I have already mentioned that I spent some of yesterday at an event at Queen Mary, University of London, discussing the future of water companies in England and Wales.
Whilst I was there I was questioned by one of the academics present as to why I expose myself to so much personal stress as a consequence of writing this blog, posting videos, and other social media activity.
This being an academic event, I suggested that my motivation for writing this blog is that we are subject to a hegemonic political system that is only presenting the people of this country with a neoliberal view that I am quite certain is detrimental to the well-being of most people in this country, and beyond. As a consequence, I think it my job to use my best efforts to critique that system and provide suggestions as to alternative ways in which our economy might be organised to deliver better outcomes for the vast majority of people in the UK and elsewhere. As long as the current position of economic oppression of the majority persists, I cannot see a reason to change what I do.
That satisfied the question on motivation, but not the one on the management of stress. I offered a number of cliches in response.
One often-said statement is that you cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg, and I have broken a few.
Alternatively, George Bernard Shaw once observed that the reasonable person bends themselves to the ways of the world, whilst the unreasonable person seeks to bend the world to their own ways. Therefore, he suggested, all progress is dependent upon the existence of the unreasonable person. By that definition, I am definitely unreasonable and am unapologetic for being so. That does inevitably mean that I do, on occasion, upset people.
Some commentators here have noticed this late, and do appear to have been irritated with me for doing so.
It is never my desire to upset commentators.
But equally, given the range of topics that I will raise where I think I have sufficient experience to comment and suggestions to make as to alternatives, then it is inevitable it will happen sometimes.
It's not personal. It's just going to happen.
When it does, I try to make my reaction very different to that which I offer to trolls. They come here to irritate. I treat them as irritation. Many of them never make it onto the blog at all. My degree of tolerance for potential troll comments has now fallen to a very low level, and I don't make any apology for that,
To everyone else, all I can ask for is a little understanding. I will always post you, even when you disagree with me. But don't be surprised if I point out the disagreement.
Tomorrow will mark the 18th anniversary if the first publication of a post on this blog. In a very real sense, the blog will come of age.
In the time since then there have been a lot of posts. This will be the 21,772nd. That is an average of 3.3 per day, every day, 365 days a year since I began.
Sometimes, and only because of the comments, this does feel wearisome. That said, I do accept that on occasions I make mistakes, and I do acknowledge them. However, that is the inevitable consequence of exploring ideas, not every one of which will work. I will keep doing that. Critiquing the failure of the current political failure within the UK appears to be an essential thing to do.
Please feel free to disagree, but unless you are trying to troll, please don't berate my efforts, per se. Please play the issue, not the person. I am doing my best, even if it is not always good enough.
Amongst the things that I seek to create is a safe place where differences can be discussed, openly and honestly. Those spaces appear to be incredibly rare on the web. I can only continue to do that if it feels worth the effort to do so, and despite the data, I am human. It will only be worth continuing if I am not worn down in the process.
The person who asked me the question raised a good point. This is my response.
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Thanks Richard. Really appreciate the commentary, both here and on YouTube/Spotify.
Over 21,000 posts is an achievement alright. Congratulations
Thanks
Pace yourself and find allies. Choose your battles.
Readers should try to publicise your ideas.
Many of us admire your work and your determination.
Thank you for this Richard.
I can only speak for myself, as someone who has only arrived in the world of economic theory in the latter part of his years; but I am grateful that you – and others – have shown me that there are alternatives to the fiscal and economic systems which we are told by many politicians and the news media are the only option.
Yes, you can sometimes make a comment which pulls me up sharp; but if that causes me to take a moment to think deeply, then it’s probably for the best.
I hope that you will continue to set out your thoughts in this medium for many years; and that calm, reasoned and polite discussion is the outcome. (Well, in addition to the overthrowing of the entire capitalist system, obviously.)
Thanks
Interesting. Thank you Richard.
I’ve been following your blog for about 15 years, from the days when your posts were very dryly rooted in tax and accountancy, until now where you have really ‘ grown’ into your role as a political economist and commentator. In the early days the blog was much more technical and exclusive and the contributors more specialised.
I only read it because, as a non economist (other than A level) you were even then helping readers to understand ‘why and how’.
The blog of now is infinitely more interesting, digestible, informative and engaging.
There have been times when you have seemly strayed outside your area of competence in terms of expertise to voice your opinion – with the confidence that now you have readers and contributors who do have expertise in those areas and most interesting and informative contributor discussions result.
So your blog has become a much wider platform of learning about the ‘state of the nations’ , their malaise and its sources and informed solutions to get us all out of this mess. road maps out of this quagmire of political making.
