Our idealistic, and often inaccurate, beliefs around public platforms is allowing extremism to grow in the UK
Cambridge University’s recent decision to revoke Canadian academic Jordan Peterson’s visiting fellowship has, unsurprisingly, caused an uproar amongst his supporters online. In turn, it’s also generated a number of thought pieces, often from those who haven’t attended university at any point in the last two decades, decrying these institutions for partaking in “academic witch-hunts against dissenters.”.
This incident is the latest in a long-running debate around the notion of censorship on university campuses; an issue that’s fixated minds both here and across the pond in the US. …
Even veteran developers such as Bioware are struggling with the jump to hybrid titles that blend single and multiplayer. But why is this genre proving such an obstacle?
During the calendar year, it’s now an expected standard that certain studio releases will dominate their launch window, pushing other titles aside. So Anthem’s debut on the 22nd of February, a ‘shared world’ shooter from the acclaimed studio that brought us the Dragon Age and the Mass Effect trilogies, has been something of a surprise.
Whilst the title’s seen a concerted marketing push across both digital and physical media in the week…
Sanders enters the Democratic primaries a strong favourite, but in a radically altered field his window may have already passed.
This week Bernie Sanders, the maverick Independent Senator from Vermont, became the latest to toss his hat into the crowded ring that is the Democratic Primary. Whilst this makes Sanders the tenth major candidate to vie for the candidacy in some form, his announcement is perhaps the least surprising. …
With a No-Deal scenario on the horizon and May’s deal in jeopardy, new solutions must be found to avert a political and economic crisis
At the end of January an intra-continental think-tank funded by the German finance ministry quietly published a 16 page report entitled “Hard Brexit ahead: breaking the deadlock”. This document, as the rather straightforward title suggests, sets out an alternative proposal to replace the withdrawal agreement that died a historic death in the Commons last month, and whose reanimated corpse Theresa May seems intent on dragging back to the chamber later this month.
Despite a concerted push for social change, sexual assault figures among teenagers is still alarmingly high
The last two years have marked a fundamental shift in the discourse surrounding sexual assault in the western world. From the time of the first allegations emerging against Harvey Weinstein, the self- described ‘#MeToo era’ has forced many industries to grapple with a culture of sexual harassment that has lingered below the surface, unchecked for decades.
The momentum for this change has, in part, been maintained by a connected and politically mobilised young generation of activists who’ve kept debate alive in the public consciousness. …
Monzo and its competitors have changed the way people manage their finances, but will it be good for the long term health of the sector?
Linger in any cafe or restaurant in London these days, and sooner or later you’ll catch a flash of neon as someone opens up their purse or wallet. This eye-catching sight has become increasingly prevalent across the City in the last 12 months, and if you don’t carry one yourself, you likely know someone who does.
What you’re likely seeing is Monzo’s signature ‘hot coral’ debit card, one of more striking designs amongst the UK’s challenger bank scene. …
In attempting to hedge its bets on Brexit, the party is likely to destroy any chance it had of getting into government.
The run up to Christmas is hectic in any profession. Whether it’s trying to wrap up administrative tasks before the festive period, or finding the time to cram in some Christmas shopping, few are left twiddling their thumbs as Christmas Day approaches.
Nowhere else is this more true than in Parliament this December. After a string of Commons defeats, a botched no-confidence vote and a rebuff by the European Union, ministers on both sides of the house are anxiously waiting to see what the next week brings.
After a tumultuous ten days, the next could prove to be the most…
The story of a botched launch and a mishandled collector’s edition sheds light on the modern commercial landscape
Even by industry standards, Bethesda has had a bad few weeks. The launch of its latest title, Fallout 76, has been met with a wave of negative reviews from critics and consumers, deriding the title as “monotonous”, “empty” and suffering from an “identity crisis”.
All of this negative coverage has had a direct impact on the game’s revenue, with physical sales down by 82% in the UK when compared to the title’s predecessor, Fallout 4. Whilst it’s important to factor in the rise of digital sales as a proportion of overall sales over the last three years, this still wouldn’t…
Is the presence of an authentic persona the most valuable trait in modern politics, or should we be looking for something different?
Authenticity. It’s probably one of the most platitudinal phrases currently circulating the modern political lexicon. Ask five people what authenticity is, and you’re likely to be given broadly similar, yet notably different answers that often do little to clarify ones understanding. It’s a vacuous term, used as a catch-all for a broad and bloated ideal, yet it’s also one of the most significant in trying to pin down exactly what, if anything, motivates voters. …
Do video games have anything to offer our increasingly polarised political landscape, or should they remain pure forms of escapism?
The Hitman franchise has never been one for subtlety. As the seventh title in the series, and the second to go by the name Hitman 2, releases this week, its audience will once again be treated to the black and often macabre humour that’s come to define the series to date. Whether it’s poisoning corrupt FBI agents with laced doughnuts or smothering a murderous rockstar in his own birthday cake, the series has often revealed in the absurd. Yet, among this, the subplots woven into each of the games’ levels can help tell us a little about the current political…
Cameron Clark
Former Engagement journalist at The Times & Former Editor in Chief of The Boar. Writing on gaming, politics and culture.
