The Next Crisis: What we think about the future? - Professor Danny Dorling

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The talk provides valuable insights into global public opinion, synthesizing large-scale survey data to rank concerns. Dorling’s argument is well-structured, moving from personal observations to empirical evidence. He effectively challenges common narratives, such as the fear of immigration, by presenting counterarguments and data. However, some claims lack direct citations, and the interpretation of survey data is subjective. The argumentation is persuasive but relies on the speaker’s authority and selective use of statistics.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

Dorling references surveys from Ipsos and YouGov, and mentions his own publications and the Worldmapper project. The talk is based on his book, which likely contains more detailed sources, but in the lecture, specific citations are sparse. The title accurately reflects the content, and the talk is consistent with his academic background. The quality of sources is generally good, but the lack of explicit references in the talk reduces its scientific rigor.

The title accurately reflects the content: a discussion of global crises and public perceptions of the future, based on survey data.

8/10

The talk is based on extensive survey data (Ipsos, YouGov) and the speaker's academic expertise, but it is an opinion lecture with some unverified claims and a personal interpretation of data.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 02:00Introduction by the host, mentioning Dorling's previous visits and his book.
• 05:00Dorling explains the motivation for the book: rising anxiety among students and surveys showing increased worry.
• 10:00Discussion of the historical use of the word 'crisis' and the increase in public engagement since the 1960s.
• 15:00Presentation of the top worries: cost of living and inequality, unemployment and immigration.
• 20:00Discussion of war and security, with a map showing deaths in wars since 1989.
• 25:00Discussion of state services (health, education, housing) and the UK's historical achievements.
• 30:00Discussion of climate change and why it ranks lower in public concerns.
• 35:00Discussion of biodiversity loss and the irreversibility of species extinction.
• 40:00Discussion of conspiracy theories and the YouGov survey on secretive groups.
• 45:00Conclusion and Q&A session begins.

• Danny Dorling's website — Mentioned as a source for his publications and open access work.

• Ipsos Global Trends — Surveys cited by Dorling on public worries.

• Steven Pinker's 'The Better Angels of Our Nature' — Dorling mentions Pinker's thesis that violence is declining, but argues that war deaths have risen since the book's publication.