On Society
This page collects my thoughts about society. I like to look under the carpet at the ‘stuff’ we pretend isn't there. I’m not prolific (i.e. annoying). I prefer to be the sort of person people say - they don’t write a lot but what they do write is worth reading.
Distrapathy
Imagine living in a time when people could knowingly create fake news stories that were not only believed, they were repeated as true by large amounts of the population.
Abuse in state and faith-based care
That’s why everyone needs to read (at least) the Executive Summary of the report - it happened, and is happening, on our watch.
The state of the fourth estate
Without freedom of the press, democracy is on shaky ground. In countries where the press is overtly and obviously controlled – China, Russia, North Korea, Syria, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia are some of the worst examples according to Reporters sans frontières – the state controls society through some form of autocratic rule. There is no pretence – citizens’ rights and their very existence are at the state’s pleasure.
Letter to New Zealand’s richest man
Until I googled you, I knew little about you apart from the fact that you were wealthy. You will know nothing about me – I doubt you have read my books (though I hope I’m wrong). I’m interested in why you, a wealthy individual, just gave a large chunk of cash to the major right-wing political parties in New Zealand. I’d like to understand your views and actions, not judge them.