Share Sounds. from Thought for the Week presented by Gavin Oldham related to Politics - World

As Liz Truss takes the hot seat in British politics, we explain why political leaders must embrace disintermediation and servant leadership as the way forward to a better world. Arrogance is so often the Achilles heel of leaders, and genuine humility is hard to detect. So, as the new Prime Minister takes the reins in 10 Downing St, we call for a proper understanding of servant leadership and explain why disintermediation is critical to effective delivery, the ability for all to share both wealth and opportunity, and a legacy of continuing progress for the future. Background music: 'When All of This is Over' by The Westerlies

Opening the Lambeth Conference last week, Archbishop Justin drew his colleagues' attention to the ‘lions’ threatening humanity with attack, hostility, danger and uncertainty, summarising them as climate change, religious extremism, war and government oppression, economic injustice and poverty, and culture wars. His comments on science and technology were more circumspect, accepting their capacity to deliver solutions as well as to present challenges. It is, however, important to recognise how long-term and short-term motivations to tackle these challenges are so often in conflict. In a world where our actions today influence the long-term more acutely than at any time in history, we must re-balance our search for solutions in order to avoid the long-term being continually eclipsed by, and often sacrificed to, the short-term. Background music: Brass Chorale and Motet by Sir Cubworth Links via: https://www.shareradio.co.uk/thinkingaloud/newsletters/comment-wc-2022-08-08/

The dilemma between whether to engage or detach has challenged humanity for millennia. In all walks of life, from international tensions to faith, and from living in a civilized society to personal relationships, it challenges us — whether to work hard at finding solutions, or to stand aloof. As we've seen in Ukraine, with international relationships detachment leads ultimately to conflict. It's an outcome which our ancestors have had to suffer throughout history but, since the mass deployment of nuclear weapons, it is now an existential threat every bit on a par with the other great issue of our time: climate change. In both respects, engagement is now not only the preferred way forward — it's the only way which makes it possible to see a long-term future. Background music: 'Resolution' by Wayne Jones

Welcome to our 250th commentary, produced over these last five years since Share Radio moved to 100% online broadcasting. It's been a period of massive change and increasing clarity on what we need to do to sort out the problems of the world, and we hope these thoughts are making some contribution in that respect. To mark this staging point we thought it might be helpful to set out some of the guiding principles which have steered, and will continue to steer, our comment. For our full list of commentaries, please visit https://www.shareradio.co.uk/thinkingaloud/newsletters/ Background music: Hovering Thoughts by Spence

The Commonwealth's extraordinary ability to reconcile and accept diversity of politics and faith in this huge and growing family of nations started with Elizabeth seventy years ago. Democracy works well within nations, but her generosity of spirit has proved how an appointed leader can bring about real reconciliation between nations. The British people have yet to learn what this lesson of true partnership in the Commonwealth of nations and faith really means. We are too quick to recall our sense of history and importance, too quick to reach for our Union Jacks and our ‘Rule Britannia’. We have a lot to learn from our Queen, and perhaps we should start by paying much more attention to the Commonwealth which she has fostered so brilliantly over the past seventy years. Background music: Airline by Geographer

Our commentary for w/c 28 February: as Peter Kropotkin predicted over 100 years ago, the communist legacy of centralised dictatorship has left the Russian leadership in a total moral vacuum, steered by fear and greed; and now, noting their nuclear warning, also with a degree of insanity. By a strange co-incidence, two programmes broadcast by the BBC on the day the war started point the way to a brighter future, if we can steer our path through the current tragedy engulfing Ukraine.