Avengers demolish another record
The worldwide box office has seen Marvel comic-books' most loved characters storm past the $1 billion mark this week. With demigod Loki (Tom Hiddleston) threatening the world with an alien army, S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) pools the talents of a host of maverick superheroes. Quotes from Marvel's Avengers Assemble illustrate issues of freedom, atonement and worth.
The David Brent effect
New research claims that British managers suffer from a reality gap when it comes to their ability to handle their workers. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has just published a survey of 2,000 employees and managers suggesting that managers are overestimating their leadership skills, and calling for a change in attitudes. We have an enlightening statistic from the study, along with background information and suggestions for how it could be used in a talk.
Liquid Trust Chemistry World magazine has this month argued that the 'trust' hormone, oxytocin, must be regulated. Best known as a labour-inducing drug, oxytocin is now being peddled online to help people secure jobs and relationships. 'For only £39.99 you can purchase a two week supply of liquid trust' boasts one website. An illustration based on this moral debate explores how trustworthy we really are and how desperately we crave acceptance.
