David McAra
@davidmcara.bsky.social
Recovering engineer, systems thinker, organisational learner.
Where does the pressure to ask the impossible question come from? It seems to be a game all are trapped in. It must be frustrating because you can surely see how fruitless it is. Please try to encourage more respectful engagement between diverse viewpoints . @vicderbyshire.bsky.social
December 2, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Where does the pressure to ask the impossible question come from? It seems to be a game all are trapped in. It must be frustrating because you can surely see how fruitless it is. Please try to encourage more respectful engagement between diverse viewpoints . @vicderbyshire.bsky.social
@mmgeissler.bsky.social Brilliant interview. I wonder if the present climate of polarisation emerges quite naturally from our polarised legal and political systems. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Scotcast - ‘Why I'm defending Sandie Peggie’ - BBC Sounds
Naomi Cunningham on the 'gender wars' and the ‘new McCarthyism’.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 10:48 AM
@mmgeissler.bsky.social Brilliant interview. I wonder if the present climate of polarisation emerges quite naturally from our polarised legal and political systems. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Very much appreciating the Tides of History podcast, @patrickwyman.bsky.social and the History of carbon episode with @peterbrannen.bsky.social
Better understanding of deep time may help us to stop underestimating the significance of what Peter Brannen calls “the extreme chemistry experiment” we are conducting on the planet.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
November 26, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Very much appreciating the Tides of History podcast, @patrickwyman.bsky.social and the History of carbon episode with @peterbrannen.bsky.social
Better understanding of deep time may help us to stop underestimating the significance of what Peter Brannen calls “the extreme chemistry experiment” we are conducting on the planet.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Topic Zero
Wider context
open.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Very much appreciating the Tides of History podcast, @patrickwyman.bsky.social and the History of carbon episode with @peterbrannen.bsky.social
Better understanding of deep time may help us to stop underestimating the significance of what Peter Brannen calls “the extreme chemistry experiment” we are conducting on the planet.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Topic Zero
Wider context
open.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Better understanding of deep time may help us to stop underestimating the significance of what Peter Brannen calls “the extreme chemistry experiment” we are conducting on the planet.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Seeing the Moon
open.substack.com/pub/pennywal...
open.substack.com/pub/pennywal...
Seeing the Moon
Flash fiction long-listed for walk - listen - create competition "Walking in the Dark".
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Seeing the Moon
open.substack.com/pub/pennywal...
open.substack.com/pub/pennywal...
I am trying to use daily opportunities to practise engaging creatively with dissenting opinions. (So far, I'm a bit slow.)
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Depolarisation ... ?
… in practice?
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I am trying to use daily opportunities to practise engaging creatively with dissenting opinions. (So far, I'm a bit slow.)
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Secret engines of history
The ebb & flow of powerful tides shape the world. Their influence is enormous and when we notice them, obvious but with our short, human attention spans (& lifetimes), they’re easy to overlook because they move slowly.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
The ebb & flow of powerful tides shape the world. Their influence is enormous and when we notice them, obvious but with our short, human attention spans (& lifetimes), they’re easy to overlook because they move slowly.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Secret engines of history
Too many people … and too few!
open.substack.com
October 5, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Secret engines of history
The ebb & flow of powerful tides shape the world. Their influence is enormous and when we notice them, obvious but with our short, human attention spans (& lifetimes), they’re easy to overlook because they move slowly.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
The ebb & flow of powerful tides shape the world. Their influence is enormous and when we notice them, obvious but with our short, human attention spans (& lifetimes), they’re easy to overlook because they move slowly.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Culture wars are fought between tribes, holding inherited beliefs and opinions which are impervious to persuasion. How can we have more inclusive, curious and respectful dialogue and less shouty debate? open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
A change of heart ...
... can only be chosen
open.substack.com
September 17, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Culture wars are fought between tribes, holding inherited beliefs and opinions which are impervious to persuasion. How can we have more inclusive, curious and respectful dialogue and less shouty debate? open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Another green patch turns brown open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
What would it take to align our efforts?
