ashutov y25ashutov 20260209 157 148 2 95 86 icons8-reading-100.png quarterly test Prepare for quarterly test vocab pre teach functional language grammar focus smartphone or tablet device listening Download onto your phone or tablet and listen carefully. :!php ~/www/soosh/xml2mbz_overwrite_offline.php ~/www/moodle/public/sdata/inc_xml_mdl/course_log_ashutov_2026-1.xml :!php ~/www/moosh/moosh.php course-restore --overwrite ../mbz_bup_offline/course_log_ashutov_2026-1.xml_2mdl.mbz 157 :!php ~/www/soosh/xml2mbz_update_onl.php ~/www/moodle/public/sdata/inc_xml_mdl/course_log_ashutov_2026-1.xml ]]> sbook_plugins/wordlist_generated_from_xml_clog_sbook_for_sbook_session.inc sbook_plugins/payment_history_generated_from_xml_clog_sbook.inc Avito Andrey Shutov C1 20260213 10:15-11:15 MSK | 11:15-12:15 SAMT 1.5 2500 tbc Political correctness works for no one By the end of this session you will have studied Political Correctness Works For No One | Jonathan Kay | TEDxUTSC - 16 Sept 2019 Jonathan Kay is the Canadian editor for Quillette.com, a host of the Quillette and Wrongspeak podcasts, a book author and a columnist. His work has appeared recently in the National Post, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CBC.ca, Foreign Affairs and Maclean’s. His books include Among The Truthers(HarperCollins, 2011) and Legacy: How French Canadians Shaped North America (Signal, 2016). He is currently working on two book projects scheduled for publication in 2019. He tweets daily on the news at @jonkay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPdMG3oFGac → watch the video → answer the questions zoom_meeting.png Zoom meeting details Profi.ru - D.Potter Zoom Meeting (recurring) Meeting ID: 765 1187 4648 Password: pFGjq3 https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76511874648?pwd=pqq81L5Zbdw6lT8hToYVMKUIJsisYn.1 ]]> 41 41 3 Micro assaults (common racial micro aggressions 1/2) pix/icons8-dictionary-100_white.png active wip xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd Does micro racism exist, or is it just another controversial lack of political correctness? Are you com-FOR-TA-ble? What is this ve-GE-TA-ble? iRabbit Indian help desk Sir, did you just head wobble and do the Indian accent? (...) I sense micro racism & nano supremacy in your assertions. video British 🇬🇧or Indian 🇮🇳accent? | iRabbit #4 Moontajska Productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRvUCi2s1U Why could this be considered a micro aggression? = remarks and behaviours which might be experienced occasionally and brushed off as ‘rude’ or ‘inconsiderate’ by white people, and are amplified by being a constant part of the affected person’s daily experience → match the micro assaults with the categories → give examples ]]> 30 12 left 1;2;3 4;5 6;7 https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity/students/microaggressions/racial-microaggressions/common-racial-micro-agressions ]]> 40 40 4 Micro insults & invalidations (common racial micro aggressions 2/2) pix/icons8-dictionary-100_white.png active wip xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd Have you ever experienced micro insults, and / or suffered from micro invalidation? = variety of subtle snubs, conveying a hidden insult to the recipient. Perpetrators are usually unaware they are speaking from bias → micro invalidation = communications that negate or nullify the thoughts, feelings or experiential reality of a person of colour → match the micro insults & invalidations with the categories → give examples ]]> 40 20 left 1;2;3;4;5;6 7;8;9;10;11;12;13;14 https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity/students/microaggressions/racial-microaggressions/common-racial-micro-agressions ]]> 39 39 to brush off = to bar from attention or consideration, to disregard slur = unfair remark about sb/sth that may damage other people's opinion of them supremacy = position in which you have more power, authority or status than anyone else Negro = (old-fashioned, often offensive) member of a race of people with dark skin who originally came from Africa swastika /ˈswɔstɪkə/ = ancient symbol in the form of a cross with its ends bent at an angle of 90 degrees, used in the 20th century as the symbol of the German Nazi party subjugation = forced submission to control by others; oppression micro insult = variety of subtle snubs, conveying a hidden insult to the recipient. Perpetrators are usually unaware they are speaking from bias micro invalidation = communications that negate or nullify the thoughts, feelings or experiential reality of a person of colour Negro = (old-fashioned, often offensive) member of a race of people with dark skin who originally came from Africa snub = action or a comment that is deliberately rude in order to show sb that you do not like or respect them 38 38 1 Political correctness works for no one - Jonathan Kay 20240110 hw20240117 active wip prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Do you believe political correctness really makes things better? For whom? Political Correctness Works For No One | Jonathan Kay | TEDxUTSC - 16 Sept 2019 Jonathan Kay is the Canadian editor for Quillette.com, a host of the Quillette and Wrongspeak podcasts, a book author and a columnist. His work has appeared recently in the National Post, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CBC.ca, Foreign Affairs and Maclean’s. His books include Among The Truthers(HarperCollins, 2011) and Legacy: How French Canadians Shaped North America (Signal, 2016). He is currently working on two book projects scheduled for publication in 2019. He tweets daily on the news at @jonkay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPdMG3oFGac → watch the video → answer the questions ]]> political_correctness_works_for_no_one_jonathan_kay_TEDxUTSC_tPdMG3oFGac.mp4 Introduction my name is Jonathan Kaye I'm the Canadian editor for Colette comm a podcaster a book author many people in the Twitter community have described me as a professional shitty story one of the previous speakers she mentioned about her intersectional nature she talked about going to Starbucks and being the one who had the really really complicated latte I just warned you I'm the guy who goes to the gas station and gets the instant coffee in the microwave so my perspective is a little different but I do want to build bridges my subject is political correctness and I think when people look at someone like me they assume that I'm gonna start my presentation by going through a long angry list of recent episodes and controversies people who got shut up or were censored or were mobbed in some way but I don't want to recite that list of controversies because I think most people in this room already know the episodes I'm talking about they're pretty well covered in the news I also want to make sure that when people watch this video on YouTube which I hope they do in coming years they find it relevant in a way that goes past recent headlines because the problem of political correctness that I'm talking about is a problem that is ageless it's a problem that goes back in fact to ancient times since people have been using words they have been using those words to shut down people who are using words that they don't like some of the foundational and most violent disputes in Islam and Judaism and Christianity involve people trying to dictate what language other people use what languages they use for God or for prayer or for believers or for heretics and many of those discussions that were had many of those arguments and controversies essentially followed the same politically correct pattern that now dictates the arguments we have over land and hashtags and everything else that informs our arguments about this subject I also want to acknowledge the fact that political correctness is a bipartisan phenomenon we typically talk about it these days as problem on the left but you also see it on the right side of the political spectrum if you go on a right-wing Facebook group and you say something nasty about Donald Trump I can guarantee you you will see a politically correct reaction from your audience even if they don't call it political correctness I'd also like to acknowledge that even though political correctness has a negative connotation it starts out with good intentions we all want to live in a society that has less racism and less sexism and less homophobia and transphobia the problem isn't with bad intentions behind political correctness the problem is human nature human beings love power they love the power to shut up other people and they will leverage any rule any law any standard to attain that power and that's how political correctness affects our society it's not just that we can't say a limited range of things we can't resonate with other people on any subject we want to take the subject of today's event we become more passive aggressive we become more aggressive we become more passive aggressive because we are encouraged to feel more pain more emotional discomfort when other people say things that we disagree with then we become more aggressive because we weaponize that pain that we feel we mob people on social media we attack people now it used to be political correctness in the old days when I was younger when I was at college you had to use an intermediary you had to go through government or you had to go through a human rights tribunal to shut somebody down that's not the case anymore you can go directly to Facebook or to Twitter this is one of the ways that political correctness has changed you know when I was younger the dominant metaphor was big brother from Georgia where Orwell's novel 1984 Big Brother but that model doesn't exist anymore the idea of a single authoritarian power shutting people down these days people their censorship the telescreen that existed on the wall in the novel 1984 that telescreen is now in our hands that's how we censor people we don't depend on Big Brother we have become Big Brother now some people may say well that's fine you may call it Big Brother you may call it political correctness but it's about calling people out on racism and sexism online and surely that's a good thing the problem is that the people who suffer most are the smallest fish in the ocean they're the people who don't have any power they're the people who get called out the big players on the other hand someone like for instance Jordan Peterson he doesn't get called out or if he does he has the power to overcome it Jordan Peterson of course is a tenured University of Toronto professor at the school where we're having this event he says politically correct things all the time politically incorrect things all the time but he doesn't suffer much for it in fact his last book sold I think 2 million copies because he has the power to fight back political correctness targets people who can't fight back and this plays out institutionally as well I have experience in journalism on the left and on the right I worked for a progressive liberal magazine and I also worked for a conservative newspaper it was at the left-wing liberal magazine that I saw political correctness was the most acute that's because of the crowdsource nature of political correctness these days it's the people within your own networks who hurt you so if you're a conservative it actually doesn't hurt you that much if you're a conservative the people in your networks don't mind if you say politically incorrect things in fact they're cheerleading you when I worked at that conservative newspaper my most popular columns were the ones denouncing political correctness when I went to that left-wing magazine as I said despite the fact that the actual substance of what I was publishing what I was saying was progressive stuff the people I work with were terrified of saying the wrong thing that's because the people in their social networks were the enforcers of politically correct orthodoxy this is what's different from the old days in the old days you ran afoul of a central authority these days you run afoul of your friends your colleagues your relatives people who have the same opinions as you and who monitor everything you say closely some of the smartest people I worked with in my career were at that left-wing progressive magazine but they were people who were scared to say what they wanted to say because they thought that they were always one hashtag or one syllable one pronoun one mistake away from a career-ending utterance and so they kept their mouth shut whole weeks would go by when they wouldn't say anything on Twitter or Facebook or if they did they talk about their clothes or what they ate meanwhile my conservative friends are jabbering away they don't care that's why if you remember one thing from this presentation please remember this political correctness despite the fact that it's supposed to be a left-wing doctrine hurts people on the Left more than it hurts people on the right because of the crowdsourced nature of its implementation that's why I don't like to talk about scandals that you see in the news that much because the scandals don't tell the whole story you know do I think it's terrible that some conservative professor was shut down on a university campus or someone pulled a fire alarm or ben shapiro was prevented from speaking at berkeley or something like that yeah that's annoying it's not good but the real scandal isn't those isolated scandals the real scandal is everything you don't hear about because people don't speak their mind because they're scared and so no one notices because no one says anything and as I say that hurts people on the left more than hurts people on the right this very week I said I wasn't going to talk a lot about examples but something happened this very week that I thought was highly illustrative it was it involved the children's and young adult author named Ellen oh and I could not think of a more impeccably diverse multicultural ally and advocate and is known in the world of young adult fiction for her advocacy of diversity and even started an organization called we need more diverse books she went on Twitter earlier this week and started calling out peoples that people of color