A skull for a space plane: Is that a fair trade? Ptichka, the last spacecraft from the Soviet Buran project, was supposed to inspire generations of Russians. However, it now lies dilapidated in the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which now belongs to Kazakh billionaire Dauren Musa after he bought the company that owned it. He’s willing to trade Ptichka back… for a skull. But not just any skull; he wants the skull of Kenesary Kasymov, the last Khan of Kazakhstan, which was given to Russia by a rival khanate in the 1800s. 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
