In Walt Whitman’s On the Beach (1871) a father and daughter gaze up at the night sky: On the beach at night, Stands a child with her father, Watching the east, the autumn sky. Up through the darkness, While ravening … Continue reading
If you have something to say do so simply. Nassim Taleb drifts between probability theory and Mafia morality codes. He peppers his work with insights from the Levant, ancient Greece, Rome and central Asia, through to modern Iraq and the … Continue reading
New Zealand has long been in relative economic decline. It suffers from stagnating productivity and a weak tradeable sector. It is a relatively low wage economy. Understanding our persistently high real interest rates provides insights into these problems[1], and … Continue reading
Never in modern history has there been such equality across the world. However, inequality has grown within developed countries, bringing tensions with it. Aggregate US productivity has grown more than 250% since the early 1970s, yet hourly wages have stagnated. … Continue reading
New Zealand has many conditions in place to support increased per capita income and living standards. These include inclusive, high-integrity government, quality institutions, macroeconomic stability and microeconomic flexibility. However, productivity is stagnating. We are struggling to address rising superannuation and … Continue reading
Some convince with numbers, most with stories. When stories turn into national narratives, history is made. Narratives turn complexity into simplicity, and give identity and purpose. Individuals can be conflated into a nation state akin to a single person: “China … Continue reading
Kinship, modernism and Donald Trump Kinship-based societies are based around extended family relationships. They transmit learning and beliefs vertically, from elders to children. They may limit women’s rights, and have larger families. These societies meet kin obligations, yet may permit … Continue reading