can be racist to which is true and we need people of color to to be more rigorous about their messaging because a lot of them are tone deaf mistake you can imagine how people responded they say tone deaf that's insulting a few hours later she gets back on Twitter and says I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I offended people by saying the word deaf and then at the end she apologizes she says thank you for pointing out my mistake and making me a better person or words to the effect by the way this is how you can always tell if you're in the midst of a politically correct cult if people end by thanking their tormentors for pointing out how horrible they are you know when when the witches thank the witch hunters that's when you know that during a cult and this is a serious problem and as I say it's limiting the range of opinions people hear and in fact it attacks the very premise of this event we're having the idea of resonance resonance works great when you're on the same wavelength with somebody when someone is on a different wavelength the concept of resonance both in physics and in society it becomes more complicated and you need a robust society a robust commitment to freedom of speech so that people who have different wavelengths can communicate with each other and don't shut each other down so what are the solutions I see three solutions oh I see more but I have a limited amount of time the first is we shouldn't be part of the problem it means if we disagree with somebody you hear something you disagree with try not to medicalize it try not to assign psychic pain or emotional discomfort to it without first saying maybe I just disagreed with that it doesn't mean I'm suffering some kind of medical reaction to it now there are some kinds of words and phrases that truly are medically painful in the way they they affect us we all know those those words and phrases I'm not gonna repeat them here in those cases it's fine to say those words hurt me because some words really do hurt I get that but in borderline cases ask yourself is the pain I'm feeling is the discomfort I'm feeling is it authentic or is it a political artifact of the environment in which we live where I am encouraged to experience different kinds of opinions different senses of humor different kinds of communication as authoring as a form of attack on me when it's not sometimes it's just at different wavelengths that happens - so ask yourself that cross examine yourself about your reaction to things the other thing is when somebody does force you to submit to political correctness try to resist but I'm not naive I know that especially for young people it's impossible sometimes sometimes to keep your job or to keep your place in school or to keep yourself you're placing a peer group it's necessary to submit to politically correct regimes but what I would ask is that if you do have to submit destroy the premise of the person who is trying to shut you up say to them look I get it I have to delete the tweet I have to apologize I have to do this I have to go to a diversity class or what not because of what I said fine you have more power than me that's why I'm doing what you want me to do not because I agree with the premise that I caused anybody psychological pain but because you have more power than me I also will tell you that if the roles are reversed in a few years and I have that power over you I will not be using that power in the same way because I want to live in a society where free speech is valued more than the feelings of people who may or may not be offended by what I have to say the third thing I would say my third solution voice your community regardless of whether or not you're offended I happen to be Jewish when I'm online and I see somebody getting called out for saying something that's allegedly anti-semitic bad joke stereotype if I don't think it's anti-semitic I will say so I will jump in and say I'm Jewish I don't find that offensive relax we've all seen Seinfeld we can tell the jokes I tried to use my moral capital as a Jew to say that something isn't anti-semitic if it's not and you can do the same thing with it whether you're gay trans black Jewish not Jewish it doesn't matter voice your community regardless of whether you're offended or not because if we leave the marketplace of ideas to people who are constantly offended and we don't speak up when we're not offending we have no one else to blame but ourselves if the marketplace of ideas is taken over by Big Brother's little minions thank you you What kind of person gets their coffee at a petrol station & warms it up in the microwave? Why does Jonathan introduce himself this way? What bridges does he want to build? [00:30-01:04] He probably does it not to offend a person who works at a petrol station and makes this coffee by saying that the drink is cold. He doesn’t want to make any fuss about it and look like he’s nitpicking < ! - - (Tatiana Bogomolova) - - > ✓ His action of getting coffee at a petrol station and warming it in the microwave may symbolize a practical, no-frills approach to life, which could be perceived as a low-context behavior. It also represents a pragmatic, down-to-earth mindset. His choice of coffee and method of preparation could align with a linear-active mindset, which values efficiency and straightforwardness. It may resonate with cultures that emphasize a focus on indulgence versus restraint, favoring simplicity over extravagance --> ]]> fastidiousness = trait of being meticulous about matters of taste or style Why is the problem of political correctness ageless? [01:31-02:01] ✓ goes back in fact to ancient times since people have been using words ✓ they have been using those words to shut down people who are using words that they don't like 〆political correctness is leveraged to silence opposing viewpoints → maintain existing power structures = arguably synonymous of high uncertainty avoidance = reminiscent of collectivism & restraint rather than more progressive, indulgence oriented individualism ✓ some of the foundational and most violent disputes in Islam and Judaism and Christianity involve people trying to dictate what language other people use what languages they use for God or for prayer or for believers or for heretics = inclination to control language and expression → reduce potential sources of conflict or confusion → high uncertainty avoidance What does he mean by political correctness being a bipartisan phenomenon? [02:21] ✓ problem is on the left but you also see it on the right side of the political spectrum → any political group can demonstrate tendencies to control language → any political group can conform to certain standards in ways that limit open discourse bipartisan /baɪˌpɑ:tɪˈzæn/ = involving two (political) parties Why aren't good intentions just not enough? [02:45] ✓ we all want to live in a society that has less racism and less sexism and less homophobia and transphobia 〆the problem is human nature → human beings love power → they love the power to shut up other people → they will leverage any rule, any law, any standard to attain that power = restraint rather than indulgence Why are we becoming more passive aggressive? [03:42] ✓ we are encouraged to feel more pain, more emotional discomfort when other people say things that we disagree with ✓ we weaponise that pain → individuals avoid direct confrontation → resort instead to passive-aggressive tactics when faced with disagreement or emotional discomfort How was political correctness in the old days, how has it changed now? [04:08-05:16] ✓ the dominant metaphor was Big Brother from George Orwell's novel 1984 Big Brother = idea of a single authoritarian power shutting people down → high uncertainty avoidance, restraint and power distance ✓ we have become Big Brother → nowadays, we can call people out on racism and sexism online = levels of indulgence and uncertainty avoidance have decreased → majority of people are not afraid to take risks and express their opinions mobbing = bullying of an individual by a group, in any context, such as a family, peer group, school, workplace, neighbourhood, community, or online. When it occurs as physical and emotional abuse in the workplace, such as "ganging up" by co-workers, subordinates or superiors, to force someone out of the workplace through rumour, innuendo, intimidation, humiliation, discrediting, and isolation, it is also referred to as malicious, non-sexual, non-racial/racial, general harassment What does Jonathan contest about political correctness? [05:20-06:08] ✓ political correctness targets people who can't fight back 〆big wigs can get away with politically incorrect contents = can afford to do so because of their reputation & their power to fight back big wig = important person Why does political correctness as a left-wing doctrine hurt actually people more on the left than on the right end of the spectrum? [06:24-07:10] ✓ politically correct behaviour is supposed to be a left-wing doctrine → care about the minorities 〆hurts people on the left more than it hurts people on the right → should be extremely careful of every single hashtag/syllable/pronoun e.g. firefighter ← fireman house-maker ← house-wife chalkboard ← blackboard Why are some people terrified of saying the wrong thing? What has changed? [07:11] ✓ people in their social networks are the enforcers of politically correct orthodoxy = different from the old days → in the old days you ran afoul of a central authority → these days you run afoul of your friends, your colleagues, your relatives = people who have the same opinions as you but who monitor everything you say closely 〆always one hashtag, or one syllable, one pronoun, one mistake away from a career-ending utterance = increased awareness and scrutiny of language → unreported cases where individuals self-censor out of fear ✓ political correctness is leveraged to silence opposing viewpoints → maintain existing power structures enforcer = one whose job it is to execute unpleasant tasks for a superior to run afoul of sth (AmEn) = to do sth that is not allowed by a law or rule or sth that people in authority disapprove of What is the real scandal about political correctness? [08:53-09:20] ✓ you don't hear everything because people don't speak their mind ✓ refrain from self-expression = fear of facing backlash → opt to remain silent = self-censorship → no one notices → limiting the range of opinions people hear to undermine = to make sth, especially sb's confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective; to make sth weaker at the base, for example by digging under it backlash (~ against | from) = strong negative reaction by a large number of people, for example to sth that has recently changed in society What solutions does Jonathan recommend? What question(s) should one ask themselves? [11:25] → 3 solutions [12:25] [13:00] [14:14] if we disagree with somebody, or you hear something you disagree with → try not to medicalize it [12:25] i.e. not to assign psychic pain or emotional discomfort to it e.g. Is the pain or discomfort I'm feeling authentic or a political artefact of the environment in which we live, where I am encouraged to experience different kinds of opinions? → resist if someone forces you to submit [13:00] → voice your community if you think it's not offending [14:14] artefact = feature not naturally present, introduced during preparation or investigation to go against the grain = to be contrary to the natural inclination or feeling of someone or something to medicalise = to identify a condition as a disease so as to get treatment in order to improve your overall quality of life What conclusions are drawn? Do you agree with them? [15:06] ✓ don't stifle free speech . if we allow the marketplace of ideas to be dominated by easily offended individuals . if we fail to defend our own viewpoints when they are not offensive → we are responsible for any consequences that arise to stifle /'staifəl/ = to prevent sth from happening; to prevent a feeling from being expressed 37 37 fastidiousness = trait of being meticulous about matters of taste or style bipartisan /baɪˌpɑ:tɪˈzæn/ = involving two (political) parties mobbing = bullying of an individual by a group, in any context, such as a family, peer group, school, workplace, neighbourhood, community, or online. When it occurs as physical and emotional abuse in the workplace, such as "ganging up" by co-workers, subordinates or superiors, to force someone out of the workplace through rumour, innuendo, intimidation, humiliation, discrediting, and isolation, it is also referred to as malicious, non-sexual, non-racial/racial, general harassment big wig = important person enforcer = one whose job it is to execute unpleasant tasks for a superior to run afoul of sth (AmEn) = to do sth that is not allowed by a law or rule or sth that people in authority disapprove of to undermine = to make sth, especially sb's confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective; to make sth weaker at the base, for example by digging under it backlash (~ against | from) = strong negative reaction by a large number of people, for example to sth that has recently changed in society artefact = feature not naturally present, introduced during preparation or investigation to go against the grain = to be contrary to the natural inclination or feeling of someone or something to medicalise = to identify a condition as a disease so as to get treatment in order to improve your overall quality of life to stifle /'staifəl/ = to prevent sth from happening; to prevent a feeling from being expressed 36 36 1 Can't we just print more money? active edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png visual https://sobrief.com/books/cant-we-just-print-more-money → answer the questions]]> https://sobrief.com/books/cant-we-just-print-more-money Key Takeaways 1. Economics is everywhere, shaping our daily choices and societal outcomes Economics affects all of us every day of our lives. Each time you make a choice about whether or not to work, whether to spend some money today or save it for tomorrow, go out for a meal or cook one at home, you are making an economic