A Strange Feature of Our Times

Why are women paid less than men? What is the significance of bloggers, or of the World Social Forum? Or why are right-wingers gaining momentum at the same time as economical, social, educational & cultural divisions of the poor and the rich are growing? - These question are asked by sociologist Geoff Mulgan in his Prospect article. And he goes on as follows:

"One of the strange features of our times is that well-educated people can get by with very little idea of how to answer questions like these. Over the last few decades, we have witnessed great progress in the public's level of scientific understanding, thanks to many brilliant expositors. In history, too, some of the most original minds are also first rate communicators. Much of economics has permeated into common sense, particularly of decision-makers around the world. But sociology has faded from view. Its heyday a generation ago feels like another era. As a result, many people rely on very simple interpretive frameworks to make sense of what they see around them or on the evening news. So conflicts between Muslims and Christians are attributed to culture or history. Gender pay gaps are seen as the result of misogyny. The internet is ascribed with magical powers to turn the tables on multinational corporations or governments."

The above image is designed by Ricardo Levins Morales who's part of Northland Poster Collective in Minneapolis.