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What’s in a Name? Japan’s Single Surname Law Faces a Modern Reckoning
In a world where most countries leave the decision of shared surnames up to personal preference or a level of social expectation, Japan remains a striking outlier. It is the only country in the world that legally requires married couples to adopt a single surname. Whilst the law technically allows either partner’s name to be Continue reading
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Siblings, Success, and the Bottom Line: The Quiet Power of Birth Order
By all accounts, my brother and I have both built good careers- his in a dynamic, creative field; mine in a more analytical and structured world. We were raised in the same household, by the same parents, with the same expectations around hard work and integrity. Yet in life, we’ve always danced to different rhythms, Continue reading
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Are We Living in an Accelerated Version of the 80s?Money, Fashion, and Class Politics in the Age of Aesthetic Re-runs
The 1980s were famously defined by Gordon Gekko’s immortal line in the 1987 movie Wall Steet: “Greed is good.” Finance bros, leveraged buyouts, and the yuppie lifestyle came to represent the era’s unapologetic worship of wealth. Today, the same ethos persists- except it’s wrapped in pastel hues, designer logos, and TikTok-ready “Get Ready With Me” Continue reading
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VAT Reversal: A Relief for Consumers, But at What Cost?
When South Africa’s Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana formally withdrew the proposed VAT hike earlier this year, many South Africans felt a sense of relief. With living costs climbing and economic growth stagnating, the idea of paying more at the till was understandably unpopular. Scrapping the 0.5 percentage point VAT increase spares households some pain—but it Continue reading
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A Modern Twist on Old Tensions: The Complicated Allure of the Far Right
“History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes” – Mark Twain. Eight EU member states—Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Austria—now have far-right parties as part of their governing coalitions. In Germany, a political party flagged as potentially ‘extremist’ by authorities recently secured a state election victory. Far-right parties also Continue reading
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I still find bits of your fur, scattered like lost memories across our lives.
“I loved you your whole life and I’ll miss you the rest of mine.” Unknown Author I still find bits of your fur, scattered like lost memories across our lives. In forgotten corners in our home, on my chair at work, on old linen. Bittersweet reminders that always seem to pop-up when I least expect Continue reading
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Lessons from Attila the Hun: Leadership, Economics, and Social Strategy from the Scourge of God
There, where I have passed, the grass will never grow again. Historically attributed to Atilla the Hun While idly working my way through some menial house chores the other day, listening to a podcast about Attila the Hun from one of my favourite Noiser series called Real Dictators playing in the background (honestly, it makes Continue reading
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The Historical Echoes of “House of the Dragon”
House of the Dragon, a prequel to the immensely popular TV series Game of Thrones (based on the best-selling novels Fire & Blood and A Song of Ice & Fire), delves into the Targaryen Civil War, referred to as the Dance of the Dragons. While set in a fantastical world of dragons and ancient magic, Continue reading
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Not all that shines is gold: The hidden history of the Olympic Games
The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”– Pierre de Coubertin (1894) As I sit on the couch, popcorn in hand, critiquing the flawless flips and gravity-defying feats of the gymnasts on my screen, it’s hard not to be swept Continue reading
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A love letter to Mr Darcy and the little boy who lived in a cupboard under the stairs
Oh, the hours I spent as a child curled up with a classic Jane Austen novel, where the intricate social dynamics of Regency England came alive, or the relative lifetimes I spent in the magical world of Harry Potter, where spells and enchantments whisked me away on fantastical adventures. Though vastly different in setting… Continue reading
Bacchus MindEconomy Chronicle 