decision. Ubiquitous economic decisions. Every day, we make countless economic choices without realizing it. From deciding what to eat for breakfast to choosing a career path, these decisions involve trade-offs and opportunity costs. Economics provides a framework for understanding these choices and their implications. Markets and resource allocation. At its core, economics studies how societies allocate scarce resources. Markets play a crucial role in this process, coordinating the actions of millions of individuals through the forces of supply and demand. This "invisible hand" often leads to efficient outcomes, but not always. Societal impact. Economic forces shape not just individual choices, but entire societies. They influence: Income distribution Technological innovation Environmental sustainability Political systems Understanding these forces empowers individuals to make better decisions and engage more effectively in civic life. 2. Markets coordinate supply and demand, but can fail in crucial ways Economics can help us understand the forces that led to this happening, as well as how we should respond. Market mechanics. Markets bring together buyers and sellers, with prices acting as signals to coordinate their actions. When demand for a product increases, prices rise, incentivizing more production. This process generally leads to efficient outcomes, matching supply with demand. Market failures. However, markets can fail in important ways: Externalities: When the full costs or benefits of an action aren't reflected in market prices (e.g., pollution) Public goods: Products that benefit everyone but are difficult to charge for individually (e.g., national defense) Information asymmetries: When one party has more information than the other (e.g., used car sales) Monopolies: When a single seller dominates a market, leading to higher prices and less innovation Policy interventions. Recognizing these failures, policymakers often intervene in markets through: Regulations Taxes and subsidies Direct provision of goods and services Understanding market failures is crucial for addressing major societal challenges like climate change and healthcare provision. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX cont. from here 3. Labor markets determine wages and employment, with inherent frictions To understand labour markets you need to not just make sense of how markets work, but understand the peculiar ways in which they interact with the idiosyncratic economics of employment. Supply and demand for labor. Wages and employment levels are determined by the interaction of labor supply (workers) and demand (employers). Factors influencing this include: Worker skills and productivity Business needs and profitability Economic conditions Labor market frictions. Unlike in idealized markets, labor markets have inherent frictions that prevent perfect matching of workers to jobs: Search costs: Time and effort required to find suitable jobs or employees Geographic constraints: Workers may be unable or unwilling to relocate for jobs Skill mismatches: Available workers may lack the skills needed for open positions Policy implications. Understanding these frictions informs policies aimed at reducing unemployment and improving labor market efficiency, such as: Job search assistance programs Education and training initiatives Labor mobility support Recognizing the complexities of labor markets helps explain persistent unemployment and wage disparities, even in otherwise healthy economies. 4. Economic growth drives long-term prosperity, but has complex impacts You're richer than your ancestors because of economic growth. That economic growth comes from a combination of several factors – most notably, improvements in technology. Drivers of growth. Long-term economic growth primarily stems from: Technological innovation Capital accumulation (investment in productive assets) Human capital development (education and skills) Institutional improvements (rule of law, property rights) Compounding effects. Over time, even small differences in growth rates lead to massive differences in living standards. This explains why modern societies are so much wealthier than those of the past. Complexities and trade-offs. While growth generally improves living standards, it can have negative side effects: Environmental degradation Inequality (if benefits are unevenly distributed) Cultural disruption Policymakers must balance promoting growth with addressing these potential downsides. Sustainable development aims to achieve growth that improves quality of life without compromising future generations' well-being. 5. International trade allows specialization and mutual benefit between nations Even if there are lots of jobs across an entire economy, that doesn't mean there are lots of jobs on offer in the area where each individual is based. Comparative advantage. The key insight of international trade theory is that countries benefit by specializing in what they're relatively best at producing, even if they're not the absolute best. This counter-intuitive idea explains why trade can benefit all parties involved. Benefits of trade: Lower prices for consumers Greater product variety Increased economic efficiency Knowledge and technology transfer Challenges and controversies. While trade generally increases overall economic welfare, it can create losers within countries: Industries facing foreign competition may decline Workers may need to transition to new sectors This has led to political backlash against globalization in some countries. Policymakers face the challenge of balancing the broad benefits of trade with addressing its localized negative impacts. 6. Inflation erodes purchasing power over time, with wide-ranging effects Inflation can be thought of as a tax on keeping money. Just as income tax might take away a fraction of your salary every month, inflation takes away a fraction of your spending power. Causes of inflation. Price increases can be driven by: Demand-pull factors: Increased spending outpacing production Cost-push factors: Rising input costs (e.g., raw materials, wages) Monetary factors: Expansion of the money supply Economic impacts. Moderate, stable inflation is generally considered beneficial, but high or unpredictable inflation can be harmful: Erodes savings and fixed incomes Creates uncertainty, hampering investment Can lead to inefficient allocation of resources Policy responses. Central banks typically aim for low, stable inflation (often around 2% annually) using tools like: Interest rate adjustments Quantitative easing/tightening Understanding inflation is crucial for personal financial planning, business decision-making, and evaluating economic policies. 7. Money and banking are built on trust, facilitating economic activity Money is ultimately a system of mutually agreed trust; over the centuries, people have looked to reinforce that trust in various ways: drawing on the 'intrinsic' value of precious metals and commodities, drawing on the resources and power of the state, or even drawing on the cool logic of computer code. Evolution of money. Money has taken many forms throughout history, from commodity-based systems to today's fiat currencies. Its core functions remain constant: Medium of exchange Store of value Unit of account Banking system. Modern economies rely on a complex banking system that: Creates money through fractional reserve lending Facilitates payments and credit Helps manage economic risks Trust and regulation. The entire monetary and banking system relies on trust. Governments and central banks play crucial roles in maintaining this trust through: Deposit insurance Bank regulations Monetary policy Understanding money and banking is essential for grasping how modern economies function and the role of financial institutions in both facilitating growth and potentially creating instability. 8. Economic crises have far-reaching consequences and are difficult to predict Economists are all too aware of this phenomenon. Even Adam Smith recognised that there are some situations in which markets end up working against the common good. Anatomy of crises. Economic crises can stem from various sources: Financial bubbles and crashes Banking system failures External shocks (e.g., pandemics, natural disasters) Policy mistakes These events can trigger a self-reinforcing cycle of declining confidence, reduced spending, and job losses. Widespread impacts. Economic crises affect far more than just financial markets: Unemployment and income loss Business failures Social and political instability Long-term "scarring" effects on growth Prediction challenges. Forecasting crises is notoriously difficult due to: Complex, interconnected economic systems Inherent unpredictability of human behavior Potential for "black swan" events While economists have developed tools to better understand and potentially mitigate crises, perfect prediction remains elusive. This underscores the importance of building resilient economic systems and maintaining policy flexibility. 9. Policymakers use various tools to manage the economy, with limitations Just like Smith's workers in the pin factory, countries tend to specialise in producing certain things – the things they're best at making –then swap these items through trade. Monetary policy. Central banks use tools like interest rate adjustments and quantitative easing to influence: Inflation Employment Overall economic activity Fiscal policy. Governments use taxation and spending to: Provide public goods and services Redistribute income Stabilize the economy during downturns Limitations and trade-offs. Economic management faces several challenges: Time lags between policy changes and their effects Unintended consequences Political constraints Globalization reducing national policy effectiveness Policy debates. Economists and policymakers often disagree on the optimal approach to managing the economy, with ongoing debates about: The appropriate balance between markets and government intervention The effectiveness of different policy tools How to address long-term challenges like inequality and climate change Understanding these policy tools and their limitations is crucial for informed civic engagement and evaluating economic proposals. Last updated: April 22, 2025 ]]> What are ubiquitous economic decisions? Every day, we make countless economic choices without realizing it. From deciding what to eat for breakfast to choosing a career path, these decisions involve trade-offs and opportunity costs. Economics provides a framework for understanding these choices and their implications invisible hand?]]> ✓ how societies allocate scarce resources ✓ markets play a crucial role in this process → coordinate actions of millions of individuals through the forces of supply and demand → often leads to efficient outcomes, but not always What is the societal impact of economic forces? ✓ income distribution ✓ technological innovation ✓ environmental sustainability ✓ political systems → understanding empowers individuals to make better decisions → engage more effectively in civic life How do market mechanics coordinate supply and demand? ✓ bring together buyers and sellers ✓ prices act as signals to coordinate actions → when demand for a product increases, prices rise → incentivise more production ✓ leads to efficient outcomes, matching supply with demand Why can markets fail to coordinate supply and demand? How should we respond to that? ✓ externalities = when the full costs or benefits of an action aren't reflected in market prices (e.g., pollution) ✓ public goods = products that benefit everyone but are difficult to charge for individually (e.g., national defence) ✓ information asymmetries = when one party has more information than the other (e.g., used car sales) ✓ monopolies = when a single seller dominates a market → leads to higher prices and less innovation How do policymakers often intervene in markets? ✓ regulations ✓ taxes and subsidies ✓ direct provision of goods and services → understanding market failures is crucial for addressing major societal challenges like climate change and healthcare provision 35 35 cue = action or event that is a signal for sb to do sth; a few words or an action in a play that is a signal for another actor to do sth China, Empire of the Middle = China's traditional name, Zhongguo (中國), meaning "Middle Kingdom," reflecting its historical self-perception as the centre of civilization, bridging the divine (Heaven) and the earthly world, a concept that evolved from referring to the central plains to the entire unified empire, influencing its worldview and cultural significance frugality = using only as much money or food as is necessary 34 34 20260209 10:15-11:15 MSK | 11:15-12:15 SAMT 1.5 2500 active British 🇬🇧or Indian 🇮🇳accent? | iRabbit #4 By the end of this session you will have studied British 🇬🇧or Indian 🇮🇳accent? | iRabbit #4 Moontajska Productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRvUCi2s1U → watch the video → answer the questions zoom_meeting.png Zoom meeting details Profi.ru - D.Potter Zoom Meeting (recurring) Meeting ID: 765 1187 4648 Password: pFGjq3 https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76511874648?pwd=pqq81L5Zbdw6lT8hToYVMKUIJsisYn.1 ]]> 33 33 7 Politically correct language 2/2 pix/icons8-hand-with-pen-100_white.png active wip edit_ol_qa_writing prep_ol_qa_writing edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png ✓ many proverbs are timeless, regardless of their country of origin → is using proverbs a reliable way to communicate across cultures? 〆probably not ]]> Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. man → people Is this more culturally true of people who live in northern parts of the hemisphere? He who cannot obey cannot command. He → A person Will you have enough self-discipline to do what you pray? A man's home is his castle. A person's home is their castle. Is this still true in today's on-line world? ✓ home may feel like a shell to protect oneself ✓ thanks to telework people may have both a social and professional life from their home Every man has his hobby horse. Everyone has their hobby horse. hobby horse = (sometimes disapproving) subject that sb feels strongly about and likes to talk about He is happy that thinks himself so. They are happy that think themselves so. ↔ Happy are those who think themselves so. Has pursuit of happiness become easier in the past centuries? 