Society – Page 4 – Openforum https://www.openforum.com.au Open Forum offers an independent platform for Australian debate Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:22:42 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.25 The face of evil https://www.openforum.com.au/the-face-of-evil/ Thu, 23 Nov 2023 20:52:53 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45560 Adolf Eichmann presented himself as a petty apolitical bureaucrat following orders in a vain attempt to escape the gallows, but his own words revealed him to be a ruthless ideologue committed to the Nazi regime and its ghastly goal of annihilation.

The post The face of evil appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
Moral fights https://www.openforum.com.au/moral-fights/ Wed, 22 Nov 2023 23:31:07 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45541 Our commitments to moral values can hamper rather than motivate progress towards basic humanitarian goals, indeed, moral motivations frequently exacerbate rather than relieve suffering, injustice and hatred.

The post Moral fights appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
The great energy rip-off https://www.openforum.com.au/the-great-energy-rip-off/ Tue, 21 Nov 2023 20:51:18 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45526 Australia's sky-high electricity prices are often blamed on the gradual switch to renewables or global inflationary pressures but the fact remains that network businesses have pocketed supernormal profits of $11 billion – on top of “normal” profits of $16 billion – since 2014.

The post The great energy rip-off appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
The identity trap https://www.openforum.com.au/the-identity-trap/ Thu, 16 Nov 2023 22:33:46 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45463 Yascha Mounk's new book skewers the fashionable but flawed paradigm of post-Marxist identity politics which splits people into social groups to stoke conflict and revel in 'oppression'.

The post The identity trap appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
Why don’t Jews feel safe? https://www.openforum.com.au/why-dont-jews-feel-safe/ Sun, 12 Nov 2023 22:21:08 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45428 Jewish organisations have criticised Foreign Minister Penny Wong over her latest comments on the Israel-Gaza conflict, while Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has said Jewish Australians “have never felt less safe”.

The post Why don’t Jews feel safe? appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
Australia’s seismic tremor https://www.openforum.com.au/australias-seismic-tremor/ Sun, 12 Nov 2023 09:54:57 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45372 Shockwaves from the violence in the Middle East have exposed and exacerbated the growing fault lines in Australian society, and only a fresh commitment to liberal values and national unity will help to heal them.

The post Australia’s seismic tremor appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
Fear, uncertainty and doubt https://www.openforum.com.au/fear-uncertainty-and-doubt/ Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:18:22 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45314 Politics is a people business, and appealing to emotions - or ignorance - can be more effective than rational, fact based campaigns.

The post Fear, uncertainty and doubt appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
Addressing Australia’s gambling problem https://www.openforum.com.au/addressing-australias-gambling-problem/ Fri, 27 Oct 2023 21:13:23 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45222 A QUT researcher has called for stronger government policy to regulate the online gambling environment, restrict marketing, establish behaviour change programs and provide better support for people with a gambling problem.

The post Addressing Australia’s gambling problem appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
Eyes wide open https://www.openforum.com.au/eyes-wide-open/ Thu, 26 Oct 2023 20:34:07 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45212 An unprecedented public announcement by senior officials in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance has identified China as the most sophisticated and sustained thief of intellectual property in the world.

The post Eyes wide open appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
First, do no harm https://www.openforum.com.au/first-do-no-harm-3/ Mon, 23 Oct 2023 19:52:11 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45183 A prominent Monash academic argues that the medical system remains rife with overtreatment, overdiagnosis, and the medicalisation of normal conditions.

The post First, do no harm appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
Remembering Bill Hayden https://www.openforum.com.au/remembering-bill-hayden/ Sat, 21 Oct 2023 21:12:29 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=45169 Opposition Leader, Foreign Minister, Governor-General, and perhaps the best Prime Minister Australia never had, the late Bill Hayden enjoyed a significant public career in service of his country.

The post Remembering Bill Hayden appeared first on Openforum.

]]>
Picturing loneliness in aged care https://www.openforum.com.au/picturing-loneliness-in-aged-care/ Thu, 12 Oct 2023 23:20:42 +0000 https://www.openforum.com.au/?p=44485 Gerontology tends to offer a biomedical understanding of growing old but the arts and social sciences can look at cultural dimensions to understand ageing beyond "biological decline".

The post Picturing loneliness in aged care appeared first on Openforum.

]]>