Reviews and Comments

I enjoyed the many twists and the feisty pensioners living life to the full

Enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club, and looking forward to this one

This book draws interesting distinctions between setting objectives and the little steps needed to get there, looks as if it may prove an interesting read

Five - Design Your Own Citizen

Describes the imposition by the state of traditional values on women, for example the need to have permission from a husband or father before having an abortion, what is suitable dress, or behaviour, or occupation. Mentions that these values are often championed by other women, and describes encounters with female Erdogan and Trump supporters, but does not have an explanation for why they support such misogynistic leaders.

Three - Remove the Shame: Immorality is 'Hot' in the Post-Truth World

Beginning with the 2017 publication on the AKP website of an argument that the world was flat, and that contrary theories of it being spherical were the product of a conspiracy from evil powers, such as the Vatican, Zionists and Freemasons. Opposition to the flat-earth theory by scientists is proof that they are undemocratic and think that their theories should be more important than those of other people. In 1991 many people watched the Iraq War, on live TV, detached from the reality of death and injury, as if it was video game. This was followed by a wave of TV shows in which the viewers were entertained by the participants being humiliated, or like The Simple Life feel superior to the 'dumb blonde' stars. All this distorted the public sense of empathy.

Two - Disrupt Rationale/Terrorise Language

Discusses the way that populist leaders seek to rewrite history to suit their narrative, for example Hugo Chávez being described by the Venezuelan ambassador to Turkey as having started the revolution with a few friends under a fig tree, ignoring the pre-existence of grass roots movements. In 2014 President Erdogan claimed that Muslim scholars had reached America in 1178, and that Columbus' memoirs mention a mosque on a hill on the coast of Cuba. Political discourse being simplified, for example focus on Jeremy Corbyn making his own jam, rather than on policies helps the populists, for example Ronald Reagan's 1980 slogan "Let's make America great again" Also describes the difficulties mainstream journalism has dealing with populist leaders.

One - Create a Movement

Populist leaders identify or create grievances of real people whose views and problems are not being respected by the elite. Movements differ from political parties in the that they are outside of above the corrupt system, A driving factor is often fear of others - immigrants, the undeserving poor, the international elite, and real people need a strong leader to deal with these fears. Any criticism of the leader is taken as an act of oppression by the establishment, even if Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, Boris Johnston and other populist leaders are, rationally, from the ranks of the establishment, rather than real people

Like Chris Atkins in the non-fiction A Bit of a Stretch the protagonist is a white collar educated inmate, but Malcolm Bannister finds a different way to get out of jail. In both cases there is a mixture of prisoners who fell afoul of the law once, and those who have been, and are likely to continue to be repeat offenders. Rehabilitation is not mentioned (It would not fit the plot in this case,but in a wider context I am wondering if there are other possible upbeat ways to exit the prison system)

Reading this in the context of Democracy for Sale, Corruptible and others on the ways the democratic political process can be undermined, I would hope some whistle-blower or other oversight system of the CIA would prevent this from happening in reality, but ...

Another book on the challenges to Democracy, having some resonances (I suspect) with Corruptible:Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us.

The chapter on The Visible Cell features the observation of 'cells' in cork by Robert Hooke, published in Micrographia, in 1665. This was shortly before the Great Fire of London, and shortly after that Ashes of London has a scene set in the laboratory of Charles II as well as giving some historical context to the science.

Interesting view from the other side of the Justice System, agreeing with Nothing but the Truth on percentage of prisoners with mental health issues, and how Justice is a complex problem.

Another perspective on the history of humankind

Democracy, like science and important software, needs to happen in the open for it to work. This book exposes some of the means by which some people attempt to obscure the process. I have a more complete review on my blog