So thank you for being doggedly determined and occasionally cussed ( ). Through those qualities your blogs have become a super vehicle for sharing knowledge and comradeship.
In the immortal words of Alan Bennett “keep on keeping on”.
Thanks
The blog now has ten times the reads per day that it had then
I suspect the reach challenges that of many articles on economics inn newspapers
Hi Richard – thank you for all that you do. 21k posts that’s some record! I don’t always agree with you, but I usually do. I rarely post on X mostly because I’m not confident enough to deal with the grief so many regular commentators, including you, inevitably get.
Your posts are always informative and often challenging – and that’s the way it should and of course people should engage with your content respectfully.
I’m not not sure how you put up with the grief and nonsense but I am glad, and thankful, that you do.
Looking forward to the next 18 years of posts!
I never read the replies on Twitter
It’s the only way to manage being there
And here’s to 18 more years…
Richard – long may you remain ‘unreasonable’! I too am considered ‘unreasonable’ and when I explain from where this comes and why I do this, it helps people understand my position on many matters.
I came across that quote from Shaw about 25 years ago and along with some like-minded people, we formed a group called ‘The Unreasonable Learners’ in order to explore topics and take views on what many folk considered unreasonable. We were proud to be unreasonable, to learn more in the process, and share these matters with many others.
Congrats on the 18th anniversay. Regarding: “management of stress”
I walked our Ukrainian child to the school bus this morning – with a collasable bucket on my head & the handle acting as a chin strap.
The two ladies that drove passed in the post van – were roaring with laughter & the kids on the school bus were laughting like anything.
My charge was also suitably amused.
At the cost of a bit of my dignity I brought some smiles to some peoples faces & this was in & of itself very satifying. You go through the day happy in the thought of bringing a smile to people’s faces.
Of course the blog is a different matter – it allows the sort of discussion that is almost wholly absent in most mainstream outlets.
Thanks
And I am amused….
A good statement of why you blog and the problem of people being unreasonable. I must admit I have a similar issue on twitter where when I make a statement about an issue – usually housing – based on looking at both data and reliable reports. Some of those who respond either do not actually understand what they are talking about, unable to look at data and check the assumptions; quoting reports from free-market bodies funded by developers who have a particular view; but then it ends up being abusive and personal – blaming older people or just saying ‘you are a nimby’. I think it reflects their inability to look at evidence and debate. But some of them are ‘professionals’ – who should know better. Childish but very irritating. I usually block them then. But I think it reflects a general decline in standards and is quite dangerous. Yesterday someone said ‘your generation will not be missed’. Its like blaming the poor or immigrants for problems. Not sure how we deal with it.
We just keep going….
In my opinion, anyone who exploits other people, feels entitled at the expense of others, or can not communicate civilly, deserves to be riled. If your communications do the same, then so be it, we can not control how others react, and in many cases it is merely faux-out-range since they can not engage in a basic conversation.
Never give up Richard.
The question will eventually be “Why didn’t more people pay attention”?
Here’s one explanatory metaphor that may be useful
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/06/online-privacy-and-overfishing.html
I knew Dan Pauly and colleagues decades ago, back when all of them shared a 64k Internet connection,and most of us thought access to information was a critical constraint on progress.
Today I will vote in the European elections. I will not be voting for any of the right wing loons who wants to smash up the EU and deprive us of the only power, limited though it is, to regulate neoliberal capitalism – – currently hellbent on overfishing everything.
Stay unreasonable. You’re on the right side of history.
Richard your blog is greatly appreciated and the effort you put in to it.
The news and comment elsewhere on politics and economics is generally so poor, so partial and so full of noise and discordance that constant reading of it leads to despair. Some of the worst aspects are the divisiveness and the complete disregard for humanity and the world that we live in.
It is a relief to read your knowledgable, sane and well argued pieces.
Long may you continue.
Thank you
Richard,
I have learnt a lot from your Blog and the interesting commentators.
Please keep going but do not worry if you need to take time out to refresh the batteries.
Richard,
I have also learned so much from you and Funding the Future commentariat on how the world works.
Please keep up your good work.
Thanks
Bravo!
Getting alternative ideas into the broader domain is essential – and this blog does it.
Blog participation is not compulsory, your approach to trolls is well known so I don’t think there can be any complaints against occasionally abrupt treatment.
I think you and I agree on a lot – but not everything… however any disagreement has been civil and quite often common ground is reached. This is how “real world” policy ideas get honed… ready (we hope) to be adopted by mainstream politicians.
Thanks Clive
And agreed
This is a very timely post in the circumstances, when previous to the calling of the GE, many of us were agog at the shenanigans of the privatized water industry.
