Category «Background Comment»

Centralised Control vs. Grassroots Empowerment: A Comparative Analysis

The debate between top-down systems and localism centres on how decisions are made and services are delivered within communities. Top-down systems, often characterized by centralized decision-making, contrast sharply with localism, which emphasizes the empowerment of grassroots communities to take over power and make decisions tailored to their specific needs. Top-Down Systems Top-down systems are hierarchical …

The United Kingdom’s Population Dynamics: Net Migration and Declining Population

The population dynamics of the United Kingdom have been a subject of considerable debate and analysis, particularly in recent years. Two critical factors influencing these dynamics are net migration and the declining birth rate, both of which play a significant role in shaping the future demographic landscape of the country. Net Migration: A Sustaining Force …

The Jevons Paradox

The Jevons Paradox, named after the English economist William Stanley Jevons, describes a counterintuitive economic phenomenon in which improvements in the efficiency of resource use lead to an overall increase rather than a decrease in resource consumption. This occurs because the increased efficiency lowers the effective cost of using the resource, which can lead to …

The Flip, The Formation, and The Fun

Let’s work to bring these shifts in consensus reality into being. JONATHAN ROWSON Share I’ve had a few more thoughts about the inner life of the future and my mind has given birth to another conceptual triplet. Please forgive me. It’s really rather embarrassing, but just the way my mind works at the moment, enchanted by the …

Existing Localism in the UK

There are areas in the UK where localism prevails, often characterized by a strong sense of community, local governance, and a focus on local economy and services. Localism in these areas typically emphasizes the importance of local decision-making, community involvement, and supporting local businesses and initiatives. Some notable areas where localism is particularly prominent include: …

Alternative Energy Technologies

The assumption that technological research and development will produce new energy sources to overcome the decline in the availability of fossil fuels is both hopeful and supported by several trends. However, the likelihood and timeline for this transition are subject to various factors. Here are key points to consider: Progress in Alternative Energy Technologies Challenges …

A long piece about the UK when it becomes faced with unaffordable fossil fuel prices

My prompts are italicised and underlined How will the uk growth-oriented top-down culture develop when faced with unaffordable fossil fuel prices, a shrinking economy, and declining prosperity?  It will evolve into a different culture.  What will the essence of that culture be? ChatGPT As the UK confronts the dual challenges of unaffordable fossil fuel prices …

Global Depopulation – Did Global Fertility Rates Fall Below Replacement Levels in 2023

An AEI article on the latest United Nations data warns that global fertility rates are collapsing. And faster than most have predicted. Author of the article, Patrick Norrick, says fertility rates are collapsing even faster than most people realise today. This is based on data from the United Nations Population Division’s World Population Prospects (WPP) …