Can we see past our short term, conflicting interests to the greater challenges?
Imagine if we trusted each other! How much energy we'd have for the work instead of the conflict.
What would it take to align our efforts?
Can we see past our short term, conflicting interests to the greater challenges?
Imagine if we trusted each other! How much energy we'd have for the work instead of the conflict.
Another green patch turns brown
The insatiable city sprawl
https://open.substack.com/pub/davidmcara/p/another-green-patch-turns-brown?r=3y61j&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true…
July 9, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Another green patch turns brown open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
What would it take to align our efforts?
Can we see past our short term, conflicting interests to the greater challenges?
Imagine if we trusted each other! How much energy we'd have for the work instead of the conflict.
What would it take to align our efforts?
Can we see past our short term, conflicting interests to the greater challenges?
Imagine if we trusted each other! How much energy we'd have for the work instead of the conflict.
Radical!
Dear Amol
I enjoyed listening to you laying out your structure for the BBC Today Radical podcast in the introductory trailer. I will be following with interest and would like to share my reflections. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Dear Amol
I enjoyed listening to you laying out your structure for the BBC Today Radical podcast in the introductory trailer. I will be following with interest and would like to share my reflections. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Radical!
... from BBC Radio 4 Today programme
open.substack.com
July 3, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Radical!
Dear Amol
I enjoyed listening to you laying out your structure for the BBC Today Radical podcast in the introductory trailer. I will be following with interest and would like to share my reflections. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Dear Amol
I enjoyed listening to you laying out your structure for the BBC Today Radical podcast in the introductory trailer. I will be following with interest and would like to share my reflections. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Ed Miliband expressed his “yearning for a much more authentic politics” during his conversation with Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell. How can we encourage and support him? davidmcara.substack.com/p/more-authe...
More authentic politics ...
Can we imagine?
davidmcara.substack.com
June 18, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Ed Miliband expressed his “yearning for a much more authentic politics” during his conversation with Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell. How can we encourage and support him? davidmcara.substack.com/p/more-authe...
Hello @pollymackenzie.bsky.social. I heard Hugo Rifkind introduce you on a podcast saying you're "absolutely banned from talking about voting reform, citizens' assemblies or any of that stuff” as if you normally like to. (Why do we hear so little about them when our system is so bad?)
June 11, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Hello @pollymackenzie.bsky.social. I heard Hugo Rifkind introduce you on a podcast saying you're "absolutely banned from talking about voting reform, citizens' assemblies or any of that stuff” as if you normally like to. (Why do we hear so little about them when our system is so bad?)
I like your discussion of history, with its sense of drivers and flow which my schoolboy history missed but your enthusiasm for the Industrial Revolution doesn't seem to acknowledge the pickle it has got us into. @antonhowes.bsky.social @ianleslie.bsky.social www.ian-leslie.com/p/the-improv...
The Improving Mentality
Listen now | Anton Howes on the Origins of the Industrial Revolution
www.ian-leslie.com
June 3, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I like your discussion of history, with its sense of drivers and flow which my schoolboy history missed but your enthusiasm for the Industrial Revolution doesn't seem to acknowledge the pickle it has got us into. @antonhowes.bsky.social @ianleslie.bsky.social www.ian-leslie.com/p/the-improv...
@ianleslie.bsky.social substack.com/@davidmcara/...
David on Substack
I like this treatment of history, with a sense of the drivers and the flow. School history lacked this for me but perhaps I was inattentive.
However Ian seems to applaud the Industrial Revolution w...
substack.com
June 3, 2025 at 2:19 PM
@ianleslie.bsky.social substack.com/@davidmcara/...
We desperately need better politics. Our adversarial posturing has gone on too long. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
We are all the Fisherman's Wife
(So who is the fisherman?)
open.substack.com
May 28, 2025 at 6:22 PM
We desperately need better politics. Our adversarial posturing has gone on too long. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
“Having reached the whole organizational level, our research efforts (though on independent funds) were again stopped when a new Divisional Chairman took over.” Eric Trist, 1981.