Neoliberalism, the guiding ideology of the past fifty years needs to be challenged every day, since the so-called progressive political leaders in the political class, such as Jim Callaghan and His Chancellor Denis Healy were happy to oversee it’s birth in this country, and their subsequent successors – Kinnock, Blair, Brown and Milliband the Younger were happy to surrender to it’s dictates rather than call it out for what it is. To me it is the gradual descent of civilized society into barbarism.
This week’s first leadership debate revealed the real political landscape of the election campaign, with its major themes of dissimulation, fantasy, untruths and downright lying. The trouble here, though is that each of these four things affect both major parties; for Labour in internal party matters of candidate selection, etc, and with the Tories in the way the have chosen to fight the election campaign and their cavalier and disrespectful attitude towards the electorate!
These are all sterling reasons for your ongoing efforts, Richard, and all others of a like mind, telling it as it is, and thus empowering us to take these arguments into our own circles.
The only other thing we need is a serious progressive party that could fight on these principles, because such a party is currently missing on the field British politics. If the right can do be represented by the Conservatives and Reform, why are we progressives stuck with a right wing Labour and the Lib Dems?
Richard.
Thank you for what you do.
Please continue to be rational but unreasonable.
That seems to be the only way to change what needs changing.
What about the Greens?
“If the right can do be represented by the Conservatives and Reform, why are we progressives stuck with a right wing Labour and the Lib Dems?”
Karl, there are the Greens. Who seem to me to be the most progressive party by a long chalk.
[…] Why put up with the grief that writing a blog guarantees I’ll get? Funding the Future […]
Thank you so much, Richard (and thank you to your contributors. Please never stop or get discouraged. You are educating me and so many others. Keep hopeful and carry on birding.
Thanks
The situation is dire enough that people like Richard have a (dare I say it) moral duty to use their professional gravitas and rhetorical gift to try and exert influence.
It must seem like a thankless task – especially with LINO going full on ‘fiscal conservative’ – just when word was spreading, but word IS spreading.
Thanks, and keep it up.
Hear Hear! to all that has been said. Thank you Richard, and all your readers and contributors.
Thanks
Well done on reaching 18 years.
I’m sure we’ve all learned a lot from these blogs.
Your double-entry explainer of MMT is the best out there.
You can’t control what people think of you, all you ever should be is yourself.
Thanks
Richard,
Thank you for all your hard work
John
Thanks
It is a good anniversary, and worth reflecting on a job well done. As for the irritation; you have to suffer most of the abuse from trolls, not your comeenters (the trolls we see, and worse – those we don’t). Sometimes, Richard it seems to me that you suddenly ‘blow up’ over a commenter’s observation that may seem to me quite innocuous; but I always ascribe it to the human reaction to all the hassle of relentlessly producing a daily blog visited by thousands of people, for myriad (and quite often disruptive) reasons. I couldn’t do it; I couldn’t stand it, or the demands it makes.
I doff my hat.
Thanks John
And you may be right
Sometimes I should just go and make a coffee
It is a source of great irritation to me that your ideas and solutions are not more widely promoted. To ordinary citizens like me who have been fortunate to live through better times and know from experience the sheer common sense you are advocating it gives me hope that our country can be turned around and security and hope can replace the fear that has been visited upon us by the Far Right since 1979.
Who knows what will happen? All I know is I must try ….
You sometimes refer to other academics and campaigners, so I know you’re not completely alone, but others’ contributions are beyond easy reach – jargon, paywalls, infrequent print, all obstructions. Your blog is a valuable education and compass.
I’m more than capable of being unintentionaly exasperating, heaven knows what it must be like to cope with the deliberately obstructive and abusive. I’m very glad you persevere. Thank you.
Thanks
Very few academics will ever take the risk of opining in public
I can tell you, my universities have not always appreciated me doing so and have made that clear on occasion.
Keep on keeping on Richard.
This blog is s a tremedous achievement – and congratulations.
But you are not alone in suffering media censorship (gaslighting?). You have your colleagues Blanchflower, Sikka, and there are also many other heavyweight thinkers – and commentators such as Monbiot- , who are broadly trying to show how the economiy really works – – ‘what we can actually do we can afford’ etc .
Thanks
Thanks, Richard.
Thanks, too, for providing the space for all this blog’s well meaning and often well informed commenters to share in this “unreasonable”, kind community.
Ditching the trolls is a boon for all of us and no small feat.
18 years of keeping on keeping on is an incredible achievement.
For my part this blog really helps me from going insane.
Keep on taking care of yourself in the meantime.
I’ll try…..
Quite simply, thank you for what you do.
Thank you
Richard, You are doing valuable work. Keep posting!
I will….