Beyond Binary Thinking

Beyond Binary Takes to the streets and demands action. There's no debate (outside of America) about whether climate change exists. The same Oil Lobbyists who've bought Congress to deny the existence of climate change, are now pushing the narrative that it's too late to do anything. So have you abandoned hope? Will thoughts and prayers, likes and shares be your only response? No! It's time for courage, action, and recognition that any politician that isn't going act immediately, needs to go. They've failed the planet for too long, but you can't. Join us in protest, join the discussion and replace fossil fuels and fake news with renewable media sources!

A drunk & hedonistic psychologist, a sober absurdist philosopher, and a high nihilistic anthropologist discuss it all and more, while laughing at the surreal tragedy of trying to find happiness in life, as we celebrate our 10th episode.

Should we search for meaning in life or do we need to create it ourselves?

Is finding meaning key to a happy life?

Is happiness key to a meaningful life?

Can happiness be achieved on an individual scale or do we need community?

Do we need to strive locally or globally to protect the continued survival of our planet, and is it possible or desirable to be happy in a world on the brink of extinction?

Is Capitalism intrinsically linked to materialism, and is that inherently bad if national happiness is linked to a rising GDP?

Is Buddhism the antidote, does it merely numb the pain, or has it already been corrupted and commercialised?

The Israeli occupation of Palestine has been the longest military engagement ever. The Palestinians have received more financial aid than any group in history (larger per capita than the Marshall plan). There's no shortage of news coverage nor opinions on Israel, Palestine, Zionism nor Anti-Semitism. So we talked to an Arabian Jew, who was capable of seeing both sides, to explore the nuance and intricacies of this complex narrative. More of a discussion and a learning exercise, than a debate, this was a fantastic opportunity to hear the rarely told story. Whatever you think you know on this highly controversial topic, take the time to listen to someone that's served in the Israeli Army, dated Palestinian girls, and is prepared to admit the failings of his own side, as long as people aren't blind to the faults of the Palestinian leadership. We don't claim to have all the answers, but I'm so glad we took the time to ask the important questions.

Technological Philosophy: are we moving from a carbon-based organism to an immortal silicon-based consciousness?

Four curious souls discuss the current understanding of human consciousness and how it has shaped itself. The conversation moves through exciting realms of artificial intelligence, network intelligence and other SciFi banter to explore if the future of human/artificial consciousness belongs to a skull, a digital post-human, or the junkyard.

Beyond Binary Thinking confronts the Libertarian Right's claim that Marxist academics and millennial snowflakes are destroying freedom of speech with their no platforming, trigger warning safe space political correctness. We also look into the Left's counter-theory that the Koch Brothers are flooding campuses with hate speech as part of a funded Culture War. From religion to politics, hate crime to death threats, we get deep and controversial as we hold up the mirror to the excesses and exaggerations of both sides of this argument.

What's the cost of free speech? Is it worth it?

An Interview with an ethno-nationalist, Alt-Right, Proud Boy for Episode 6 of Beyond Binary Thinking Interviews.

A philosopher, a psychologist, and an anthropologist try to have a nuanced and empathetic conversation with someone with very controversial views.

We hear more and more about the need to get more women in tech. More female founders, female funders, and more female panelists at events. Is it a man's world? Jess Houlgrave, founder of Codex Protocol and shEOS recently said in an interview with the Spectator that blockchain is "an industry based on merit. It's very diverse, very varied politically and geographically — so no one cares whether you're male or female, it's about how good you are". Does that mean there isn't a problem? We discuss with Jess herself, her thoughts, experiences and theories, on the role of software, society, finance, the media, quotas, regulation and education in correcting the balance.

If you've ever met a vegan, you've probably heard the arguments about the problems with eating meat.You're also probably familiar the stereotype of vegans being anything but persuasive in their approach.

Why are vegans annoying?

We explore cognitive dissonance, the social psychology behind minorities more effectively persuading the majority to their point of view.

Do you hate vegans? Why? When they talk about cruelty, does it make you feel uncomfortable?Are you sure it's them that you hate?Maybe it's the consequences of some of your actions?

