Why be interested in economics

I didn't take economics at school or college and the less said about my university days, the better.

I come to economics from a background in electronics and IT. All topics being on a par along the grey scale of exciting dinner party conversation.

You may ask, why the interest now? The answer to that lies with a cause that I have supported since 2008 - War Child.

War Child support children living in war zones. That these children suffer as a result of man's grievous folly strikes me as unjust and, in fact, it pisses me off.

I've undertaken a series of challenges to raise money and awareness for War Child. I'm proud of the amount I've helped raise that has funded projects to protect and rehabilitate child victims of war.

But one thing chafes me still; all the projects are after the fact; the wars happen, children suffer then War Child swoop in. What I want to do is help prevent wars and stop there being a need for War Child.

The question 'how do we prevent war?' is too broad to address here and for my tiny mind. But after some consideration it was clear that one cause of war is disparity of resources.

The have nots want what the haves, have. The fortunate haves consisting of individuals, corporations and nations. The top 5% of the world who own more than their share.

I'm not suggesting that financial equality would eradicate war but the evolution of the human spirit required to achieve such equality might.

Yet in our capitalist world we overlook the financial aspects of societies' ills. It is always the fault of someone, NEVER the fault of the system.

But the more I learn, the more I see that it is the financial system that needs reassessing and adjusting. The invisible yoke that has burdened us for 2 centuries needs removing.

Changing the relationship between politics and finance is key to addressing rampant injustice. That is why I am interested in economics, I hope that I can convince you that you need to be too.

I know nothing

I don't know what I'm writing about.

I know nothing of GDP, of where or how money is produced, I don't understand the difference between money and credit or how the taxation system or commodity markets work. Do you?

If you do then this blog probably isn't for you. Please do feel free to stick around and offer corrections where necessary, though.

If you don't then welcome, thank you for reading.

Don't you think it is odd that we live in a capitalist society yet know little of the way capitalism actually works? Doesn't it gnaw at you to see those who have so much already prosper even more while the rest of us scramble and squabble over their scraps.

Don't be confused by my rhetoric, I am a capitalist, I think it can be a great leveller of people and nations. Used wisely I think capitalism can provide for the world. But if we look at the world to today it is clear capitalism in it's current format is not working. The odds are stacked in the favour of the 5% who control the staggering majority of the world's wealth. Why should this be so?

Do you want to understand it? I sure do! I want to understand it, I want to share it and I want to change it.

Mindfulness in Minutes

I have a friend, a devotee of meditation as a means to achieving mindfulness and equanimity. He will often sit for an hour at a time in meditation. An HOUR!

If, like me, you desire a mindful state yet are often busy on Facebook and Twitter, outside having adventures or working then you simply do not have time to sit still for that long. And so the lofty aspiration of achieving a Yoda-like state of mind will always evade us.

Or perhaps not.

Here are 2 methods of practising mindfulness that do not require hours of your precious time spent in lotus position:

• Micro Meditations: Break meditation down into a few short sessions per day. 

Waiting for the microwave to heat that ready-meal? Great, sit down and begin to notice your posture, are you comfortable or carrying any tension in the body? Just bring your awareness to it and relax. Notice your breathing, bringing the breath down into the belly, then observe any thoughts and feelings until PING your mac n' cheese is done and so is your bite-sized meditation.

I find using a trigger helps to remind me to practice. I meditate while I wait for the kettle boil or my ready-meal to heat in the microwave. Once you have developed a mental cue to remind you to practice the habit forms effortlessly.

• Active Meditations: These are great and do not require the use of a microwave.

During your day become aware of certain things that are going on. These could be anything! I notice the sensation in my feet as I walk to work, or I lookout for a particular colour or listen for a sound - something that makes you observe the present moment that you can stick with for some time.

If you notice that your mind has strayed then bring it back to focus on the present.

These simple techniques only take minutes to perform yet are so beneficial in helping you achieve clarity, calmness and reduce anxiety and stress. Give them a try and let me know how you get on

Of this, Yoda approves.