Government can focus financial support where it's most needed. Background music: 'The New Order' by Aaron Kenny
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