wallpaper animals

In some ways it's true to say that the world we have created necessitates individuals making a rich variety of communicative acts in order to survive in it. To learn to do this it isn't necessary to go to University, but it's something University tends to produce in people. What is it about the world which requires this?

Ulrich Beck identifies it as the 'risk society' where individuals constantly have to engage in high-level evaluations, often taking action appropriately, and where the risks of acting inappropriately are serious threats to their viable existence. For this reason he sees 'reflexivity' as the quality individuals require for doing this.

I certainly think there's something in this analysis - much better than the "we've got so much technology now... the kids have gotta have the skills... etc". Beck says the kids have to exercise judgement, which in many cases they can only do through skilled technical and linguistic performances.

At the same time as I'm attracted by this, I have doubts. Risk, judgement and agency are complex, and risk seems to narrow to characterise our society; judgement has always been important. But typically, judgement has been important in public life. If there is more 'risk' is it because more of us are engaged in 'public life' in some form?

you enjoy your long weekend...however you plan on spending it ;)

Two days back at work and I'm already feeling the need for a holiday. Technically, I've got no desk at the moment - so decamped to the alternative office of the 'Sweet Green Tavern': we should have done that years ago! Wifi could be a bit better though.

This is a year for moral arguments. Big things are happening in education, and there is a need to inspect consciences as to whether they are the right things and how they should be managed; it's not a time for sleepwalking!

Pretty violent improvisation!

this color palette is totally singing to me today.....and so are those adorable pom pom necklaces.

i have a comfort zone or maybe bubble that i like to stay in....i always hesitate when something new is placed in front of me. lately i have been testing my comfort zone and trying things that the old shannon would not do. i think about this quote and go for it...b/c after all, what do i have to loose?

The problem with asking this question is that it is rarely seen as a matter of objective judgement, but instead one of subjective opinion. It is an ambitious question: it is closely related to 'What ought the role of government to be?' or 'how ought we to live?'. But is it really that subjective? In most social situations, there are actions which are generally acknowledged as 'the right thing to do', and where the wrong thing is done, there is usually some sort of political retribution (Iraq, over-zealous government cutbacks, etc).

I think we need to get real about 'oughts', and this means reconsidering the separation that Hume argued for between 'what is' and 'what ought to be'. Often doing the wrong thing is a matter of having misunderstood the nature of the context within which that thing is done. Iraq is a classic example, and the government cut-back looks very worrying for the same reason. What do we know about the 'what is' of the education system? Enough to make sound judgements about what to do?

Rather than knee-jerk reaction, calmer methodical identification of the nature of what we are dealing with is a surer way to creating an education system which is closer to what it ought to be.

monday's should always start off with something pretty....these pretty much fit the bill.