One of the most annoying expressions, in my view, is the following: I am entitled to ...... (eg, a house, a job, migration, service). Often, these people believe they have a right to something (or someone), and usually without having duties (eg, good behaviour, good intentions). In Putin's view, Russia is entitled to former Soviet republic territories, like Ukraine,...
Ukraine
Is Turkey more trouble to NATO than it is worth? (Economist)
19 Jun, 2022
The Economist title: Is Turkey more trouble to NATO than it is worth? The Economist subtitle: Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government is the alliance’s loose cannon Date: 16 June 2022 The Economist "The received wisdom is that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has breathed new life, and a new sense of purpose, urgency and unity into nato. Someone forgot to tell Recep...
Western Europe’s cynicism about Ukrainian suffering (FT)
18 Jun, 2022
Introduction LO: Simon Kuper is a great writer and he proves it again, below. This must-read article should make you think (again) about the various European and the American position(s) in this war between Russia and Ukraine. Yesterday, the EU announced its backing of the EU candidate status of Ukraine (and Moldova ! ). Its “assessment [is] based on the...
The lesser of two evils principle
16 Jun, 2022
Aristotle (384-322 BC) wrote the following in his book Nicomachean Ethics: "For the lesser evil can be seen in comparison with the greater evil as a good, since this lesser evil is preferable to the greater one, and whatever preferable is good" (Wiki). Fast-forward: if Russia is the greater evil, does that make Ukraine good? I've been carefully avoiding this topic...
Struggling to Find the Exit From War (George Friedman)
12 Jun, 2022
GeoPolitical Futures title: Struggling to Find the Exit From War By: George Friedman Date: 7 June 2022 “French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that an off-ramp must be found for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. This is not a novel idea. Negotiators know what they must have and what they must leave on the table for the other party. That’s the way...
America’s Interests in Ukraine (George Friedman)
5 Jun, 2022
GeoPolitical Futures title: America’s Interests in Ukraine By: George Friedman Date: 31 May 2022 "Nearly every time Russia has been invaded, it has been saved by its strategic depth. Russia can’t truly be defeated without first taking Moscow, and it is a long way to Moscow. From Napoleon to Hitler, invaders from the west had to try to reach the capital city before...
Archives
Framework Posts
Is asking the wrong question essential to learning?
We all like to be needed, wanted or believed
The final taboo
Society’s farewell to the best & brightest
Drivers of Change: a 2022 update
The meaning of Life = living a meaningful life (2)
Quality vs Quantity
New: a proxy World War
“What is faith?”
The dark side of Hope
From pandemic to endemic
How did we get so far??
The positive power of negativity
Common sense, ignorance, stupidity and wisdom
The big-small principle
2021 Conceptual Framework
Life is a revolving door
Why are human beliefs stronger than our conscience?
Let’s work together
Who is to blame for hospital demand exceeding supply?
Dutch PM: “What more can I do??”
Is ideology responsible for stupidity?
Introspection
How do you help yourself?
Asymptomatic
Asymptomatisch
Mechanization, Automation, AI & Robotics
Needs, Wants, Beliefs, Awakening & Wisdom
Tweedeling in de samenleving
Collateral damage
Emptiness
Is politiek nog relevant in Nederland?
The SpaceTime dimension and the alternate Energy-Matter dimension
We need Knowledge, we want Power, and we believe in Love
Is consciousness a dimension not limited by space and time?
The asymptomatic Covid anomaly
What constitutes a relationship?
Everything follows Why (7): the DIKW model
No More Fear of Dying
Mission, goals, strategy, tactics and operations of viruses
Ideology vs pragmatism
Competition vs cooperation
From Knowledge to Power – the 7 Belief systems in the age of monism
The Art of War
Needs, Wants & Beliefs in reverse
2019 corona virus versus 1918 Spanish flu
Awakening – a conceptual framework (2)
Awakening – a conceptual framework
Our search for the truth
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish (2)
Friendship is a goal for women and a tool for men
One question says more than a thousand answers
The 3 roads to Wisdom
The 7 Belief systems – a 2019 update
The inflation conundrum
Theory of Everything (2) – the Flow
Theory of Everything
The art of compromising
Do people have a right to migrate?
I’m entitled to my own opinion, am I??
The 7 stages of Liberalism
Love, Knowledge and Power
Communication, thoughts and language
Personality, Attitude & Behaviour
Conceptual framework (6)
Knowledge = Power and the Great Filter in civilisations (5)
Drivers of Change
The 7 Belief systems – a conceptual framework
Enlightenment vs False Beliefs
Fast vs Slow thinking (3)
Old and wise
Conceptual framework (4) – drivers of human behaviour
The 4 levels of Consciousness – an integrated framework
Conceptual Framework (3) – update
Humanoid sapiens, our future descendants
The road to recovery from a burn-out (3)
Conceptual Framework (2) – Why does evil exist?
The ignorance of Nationalism and arrogance of Globalism
Arrogance of Left and Ignorance of Right
You can only hurt someone with the truth
Sumerian civilization (5): Soul vs Spirit
Everything follows Why
A conceptual framework
Faith, Beliefs and Willpower
The Road to Recovery from a Burn-out or Depression (2)
A brief narrative of the future
Faith vs Religion
The 10 Commandments
The 7 Belief systems – a summary
White Supremacy (2)
Opinions and criticism
Human Emotions (2) – a revisit
Why are opinions stronger than facts?
Numbers – mathematics, space, time, weights & measurements
The “what if” question
What makes a relationship truly unique?
The Great Flood (16,000 BC – 4,000 BC)
The meaning of Life = living a meaningful life
Weather is Your Mood and Climate is Your Personality
Our individual purpose
Recent Posts
- Entitlement
- Loyalty, fidelity and principles
- The reverse currency wars have begun (Axios Macro)
- Fact check: did universal health care prevent corona deaths?
- Why do we have labour shortages?
- Identity vs Power: dialects
- Art vs Science
- Truth or dare?
- Collective vs individual behaviour
- Is Turkey more trouble to NATO than it is worth? (Economist)
Recent Comments