Archive of entries posted by rhanrott

The peril of knowing no history, and misunderstanding what little you do know

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“Conquests and wars of choice always bring unexpected consequences and never bring happiness. The seeking for security with massive armies is an illusion. While you are fighting to be secure, matters at home all too often deteriorate, especially if only a small part of the population benefits from the profits.” (Montaigne) Tell this to the …

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The dark side of techie paradise

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Tech start-ups are supposedly a paradise for “talent”, with their “nap pods”, Cordon Bleu chefs and yoga classes. But not everyone benefits from the “pay-and-perks arms race” under way in Silicon Valley. Indeed, last year a survey of 5,000 tech workers found that many feel “alienated, trapped, underappreciated and otherwise discombobulated”: only 19% said they …

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The damaging ubiquity of consultants

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The “incestuous relationship” between business schools and management consultancies is nothing new, but it seems to have stepped up a gear. Placement statistics published by the Financial Times suggest consultancies are now luring the majority of MBA graduates, offering salaries of up to $145,000 a year. Meanwhile, growing numbers of senior management consultants are teaching …

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Is there a happiness gene?

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It seems there is a specific gene variant – an “allele” – that regulates sensory pleasure and pain reduction; and the more of it found in a population, the happier that population tends to be. Researchers from Bulgaria and Hong Kong discovered that Ghana, Mexico and Nigeria all had populations with a high incidence of …

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The simplicity of Epicureanism

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Live simply and prudently, with self-control and moderation. Seek simple pleasures, those that satisfy natural and necessary desires, chief of which are food, drink, clothing, shelter, friendship and love. The words of Epicurus. Very similar to the basic teachings of Christianity, really. But what would Jesus have made of the institutions that have flourished in …

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