Throughout the ages, education and universities seemed to fuel nations’ rise as global powers. Nothing illustrates this better than China. Once the most powerful entity in East Asia as the great Qing Empire, it was renowned as the standard for knowledge and civilization even in Europe. And now, its emergence as one of the global centres for education, research, world-class universities coincides with its rise to global power once again. It’s the latest in a line of powerful nations that have focused on research, from Britain, to Germany, to America. Read full article here
Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
