Apeirogon – Page 4 – The Junction

The History of a Generation

“When the true history of our generation has been written . . . the tale will not be told in the terms of the tawdry and conflicting interests about which politicians quarrelled in the periods between the wars or of the small ambitions and the small achievements of which they thought. It will be written […]

by Aaron White

Man in Black

Inspired by his discussions with students from Vanderbilt University in 1971, Johnny Cash wrote ‘Man in Black’. The video below is a true gift – an opportunity to glimpse into the creative process, and premiere of a piece of art so pertinent in its time that still resonates today. Well, you wonder why I always […]

by Freddie Stuart

The Montevideo Criteria

The Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States was signed in Uruguay in 1933. Signed by 19 countries of North, South and Central America, the Convention proclaimed in ‘Article 1’ the qualifications required to posses the title of ‘nation-state’. The magnitude of the current immigration debate, the receding relevance of borders in the era […]

by Freddie Stuart

Keys Under Doormats

“The Internet was designed to maximize simplicity of communication, not security of communication” – Johan Eriksson and Giampiero Giacomello In 2018 cyber-crime now accounts for more than 50% of crime in the United Kingdom, and was the second most reported crime worldwide in 2016 (Comparitech). A study at the University of Maryland found that there is […]

by Aaron White

The Sock Dilemma

Why do socks disappear? Is it divine intervention, machine malfunction, or human indolence? Is it: This: Or:

by Freddie Stuart

Wag the Dog

In 1997 Hilary Henkin and David Mamet adapted Larry Beinhart’s novel American Hero into a screenplay which depicted a spin doctor and a Hollywood producer fabricating a war to distract voters from a presidential sex scandal. The film was far ahead of its time in many of its insights into the nature of politics, media and security. What I find particularly ominous is the […]

by Aaron White

Appassionata

This evening I had the privilege to watch the renowned pianist Stephen Hough perform at Royal Festival Hall. The performance was magnificent – a beautiful balance between the melancholic serenity of Debussy and vitality of Beethoven. With my discounted student ticket, I was not placed far in the back as I initially expected, but right […]

by Freddie Stuart

Sapiens

So I recently finished reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. It is a compelling read which examines the history of humanity from the very first of the species to its potential future demise. It is done succinctly and with good humour, I would thoroughly recommend it! Below is a short video of the author explaining […]

by Aaron White

Democratic Dilemma

Effectively dealing with the millions of refugees that will result from global warming, as well as transforming our entire energy system from fossil fuel dependence to renewable technology, will both require massive infrastructure projects. It appears that these programs will necessitate a centralization of power to manage such a monumental task. Throughout history, large scale […]

by Freddie Stuart

“Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny”

I thought I’d use today’s Aperiogon to remember the late great Stephen Hawking. I realise I cannot do the genius of his life justice, so I thought I’d let him do that for himself. Here are some of my favourite Hawking quotes: “My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, […]