Articles

The Thin Veneer

The Thin Veneer

The Dutch primatologist Frans de Waal coined the term “veneer theory” in his book “Our Inner Ape” in 2005. The veneer theory posits that human moral behavior is merely a thin veneer over an inherently unpleasant nature. This viewpoint can be traced back to Thomas Henry Huxley, an anthropologist and biologist who was a contemporary of Darwin. However, de Waal criticized the idea because humanity is far more cooperative than predicted by simple anthropological or economic models. However, it is possible to question how thick this “civilizing veneer” really is.

The Knights of Free Speech

The Knights of Free Speech

Get ready for a showdown: Will the US’ take on the EU’s ‘Democracy Shield’ and challenge the EU’s censorious attitude in 2025 onwards? The battle for free speech may be heating up even further.

Lost in the Haze: The Sense-Making Crisis

Lost in the Haze: The Sense-Making Crisis

Imagine a world where the very foundations of knowledge are in question. Where experts disagree on the most basic facts, and the public is left to navigate a sea of conflicting information. Welcome to our reality, where the process of knowledge creation has become unhinged. We’re facing numerous major challenges, from pandemics to climate threats, migration flows, and rapid technological development, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). But beneath these surface-level issues lies a more profound problem: the mechanisms by which we produce, disseminate, and consume information have been severely disrupted, leading to a crisis of trust in the very foundations of knowledge itself.

Trust - best built on solid ground

Trust - best built on solid ground

TL;DR: J.D. Vance recently observed that many in the Democratic Party are attempting to manufacture trust from the top down, neglecting the fact that genuine trust is often born from grassroots connections. There’s indeed a stark contrast between trust that’s artificially constructed through manipulation and censorship, and trust that’s organically cultivated from the ground up.

Technology that protects

Technology that protects

The Swedish government recently rejected the Transport Administration’s proposal for average speed cameras. The proposal would have meant constant surveillance of all vehicles, and critics argued for instance that it would have posed a threat to national security. Given the prevalence of IT breaches and data leaks today, it’s hard not to give them a point, even if the problems are often downplayed by both corporations, governments and organisations. After Facebook (now Meta) leaked account information for over half a billion users, internal mails revealed the company wanted to “normalise the fact that this happens regularly”.

AI as magic goggles

AI as magic goggles

Navigating today’s complex information landscape can be a daunting task. Algorithms, bot armies, censorship authorities, and trolls contribute to a thick fog of disinformation, reminiscent of the industrial smog that once shrouded the Ruhr Valley in Germany. Many fear that AI technology will exacerbate the problem.

The mathematics of trust (in the media)

The mathematics of trust (in the media)

A recent wedding celebration for Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson resulted in controversy, as one of the guests in attendance was reportedly linked to organized crime. Following this “wedding scandal”, a columnist noted that the party’s voters had not been significantly affected. Instead of a decrease in trust - which one might have expected - 10% of them stated that their confidence in the party had actually increased. “Over the years, the Sweden Democrats have surprisingly emerged unscathed from their numerous scandals,” she wrote. But is this really so surprising?

Anonymous accounts on social media – a threat to democracy?

Anonymous accounts on social media – a threat to democracy?

It was recently reported that Sweden’s Minister for Culture, Parisa Liljestrand, wishes to put an end to anonymous accounts on social media. The issue has been at the forefront following revelations of political parties using pseudonymous accounts on social media platforms earlier this year.

The Boiling Frog

The Boiling Frog

The boiling frog is a simple tale that illustrates the danger of gradual change: if you put a frog in boiling water, it will quickly jump out to escape the heat. But if you place a frog in warm water and gradually increase the temperature, it won’t notice the change and will eventually cook itself. Might the decline in cash usage be construed as an example of this tale?

Nothing new under the sun

Nothing new under the sun

The ongoing debate surrounding freedom of expression may revolve more around determining who gets to control the dissemination of information rather than any claimed notion of safeguarding democracy. Similarities can be identified from 500 years ago, following the invention of the printing press.

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