The Media and The New Ism

The media is possibly the most powerful institution in any country - but the rise of fake news, state control and social platforms is eroding its trustworthiness. What can be done?

How can we avoid war in a new ism?

There are no words to properly describe the news coming out of Ukraine, as the Putin regime continues its unprovoked invasion of this peaceful country. How can we avoid war in a new ism? Is it even possible?

The EarthShot Prize: Much-needed positivity and inspiration

Much of the news around climate change is negative - and that's important, because we must understand the gravity of our situation. But we need some inspiration too: that's why initiatives like The Earthshot Prize are so important.

Will work exist in The New Ism?

he world is changing rapidly, and the future of work is very different to what we know now. Many roles will be performed by robots - where will that leave humans? Will we value work that is currently seen as unskilled? What will the millions of people who no longer have work do? How will they earn a living? Mel and Alex discuss some of these meaty questions.

How can we make consumerism better?

Today is Black Friday, with brands deploying a whole range of methods to encourage us to buy more than ever. How can we fight back?

We need to be positive when we’re talking about climate change

There's so much negative conversation around how we can prevent climate change, and COP26 in particular. What if we were more positive and shone a spotlight on what's already being done?

Who must lead climate action?

COP26 is taking place next week, where the world’s leaders will hopefully agree on the dramatic action needed to avert a climate crisis. But we can’t leave it to them - we must all act, now. Mel Young: I live in Scotland and COP26 is on everyone’s lips. Obviously it is an extremely important summit …

is a new system the answer to all our problems?

A lot seems to be going wrong at the moment. Mel and Alex discuss what the root cause is, and how we can attempt to fix it. Alex Matthews: We seem to be in a bit of an ‘omnishambles’ in the UK at the moment. Every time you read a newspaper or switch on the …

Slow down, you move too fast…

...you've got to make the morning last...' Were Simon and Garfunkel on to something? Our lives have become so busy, and we always feel like we have to be doing, achieving, getting. It impacts on our mental and physical health, and on the planet. Should slowing down be a core value of the New Ism? Mel and Alex discuss in their latest conversation-blog. 

Are we willing to do what it takes to reverse climate change?

Climate change - and what we need to do to avoid it - continues to dominate public and private discourse around the world, with scientists warning that if we don't act now, we run the risk of being too late. But how do we force our leaders to act meaningfully and rapidly?