Share Sounds. from Thought for the Week

Most of us believe in personal freedom within a fairer society, but that combination isn't currently on offer from any of the political parties seeking your vote. It is, however possible — but you need to start young. Reducing the voting age to 16 might help a bit, but a more egalitarian way forward for capitalism calls for starter capital accounts and incentivised learning for disadvantaged young people. Then, you need to do something about wealth concentration brought about by the tech giants. Background music: 'Freedom' by Dan Lebowitz

We all have so much to learn from others as well as from our own experience. In his April 2015 Track Record, Sir Martin Jacomb, who died on 8th June, referred to Gordon Richardson, Bank of England Governor from 1973 to 1983, as his mentor, but it was Martin himself who was my fount of wisdom. Everyone, even Prime Ministers, could benefit from a mentor, and I was fortunate indeed to learn from Martin. Background music: introduction for Share Radio's Track Record programme

Tools have accompanied us since the dawn of humanity, but few are as exciting and fearsome as Artificial Intelligence. That's why the Pope chose to talk to G7 leaders last Friday about this swiftly developing technology with his plea that politicians need to ensure that it benefits every human being. Artificial Intelligence is just one of the long-term concerns included in our pre-General Election survey, asking your opinion on issues not included in party manifestos: these include linking inheritance levies directly to inter-generational rebalancing, transforming the UK's welfare system, and reforming the 'second chamber' to enable proper long-term review of legislation. Please take part! Visit https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/FU34N0/ Background music: 'The New Order' by Aaron Kenny

Spot the difference (if you can) between the communist and socialist perspectives on welfare, as defined by byjus.com. After seventy-five years it's crippled the public sector with its huge demand for cash, and provides a dysfunctional health service due to monopoly strangleholds. It's time for Sir Keir Starmer to move from socialism to egalitarian capitalism: You won't find it in Party manifestos, but you will find it at Share Alliance. Background music: 'People Watching' by Sir Cubworth

Nothing seems to shake the populist following of Mr. Trump, which includes a substantial proportion of the evangelical Christian community. Is their moral compass somewhat unbalanced — are they omitting to focus on the second great commandment, to love our neighbours (those least likely to be our 'neighbours') as ourselves? Here in the UK, populism is more associated with the Reform Party, which is attracting 15% of voters compared to the Conservatives 21%. They share Trump's appeal for self-interest and antipathy towards migration: meanwhile the need for a real focus on helping the poor continues. Where's the moral compass? Background music: 'Charisma' by The Brothers Records

Not my platitudes — but we do indeed need bold reforms, vision, groundbreaking solutions and to lead the edge of change. Our key concerns and calls for action are in this commentary, but they're not in the party manifestos: for example, the call to break the cycle of deprivation first made 50 years ago — we're still waiting. Euphemisms abound as the parties converge towards the central ground in the quest for your votes, but they draw together many different perspectives. Test them on issues such as a more egalitarian form of capitalism, smaller government, inter-generational rebalancing and a longer-term perspective — see where they stand as individuals. Background music: 'Hidden Agenda' by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1200102.

Professor Hinton, the 'godfather of AI' warns that the challenges of Artificial Intelligence are not just economic but also strategic. His quotation of Putin shows clearly the need for a convergent approach towards these risks. And remember the Bletchley conference just six months ago? The scientists have lost no time in preparing their interim report, but there's much to be done in planning the best way forward. Background music: 'Metamorphosis' by Quincas Moreira

Individual achievement is recognised in many walks of life, and that recognition spurs people on to achieve even greater things. With education, good exam results and university entrance are celebrated, but this doesn't do much for those who find it difficult to get started in the first place. That's why The Share Foundation's introduction of incentivised learning is so important for young people in care, achieving an attitudinal transformation as they progress through the six-step Stepladder course. We need acceptance of incentivised learning to break the cycle of deprivation. Background music: 'Everything Has a Beginning' by Joel Cummins

England delivered a withering verdict on its ruling Conservative Party last week, but the motley spread of replacement parties plus low turnout revealed a population thoroughly disenchanted by politics. Democracy is calling for a fresh perspective, based on reason and logic. We need to draw inspiration from people like Thomas Jefferson who said, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' Background music: 'Freedom' by Dan Lebowitz

Voyager-1's legacy includes greetings in 55 languages, 35 sounds from life on Earth (such as whale songs, laughter, etc.), 90 minutes of music including everything from Mozart and Bach to Chuck Berry and Blind Willie Johnson, all dating back to its launch in 1977. There are also 115 images of life on Earth and recorded greetings from then-US President Jimmy Carter (1924– ) and then-UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim (1918–2007). It would take about 70,000 years to reach the nearest star to our solar system. In contrast, most tombstones in British graveyards date from well before the Voyager-1 launch, but for most of them it's no longer possible to discern who they commemorate or when they were erected. Burial grounds occupy over 19,000 acres in England, but the legacy they seek to preserve is forgotten within a very small number of generations. Background music: 'Elegy' by Wayne Jones