32 32 1 Native speakers' dialect active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-movie-100_white.png Can a language be taught without being occasionally politically incorrect? ✓ if native speakers are considered politically neutral in their environment... = reminiscent of a dialect → make sure your register matches the cultural context video British 🇬🇧or Indian 🇮🇳accent? | iRabbit #4 Moontajska Productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRvUCi2s1U → watch the video → imagine what viewers may write in the comments → read sample comments → answer the questions]]> british_accent_or_indian_iRabbit_nr4_OwRvUCi2s1U.mp4 What is the Englishman accused of? [01:42] The damn thing doesn't seem to work I'm speaking the Queen's English Don't need your damn course Don't you bloody hell... It's a bloody umbrella → is speaking the Queen's English the only way to use English language properly? 〆wrong behaviour mocking Indian accent → suggests nano-supremacy = micro-racism The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool... Did you Shakespeare me? → quoting common wisdom may suggest a condescending approach Is using offensive language justified? 〆no, should disarm people by making them proud of themselves → don't use colloquialism which might be misunderstood ]]> damn = swear word that people use to show that they are annoyed, disappointed, etc bloody = swear word that many people find offensive that is used to emphasize a comment or an angry statement colloquialism = word or phrase that is used in conversation but not in formal speech or writing Why do you think Maria has a Soviet Union like accent? [02:15] ✓ caricature of threatening, totalitarian regime ✓ doesn't allow for cultural & linguistic diversity = deploys political correctness to the detriment of authenticity "I beg your pardon?" Why does he ask if Maria is from another planet? [02:23] ]]> ✓ he is not sure he has understood her well & pretends to be very surprised by what she is suggesting ✓ she explains they don't tolerate any racist, sexist, homophobic, white supremacist, neocolonial insinuations on their platform = woke alert ✓ initially advocating for justice, equity, and inclusion, fostering empathetic workplaces and social change 〆weaponised political term to describe perceived far-left ideologies, often conflated with "political correctness" → he thinks this is excessive because he probably doesn't consider himself using such language = fish can't see water insinuation = suggesting indirectly that sth unpleasant is true woke culture = heightened awareness of social, racial, and gender injustices, originating as a term for alertness to discrimination against marginalized groups, particularly Black people. Advocates for proactive, progressive change but has evolved into a contentious political term often used by critics to deride left-wing, identity-based, or "politically correct" ideologies to deride = to treat sb/sth as ridiculous and not worth considering seriously Do you think British English will become a dialect one day? Why / why not? ✓ it may have already... ✓ more non native people speak English than natives → approximately 7.8 billion inhabitants ✓ 1.35 billion speak English ~ 360 million people speak English as a first language ! most common first language is Chinese, then Spanish (English = 3rd) ✓ English is by far the most commonly studied Should RP (received pronunciation, aka BBC English) still be the kind of language taught? The truth is this is now reality. I was teaching in a class in a British University (can't name it here, or I will get sued!). It was a post-graduate class, and almost all the students were international, including Chinese, Indians, many East Europeans, Italians, French, German etc. There were just a couple of English students in the class. Every class had a case or exercise, so there was lots of group discussion in the class. Most of the time, students spoke with their respective accents in the class, but everybody understood each other all the time. And then one day, one of the few English students (who were mostly silent) spoke and made his point. Suddenly there was a stunned silence in the class! And I quickly realized this was because not one of the students understood a word of what he spoke (except for the couple of other English students!). This student was from Liverpool. Then one of the international students politely requested him to repeat what he said. Again, none of the students understood him. Then he repeated himself a third time. And then out of sheer frustration, he just said 'oh well, forget it', and gave up! But by then I had picked up what he said, and interpreted what he said for the rest of the class. That scene was remarkable for me. This was a British University sitting in the heart of London, offering a British PG degree. And yet, all the international students could converse and understand each other perfectly in English, except when the actual native English student spoke! That to me suggested English had now truly become an international language, and was no more owned by England! (although England will always get full credit for having created the language). @stephenmani8495 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRvUCi2s1U ]]> RP (received pronunciation) = approved pronunciation of British English; originally based on the King's English as spoken at public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge Universities (and widely accepted elsewhere in Britain); until recently it was the pronunciation of English used in British broadcasting to converse = to have a conversation with sb stunned silence = silence resulting from such surprise or shock that nobody can think clearly or speak 31 31 damn = swear word that people use to show that they are annoyed, disappointed, etc bloody = swear word that many people find offensive that is used to emphasize a comment or an angry statement colloquialism = word or phrase that is used in conversation but not in formal speech or writing insinuation = suggesting indirectly that sth unpleasant is true woke culture = heightened awareness of social, racial, and gender injustices, originating as a term for alertness to discrimination against marginalized groups, particularly Black people. Advocates for proactive, progressive change but has evolved into a contentious political term often used by critics to deride left-wing, identity-based, or "politically correct" ideologies to deride = to treat sb/sth as ridiculous and not worth considering seriously stunned silence = silence resulting from such surprise or shock that nobody can think clearly or speak RP (received pronunciation) = approved pronunciation of British English; originally based on the King's English as spoken at public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge Universities (and widely accepted elsewhere in Britain); until recently it was the pronunciation of English used in British broadcasting to converse = to have a conversation with sb stunned silence = silence resulting from such surprise or shock that nobody can think clearly or speak 30 30 said told that he was speaking English with a rare dialect You just say some quotas quotes ]]> discipline /ˈdɪsɪplɪn/ 20260206 10:15-11:15 MSK | 11:15-12:15 SAMT 1.5 2500 active It's all Greek to me By the end of this session you will have studied It's All Greek To Me | A Bit Of Fry &Laurie | BBC Comedy Greats A Bit of Fry & Laurie is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, broadcast on both BBC1 and BBC2 between 1989 and 1995. It ran for four series with 26 episodes, including a 36-minute pilot episode in 1987. As in The Two Ronnies, elaborate wordplay and innuendo were staples. It frequently broke the fourth wall; characters would revert to their real-life actors mid-sketch, or the camera would often pan off set into the studio. The show was punctuated with non sequitur vox pops in a similar style to those of Monty Python's Flying Circus, often making irrelevant statements and wordplay. Laurie was also seen playing piano and other instruments and singing comical numbers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZZKwCPCj8 → watch the video → answer the questions zoom_meeting.png Zoom meeting details Profi.ru - D.Potter Zoom Meeting (recurring) Meeting ID: 765 1187 4648 Password: pFGjq3 https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76511874648?pwd=pqq81L5Zbdw6lT8hToYVMKUIJsisYn.1 ]]> 29 29 8 It's all Greek to me active wip edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png 'I don't know'?
Is it all right to lose face in your culture, or will you pretend you know something at any cost rather than admit you don't?]]> It's All Greek To Me | A Bit Of Fry &Laurie | BBC Comedy Greats A Bit of Fry & Laurie is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, broadcast on both BBC1 and BBC2 between 1989 and 1995. It ran for four series with 26 episodes, including a 36-minute pilot episode in 1987. As in The Two Ronnies, elaborate wordplay and innuendo were staples. It frequently broke the fourth wall; characters would revert to their real-life actors mid-sketch, or the camera would often pan off set into the studio. The show was punctuated with non sequitur vox pops in a similar style to those of Monty Python's Flying Circus, often making irrelevant statements and wordplay. Laurie was also seen playing piano and other instruments and singing comical numbers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZZKwCPCj8 → watch the video → answer the questions.]]> This Octopus, what was it called? The Greek waiter: Where was it caught? What a question! In the sea. Hugh Laurie: Yeah... so, that should be OK, Gordon...]]> it_s_all_greek_to_me_a_bit_of_fry_and_laurie_BBC_comedy_greats_PqZZKwCPCj8.mp4 Why does the scene take place in a Greek restaurant (and not Indian for instance)? ✓ pun on words It's all Greek to me = way of saying that you do not understand something that is said or written but Hugh Laurie pretends to understand Greek well... That's a typical Londoner's reaction (...) You don't understand the Greek does things at his own tempo. You know, natural rhythms & cycles deep within them. The Yorkshireman in me respects that [00:06-00:13] Why does Hugh Laurie pretend he understands Greek culture? ]]> ✓ wants to show off how well-educated he is ✓ cultural awareness is well-thought of (= long-term orientation, uncertainty avoidance...) It's a bit forward, isn't? All that 'My lovely friends' don't (you think)? Hugh Laurie Ah well, you see, Gordon, he (the Greek waiter) spotted a kindred spirit (in me). [01:22-01:27] Why does Hugh Laurie carry on pretending he & the waiter share some same cultural values?]]> treated with respect - not the average walk-in, quick turn-over merchants [01:34] ]]> kindred /ˈkɪndrɪd/ spirit = person with similar ideas, opinions, etc Ah, I've had enough, Gordon. I'm gonna have an honest British kebab! [03:58] Why is this last reply amusing?]]> ✓ a kebab is by no means more British than a Greek meal = contradictory behaviour to long-term orientation & uncertainty avoidance observed earlier Can you think of any reasons why this comedy could be considered as not politically correct by today's standards? Why has it - or hasn't it - crossed the border? 〆stereotypical portrait of Greek waiters 〆British condescending approach ✓ collective tolerance towards witty, established comedians? ✓ British laughing at themselves = self-deprecating sense of humour (...) self-deprecating = done in a way that makes your own achievements or abilities seem unimportant; ~ humour can be used as a way to make complaints, express modesty, invoke optimal reactions. It may also be used as a way for individuals to appear more likeable and agreeable Gordon, what am I, a peasant or a busy executive? [01:58] Thanks for your input, Gordon, I hope I know my wines [02:55] Let's get out of here, this is just a tourist trap [02:13] How can a business lunch or dining out with partners help nurture relationships? Why is adherence to given social & cultural values relevant to a corporate environment? ]]> not the average walk-in, quick turn-over merchants Let's get out of here, this is just a tourist trap [02:13] ✓ you wouldn't take out guests to a pretentious restaurant with decor, music and all the bells & whistles = a Michelin-like restaurant's appearance doesn't distract from quality food → only knowledgeable people understand the difference (and not tourists) ]]> adherence = fact of behaving according to a particular rule, etc., or of following a particular set of beliefs, or a fixed way of doing sth business acumen /əˈkju:men / = ability to understand and judge things quickly and clearly bells and whistles = non-essential features, visual or functional, that are an enhancement to an object 28 28 fourth wall (the ~) = performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this "wall", the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th century onward, the rise of illusionism in staging practices, which culminated in the realism and naturalism of the theatre of the 19th century, led to the development of the fourth wall concept. innuendo = indirect remark about sb/sth, usually suggesting sth bad or rude non sequitur = statement that does not seem to follow what has just been said in any natural or logical way vox pops (vox populi) = belief or sentiment shared by most people; the voice of the people It's all Greek to me = way of saying that you do not understand something that is said or written kindred /ˈkɪndrɪd/ spirit = person with similar ideas, opinions, etc self-deprecating = done in a way that makes your own achievements or abilities seem unimportant; ~ humour can be used as a way to make complaints, express modesty, invoke optimal reactions. It may also be used as a way for individuals to appear more likeable and agreeable adherence = fact of behaving according to a particular rule, etc., or of following a particular set of beliefs, or a fixed way of doing sth business acumen /əˈkju:men / = ability to understand and judge things quickly and clearly bells and whistles = non-essential features, visual or functional, that are an enhancement to an object 27 27 bringing taking too long to bring food for too long He was saying that despite the fact (that) it was not long at all I don't know all wines despite although I'm a wine lover ]]> 20260202 10:15-11:15 MSK | 11:15-12:15 SAMT 1.5 2500 active Political correctness in comedies By the end of this session you will have studied Comedy as a cultural gauge | Monty Python - International Hairdressers Expedition on Everest
