Lies, damn lies and statistics: moderating the tyranny of numbers
Given how easily statistics can be manipulated in order to encourage a particular response, how can we keep our sense of agency? Graham Barnes provides some suggestions.
About
Graham Barnes
Graham Barnes is a Director of Feasta and co-organiser of the Feasta Currency Group. He holds a PhD in Computer Science and worked at a senior level in IT and online marketing in a previous life. His past projects have included the design and delivery of currencies to be sponsored by a local authority; by a social entrepreneur to complement and enhance a well established sustainability methodology; and by a 'local-aware' restaurant chain. His focus is on the systemic dysfunction of mainstream money and finance, the inequity it accelerates and promising developments for its democratisation and detox #fairgreenmoney
Graham Barnes has written 49 articles so far, you can find them below.
Intentional Money Revisited
"Governments and banks must get used to the outrageous idea that they should take a position on the Quality of money / credit that they issue," argues Graham Barnes.
Towards more strategically differentiated money /credit creation and reuse
The current system for introducing money into the economy has adverse effects, both social and environmental. Graham Barnes argues for a better strategic framework for the first use of money, and a clearer explanatory narrative to facilitate consent.
Ideologies of credit creation
Graham Barnes identifies five sources of credit creation and suggests some ways in which we could privilege the most desirable ones and discourage the others.
Confessions of a Rentier
"Most of the progressive thinkers and writers I look to for insight deprecate rentiers (or so I believe). I am a rentier. How should I feel?" asks Graham Barnes.
The environmental consequences of monetary dysfunction
Graham Barnes argues that the misallocation of credit by banks exacerbates instability and inequality, and results in the neglect of projects that aren't profitable. He proposes two possible solutions.
