Thinking about people, work, organisation & performance. Thoughts here are my own. RT not endorsement.
Canberra
Joined January 2013
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David Schmidtchen retweeted
Some critics say that men would benefit from being more emotionally open with one other—but @Tyler_A_Harper argues that the real crisis of male friendship is rooted in a different problem: theatlantic.com/family/2026/…
David Schmidtchen retweeted
"From time to time I still use slides which were first deployed for a talk I gave in 1996. They describe the change of direction at ICI, the company which had been for most of the 20th century the largest industrial company. In 1987 its mission statement was ‘ICI aims to be the world’s leading chemical company, serving customers internationally through the innovative and responsible application of chemistry and related science. Through achievement of our aim, we will enhance the wealth and well-being of our shareholders, our employees, our customers and the communities which we serve and in which we operate’
In 1994 the mission had become ‘Our objective is to maximise value for our shareholders by focusing on businesses where we have market leadership, a technological edge and a world competitive cost base’"
Ethics in Finance and Business – John Kay johnkay.com/2018/09/16/ethic…
David Schmidtchen retweeted
Book sales were higher in 2025 than they were in 2019.
The number of independent bookstores in the US grew by 70% from 2020 to 2025.
Readers borrowed 10% more books from libraries in 2025 than in 2024.
As Mark Twain said, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.
David Schmidtchen retweeted
"While AI assistance may ease initial learning, it appears to undermine the effortful processes needed for robust learning. These results have important implications of how generative AI tools should be integrated into higher education." sciencedirect.com/science/ar…
David Schmidtchen retweeted
Robert Pogue Harrison on the varieties of our ignorance go.nybooks.com/4bxQHB1
David Schmidtchen retweeted
OPINION | Policy fatalism erodes belief government can act, undermining trust, morale, and expertise. The APS must respond, but constraints mean it cannot rebuild confidence alone.
themandarin.com.au/309772-wh…
David Schmidtchen retweeted
This paper by Novelli et al. shows that metaphors like "black box" and "hallucinations" shape how we regulate AI, often leading to misconceptions. Calls for reframing these patterns as design-based hazards. spkl.io/6015AIvV3 #AI #Regulation #Ethics
David Schmidtchen retweeted
Now available! This book is a delectable history of macaroni and cheese, tracing an extraordinary journey of cultural exchange and social change. buff.ly/D7BNBWg #MacAndCheese #FoodHistory #CulinaryHistory #SoulFood #CulturalHistory
David Schmidtchen retweeted
Can we really create more cohesive societies by banning everything we deem to be not cohesive? It can be part of the approach, but there's more work to do. @rlwickes @khardyGCI @Griffith_Uni theconversation.com/we-cant-…
David Schmidtchen retweeted
Out today, 7 years in the making — a reckoning with what makes a body a person, what makes a planet a world, and what gives meaning to our tender, transient lives: themarginalian.org/traversal…
David Schmidtchen retweeted
Leaders who are pushing for four or five days in the office are fixated on the wrong problem. Hybrid work is not a policy challenge — it’s a leadership capability challenge. mitsmr.com/4oNGFke
David Schmidtchen retweeted
Perhaps we shouldn’t get too carried away by what machines—notably humanoid robots—*can* do, and keep an eye on what they (still) can’t do.
Dexterity still seems a particularly hard challenge, writes @_brianpotter:
buff.ly/Ku8BJ8k
David Schmidtchen retweeted
“In some ways technology is a great equaliser both within countries and between countries.”
Watch this year’s economic science laureate Joel Mokyr talk about the impact of technology, in particular mobile phones, at our Nobel Prize Dialogue event from 2015. Mokyr was awarded the 2025 prize in economic sciences for showing how new technology can drive sustained growth.
See the full conversation ‘How will AI change the world?’: youtube.com/watch?v=KUFGWBnJ…
David Schmidtchen retweeted
A psychology professor argues that young people, especially Gen Z-ers, are facing an “epidemic of perfectionism,” largely fuelled by social media. nyer.cm/8READOl
David Schmidtchen retweeted
Read the original essay here: hedgehogreview.com/issues/le…
We don’t give walking a second thought because it’s such a natural part of our lives. It feels automatic, familiar, and almost invisible. But each stumble a robot makes reminds us that we are not machines.
wombatsafari.substack.com/p/…
We “grab an Uber” or “hop on a train.” The language of movement has shifted from effort to efficiency, from body to machine. Phrases like hoof it, leg it, and Shank’s pony have faded. But what if we’re losing more than just quirky expressions?
wombatsafari.substack.com/p/…
In a world where our attention is being treated as a resource to be captured, caged, commodified, and mined, sauntering is a word whose time has come.
wombatsafari.substack.com/p/…
In an age of speed, distraction, and constant productivity, the Cloud Appreciation Society’s motto, “look up,” encourages us to shift our perspective.
wombatsafari.substack.com/p/…