visual aid
Monty Python were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Their work included live shows, films, albums, books, and musicals; their influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles' influence on music. Their sketch show has been called "an important moment in the evolution of television comedy". Monty Python's Flying Circus was loosely structured as a sketch show, but its innovative stream-of-consciousness approach and Gilliam's animation skills pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content. Monty Python received the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in 1988. In 1998, they were awarded the AFI Star Award by the American Film Institute. Holy Grail and Life of Brian are frequently ranked on lists of the greatest comedy films. video Monty Python - International Hairdressers Expedition on Everest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F2SJS6B1wQ → watch the video → answer the questions zoom_meeting.png Zoom meeting details Profi.ru - D.Potter Zoom Meeting (recurring) Meeting ID: 765 1187 4648 Password: pFGjq3 https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76511874648?pwd=pqq81L5Zbdw6lT8hToYVMKUIJsisYn.1 ]]> Cross-cultural communication 26 26 5 Politically correct language 1/2 pix/icons8-dictionary-100_white.png 20231213 hw20231220 active wip xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd In the European heaven... ✓ policemen are English Why is this politically incorrect? → should be 'police officers are British' Some expressions introduced for political correctness have become part of standard English now. Which do you think is the more politically correct expression? → match the expressions with the categories → look at the key: which expressions do you think sound unnatural or far-fetched? ]]> 40 20 left 1;2;3;4;5;6;7;8;9 10;11;12;13;14;15;16;17;18 unmarried mother blacklisted housewife Third World countries bald fireman Black American blackboard deaf single parent banned home-maker developing countries follically challenged firefighter African-American chalkboard hearing-impaired https://purlandtraining.com/2020/08/01/politically-correct-euphemisms/
able-bodied > non-disabled actress > actor Australian Aborigine > Native Australian bald > follically challenged barman > bar attendant bin man > cleanliness technician black bag > bin bag black person > Person of Colour black sheep > pariah blackboard > chalk board blacklisted > banned blind > sight impaired blind drunk > very drunk boring > differently interesting broken home > dysfunctional family brother / sister > sibling chairman > chair Christian name > first name Christmas > Winter Festival / Winterval cleaner > facility manager clumsy > uniquely coordinated confined to a wheelchair > wheelchair user dead > passed away / terminally unavailable deaf > hearing impaired deforestation > forest management diabetic > person with diabetes dinner lady > mealtime supervisor disease > disorder drug addict > person with a chemical dependency drug habit > substance use disorder English > British / UK citizen Eskimo > Inuit fat > overweight / big-boned fireman > firefighter forefathers > ancestors / forebears Frenchman > French person get the sack > be part of a restructuring guys > folks hairdresser > stylist headmaster / headmistress > director homeless > residentially flexible homosexual > same-sex housewife > homemaker / stay-at-home mum husband / wife > spouse / significant other idiot / class clown > behaviourally challenged illegal alien / illegal > undocumented worker Indians > Native Americans job losses > restructuring junkie > person with a drug dependency
juvenile delinquents > children at risk ladies and gentlemen > everybody lost > geographically disorientated male nurse > nurse man in the street > average person man up > be brave manhole > maintenance hole mankind > humankind man-made > synthetic manpower > workforce men / women > people Merry Christmas > Happy Holidays midget / dwarf > little person minority group > numerically challenged group Miss / Mrs > Ms nut > person with a mental health condition Oriental > Asian plastic surgery > cosmetic surgery policeman > police officer poor > marginalised postman / mailman > postal worker / mail carrier prison cell > custody suite problem > opportunity / challenge promiscuous > sexually liberated prostitute > sex worker salesman > salesperson secretary > administrative assistant sex change > sex reassignment surgery (SRS) short > vertically challenged single > flying solo skinny / thin > (very) slim slum > economically deprived area spokesman > spokesperson sportsmanship > fairness steward / stewardess > flight attendant suffers from / victim of… > has… [condition] tax man > tax officer the disabled > disabled people the elderly / old people > senior citizens Third World > Developing Nations to lie > to misspeak / be economical with the truth to man sth > to operate / crew / run sth ugly > unconventional-looking unemployed > involuntarily leisured used (goods) > pre-owned / pre-loved waiter / waitress > server / waiting staff warehouse worker > warehouse operative white European > Caucasian woman priest > priest workman > worker wrong > differently logical
]]> 25 25 slapstick = type of humour that is based on simple actions, for example people hitting each other, falling down, etc double entendre = word or phrase that can be understood in two different ways, one of which usually refers to sex political correctness = (sometimes disapproving) the principle of avoiding language and behaviour that may offend particular groups of people politically correct = term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offence or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. Since the late 1980s, the term has been used to describe a preference for inclusive language and avoidance of language or behaviour that can be seen as excluding, marginalizing, or insulting to groups of people disadvantaged or discriminated against, particularly groups defined by ethnicity, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. In public discourse and the media, the term is generally used as a pejorative with an implication that these policies are excessive or unwarranted 24 24 1 Comedy as a cultural gauge | Monty Python - International Hairdressers Expedition on Everest active wip edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png To what extent can comedy be representative of a culture? visual aid Monty Python were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Their work included live shows, films, albums, books, and musicals; their influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles' influence on music. Their sketch show has been called "an important moment in the evolution of television comedy". Monty Python's Flying Circus was loosely structured as a sketch show, but its innovative stream-of-consciousness approach and Gilliam's animation skills pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content. Monty Python received the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in 1988. In 1998, they were awarded the AFI Star Award by the American Film Institute. Holy Grail and Life of Brian are frequently ranked on lists of the greatest comedy films. video Monty Python - International Hairdressers Expedition on Everest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F2SJS6B1wQ → watch the video → answer the questions]]> monty_python_hairdressers_expedition_on_everest_0F2SJS6B1wQ.mp4 What minorities are mocked? ✓ homosexual communities to mock = to laugh at sb/sth in an unkind way, especially by copying what they say or do What kind of people might feel ridiculed by such stereotypical description? ✓ female activists ≠ caricature of quaintrelles → may protest against suggested traits of behaviour, depicted as grossly unfit in such circumstances ✓ active, and yet dandy, men → today's men may use perfume & still be perceived as sporty & virile ✓ (Italian) hairdressers ← Mario's salon 〆sports people & Alpinists may disregard this sketch as tacky to ridicule = to make sb/sth look silly by laughing at them or it in an unkind way dandy = man who cares a lot about his clothes and appearance quaintrelle = woman who lives life passionately, emphasizing personal style, charm, wit, and the cultivation of leisurely pleasures. Often described as a female counterpart to a "dandy," she is a sophisticated, worldly, and educated individual who focuses on refined living virile /ˈvɪraɪl/ = (usually approving) (of men) strong and full of energy, especially sexual energy; having or showing the strength and energy that is considered typical of men tacky = (informal) cheap, badly made and/or lacking in taste What cultural dimensions can be elicited from this video? ✓ joy > restraint ✓ neuroticism ✓ short term orientation ✓ femininity > masculinity ✓ little power distance ✓ individualism > collectivism ✓ low uncertainty avoidance to elicit = to draw forth, make evident (what is latent) Could this video be considered offensive by today's standards? Why / why not? ✓ perhaps regarded by LGBTQ+ as a vestige of the past, some form of collective, micro-discrimination → minorities - nowadays victimised - are portrayed only as silly, one-track-minded people 〆some societies may still be hostile to gay communities nowadays and yet not poke fun at them either → not funny any more to mock men with a feminine behaviour 〆no genuine insight of what Mount Everest expeditions are either = only a cheesy caricature → no evidence of intentional offence caused to under-represented minorities vestige = small part of sth that still exists after the rest of it has stopped existing LGBTQ+ = lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (or queer) cheesy = (slang) of low quality and without style; corny; tacky Why is the term 'hairdresser' offensive? ✓ not politically correct... → use 'stylist' instead political correctness = (sometimes disapproving) principle of avoiding language and behaviour that may offend particular groups of people 23 23 gauge /ɡeɪdʒ/ = instrument for measuring the amount or level of sth to mock = to laugh at sb/sth in an unkind way, especially by copying what they say or do to ridicule = to make sb/sth look silly by laughing at them or it in an unkind way virile /ˈvɪraɪl/ = (usually approving) (of men) strong and full of energy, especially sexual energy; having or showing the strength and energy that is considered typical of men tacky = (informal) cheap, badly made and/or lacking in taste to elicit = to draw forth, make evident (what is latent) LGBTQ+ = lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (or queer) - In use since the late 1980s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for marginalized sexualities and gender identities vestige = small part of sth that still exists after the rest of it has stopped existing LGBTQ+ = lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (or queer) cheesy = (slang) of low quality and without style; corny; tacky quaintrelle = woman who lives life passionately, emphasizing personal style, charm, wit, and the cultivation of leisurely pleasures. Often described as a female counterpart to a "dandy," she is a sophisticated, worldly, and educated individual who focuses on refined living 22 22 How What do you call a woman who is In everywhere, in every situation, you can joke about... ]]> 20260130 10:15-11:15 MSK | 11:15-12:15 SAMT 1.5 2500 lc By the end of this session you will have studied Comedy as a cultural gauge | Monty Python - International Hairdressers Expedition on Everest
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Monty Python were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Their work included live shows, films, albums, books, and musicals; their influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles' influence on music. Their sketch show has been called "an important moment in the evolution of television comedy". Monty Python's Flying Circus was loosely structured as a sketch show, but its innovative stream-of-consciousness approach and Gilliam's animation skills pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content. Monty Python received the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in 1988. In 1998, they were awarded the AFI Star Award by the American Film Institute. Holy Grail and Life of Brian are frequently ranked on lists of the greatest comedy films. video Monty Python - International Hairdressers Expedition on Everest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F2SJS6B1wQ → watch the video → answer the questions zoom_meeting.png Zoom meeting details Profi.ru - D.Potter Zoom Meeting (recurring) Meeting ID: 765 1187 4648 Password: pFGjq3 https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76511874648?pwd=pqq81L5Zbdw6lT8hToYVMKUIJsisYn.1 ]]> 21 21 20260126 09:45-10:45 MSK | 10:45-11:45 SAMT 1.5 2500 active Political correctness - Blackface minstrelsy By the end of this session you will have studied Politically correct minstrels? visual aid → read the short introduction → answer the questions zoom_meeting.png Zoom meeting details Profi.ru - D.Potter Zoom Meeting (recurring) Meeting ID: 765 1187 4648 Password: pFGjq3 https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76511874648?pwd=pqq81L5Zbdw6lT8hToYVMKUIJsisYn.1 ]]> Cross-cultural communication 20 20 2 Politically correct minstrels? active wip pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png edit_ol_qa prep_2columns_2qa prep_ol_qa Should today's minstrels be politically correct? visual aid
