The money, job, marriage myth: are you happy yet?
By: The Guardian January 6, 2019 The ‘success’ narrative is at the heart of our idea of wellbeing, but the evidence tells a different tale, argues behavioural scientist Paul Dolan in this extract from his new book There are countless stories about how we ought to live our lives. We are expected to be ambitious; to want […]
The furore over the fish-eating vegan influencer is a warning to us all
By: The Guardian March 26, 2019 Nobody was supposed to see Yovana Mendoza eating the fish. The 28-year-old influencer, also known as Rawvana, has amassed more than 3 million followers across YouTube and Instagram by extolling the life-changing properties of a raw vegan diet. She has built a lucrative brand around veganism. But a couple […]
The bad behavior of the richest: what I learned from wealth managers
By: The Guardian October 19, 2018 If nearly a decade interviewing the wealth managers for the 1% taught me anything, it is that the ultra-rich and the ultra-poor have a lot more in common than stereotypes might lead you to believe. In conversation, wealth managers kept coming back to the flamboyant vices of their clients. It […]
Tech’s terrible year: how the world turned on Silicon Valley in 2017
By: The Guardian December 23, 2017 When Jonathan Taplin’s book Move Fast and Break Things, which dealt with the worrying rise of big tech, was first published in the UK in April 2017, his publishers removed its subtitle because they didn’t think it was supported by evidence: “How Facebook, Google and Amazon cornered culture and undermined […]
Social media addiction should be seen as a disease, MPs say
By: The Guardian March 18, 2019 Social media addiction should be considered a disease, MPs have said, in a sign of the pressures facing technology companies and the growing concern over the impact social networks are having on users’ mental health. The politicians called for further research on the effects of social media but said a […]
Posh is so passé – today’s elite prefers the myth of the meritocracy
By: The Guardian December 30, 2018 “I’m not posh,” an irate David Dimbleby told the Today presenter John Humphrys. “I come from Wales, as you do.” Dimbleby, who this month stepped down as host of BBC’s Question Time, was being interviewed by Humphrys, another stalwart of BBC journalism. Humphrys wondered whether Dimbleby’s poshness helped him maintain close ties to […]
Poorer than George Clooney? How you spend your money still sends a message
By: The Guardian April 1, 2019 When Brunei announced the death penalty for gay sex, the actor and Elton John called for a boycott of the sultanate’s luxury hotels. The rest of us should take note Elton John has joined George Clooney in calling for a boycott of nine Brunei-owned luxury hotels – including the Dorchester, London and […]
Pioneering study into female offenders finds more than 64% of women with a history of brain injury
By: Royal Holloway February 5, 2019 On 6 February, The Disabilities Trust, in collaboration with Royal Holloway, University of London, will launch the results of the first study of its kind into brain injury in female offenders and how a support pathway can be put in place to manage the health, cognitive and behavioural issues […]
Our smartphone addiction isn’t just bad for our mental health, it’s a security risk
By: MSN April 28, 2019 We’ve all had the “smartphone conversation.” The one about our unhealthy obsession and inability to put phones down. This fear is legitimized by research, showing that we spend approximately one third of our waking hours on our mobile devices – just over five hours per day. However, while we all might […]