https://www.scmp.com/rss/323504/feed Patrik K. Meyer holds a PhD in politics and international studies from the University of Cambridge and conducts research on the impact of AI on the human brain and lives. He is currently a visiting professor at Halic University in Istanbul and a research associate at the CCDP, Geneva Graduate Institute, en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com International organisations, civil societies, governments and scientists around the world all see population ageing as one of the most significant challenges this century. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) argues that rapid global population growth is not the most pressing issue but that “ageing is the real population bomb”. This is because the number of working-age people declines in a rapidly ageing population, leading to a shortage of qualified workers which makes it difficult for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250604/dont-fear-ageing-population-rising-inequality-real-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250604/dont-fear-ageing-population-rising-inequality-real-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Feb 2024 08:30:09 +0000 The genetically programmed survival instinct is a core driving force behind human industry and creativity. Achieving food security, providing a comfortable and safe living environment, acquiring new skills and developing ways to facilitate and extend lives have been dominant human objectives for centuries. Even when it comes to obtaining an education, the main goal is to acquire knowledge and expertise to ensure a safe, stable and long life for us, our families and communities. For millennia,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3223308/once-ai-can-do-everything-us-what-do-we-do?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3223308/once-ai-can-do-everything-us-what-do-we-do?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jun 2023 19:30:11 +0000 Rights related to education, employment, freedom of opinion and expression, voting, health care, privacy, religion and culture, and many others, are constantly being discussed in public forums and private circles. There is an endless flow of Western academic research exploring, describing and defending people’s rights. Western governments present themselves as the ultimate protectors of rights of all kinds and frequently introduce new policies and laws aimed at shaping society to reflect... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3038865/hong-kong-protesters-have-made-it-clear-they-know-their-rights-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3038865/hong-kong-protesters-have-made-it-clear-they-know-their-rights-they?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Nov 2019 03:30:10 +0000 Historically, important decisions in governments and societies have been made by an elite group of leaders, whose motivations were not ensuring security and the improvement of people’s lives but the shielding of elite privileges and the pursuit of ideologies and objectives of questionable value to the people. Now, with the arrival of powerful new technologies, in particular artificial intelligence, the dominance of the elites is being superpowered to unprecedented levels. For centuries,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3017461/google-facebook-and-beyond-beware-rise-new-generation-elites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3017461/google-facebook-and-beyond-beware-rise-new-generation-elites?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jul 2019 15:00:05 +0000 From the beginning of the Syrian conflict, Western governments and mainstream news outlets have been waging a deceptive media war to remove the current regime. They say it is illegitimate and ruthless, poses a threat to both Syrians and the region as a whole, and should be replaced by the leaders of the so-called Syrian revolution, who will arguably transform Syria into a country where every voice is heard and every need addressed. These seemingly meaningful and altruistic intentions are,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2058843/west-must-stop-its-deceptive-mantra-regime-change-syria-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2058843/west-must-stop-its-deceptive-mantra-regime-change-syria-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jan 2017 07:27:40 +0000 In the past, I have refrained from questioning the soundness of the Western democratic system because I felt it was futile to challenge the deep-rooted belief that it was the best mankind could aspire to. Arguing that this system was fundamentally flawed would result in either being ignored or treated with scorn – as I was for an article on “Chinese capillary democracy”, in which I argued that Western democracies should consider changing how their leaders are elected and adopt a more... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2039542/why-popular-vote-treasured-fans-western-democracies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2039542/why-popular-vote-treasured-fans-western-democracies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Oct 2016 07:30:15 +0000