Age does not define us, we define ourselves. Ages are to life as punctuation marks are to a story. They are a time to reflect, to plan the next decade, to see how orderly our life is and to assess whether we are making progress and having fun. Each seventh age seems to be more…
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Readers of the Daily Paradox will know that I return to the subject of confidence from time to time. It is such a vital element in personal success and sustainable self-image. And yet, people ignore it, often for the whole of their lives. Certainly, we have come across many who, even if they appeared confident,…
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The plight of America is a matter of concern for us all. After WWII the US created the Marshall Plan – officially the European Recovery Program. It also supported NATO as a key balustrade of world peace and played a leading role in harmony between competing nations and enterprise-driven growth. The accession of President Trump…
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The worldwide discontent among ordinary people has serious implications for countries and regimes that are authoritarian. Power is maintained partly by agreement of those over whom it is exercised. That agreement may be obtained by coercion or by the threat of punishment for disobeying. Democratic systems understand this, if not always brilliantly. Totalitarian systems on…
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If someone whose judgment we trust recommends a dentist, a plumber or a visit to the Eden Project we take them seriously and do something about it. Similarly, if we are pointed to a product or service by a reliable source, we explore it for fitness of purpose and price. Thirty years ago these casual…
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It is difficult to cry about Hong Kong – and almost impossible not to. The last Governor couldn’t hide his tears when the former British Colony was handed over to China in a perfectly orderly and rational way. The transitional agreement seemed to be fit for purpose to transfer British Rule to Chinese Ownership. Hong…
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Claire Jones, writing in the 06Nov19 Financial Times said: “The real world is hideously complex. So too are people.” It is true. A small measure of that increasing complexity is the decision that will be needed in the forthcoming British General Election. Matching your specific views about Europe with the political party whose broad canvas…
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We cannot ignore the cry of more than 10,000 scientists, especially when they are reiterating a warning that was made forty years ago. From Attenborough to Scientists to Thunberg to the UN to Governments everywhere and to all of us, the word has gone out loud and clear. Stop the climate destruction now or perish…
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Our existence is substantially a round of processes. Each one has as its objective making life more predictable and less prone to error and mishap. The domestic rhythm of eating, sleeping, studying and being entertained seeks to maintain the even tenor of a harmonious life. The routine of work, with its systems, reports, meetings, deadlines…
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Marriage is seldom a meeting of equals. One is more intellectual than the other; the other has greater emotional intelligence than the one. One is more giving; the other more taking. Great marriages are hammered out on a hard anvil, with much give and minimal take. For all that, there will still be times when…
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