Douglas’s theoretical apparatus allowed her to think in original ways about almost any topic. In a lecture earlier this year at the Young Foundation, she discussed "enclaves," the small groups which at their most extreme become terrorist cells. Where others emphasise their strengths, she emphasised their weaknesses: how prone they are to splits and sectarianism, and how hard it is for their founders to enforce rules. To survive, enclaves create around themselves what Douglas called a "wall of virtue"—the sense that they alone uphold justice, while all around them are suspect—yet the very thing that bonds them together encourages individuals within them to compete to demonstrate their own virtue and the failings of their peers. The only thing that can override this fragility is fear of the outside world—and so sects, whether political or religious, peaceful or violent, feed off the hostility of outsiders, using it to reinforce their own solidarity. The implication is clear for western governments: in the long term, defeating terrorism depends on ratcheting fear down, not up, dismantling the "walls of virtue" rather than attacking them head on with declarations of war.
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Making Bombers
There’s an excellent article by Shiv Malik in the current issue of Prospect about the process that turned Mohammad Sidique Khan from a youth worker into the leader of the London bombings of 7/7. A must-read that has the ring of truth about it.The same issue of Prospect also has an article about the anthropologist Mary Douglas, who recently died at the age of 86. The article makes an important point about her research that is highly relevant to Malik’s article:Unfortunately, there seems to be little likelihood of governments following this sage advice.2 responses to “Making Bombers”
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I read the quotation with Fred Phelp’s Westboro Baptist Church in mind, and the description chillingly fits.
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Quite. And at some level I think everyone realises this, but we can’t help but react in the inappropriate way. The same truth, I think, is what makes the "Bigot on a Bridge" joke so funny. We laugh because we recognise that it is so true…
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Coconut Republics
Via the TED Blog comes a polemic from economist George Ayittey on "Coconut Republics". Definitely worth a read.Leave a comment
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Animal Behaviour
I am often suspicious of the "stories" portrayed in Nature documentaries. I suspect that many, if not most of them, are carefully constructed docudramas, owing more to the skill of the editors than to a realistic portrayal of nature, red in tooth and claw.Therefore, when I see something that clearly isn’t faked, but which shows some extraordinary behaviour by animals, then it gives pause for thought. Here is the "Battle At Kruger". It’s worth watching.(hat tip to Aad and Eric, two of my old colleagues, for the link)2 responses to “Animal Behaviour”
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Very impressive – they certainly got their money’s worth on that safari!
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That was wonderful Geoff. I’ve always thought – ‘Why don’t you gang up and have them!’ and that time they did. Excellent. Thank you.
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The Family Of Blood
That was, I think, one of the most satisfying episodes of Dr Who that I have ever seen. Absolutely wonderful.3 responses to “The Family Of Blood”
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Indeed – a classic! True to the series and yet so many more interesting questions
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It was good, wasn’t it? I think the most visceral moments for me were when the scarecrows attack the school. The images, and the genius of using, as the soundtrack, Bunyan’s "He who would valiant be", with the glorious "St Dunstan’s" music were just perfect. And I also had echoes of Lindsay Anderson’s "If…" running through my brain. All in all, it was a heady mixture.
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Yes that was a powerfully anguished moment – I tried to ignore the ‘follow the master’ line! Having boarded at a school with a training corps – though I was mercifully too young to be part of it – my echoes were back to then. I also thought the various verbal jousting between Redfern and the Doctor pretty powerful, I even watched the ‘Confidential’ programme that I normally steer well clear of!
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Living A Quiet Life
Unlike Stanley Alpert, I live a quiet life. I don’t think I would want it any other way. I also doubt, given my propensity for sarcasm, whether I would have survived his situation. Scary stuff.Leave a comment
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Jaw-Dropping
I don’t know whether to treat this seriously or not; all I know is that my jaw hit the table upon reading about the Aphrodite Project Platforms.Although, I have to say that I don’t think that the designers have thought this through. I remember living through the 1970s when platforms were ubiquitous (I even had a pair myself, but we won’t go there). I also remember being in a hospital out-patients department sitting alongside my lover at the time who had just had a concussion via a skating accident. Suddenly, the doors burst open, and in tottered a gaggle of fashionable young ladies surrounding one of their number who was having even more difficulty walking than the rest of them. As they explained to the doctor, she fell off her platforms…Leave a comment
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How Not To Answer Your Critics
Well, of course, looking at American politics is like shooting fish in a barrel. But when you have presidential candidate Senator Sam Brownback coming out with this guff, then I’m sorry, but I fear for the state of that particular nation.While no stone should be left unturned in seeking to discover the nature of man’s origins, we can say with conviction that we know with certainty at least part of the outcome. Man was not an accident and reflects an image and likeness unique in the created order. Those aspects of evolutionary theory compatible with this truth are a welcome addition to human knowledge. Aspects of these theories that undermine this truth, however, should be firmly rejected as an atheistic theology posing as science.So that would be, "I’m sorry; I’ve made my mind up, and no amount of evidence is going to dissuade me from my crazed view of reality".Welcome to Kansas.Leave a comment
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West Bank Story
One response to “West Bank Story”
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didn’t realise what the song was (or that a song was being misquoted) until the last frame – I must be slow this evening!
