Cynicism is the death of humanity

I used to have this slogan on my wall as a fresher, displayed as if it were some kind of ward against a disease. I’m not convinced it did me any good, but I can certainly see the value in making the statement right now, as I seem to have been overcome with an immense amount of this destructive emotion. Almost everything my mind turns to becomes framed with accusations of shallowness, of being out of touch, of being motivated in selfishness; myself, those around me, initiatives that I’m variously involved with, and several that I’m not. It sucks!

For SCM: Vision and Mission

Student Christian Movement have begun a group blog, and are asking people to contribute their thoughts on the concept of “Mission” to get the ball rolling. I was wondering what to write, until my sister preached her first ever sermon, at which I’m both impressed and slightly envious. It was very interesting to hear her link Justice to Mission work, and Mission to Vision.

Finding faith in Social Media

Several weeks ago a Roman Catholic Archbishop said one of the most regrettable, misguided and short sighted things I’ve heard from a church leader in a very long time. Did it concern the role of women, or gay marriage, or perhaps even abortion? No, none of these. It concerned the internet, social media and new communication technologies. (Warning, this post may contain unwarranted levels of bitterness).

The Rise and Sprawl of the Security Industry

I recently saw a presentation that contained a list of the five most common jobs people are being recruited to in York at the moment. Admin and Hospitality & Catering were no surprise, Retail seems to have picked up and I think IT support was on the list, all of which are pretty morally neutral. Half way through the list was “Security”, a worrying if not totally surprising revelation.

Welcome to Staycation Nation

Apparently this summer is meant to be the summer of the “Staycation”, people deciding to holiday in Britain instead of going overseas in order to save money. This leaves me wondering when it became insufficient to simply Vacate one’s town or city, and why we need a whole new (or rather, American) term for a holiday we take inside our national boundaries.

Corby: Protecting the Majority from the Minority?

Its a while since I last saw a news story unfold that clearly highlighted the difference between a majoritarian and minoritarian view point and their affects on two groups of people who are clearly equal in their claim to citizenship. But today saw the Chief Executive of Corby Council telling the media that they are acting to protect the majority from a council tax rise by not simply settling with the small number of people who’s lives they are claimed to have ruined.

The Problem of No Fees Degrees

You might think that, with the announcement that the government is to offer students a chance to study for free, I’d be delighted. But as it happens, I’m not. The deal might sound excellent; you get to study for free and have no student loan. But this is hugely dangerous territory, for reasons that I shall explain.

Re-evaluating Family Matters

I found myself reading a science news article on the BBC about dementia risks amongst people who spend their middle-aged years living alone, which, it seems, might be higher than if people spend those years living with a partner. In the bizarre way that things connect in my head, it took me over to something that a friend wrote on their blog ages ago about life for those neither alone nor in families.

Feeding The Proud with Humble Soup

Food Not Bombs continues to be a very interesting experience in York. Far from feeding lots of homeless people (though Big Issue vendors are always thankful) we seem to be finding ourselves in a very different struggle: proving that there is such a thing as a free lunch, something that isn’t easy in a city where many residents seem to proud not to spend money on lunch.

The Revolutionary nature of Jubilee

We’re not talking about the Silver and Gold Jubilees here, but of Social Justice Jubilee. If you’re not a Christian, I hope this is still a useful examination of active wealth redistribution with some secular benefit. This is mostly based off a random thought popping through my head and perhaps its not the most biblically correct or politically astute post ever, but here goes.