A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. It originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist entertainer who sang songs and played musical instruments. Minstrels performed songs which told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty and high society. As the courts became more sophisticated, minstrels were eventually replaced at court by the troubadours, and many became wandering minstrels, performing in the streets; a decline in their popularity began in the late 15th century. Minstrels fed into later traditions of travelling entertainers, which continued to be moderately strong into the early 20th century, and which has some continuity in the form of today's buskers or street musicians. ]]> Who - in today's society - would play the role of former minstrels? known for his dark comedy and reflections on politics, the English language, psychology, religion and taboo subject matter. Carlin was a frequent performer and guest host on The Tonight Show during the three-decade Johnny Carson era ✓ self-proclaimed influencers starting out on TikTok 〆gain popularity by being vulgar rather than drawing attention to societal & cultural incongruities → want to resonate with their audience → today's society is probably less politically correct ]]> incongruity = appearing strange or wrong within a particular situation; unusual or different from what is around or from what is generally happening Did you know that many sketches by Benny Hill can't be found on the internet any more? Any ideas why? visual aid
✓ not politically correct ✓ arguably insulting ✓ political correctness becomes obsolete the moment a comment is made that something is not ]]> What change(s) in cultural values does this suggest? Equity in the name of collectivism or individualism? Restraint or indulgence? ✓ caricaturing Idi Amin was acceptable because he was a dictator ✓ playing this role is not insulting, painting your face black now is → questions equity = only Afro-Americans are allowed to mock themselves 〆lost ability to laugh at ourselves? → restraint in the name of collectivism & political correctness equity = situation in which everyone is treated equally 19 19 3 Political correctness - Blackface minstrelsy active wip edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png Is blackface minstrelsy truly offensive? Is political correctness an indicator of joy or restraint? video Benny Hill - Hot Gossamer (1979) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXHTYsAJ91w → watch the video [01:28-5:14] → imagine what viewers may write in the comments → read sample comments → answer the questions]]> As an African American who adored Benny Hill this doesn't offend me at all this was hilarious to me i still crack up at this sketch 😂😂😂 @byronbenguche I watched Benny Hill, growing up, and nobody even remotely thought that this kind of thing was racist! It was the furthest from our minds! @Mortthemoose ]]> benny_hill_hot_gossamer_1979_zXHTYsAJ91w.mp4 ✓ racism ✓ sexism ✓ shortism = unfair treatment of people who are short (i.e. not tall) sexism = unfair treatment of people, especially women, because of their sex In his career Benny Hill poked fun at a lot of people, professions, and places, himself most of all. I think most of us enjoyed the comedy without giving the social implications people would come up with years later a thought. @donaldmaxie9742 (...) Because, back then, Britain was far less educated, and far more racist, than it became from the ’90s onwards. Racism was still institutionalised and systemic back then. People from all sorts of minority cultures had a fight on their hands just to get recognition. And the face of that racism was the media’s popular entertainment - movies, radio, print media, comics, shows. You would not believe how racist, sexist, ableist and queerphobic the media was, back in the day. And where the media led, the public followed. Benny Hill was not the monster. He was just following the curve. The monster was the TV station which didn’t think twice about blackfacing, or making jokes about gay people, or mothers-in-law or women drivers Alex Greene https://www.quora.com/How-come-Benny-Hill-got-a-pass-for-wearing-blackface-He-possibly-played-all-the-minority-characters-on-his-show]]> ✓ people who grew up with Benny Hill are like fish that don't see water → a caricature depends on its high context environment ✓ today, most viewers will just see people of colour dancing In the 60's, Afro Americans were often considered the best disco dancers & musicians → could be interpreted as paying tribute to their talent Fish can't see water... ableism /ˈeɪbəlɪzəm/ aka ablism, disablism (British English), anapirophobia, anapirism, disability discrimination) = discrimination and social prejudice against physically or mentally disabled people. Ableism characterizes people as they are defined by their disabilities and also classifies disabled people as being inferior to non-disabled people Do you think this performance could still be broadcast on national Tv nowadays? Why / why not? 〆probably not because politically incorrect blackface minstrelsy = indigenous American theatrical form that constituted a subgenre of the minstrel show. Intended as comic entertainment, blackface minstrelsy was performed by a group of white minstrels (travelling musicians) with black-painted faces, whose material caricatured the singing and dancing of slaves. The form reached the pinnacle of its popularity between 1850 and 1870, when it enjoyed sizeable audiences in both the United States and Britain. (src: https://www.britannica.com/art/blackface-minstrelsy) What cultural dimension(s) may have changed since this show was recorded? ✓ shift from restraint to joy / indulgence, or the opposite? ✓ shift from masculinity to femininity (...) 18 18 4 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Cultural heaven and hell Using stereotypical behaviour to predict outcomes active wip xml_multi_dd_row Are you familiar with stereotypical behaviours associated to certain nations? 23 6 left in the European Heaven policemen
in the European Heaven lovers
in the European Heaven everything
in the European Heaven cooks
in the European Hell policemen
in the European Hell lovers
in the European Hell everything
in the European Hell ]]> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 masculinity ✓ low level of uncertainty avoidance = more tolerant → lovers are Italian ✓ indulgence ✓ multi-active → everything is organized by Germans ✓ high level of uncertainty avoidance ✓ linear-active approach however, in the European hell: → cooks are English ✓ individualism > collectivism → policemen are French ✓ high level of uncertainty avoidance = bureaucratic → lovers are German ✓ restraint → everything is organized by Italians ✓ multi-active ]]> 17 17 political correctness = (sometimes disapproving) the principle of avoiding language and behaviour that may offend particular groups of people politically correct = term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offence or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. Since the late 1980s, the term has been used to describe a preference for inclusive language and avoidance of language or behaviour that can be seen as excluding, marginalizing, or insulting to groups of people disadvantaged or discriminated against, particularly groups defined by ethnicity, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. In public discourse and the media, the term is generally used as a pejorative with an implication that these policies are excessive or unwarranted person of colour = primarily used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is primarily associated with, the United States; however, since the 2010s, it has been adopted elsewhere in the Anglosphere (often as person of colour), including relatively limited usage in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, South Africa, and Singapore (src: Wikipedia) blackface = practice of non-Black performers using burnt cork or theatrical make-up to portray a caricature of Black people on stage or in entertainment minstrel = entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. It originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist entertainer who sang songs and played musical instruments blackface minstrelsy = indigenous American theatrical form that constituted a subgenre of the minstrel show. Intended as comic entertainment, blackface minstrelsy was performed by a group of white minstrels (travelling musicians) with black-painted faces, whose material caricatured the singing and dancing of slaves. The form reached the pinnacle of its popularity between 1850 and 1870, when it enjoyed sizeable audiences in both the United States and Britain. Although blackface minstrelsy gradually disappeared from the professional theatres and became purely a vehicle for amateurs, its influence endured in later entertainment genres and media, including vaudeville theatre, radio and television programs, and the world-music and motion-picture industries of the 20th and 21st centuries (src: https://www.britannica.com/art/blackface-minstrelsy) gossamer = something super fine and delicate — like a spider web or the material of a wedding veil. The original gossamer, from which these meanings come from, is the fine, filmy substance spiders excrete to weave their webs. A dress can be gossamer-like, if its fabric is so sheer as to be see-through, or almost sexism = unfair treatment of people, especially women, because of their sex shortism = unfair treatment of people who are short (i.e. not tall) ableism /ˈeɪbəlɪzəm/ aka ablism, disablism (British English), anapirophobia, anapirism, disability discrimination) = discrimination and social prejudice against physically or mentally disabled people. Ableism characterizes people as they are defined by their disabilities and also classifies disabled people as being inferior to non-disabled people 16 16 unsafety absence of safety I feel myself in the centre of... He can influate influence other people ]]> 20260119 18:15-19:15 MSK | 19:15-20:15 SAMT 1.5 2500 active Case study - Regional manager in Baku | Kvass By the end of this session you will have studied Case study - Regional manager in Baku Shareholders want your company to penetrate new markets in Russia and Azerbaijan. A group of HR consultants are short-listing candidates for the position of regional sales manager in Baku.
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You are a consultant of Russian ethnicity born in Baku in the Soviet Union with local experience in sales & marketing. → brain-storm possible hurdles you may face with the local sales force e.g. power-distance, masculinity-femininity... e.g. striking a balance between local UAI (uncertainty avoidance index) and Russian LTO (long term orientation) → prepare a 5min presentation to the panel to explain your choice e.g. person-orientation approach with high-context awareness to counterbalance uncertainty avoidance zoom_meeting.png Zoom meeting details Profi.ru - D.Potter Zoom Meeting (recurring) Meeting ID: 765 1187 4648 Password: pFGjq3 https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76511874648?pwd=pqq81L5Zbdw6lT8hToYVMKUIJsisYn.1 ]]> Cross-cultural communication Regional sales manager in Baku 15 15 1/3 Regional sales manager in Baku active wip role_play visual aid You are a consultant of Russian ethnicity born in Baku in the Soviet Union with local experience in sales & marketing. → brain-storm possible hurdles you may face with the local sales force e.g. power-distance, masculinity-femininity... ]]> Consultant of Russian ethnicity born in Baku You believe one female director of sales has more potential than others for succeeding in this position although you are aware they have never had a female manager before. Haven't you heard of the country's recent efforts to rejuvenate its traditional image? e.g. Baku hosted the 57th Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, the 2015 European Games, 4th Islamic Solidarity Games, the European Grand Prix in 2016, the final of the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League I really don't think choosing a female director of sales would be a bad choice if she's competent! Business consultant → disagree with the other consultant → brain-storm possible hurdles a female director of sales may face with the local force I'm afraid power-distance is just too omnipresent in this country! Think about Hofstede's masculinity-femininity... On the other hand, if she's from a well-known family with an extended family of 300+ relatives, she might be intimidating enough in a patriarchal environment! 14 14 2/3 Regional sales manager in Baku active wip pix/icons8-lecturer-100_white.png prep_2columns_2qa prep_ol_qa visual aid → prepare a 5min presentation to the shareholders to explain your choice → make sure you answer at least the questions below ]]> Introduction
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Why may a person-oriented approach be a better choice?
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How can high-context awareness help a female regional sales manager in this position between Moscow and Baku?
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What steps should the regional sales manager take to counterbalance uncertainty avoidance?
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Conclusion
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]]> supremacist = person who believes that their own race is better than others and should be in power • • •
• being person-oriented rather than task-oriented (femininity rather than masculinity) may be risky given high uncertainty avoidance... • but could prove more diplomatic when only starting out in new markets with new partners • you don't want to impose your views (and be perceived as a supremacist!...)
• be attentive to what is expected before launching any new strategy • learn 'to read the air' • = high-context skill
• ask a senior person from Baku to introduce him/her to the local team • use senior endorsement to satisfy local power distance & uncertainty avoidance • (...)