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I Beg Your Pardon?
The Economist’s reviewer seems to have lost the plot:What is missing from the book is much sense of what a world without religion, or one that had not had religion in it, might look like. Lots of the principles that Mr Hitchens holds dear, like tolerance and justice, are secularised versions of religious ideas.Secularised versions of religious ideas? This is the cart before the evolutionary horse, surely. Humanity strived to make sense of the world, and made religion to stake its claim on the parts unknown… Simple survival of the fittest makes tolerance and justice simply good ideas. Anything else is just lace frills on the dresses (sorry, robes) of Catholic Cardinals.Leave a comment
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That Explains A Lot
Following on from yesterday’s fine example of woo from a journalist (I use the term somewhat loosely) called Julia Stephenson, someone has discovered that Julia appears to have a web page. If indeed this is Ms. Stephenson, then reading it explains a lot. As someone mentioned over at Bad Science, “The real problem is that genetic mutations that normally would have died out are now being allowed their own newspaper columns.” Somewhat cruel, but it has a smattering of truth.Leave a comment
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Clearing The Airwaves
Well, that may be what Julia Stephenson thinks she’s doing, according to this article in The Independent. But to Ben Goldacre, over at Bad Science, it looks more like muddying the waters. I have to say that I agree with him. Her article is a wonderful example of woo and complete lack of understanding of natural science.Leave a comment
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Photo Metadata
I’ve mentioned the metadata that is embedded inside digital photos before – in particular, some of the ways in which trying to use it to manage a library of photos can be frustrated by incompatibilities in tools used to manipulate it. If you’re interested in this sort of thing, then the IPTC has just published a very useful white paper on photo metadata.
One response to “Photo Metadata”
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[…] Photo Metadata (link to IPTC whitepaper) Share this:EmailFacebookTwitterPrintLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. […]
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The Global Peace Index
How high does the country where you live score on the Global Peace Index?Leave a comment
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Diabolical
I don’t know which is more reprehensible – the fact that Richard Perle believes this shit, or the fact that he wants us to believe it. If there were a Hell, he would be surely destined for it. The fact that there isn’t any such place makes me almost wish that there were.Leave a comment
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Beyond Windows
So, Microsoft Surface has finally arrived. It may well punt the Windows model into the sidelines, but I’m betting that you’ll have to wait until version 3.0 before it will live up to the hype.Leave a comment
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Jurassic Park
I’m coming very late to this particular party, but I’ve just stumbled across Weird Al Yankovic’s parody of MacArthur Park: Jurassic Park. As usual, the video is full of visual jokes and style references. I love the homage to the style of Yellow Submarine, and (Andy, this is for you) the Pitch Black joke. Mind you, since this video came out in 1993, and Pitch Black in 2000, perhaps the homage is the other way around…Leave a comment
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The Fight Goes On
Today’s news from Moscow is depressing.2 responses to “The Fight Goes On”
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What is this all about? You’d think there were more things to worry about. I despair.
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Homo sapiens version 1.0 showing the usual limitations of its operating system. However, some specimens rise above it. Good to see that a Guardian leader praises Peter Tatchell today. Quite right, too.
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Everything Is Miscellaneous
That’s the title of both a book and a talk given by David Weinberger. The talk (given at Google) is interesting and worth watching. I’m now intrigued about the book.(hat tip to Tim at the Thingology Blog for the link)Leave a comment
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Human Nature
Ooh, this looks as though it’s going to be one of the great episodes. Part two next week…But why, oh why, did the Doctor exclaim on seeing a meteor, that it was a meteorite? You did not see it fall to earth, you fool. Oh, bad writer, do not make such ridiculous errors…But, but, but, the scarecrows, the reference to Sidney and Verity as the Doctor’s parents, the slanted smile of Baines. All of this is such joyfulness, my droogs. Enjoy!Leave a comment

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