I think we need to find a new piece of the jigsaw: the New Divisional Chairman Effect.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
I think we need to find a new piece of the jigsaw: the New Divisional Chairman Effect.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Breakthrough, disappointment, hope
Never give up!
open.substack.com
May 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM
“Having reached the whole organizational level, our research efforts (though on independent funds) were again stopped when a new Divisional Chairman took over.” Eric Trist, 1981.
I think we need to find a new piece of the jigsaw: the New Divisional Chairman Effect.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
I think we need to find a new piece of the jigsaw: the New Divisional Chairman Effect.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
A change in perspective, a change of heart, noticing a stance I am taking, can transform the conversation I am in. It isn’t easy to bring about a change of heart (mine or yours) but when it happens it can be profound, quick and doesn’t cost much.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Brilliant ideas from the 1960s - No. 5
Transactional Analysis (TA)
open.substack.com
May 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
A change in perspective, a change of heart, noticing a stance I am taking, can transform the conversation I am in. It isn’t easy to bring about a change of heart (mine or yours) but when it happens it can be profound, quick and doesn’t cost much.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Culture Pacifist
I don’t have to hold a position about everything. I will try to mind my triggers, be curious and hope for surprises.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
I don’t have to hold a position about everything. I will try to mind my triggers, be curious and hope for surprises.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Culture Pacifist
Thought vs reflex
open.substack.com
April 27, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Culture Pacifist
I don’t have to hold a position about everything. I will try to mind my triggers, be curious and hope for surprises.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
I don’t have to hold a position about everything. I will try to mind my triggers, be curious and hope for surprises.
open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
“… the system is creaking ...” open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
“our system of democracy ... feels increasingly strange”
How exciting! Rory and Alastair were speaking about creative ways to explore complex issues.
x.com/RestIsPoliti...
“our system of democracy ... feels increasingly strange”
How exciting! Rory and Alastair were speaking about creative ways to explore complex issues.
x.com/RestIsPoliti...
“… the system is creaking ...”
“our system of democracy ... feels increasingly strange”
open.substack.com
April 12, 2025 at 6:38 PM
“… the system is creaking ...” open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
“our system of democracy ... feels increasingly strange”
How exciting! Rory and Alastair were speaking about creative ways to explore complex issues.
x.com/RestIsPoliti...
“our system of democracy ... feels increasingly strange”
How exciting! Rory and Alastair were speaking about creative ways to explore complex issues.
x.com/RestIsPoliti...
Hi, Maggie. Thank you for your newsletter and for taking on the onerous responsibility of politics. I’m wondering if there is a schedule for Meet Maggie Mondays. I’d appreciate the opportunity to meet you. @maggiechapman.bsky.social
April 9, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Hi, Maggie. Thank you for your newsletter and for taking on the onerous responsibility of politics. I’m wondering if there is a schedule for Meet Maggie Mondays. I’d appreciate the opportunity to meet you. @maggiechapman.bsky.social
I’m not particularly interested in specific causes, trusting instead that better dialogue leads to better decisions and better outcomes for all causes. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
A personal worldview
Summary and reconsideration
open.substack.com
April 3, 2025 at 11:07 AM
I’m not particularly interested in specific causes, trusting instead that better dialogue leads to better decisions and better outcomes for all causes. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Difference is … value
Diverse teams are stronger BUT ONLY when they recognise and address their conflicts rather than avoiding them. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Diverse teams are stronger BUT ONLY when they recognise and address their conflicts rather than avoiding them. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Difference is … value
… not ethics
open.substack.com
March 17, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Difference is … value
Diverse teams are stronger BUT ONLY when they recognise and address their conflicts rather than avoiding them. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Diverse teams are stronger BUT ONLY when they recognise and address their conflicts rather than avoiding them. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
I wasn’t yet aware that I was making an assumption about the problems of society being technical. Still much to learn. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...
Push on the open door
(… or pull?)
open.substack.com
March 3, 2025 at 9:40 PM
I wasn’t yet aware that I was making an assumption about the problems of society being technical. Still much to learn. open.substack.com/pub/davidmca...