What's Left 2017-12-31 Volume 103
Reading my way through 2017 | Roxanne Dubois; State Power Apologists and Propaganda
Editors (What's Left)
What's Left 2017-12-11 Volume 101
For the republican Arab world, the past twelve years have been defined by foreign invasion, civil and proxy wars, revolution and counter-revolution. It has been devastating. However, it should be remembered that, within the republican Arab world, the twenty-first century began with the American backed crushing of the second Palestinian uprising (intifada).
Transfers of Wealth and Snake-Oil Promoters | What's Left
There is something not quite right with the regulation of the financial-technology world. The focus of regulation since the financial crisis was on risk (even if these have since been rolled back). However, the main problem in the end might have not been the high risk, but that the negative consequences of high risk are not borne by those taking the risk.
Transfers of Wealth and Snake-Oil Promoters | What's Left
There is something not quite right with the regulation of the financial-technology world. The focus of regulation since the financial crisis was on risk (even if these have since been rolled back). However, the main problem in the end might have not been the high risk, but that the negative consequences of high risk are not borne by those taking the risk.
Naming Capitals | What's Left Guest Editorial
For the republican Arab world, the past twelve years have been defined by foreign invasion, civil and proxy wars, revolution and counter-revolution. It has been devastating. However, it should be remembered that, within the republican Arab world, the twenty-first century began with the American backed crushing of the second Palestinian uprising (intifada).
What to write about? | What's Left 100th Edition
Reading the news today is like living through a poorly written dystopian novel, but without any of the exciting grittiness that comes with a real apocalypse or the fun of Zombieland. And, the current contradictions make it difficult to focus on a topic to write about. We have economic growth with rising inequality. Right-wing populism without a populist left-wing response. The decline of social democratic parties, but with a rising acceptance of democratic socialist values. Increased access to knowledge, but less real understanding. Increased politicization, but no clear path to political power. It makes one's head spin.
What's Left 2017-11-11 Volume 100
Reading the news today is like living through a poorly written dystopian novel, but without any of the exciting grittiness that comes with a real apocalypse or the fun of Zombieland. And, the current contradictions make it difficult to focus on a topic to write about. We have economic growth with rising inequality. Right-wing populism without a populist left-wing response. The decline of social democratic parties, but with a rising acceptance of democratic socialist values. Increased access to knowledge, but less real understanding. Increased politicization, but no clear path to political power. It makes one's head spin.
Artificial Intelligence versus the Human Mind | What's Left
The fear of robots taking all the jobs (and the silliness of those arguments) is an issue that has been much discussed, including in What's Left This Week. Are robots replacing humans on production lines? Of course. But, it is important to understand the logic that leads to this happening because the problem isn't that robots are taking peoples' jobs.
G20 (G19+US) in Hamburg fails to accomplish much | What's Left
Meetings of politicians who are defenders of global capitalism are rather good venues for displays of anti-capitalist alternatives. The G19+1 meeting in Hamburg, Germany was one such occasion.
Understanding Venezuela | What's Left
Corporate media reports on Venezuela depicting the current situation make it difficult for casual observers on the left to understand what is going on. While this has been the case even when Chavez was president, it has become harder to get a clear analysis.