Have a think about it. Maybe go beyond binary thinking.Try a vegan meal. The animals will thank you for it. I'll thank you for it, and I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it.

Will the AI revolution change the world as much as the industrial revolution? Who will benefit, which jobs will be made, and which will automation make extinct?

Is Universal Basic Income or Negative Income Tax the solution? Can technology help put the community back in society?

From time banks, to social credit, from Big Brother to Robot Overloads, we discuss how AI, automation, the rising power of corporations, and changes in taxation will change society.

Education, Privatise, Standadize, Subsidise, and Specialised

Having an overly scripted and prescriptive syllabus on any course means that there is less room for teachers to adapt to the students, to add their own personal style to classes

Examples of teachers who have left the profession due to over-standardisation)

Can force a "one size fits all" approach, which limits opportunities

The danger is falling into "transfer-content pedagogy" which emphasises one correct way. Enabling intrinsic need for self-development, is fairly Idealised, is it a bit wishy-washy? You want a standardised doctor for pure truths, but that's false. I don't see an objective truth, doctors don't know everything, they make mediocre decisions? And a cure for cancer, might come from a more Asian thinking? Perhaps the next Nobel prize comes from the Swedish system? Or you might get a really good American student that is really good, despite their ridiculous system of over testing.

The Waldorf style school of education doesn't prevent people from becoming doctors.

I think the key is the public school system because at the end of the day, our taxes are paying for it.

What are the pros of standardised assessment?

• Ensures a consistent approach and measurement of students across a target group (class/school/district/nation/globally) - especially important for any global qualifications such as universally recognised language certificates
• Way of getting feedback on how a syllabus and curriculum can be adjusted/improved
• Can be used to address issues of inequality (geographical/socio-economic/ethnic/etc) where any systematic disparities exist

Cons of standardisation of assessment are:

• It can overemphasise the importance of test results over authentic learning (short vs long-term)
• Can lead politicians believing that analysing test results are the main way of improving education
• High-quality assessment is expensive and time-consuming, so cheaper and easier methods may be applied (e.g. multiple choice) that aren't as accurate

It's interesting, with technology, you can now have the best lecture, on any subject, beamed into the classroom, but that's just wheeling the tv in, and it's a poor substitute for someone that's in the room, interacting with the kids, seeing their reaction, understanding their needs, and know what they've understood, and adjusting accordingly.

The Khan Academy is a good example of a flipped classroom. An individualised and contextualised approach is required, because there's no such thing as one standardised humanoid, each with different ways of processing information. I've learned a bit from watching YouTube videos, with concise 5 minute videos.

Parents get oversight, and managers can see how teachers are doing, but it could be used globally to compare.

I think technology is extraordinary, and I think it'll change things in more than just that way. As remote working is getting more possible parents have more time with their kids, and can impart more knowledge. So kids won't have to bounce off of corporate offices to see how work happens and gain a better understanding.

and Parents being at home is a very important part of the equation, if you look at NGOs and the UN now focusing on educating mothers, and they reason they do that is because mothers are more likely to be at home, so that investment is multiplied compared to a father that's rarely home.Things like flipping the classroom, teaching social skills, discussing entrepreneurial possibilities, thinking holistically, and even the traditional family business, will all be much more common and doable once the family united is reunited.

Computerized, centralised systems, makes for a freer system, but there will be checks and balances.

Homeschooling is a really interesting alternative if the public school doesn't meet your requirements.

How businesses view learning compared to governments.

• Teaching has become increasingly more difficulty (parents/taxpayers/content)
• State/Local school board voted in by taxpayers (inc. those without kids)
• Disadvantage of system is religious/political intervention and dictation of syllabus/marking rather than professional educators/best practice
• "helicopter" vs "snowplough" vs "homeschool" parents (who communicate vs removing all obstacles vs overcoming difficulties)
• Main issue seems to be "uninformed" parents wielding democratic power (criticism of direct democracy / Brexit etc)
• How much unionisation of teachers is there in the US? To fight back again parental tyranny
• "parents want control over their children's education but don't want to educate themselves to do it in the best possible way" totally correct – covering up their own flaws with egoic legal threat, what about Trump as a role model? This is his modus operandi