Category Archives: Human Wellbeing

National Standards and Neanderthals – “They will know what is required …” – Part I

Posted on 7th Apr, 2013 by Puddleglum

“School prepares for the alienating institutionalization of life by teaching the need to be taught.” – Ivan Illich There’s an interesting opinion piece by archaeologist April Nowell in a recent ‘New Scientist‘ – ‘All work and no play: Why Neanderthals were no Picasso‘ … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Freedom, Human Nature, Human Wellbeing | Tagged , , , | 22 Comments

‘Human capital depreciation’ and the Pike River Mining Disaster

Posted on 10th Nov, 2012 by Puddleglum

There are moments when a few words can open up a vista on an entire worldview. The words shoot through the air for a few days like a rapidly fading spark on Guy Fawkes night but, every so often, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Education, Free Market, Human Wellbeing, Labour, New Zealand Politics, Welfare | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The school of hard knocks and ‘the curious incident of the dog …’ – Part II

Posted on 28th Sep, 2012 by Puddleglum

What was it all for? One answer has been given by the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata: The education sector, just like everything else in greater Christchurch, has experienced huge disruption due to the earthquakes. Buildings have been damaged and … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Earthquakes, Education, Human Wellbeing, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

The school of hard knocks and ‘the curious incident of the dog…’ – Part I

Posted on 24th Sep, 2012 by Puddleglum

Often the best way to learn something is the hard way. You tend not to forget when you get bruised in the process. If that’s the case, then many Cantabrians are gaining memorable lessons about what it is like to … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Earthquakes, Education, Freedom, Human Wellbeing, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Underneath the ‘underclass’

Posted on 29th Jul, 2012 by Puddleglum

Joe Bageant died on the 26th of March last year. Apparently, he was sometimes referred to as an American ‘leftneck’ – which is not a bad label for him. Bageant’s book (and, more generally, his literary life) has been devoted to laying … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Economics, Education, Free Market, Human Wellbeing, New Zealand Politics, Welfare | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Getting ‘stuck in’ to employment

Posted on 11th Jul, 2012 by Puddleglum

Recently, Rodney Hide related his experiences as a manual labourer, doing casual jobs for a builder, digger driver and retaining wall builder. Hide drew a lesson from his experience about the motivation of the unemployed. Basically, it amounted to the conclusion … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Freedom, Human Nature, Human Wellbeing, Labour, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

A better term than ‘breeding for a business’

Posted on 29th May, 2012 by Puddleglum

  Back in 2002, some years before scaling the heights to the Prime Ministerial summit, John Key said that Labour’s Domestic Purposes Benefit policy had led to a situation “where people have been, for want of a better term, breeding … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Human Wellbeing, New Zealand Politics, Welfare | Tagged , , , , , | 26 Comments

City in a box

Posted on 29th Apr, 2012 by Puddleglum

It was meant to be the ‘City in a Park’. But, according to a Press editorial, a lot of people in Christchurch have taken a look at the future and they don’t like what they see: The artists’ impressions of … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Earthquakes, Free Market, Human Wellbeing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

California dreaming

Posted on 22nd Apr, 2012 by Puddleglum

If the future form of Christchurch’s central city now hangs in the balance, the outcome will depend upon the weightings given to two quite distinct sets of ‘instincts’ about how to create a vibrant, sustainable, thriving city centre. One set … Continue reading →

Posted in Earthquakes, Economics, Free Market, Freedom, Human Wellbeing, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Christchurch’s Second Coming

Posted on 8th Apr, 2012 by Puddleglum

“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last Slouches toward [Christchurch] to be born?” The ground is now being prepared for the future incarnation of Christchurch. What comes our way will bear the marks and influences of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Earthquakes, Economics, Fascism, Freedom, Human Wellbeing, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments