Solutions by the people, for the people
by:- Arun Moitra
Summary:
There are two different types of economists - Keynesian and Friedman.
Keynesian economists think that the government should help the economy and Friedman economists think that the government should stay out of the way. People have been arguing about which one is better for a long time. They both agree that economic growth is important. There are also far-sighted people in the Club of Rome who realized that if we keep pursuing economic growth, we will ruin the earth. They came up with the idea of the 3P's - People, Planet, and Profit. This means that we should consider the needs of people and the planet, not just economic growth, when making decisions.
However, the ideas of the far-sighted people in the Club of Rome have not been adopted by most economists. They continue to treat the natural environment as if it is separate from the economy. This is a problem because we are damaging the earth and we need to live on it. There have been protests around the world because people are fed up with the way the global financial system is unfair. It benefits rich people and corporations more than regular citizens.
The report Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity outlines five systemic solutions that could improve the situation for People, Planet, and Profit.
The solutions are: ending poverty, addressing gross inequality, empowering women, making food systems healthy for people and ecosystems, and transitioning to clean energy. The report projects what will happen if we continue on our current path and compares it to what would happen if we adopt the five solutions. It is clear that we need to make some changes to avoid catastrophe.
Ordinary men
Summary:
The Aam Aadmi Party is failing in its eforts to be all things to all people
The article discusses how the AAP is trying to expand its political influence beyond Delhi, and how this is complicated by the party's association with both Hindutva and Ambedkarism. The party is facing criticism from both the BJP and the Congress, who are accusing them of corruption and bad governance. The article also discusses how the AAP's attempt to appeal to both Hindu and Dalit voters is faltering, and how this could damage the party's chances in the upcoming Gujarat elections.
Blaming technology for deaths by suicide is misguided
Summary:
Suicide is a problem in India that is getting worse. In 2021, 1,64,033 people killed themselves. This is a lot of people, and it's a problem that needs to be addressed. Technology is sometimes blamed for suicide, but it's not the only cause. Cyberbullying, for example, can lead to suicidal thoughts, but so can bullying in person. The important thing is to address the bullying, not the medium.
In Tamil Nadu, there has been a spate of suicides, and at first it was thought that gaming addiction was to blame. However, upon closer examination, it was found that this wasn't the case. The real reasons for the suicides were diferent, and the policy response was not adequate. It is incumbent upon the Tamil Nadu government to address the root causes of suicide, such as family problems, illness, substance abuse, and marriage/love-related issues.
Rather than top-down policy formulations, focusing only on a few high-profle incidents, an inclusive community-based mental health and suicide-prevention approach may prove to be more efective in saving lives.
Access the entire Hindu e-paper here