An aphorism
Reflections on the wonderful Suomi - hyvä maa
Answering questions on welfare reform and disability benefit cuts.
The idea of super leaders who will come in and get things organised is very attractive, especially when we are in the middle of a crisis. However sometimes we are just kidding ourselves about their potential value.
We have a fear of leadership that is rooted in our own unwillingness to act.
Good ideas can often come unstuck. The complex RAS (Resource Allocation System) was one such idea.
Brecht on the value of doubt, especially in our leaders.
Faith in materialism is peculiarly resistant to argument or evidence.
A support provider asked me how their organisation could become customer-focused.
Two meetings in one day separated by very different visions of what it means to grow old.
Charities are not fit for purpose. We need to rethink the idea of the public good.
Assisted dying seems so neutral. But it's only a small step from eugenics.
A sketch for a movie about the emerging force of vampirism.
Civil servants are under increasing pressure to shed their objectivity. But does the concept of the neutral civil servant really make sense?
The risk of eugenics is much greater than that we might eliminate future Beethovens.
Thoughts on the nature of the soul.
Thoughts on the wisdom of the great Robert Fripp.
A new welfare state must be a welfare state that is easier to defend from injustice.
An exploration of the successful rhetorical strategies used to undermine social justice by the UK Conservative Party.
There is a gulf that exists between those advocating independent living and those who develop the ideas of person centred planning and inclusion. But it is a gulf that should be bridged.
Reflections on the We Chose to Climb Conference in Glasgow: True security lies in the quality of our relationships.
Reflections on power in social services and how to give it up or make it anew.
The proper purpose of self-directed support is to ensure that each person can lead a life of meaning and value.
The idea of the selfish gene was always very muddled indeed. In fact if any category should be applied to genes it would be self-sacrificing.