• • •
]]> 13 13 3/3 Regional sales manager in Baku 20231206 hw20231213_n1 active wip pix/icons8-hand-with-pen-100_white.png prep_2columns_2qa prep_ol_qa visual aid → write skills & qualities expected from the ideal candidate to the shareholders → justify your choice (recycle cultural dimensions terminology) ]]> Striking a balance between local UAI (uncertainty avoidance index) and Russian LTO (long term orientation vs short term normative orientation) is essential, indeed (...) → example situation 12 12 frugality = prudence in avoiding waste perseverance = quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim in spite of difficulties indulgence = (usually disapproving) the state or act of having or doing whatever you want; the state of allowing sb to have or do whatever they want; something that you allow yourself to have even though it is not essential to shortlist (sb/sth for sth) = to put sb/sth on a shortlist for a job, prize, etc to rejuvenate = to make sb/sth look or feel younger or more lively hurdle = obstacle omnipresent = present everywhere power distance = strength of social hierarchy; has been defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. This represents inequality (more versus less), but defined from below, not from above. It suggests that a society's level of inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. Power and inequality, of course, are extremely fundamental facts of any society. All societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others (https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=orpc pg 8) masculinity-femininity = task-orientation versus person-orientation IDV (individualism-collectivism) = measures the extent to which people look out for each other as a team or look out for themselves as an individual UAI (uncertainty avoidance index) = indicates to what extent nations avoid the unknown; is not the same as risk avoidance: it deals with a society's tolerance for ambiguity. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. Unstructured situations are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual. Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to minimize the possibility of such situations by strict behavioural codes, laws and rules, disapproval of deviant opinions, and a belief in absolute Truth; 'there can only be one Truth and we have it' (https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=orpc pg 10) LTO (long-term orientation) = expresses how societies either prioritize traditions or seek for the modern in their dealings with the present and the future IVR (indulgence vs restraint) = comparison between a country's willingness to wait for long-term benefits by holding off on instant gratification, or preferences to no restraints on enjoying life at the present gender gap = difference in opinions or attitudes between men and women concerning a variety of public and private issues, including political candidates, parties, or programmes supremacist = person who believes that their own race is better than others and should be in power to read the air = ability to discern unspoken thoughts, emotions, and intentions in a social context. In English, it would be something close to, “Read between the lines.” In Japanese society, where harmony and group cohesion are highly valued, being able to “read the air” is a vital skill; does not simply refer to gauging people's expressions as they speak; it's about nurturing the ability to sense the existing atmosphere, propose and communicate ideas for improvement, and then execute those ideas to read the room = to understand their audience and adapt what they say to suit it; to be or become aware of the opinions and attitudes of a group of people that you are talking to Cross-cultural communication 11 11 1/2 Kvas advertising plan active role_play visual aid You work as a (cross-cultural) marketing consultant for a soft drinks company that wants to export to new markets. ]]> Marketing consultant → convince the board of directors to export Kvass → find arguments to support its cross-cultural appeal → explain how you will adapt the advertising campaign to (a selection of) target markets e.g. China, Kazakhstan, Serbia (or any country / region relevant to you) It's a great opportunity for people to spend time together in a market featuring such strong indulgent / joy indexes! Individualist culture is dominant in that region. (...) that's why we believe generations Y and Z will enjoy spending time together away from their families. Just look at Hofstede's masculinity-femininity dimension in this region: it shows emphasis on building relationships (femininity → person-oriented) rather than being task-oriented. (...) that's why we need an advertisement which shows people going out together with friends rather than their extended family. Member of the board of directors → partly disagree with the marketing consultant → brain-storm possible obstacles to sales in target markets I'm afraid power-distance is just too omnipresent in this country! Such a drink without alcohol will never bring people from a collectivist culture together... even if it's about keeping traditions by drinking a natural drink like Kvass. Look at the changes of cultural values between your target cohorts of generations in this part of the world! (...) this means the elder generation will be more restrained & less likely to change their taste. There's too much uncertainty avoidance in your target markets: they'll never want to try our Kvass when they've had Coca-Cola for so many years! 10 10 2/2 Kvas advertising plan 20231201 hw20231204 active pix/icons8-hand-with-pen-100_white.png edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa visual aid You work as a (cross-cultural) marketing consultant for a soft drinks company that wants to export to new markets. → write an advertising plan to export Kvass → support its cross-cultural appeal with relevant cultural dimensions (= recycle terminology) → describe a single, short advert for 2-3 target countries (1 paragraph only) e.g. China, Kazakhstan, Serbia (or any country / region relevant to you) → explain how you will adapt the advertising campaign to the selected target markets (with examples) ~ 350 words ]]> We believe generations Y and Z will enjoy spending time together drinking Kvass because... → examples of cross-cultural appeal (...) Our advertising plan is cost effective because we will be shooting basically the same story in different countries. In order to understand why our plan is effective, I'll explain the minor and major differences between the different versions. Indeed... → cultural characteristic of target country 1 Therefore... → scenario version 1 Indeed... → cultural characteristic of target country 2 Therefore... → scenario version 2 (...) 9 9 1 Can't we just print more money? active edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png visual https://sobrief.com/books/cant-we-just-print-more-money → answer the questions]]> https://sobrief.com/books/cant-we-just-print-more-money Key Takeaways 1. Economics is everywhere, shaping our daily choices and societal outcomes Economics affects all of us every day of our lives. Each time you make a choice about whether or not to work, whether to spend some money today or save it for tomorrow, go out for a meal or cook one at home, you are making an economic decision. Ubiquitous economic decisions. Every day, we make countless economic choices without realizing it. From deciding what to eat for breakfast to choosing a career path, these decisions involve trade-offs and opportunity costs. Economics provides a framework for understanding these choices and their implications. Markets and resource allocation. At its core, economics studies how societies allocate scarce resources. Markets play a crucial role in this process, coordinating the actions of millions of individuals through the forces of supply and demand. This "invisible hand" often leads to efficient outcomes, but not always. Societal impact. Economic forces shape not just individual choices, but entire societies. They influence: Income distribution Technological innovation Environmental sustainability Political systems Understanding these forces empowers individuals to make better decisions and engage more effectively in civic life. 2. Markets coordinate supply and demand, but can fail in crucial ways Economics can help us understand the forces that led to this happening, as well as how we should respond. Market mechanics. Markets bring together buyers and sellers, with prices acting as signals to coordinate their actions. When demand for a product increases, prices rise, incentivizing more production. This process generally leads to efficient outcomes, matching supply with demand. Market failures. However, markets can fail in important ways: Externalities: When the full costs or benefits of an action aren't reflected in market prices (e.g., pollution) Public goods: Products that benefit everyone but are difficult to charge for individually (e.g., national defense) Information asymmetries: When one party has more information than the other (e.g., used car sales) Monopolies: When a single seller dominates a market, leading to higher prices and less innovation Policy interventions. Recognizing these failures, policymakers often intervene in markets through: Regulations Taxes and subsidies Direct provision of goods and services Understanding market failures is crucial for addressing major societal challenges like climate change and healthcare provision. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX cont. from here 3. Labor markets determine wages and employment, with inherent frictions To understand labour markets you need to not just make sense of how markets work, but understand the peculiar ways in which they interact with the idiosyncratic economics of employment. Supply and demand for labor. Wages and employment levels are determined by the interaction of labor supply (workers) and demand (employers). Factors influencing this include: Worker skills and productivity Business needs and profitability Economic conditions Labor market frictions. Unlike in idealized markets, labor markets have inherent frictions that prevent perfect matching of workers to jobs: Search costs: Time and effort required to find suitable jobs or employees Geographic constraints: Workers may be unable or unwilling to relocate for jobs Skill mismatches: Available workers may lack the skills needed for open positions Policy implications. Understanding these frictions informs policies aimed at reducing unemployment and improving labor market efficiency, such as: Job search assistance programs Education and training initiatives Labor mobility support Recognizing the complexities of labor markets helps explain persistent unemployment and wage disparities, even in otherwise healthy economies. 4. Economic growth drives long-term prosperity, but has complex impacts You're richer than your ancestors because of economic growth. That economic growth comes from a combination of several factors – most notably, improvements in technology. Drivers of growth. Long-term economic growth primarily stems from: Technological innovation Capital accumulation (investment in productive assets) Human capital development (education and skills) Institutional improvements (rule of law, property rights) Compounding effects. Over time, even small differences in growth rates lead to massive differences in living standards. This explains why modern societies are so much wealthier than those of the past. Complexities and trade-offs. While growth generally improves living standards, it can have negative side effects: Environmental degradation Inequality (if benefits are unevenly distributed) Cultural disruption Policymakers must balance promoting growth with addressing these potential downsides. Sustainable development aims to achieve growth that improves quality of life without compromising future generations' well-being. 5. International trade allows specialization and mutual benefit between nations Even if there are lots of jobs across an entire economy, that doesn't mean there are lots of jobs on offer in the area where each individual is based. Comparative advantage. The key insight of international trade theory is that countries benefit by specializing in what they're relatively best at producing, even if they're not the absolute best. This counter-intuitive idea explains why trade can benefit all parties involved. Benefits of trade: Lower prices for consumers Greater product variety Increased economic efficiency Knowledge and technology transfer Challenges and controversies. While trade generally increases overall economic welfare, it can create losers within countries: Industries facing foreign competition may decline Workers may need to transition to new sectors This has led to political backlash against globalization in some countries. Policymakers face the challenge of balancing the broad benefits of trade with addressing its localized negative impacts. 6. Inflation erodes purchasing power over time, with wide-ranging effects Inflation can be thought of as a tax on keeping money. Just as income tax might take away a fraction of your salary every month, inflation takes away a fraction of your spending power. Causes of inflation. Price increases can be driven by: Demand-pull factors: Increased spending outpacing production Cost-push factors: Rising input costs (e.g., raw materials, wages) Monetary factors: Expansion of the money supply Economic impacts. Moderate, stable inflation is generally considered beneficial, but high or unpredictable inflation can be harmful: Erodes savings and fixed incomes Creates uncertainty, hampering investment Can lead to inefficient allocation of resources Policy responses. Central banks typically aim for low, stable inflation (often around 2% annually) using tools like: Interest rate adjustments Quantitative easing/tightening Understanding inflation is crucial for personal financial planning, business decision-making, and evaluating economic policies. 7. Money and banking are built on trust, facilitating economic activity Money is ultimately a system of mutually agreed trust; over the centuries, people have looked to reinforce that trust in various ways: drawing on the 'intrinsic' value of precious metals and commodities, drawing on the resources and power of the state, or even drawing on the cool logic of computer code. Evolution of money. Money has taken many forms throughout history, from commodity-based systems to today's fiat currencies. Its core functions remain constant: Medium of exchange Store of value Unit of account Banking system. Modern economies rely on a complex banking system that: Creates money through fractional reserve lending Facilitates payments and credit Helps manage economic risks Trust and regulation. The entire monetary and banking system relies on trust. Governments and central banks play crucial roles in maintaining this trust through: Deposit insurance Bank regulations Monetary policy Understanding money and banking is essential for grasping how modern economies function and the role of financial institutions in both facilitating growth and potentially creating instability. 