Newsletter 215

[1]History Is On The Side Of Democracy
Links:
1. http://b.rw/gkC1hY

Philip Stephens | FT | 20 January 2011

Nation-building fiascos in Iraq and Afghanistan, rise of authoritarian
China, led West to lose confidence in universality of democratic values.
Take heart from Tunisia. People everywhere want democracy, even if their
leaders don't

[2]Young Parents Run Britain
Links:
2. http://b.rw/fvOx8f

Bagehot | Economist | 21 January 2011

Britain has young leaders, with young children. A change for the better.
"The world looks at once kindlier and more fragile with small children in
it, and essentially optimistic. In these austere times, that is a source of
strength"

[3]Priced Out Of An Alcoholic Stupor
Links:
3. http://b.rw/eSTztt

Tim Harford | 22 January 2011

"For a rational addict, every swig of Smirnoff planned for tomorrow
reinforces the case for drinking Smirnoff today. I’m sure I don’t need to
spell out the corollary: if prices will rise in the future, the time to quit
is now"

[4]Critical Theory In The Nudging Era
Links:
4. http://b.rw/fCAECC

Will Davies | Potlatch | 21 January 2011

"The nudgers are, bizarre as it may sound, crypto-Foucauldians. What was
previously tacit about the production of liberal subjectivity has become an
explicit government programme of altering and improving our decisions and
desires"
[5]View full selection
Links:
5. http://thebrowser.com/best

Today's FiveBooks Interview

[6]Evgeny Morozov on =PHILOSOPHY OF TECHNOLOGY=
Links:
6. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/evgeny-morozov-on-philosophy-technology

Leading technology commentator discusses the relationship between technology
and authoritarianism - and argues that "philosophers of technology
completely missed the train on the internet" [7]Continue reading…
Links:
7. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/evgeny-morozov-on-philosophy-technology

Topic

[8]Islam
Links:
8. http://thebrowser.com/topics/islam

Islam is the world's fastest growing religion. Some of the world's most
militant groups claim to be acting in the name of Islam, although many of
their victims are Muslim. Read interviews with Islamic experts and delve
into our selection of articles to find out more
[9]Continue reading…
Links:
9. http://thebrowser.com/topics/islam

Book of the Day

[10]Technics and Civilization
Links:
10. http://thebrowser.com/recommended/technics-and-civilization-by-lewis-mumford

-by Lewis Mumford - It was a very important book, because it started this
debate about the effect technologies have on societies from a political
viewpoint: whether they actually enable certain political forces to take
greater control over individuals. It was particularly important given the
fact that it was written in the 1930s, with the rise of Nazism in Europe. I
think many of the debates we’re having now – about, for example, is the
internet changing our brains? – all essentially go back to some of those
criticisms by Mumford.

[11]More recommendations…
Links:
11. http://thebrowser.com/fivebooks

Browsings

[12]TheBrowser How The First Cable Was Laid Across The Atlantic - intriguing
Wired tale. Thanks to @[13]damienjoyce for spotting
#[14]browsings [15]b.rw/gLbSNy [16]More user recommended #browsings…
Links:
12. http://twitter.com/TheBrowser
13. http://twitter.com/damienjoyce
14. http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=#browsings
15. http://b.rw/gLbSNy
16. http://thebrowser.com/browsings

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