Opinion

A new government helpline has launched with the stated purpose of answering citizens’ questions, but with a distinctive feature: callers are gently guided away from solutions and towards the comforting experience of being validated. The “Reassurance Line” offers a menu of options including “press 1 to hear that you’re not imagining it”, “press 2 to receive a firm ‘fair enough’”, and “press 3 to be told the problem is … New Helpline Offers Citizens The Comfort Of Being Validated Without The Risk Of SolutionsRead more

A policy think tank has unveiled a new “Common Sense Calculator”, a handheld device it claims will make public debate “more accessible” by converting evidence into a simpler unit: whatever someone already felt. The calculator resembles a standard pocket model, except it includes several additional buttons labelled “Just Asking”, “Surely”, and “In My Experience”. When a user inputs a number from a report, the screen briefly displays it before … Think Tank Releases ‘Common Sense Calculator’ That Rounds Evidence Down To The Nearest FeelingRead more

A new report has found that “free speech” is most effective when used in complete isolation, with respondents reporting peak satisfaction when nobody else attempts it at the same time. The study, conducted over several weeks, asked participants to rate their commitment to open debate across a range of situations, including television panels, comment sections and family group chats. Researchers found that support for free expression remained high so … Report Finds ‘Free Speech’ Works Best When Nobody Else Uses ItRead more