Welcome to the SPA Resources and Blog page. Here we have blogs, vlogs, links, statements, articles and ideas building up. Let us know what you need more of (or less of!).
The objective of SPA is to get to a healthy, happy society with equal opportunities for all. Much to do then! Most requests for information and understanding are currently around the social philosophy of ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ or ‘DEIB’ (etc), where we critique both poles of recent arguments and end up as what we call ‘Radical Moderates’!
We write from a perspective informed by many things including literacy in critical thinking, liberal (enlightenment/objective) and critical (post-modern/subjective) approaches, economics, statistics and religious traditions. We hope you find it helpful. Contact us with any question or need.
Subscribe to Social Philosophy Analysis on Substack – Making sense of what’s happening
If you are trying to understand what’s right, wrong, good and bad about modern social equity philosophy, here’s a nice piece from David Honeg and Steven Lawrence. It looks at the USA history of racist policy and its effects today. It also looks at how we need thoughtful policy as
Values is Paramount – but Perception comes first! (and is circular).
We think we live by our Values. Well, we don’t quite! I think is it laudable and very helpful to identify your Values and try to live them (personally or as an organisation).
A Good D&I policy probably does not use the terms Diversity or Inclusion!
Why Diversity and Inclusion are impossible terms!
How to rescue your organisation from either pole of D&I. If your organisation has been hijacked by either pole of D&I, first talk to a trusted friend or expert, to check your thinking. Triangulation of thoughts is useful. Then identify a trusted leader in the organisation. Share your concern without becoming polarised yourself.
The downsides of applying Applied Critical Theory/Critical Social Justice in your organisation. If we want to be critical of what Applied Critical Social Justice (eg Critical-Theory-based Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policies) can do in your organisation, here is the most clear and articulate explanation of the potential of Cultural Marxist goals of Applied Critical Theory that I have seen.
Beware the ‘Marketplace of Ideas’ in generating fairness, and find out why. In a meeting I attended last week, the ‘Marketplace of Ideas’ was used as a Classical Liberal defence and retort to Critical Theorists when the latter asset their theory of Critical Consciousness and Social Change. The Classical Liberals say, in effect – “Let a thousand flowers bloom, and the best ideas will come to the surface” But I sympathise with the criticism of this for two key reasons:
Watch all 40x 40-60 min talks at the Counterweight Conference for just £50.00 at this link: https://cw.heysummit.com/?sc=eI3kE9Z7&ac=9TCi51Yt
My question for today is: How do we stand for good D and I in a polarised world? This presentation is for a special audience – which is you! You might be a Human Resources Manager, or an organisation leader. But just as importantly if you’re here simply as a member of any organisation – that’s just about everybody – or if you’re a person who has conversations with friends, family, or in social settings about this topic, this is for you.
Link to watch Colin Wilson’s Counterweight talk (40 mins)
Why Diversity and Inclusion are impossible terms! Let’s start with Inclusion. In modern-day ‘equalities’ terms, the term Inclusion is a logical contradiction. It doesn’t and cannot mean Inclusion. It simply means shifting who is Excluded from one place to another.
Diversity and Inclusion in a Polarised World – what are the poles, and why are both poles wrong? The poles and continuum in modern-day industrialised societies can be described as a continuous loop.
War is terrible. This is the start of terrible. The first three casualties of war: 1. The first casualty of war is the truth. It’s immediate and precedes the bombs. Don’t expect that loss of truth to be one-sided. I can give many examples. Stay watchful of our own leaders
Omicron…I can feel a ‘quick stats update’ coming on. The Omicron ‘game’ is a different game. It crushes Test and Trace, for example. This is going to be big now. In short, prepare mentally now for many to make self-imposed restrictions (often sensibly, where vulnerable and decent isolation is possible)
I write here about the Batley Grammar School blasphemy scandal from March 2021, and in response to Matt Syed’s Times article on 1 April about it. I am religious. And a liberal modernist, despite post-modernist empathy. Karl Popper was right in his paradox about tolerance – a society needs to
