Dissent is a confusing and at times emotively negative word. This is especially so for people who are irrevocably wedded to the status quo or who fear any form of change whatsoever. They call someone a dissenter and marginalize them, refusing to hear any defence. They call them at best ‘grumpy’, ‘divisive’, and ‘bitter’. This Read more
The Occupy Wall St movement is being criticised by some as a crowd of malcontents having no solutions to offer to the problems they are protesting about. To start with they were portrayed as a movement that objected to what they deemed to be unfair bank regulations. Two months down the track, the novelty has dimmed, the objectives Read more
Election times are almost with us. Beware of “millennial cargo cult” politicians! Why the strange language? Well, it aptly describes a dangerous type of politician and political policy. Millenarian cults are social movements common throughout history. They proclaim for devoted believers the destructive end of one era and the dramatic coming of another more perfect Read more
“New Zealanders are proud of their universal healthcare services, with its founding roots in the Good Samaritan story, but they must be ever vigilant,” says Gerald Arbuckle. “Healthcare is not a commodity, to be available only to those who have money. It is a fundamental right. When people on the margins of our society begin Read more