Pnewsology

The week’s news with a dash of psychology!

Jane Ogden (Professor in Health Psychology, Emeritus; email janeogden509@gmail.com; based on a conversation with James Cannon at Radio Surrey; 8.40 am 16/10/2026)

Week ending 16/10/2026

All opinions are those of Jane Ogden

This week some people changed their minds, some are thinking about changing their minds and some should but probably won’t!

For years, schools have been advertising their ipads, laptops, recording studios and just general all round technology and parents and children have been wowed at open days and making choices based upon advances in the modern education system.  But this week there was a change of heart.  What with the dangers of social media and just general screen time, some schools are saying enough is enough and its time for some pen and paper time.  Who’d have thought! It will be slide rules, fax machines and Gestetner’s next (I had to look it up as well – that rotating machine that produced wishy washy purple ink worksheets!).

And Trump actually did a good thing and changed his mind about live streaming the execution by firing squad of an ex-serviceman.  But don’t worry you can still watch if you are family (to those he killed).

But there were plenty of other examples where a change of mind might prove more tricky.

The Falkland Islands are back in the news as our government have agreed an oil contract with Israel (?) in territory that Argentina would like back.  Should we revisit that old chestnut? Can we face it? Would it be best to get it over and done with??

And Brexit! Another chestnut (or can of worms!).  Burnham announced this week that he wants to revisit Brexit and built stronger ties with the EU.

And then there’s Burnham’s dinners with the Man City people.  Just own up and say sorry.  But it could be a tricky moment for him.

One other story I thought was interesting.  In the US, ranchers have been Trumps biggest fans with America first being good for the beef market.  But now they are struggling as he has ordered the import of 300,000 metric tons of foreign beef to keep the prices down.  They feel betrayed but what should they do in the mid terms?? Vote for Trump as they always have or change their mind?  A tricky time!

Changing our mind is hard as we tend to keep going due to fear of looking weak, saving face and just the tendency to throw good money after bad.  And apologising is even harder.  But often it’s definitely the right thing to do and can actually make us look like the bigger person.  Weakness is strength and all that.  I used to say to my kids: say sorry (properly – not in that voice), say why you got it wrong (no –because of you not them), say that you know it upset them (not sorry if you are upset – sorry I upset you), and then promise to try to do better (and mean it).  If only the world politicians had had better mums!