8. Economic crises have far-reaching consequences and are difficult to predict Economists are all too aware of this phenomenon. Even Adam Smith recognised that there are some situations in which markets end up working against the common good. Anatomy of crises. Economic crises can stem from various sources: Financial bubbles and crashes Banking system failures External shocks (e.g., pandemics, natural disasters) Policy mistakes These events can trigger a self-reinforcing cycle of declining confidence, reduced spending, and job losses. Widespread impacts. Economic crises affect far more than just financial markets: Unemployment and income loss Business failures Social and political instability Long-term "scarring" effects on growth Prediction challenges. Forecasting crises is notoriously difficult due to: Complex, interconnected economic systems Inherent unpredictability of human behavior Potential for "black swan" events While economists have developed tools to better understand and potentially mitigate crises, perfect prediction remains elusive. This underscores the importance of building resilient economic systems and maintaining policy flexibility. 9. Policymakers use various tools to manage the economy, with limitations Just like Smith's workers in the pin factory, countries tend to specialise in producing certain things – the things they're best at making –then swap these items through trade. Monetary policy. Central banks use tools like interest rate adjustments and quantitative easing to influence: Inflation Employment Overall economic activity Fiscal policy. Governments use taxation and spending to: Provide public goods and services Redistribute income Stabilize the economy during downturns Limitations and trade-offs. Economic management faces several challenges: Time lags between policy changes and their effects Unintended consequences Political constraints Globalization reducing national policy effectiveness Policy debates. Economists and policymakers often disagree on the optimal approach to managing the economy, with ongoing debates about: The appropriate balance between markets and government intervention The effectiveness of different policy tools How to address long-term challenges like inequality and climate change Understanding these policy tools and their limitations is crucial for informed civic engagement and evaluating economic proposals. Last updated: April 22, 2025 ]]> What are ubiquitous economic decisions? Every day, we make countless economic choices without realizing it. From deciding what to eat for breakfast to choosing a career path, these decisions involve trade-offs and opportunity costs. Economics provides a framework for understanding these choices and their implications invisible hand?]]> ✓ how societies allocate scarce resources ✓ markets play a crucial role in this process → coordinate actions of millions of individuals through the forces of supply and demand → often leads to efficient outcomes, but not always What is the societal impact of economic forces? ✓ income distribution ✓ technological innovation ✓ environmental sustainability ✓ political systems → understanding empowers individuals to make better decisions → engage more effectively in civic life How do market mechanics coordinate supply and demand? ✓ bring together buyers and sellers ✓ prices act as signals to coordinate actions → when demand for a product increases, prices rise → incentivise more production ✓ leads to efficient outcomes, matching supply with demand Why can markets fail to coordinate supply and demand? How should we respond to that? ✓ externalities = when the full costs or benefits of an action aren't reflected in market prices (e.g., pollution) ✓ public goods = products that benefit everyone but are difficult to charge for individually (e.g., national defence) ✓ information asymmetries = when one party has more information than the other (e.g., used car sales) ✓ monopolies = when a single seller dominates a market → leads to higher prices and less innovation How do policymakers often intervene in markets? ✓ regulations ✓ taxes and subsidies ✓ direct provision of goods and services → understanding market failures is crucial for addressing major societal challenges like climate change and healthcare provision 8 8 cue = action or event that is a signal for sb to do sth; a few words or an action in a play that is a signal for another actor to do sth China, Empire of the Middle = China's traditional name, Zhongguo (中國), meaning "Middle Kingdom," reflecting its historical self-perception as the centre of civilization, bridging the divine (Heaven) and the earthly world, a concept that evolved from referring to the central plains to the entire unified empire, influencing its worldview and cultural significance frugality = using only as much money or food as is necessary 7 7 a privatisation process of national assets they have made (OR kept) their own elite You should detect when they are receiving experiencing new feelings If I would start started some popular advert If the political situation would be were another different Not so much many people are interested ]]> alumni /ə'ləm,nai/ determine /dɪˈtə:mɪn/ alien /ˈeɪljən/ elite /ə'li:t/ 20260116 09:45-10:45 MSK | 10:45-11:45 SAMT 1.5 2500 active Understanding the differences between low context and high context cultures By the end of this session you will have studied Leadership Speaker Erin Meyer: Low Context vs. High Context Societies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oYfhTC9lIQ Watch the video. → are the statements below true or false? zoom_meeting.png Zoom meeting details Profi.ru - D.Potter Zoom Meeting (recurring) Meeting ID: 765 1187 4648 Password: pFGjq3 https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76511874648?pwd=pqq81L5Zbdw6lT8hToYVMKUIJsisYn.1 ]]> Cross-cultural communication 6 6 1 Lead in Understanding the differences between low context and high context cultures active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png visual aid
Erin Meyer is a professor at INSEAD, where she directs the executive education programme Leading Across Borders and Cultures. She is also the co-author (with Reed Hastings) of No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention (Penguin, 2020). Watch the video to find out why. video Leadership Speaker Erin Meyer: Low Context vs. High Context Societies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oYfhTC9lIQ Are the statements below true or false?]]> erin_meyer_low_context_vs_high_context_societies_9oYfhTC9lIQ.mp4 Audio transcript in a low context society while we are communicating we assume that we have a low level of shared context what does that mean it means that we don't have the same reference points or the same body of knowledge or relationships that we have a low level of shared context so in a low context society we believe that good effective professional communication is a communication that's very explicit it's very simple and very clear in a low conduct society we're trained that if I want you to understand blue then I have to say blue literally we're trained in a low context culture that if I give a presentation I should tell you what I'm going to tell you and then I should tell you and then I should tell you what I've told you why do I tell you the same thing three times because we're focused overall on making sure that the message was passed simply and clearly in a high context society while we're communicating we assume or consider that we have a larger body of shared context that we have the same reference points body of knowledge information and because we assume all of this shared context in a high context society we believe good effective communication is a communication that's more implicit or layered or nuanced I had a German individual who said to me you know Aaron in Germany at the end of a meeting we almost always do a recap first we do a verbal recap and then we do a written recap that's low context right clarification clarification clarification he said now that I've been working frequently with the French I often find that at the end of a meeting I'll get ready to do a recap and my French colleagues will just stand up and someone will say eh voila there it is and I'll think to myself but voila what and then I'll be very surprised to see that it just seems that people know what's been sited that they know what's supposed to happen next without going through all of those levels of clarification that I'm so used to in my own culture I had a second example I was doing some work a while ago in Istanbul and I had a Turkish client who was telling me about all of these issues that he was having with his new American boss and I said when your boss was here did you tell him what you're telling me now and he said well you know Aaron I made it known so that he could see it if he wanted to see it and I thought to myself he probably didn't see it right I'll give you a third example from China I was giving a presentation at a conference in China last year and all the people in the room worked for the same multinational American company before I worked within the Chairman who was this American from New York City gave a presentation that went very well and then he left afterwards when I was working with the group we were talking about this and I had the Chinese human resource director raise his hand and he said you know Aaron this concept is very interesting to me because the whole time the chairman was talking I was trying to make sure that I was listening with all of my senses that I was picking up all of the levels of meaning that he might be trying to pass now that I look at this I'm asking myself the question is it possible that there was no meaning beyond that you know first those simple words that he was saying and I thought to myself that that chairman would have been really surprised to note think that anyone was trying to understand his message beyond the first degree When you give a presentation in a low context culture you should tell people what you're going to tell them, then you should tell them, and then you should tell them what you've told them. ✓ true → you tell the same thing three times because you are focused overall on making sure that the message was passed simply and clearly In a low context culture you are focused overall on making sure that the message was passed simply and clearly because while you are communicating you assume you have a large body of shared context. 〆false → you assume you haven't got a large body of shared context In a high context society people believe good effective communication is more explicit. 〆false → it is more implicit Germany has low context culture because (for example) at the end of a meeting they almost always do a recap first, then do a verbal recap, and then do a written recap. ✓ true → low context clarification 〆excessive clarification may put people off = reminiscent of condescending approach → treating audience in a childish manner In Istanbul, a Turkish client had problems with his new American boss, so he made it known so that his boss could see it if he wanted to see it. His American boss probably got the message. 〆false → the American boss is probably not used to reading implicit, high context clues 5 5 3 Avoiding communication breakdown active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png visual aid ]]> I hear what you say. ✓ I'm afraid I can't agree & would rather not continue this discussion. With the greatest respect | With all due respect. ✓ It doesn't seem to be a very reasonable | sensible idea. That's not bad. ✓ Thumbs up! That is a very brave proposal. ✓ It doesn't sound like a good idea at all. Quite good. ✓ (Perhaps) you should try harder. I would suggest ✓ Please do so, unless you can provide a better solution. Oh, incidentally / By the way ✓ What is important is that... (cleft sentence) I was a bit disappointed that ✓ I'm sorry to say I'm annoyed with... Very interesting. ✓ I don't think it makes sense. ✓ I think you've lost me. I'll bear it in mind. ✓ We probably needn't spend too much time on that. I'm sure it's my fault. ✓ A mistake has been made. ✓ There's a mistake in your solution. ✓ It seems you have omitted some important facts. ! might be a polite way to avoid your interlocutor losing face You must come for dinner. ✓ It's been a pleasure to meet you. I almost agree. ✓ Let's agree to disagree (on that one). I only have a few minor comments. ✓ You'll probably need to rewrite after reading my comments. Could we consider some other options? ✓ I don't think we should stop at that - we must do better. ✓ We should find some alternatives. Cross-cultural communication 4 4 3 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png High context and low context countries active 3 xml_multi_dd_row Are the following countries more high context or low context? 20 16 left 1;2;3;4;5 6;7;8;9 10;11;12;13;14;15;16 17;18;19;20;21;22;23 USA Canada Australia Netherlands Germany Poland Finland Denmark UK Argentina Brazil Spain Italy France Russia Singapore Kenya India Iran Saudi Arabia China Korea Japan visual aid ]]> 3 3 4 Communication breakdown How to avoid and/or mitigate communication breakdowns using the low context and high context culture approaches active pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png edit_2columns_2qa prep_2columns_2qa edit_1qa How can you use the high context vs low context approach to cultures to avoid a communication breakdown? Explain what went wrong on both sides. Díaz was quite certain Mr Chen had said he was coming. Mr Chen was quite certain he had communicated that he absolutely could not come because he was going to be celebrating his daughter’s birthday with his family. Suggest how the manager could have avoided this misunderstanding. 〆after 15 years in China, Mr Diaz should have taken for granted that using only a low context approach is not the best solution → as a senior manager, Mr Diaz should be held responsible for communicating with his staff members ✓ need to paraphrase to avoid a closed question such as 'Can you join us on Sunday?' e.g. ask about Mr Chen's plans, describe what needs to be done more thoroughly with the client e.g. should explain that since Mr Chen is a specialist in this area, he really has to be present... = provide the big picture → don't put Chinese (and more generally Asian) employees in a situation where they can't say no 2 2 hide hidden They have no any emotional components He gave him this possibility for him to see and listen hear | understand ]]> explicit /ɪksˈplɪsɪt/ component /kəmˈpəunənt/ 20260112 09:45-10:45 MSK | 10:45-11:45 SAMT 1.5 2500 lc Kvass By the end of this session you will have studied Leadership Speaker Erin Meyer: Low Context vs. High Context Societies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oYfhTC9lIQ Watch the video. → are the statements below true or false? zoom_meeting.png Zoom meeting details Profi.ru - D.Potter Zoom Meeting (recurring) Meeting ID: 765 1187 4648 Password: pFGjq3 https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76511874648?pwd=pqq81L5Zbdw6lT8hToYVMKUIJsisYn.1 ]]> 1 1