The Friendly Times

In this post, I reflect on a thought-provoking article by Rachel Botsman and explore what her ideas mean for disabled people navigating work, isolation, and connection in a post-pandemic world. During COVID, the world stayed home. Work went online, meetings went virtual, and life became more accessible for many disabled people. What had previously been dismissed as “unworkable” – remote jobs, flexible hours, online events – became normal almost overnight. In her RSA article  Trust Fall , Rachel Botsman asks: “Technology has enabled our retreat into increasingly homebound lives of frictionless convenience – but at what cost?” She argues that we are social animals, wired for connection, yet increasingly buffered from one another by screens and algorithms. We avoid friction, but we also avoid each other. This resonates deeply with the experience of many disabled people. The shift to remote working was liberating—no commute, fewer access barriers, more autonomy—but it also brought...

If Peter Pan needed a wheelchair, he’d probably end up grounded too. Travelling as a powered wheelchair user is like playing a game of “What’s the Worst That Could Happen?” Spoiler: The house always wins.  For many of us, flying is an anxiety-inducing circus. Will our wheelchairs arrive intact? Will they arrive at all? Will we be stranded without essential equipment? And heaven forbid nature calls mid-flight—aircraft toilets are about as accessible as the dark side of the moon, leaving us to dehydrate ourselves just to avoid the indignity. Airlines and airports should provide stellar service to ease these fears. Things go wrong—sometimes spectacularly—but how staff respond makes all the difference. They can’t always fix the problem but can listen, consult, and maybe even pretend to care. That human touch matters. My recent winter escapade to Malaga, Spain, with my wife was supposed to be a relaxing getaway. Instead, it was a masterclass in Murphy’s Law. Our journey started at Luton...

Donald Trump’s recent comments linking diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives to the tragic plane crash in the Potomac are as reckless as they are dangerous. He claimed that previous administrations' focus on DEI led to the hiring of unqualified air traffic controllers, suggesting that these policies prioritized diversity over competence. Trump stated, "I put safety first. Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first," implying that DEI efforts compromised safety standards. He further alleged that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aimed to hire individuals with various disabilities under DEI initiatives, though he provided no evidence to support these claims. Blaming diversity for a tragedy distracts from real safety concerns—outdated infrastructure, mechanical failures, and systemic underfunding. The aviation industry operates under strict hiring and regulatory standards that ensure safety above all. Here’s why Trump’s rhetoric is deeply flawed and why ...

The UK Government has set its sights on reducing the number of disabled people reliant on benefits. With the cost of disability benefits now surpassing defence spending, ministers argue that reform is overdue. But behind the statistics and spending figures lie real lives and challenges—ones that can’t be fixed with quick cuts or tougher rules. The Rising Cost of Disability Benefits Disability benefit claims have surged significantly in recent years. According to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the number of people entitled to receive a disability benefit rose from 3.9 million in 2002 to 6.9 million by 2024, representing a 77% increase over two decades. The financial cost of this rise is striking. Spending on disability benefits has reached £64.7 billion annually, with projections estimating this figure will exceed £100 billion by 2030, surpassing the UK’s current defence budget by 20%. (House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, Reuters) While these numbers demand attention...

  In the grand scheme of our professional lives, meetings are like the clothes we wear every day. Just as we tend to gravitate towards our favourite outfits that make us feel comfortable, confident, and stylish, we should approach our meetings with the same mindset. It's time to take a closer look at our "meeting wardrobe" and decide which ones are worth keeping and which ones should be tossed out like last season's fashion faux pas. As Marie Kondo, the renowned Japanese organising consultant, would say, let's keep only the meetings that spark joy! The Favourite Sweater Meeting We all have that one cosy sweater that we can't help but wear on repeat. Similarly, there are meetings that we genuinely look forward to attending. These are the gatherings where we feel energised, engaged, and truly productive. Perhaps it's the dynamic team members, the fascinating subject matter, or the skillful way in which the meeting is conducted. Whatever the reason, these are...

To keep or not to keep, that is the question. As I step away from some voluntary roles, I'm faced with a conundrum. What do I do with all these digital files I've collected over the years?  Part of me wants to go on a deleting spree to clear out the cobwebs, so to speak. But then I pause. These emails and documents are not just clutter. They're a piece of our history, our digital legacy. Think about it. We don't write letters anymore. We write emails—thousands of them. And if we just hit delete, Blam! That history is gone. Future generations will wonder how we lived and communicated. Our digital files could be the key to understanding our world. But here's the catch: Storing all this data comes at a cost. Those big, humming data centres that keep our digital lives afloat are energy guzzlers. They need a lot of water to stay cool, and all of that impacts the environment. So, what's a digital hoarder to do? First things first, take a deep breath. Then, take a good...