January
- 12th – Elizabeth Holmes conviction
- Elizabeth Holmes was first convicted in January and has since been sentenced to 11 months in prison for fraud. Her fall from grace after her company ‘Theranos’ was found to be based on lies and fictitious medical evidence and was the first in numerous major fraud scandals that continued throughout the year.
- Iustina Roman – “This year, Netflix released Inventing Anna, based on the true story of a con artist. Her story was met with a semi-ironic wave of celebration, as she was hailed as a Robin Hood-like figure for scamming foolish elites out of their money, and we could revel in schadenfreude at their well-deserved fates. Elizabeth Holmes’ fake start-up Theranos made her one of America’s Richest Self-Made Women in the 2015 Forbes list. However, as her story became exposed, she did not become the subject of celebration as was the case with Anna Delvey. This is because she didn’t just scam a bunch of rich people out of their money; she had toyed with the lives of many ordinary people too. Holmes’ carefully constructed personal myth, founded on self-delusion and excellent acting, made her act a convincing one, allowing her to stay at the top for a worryingly long time. At the same time, there were still some who mocked and blamed the wealthy investors and star-filled board of directors who had propped up Holmes’ fraudulent company. For those of us who are nothing more than onlookers, it is easy to be entertained by such stories, but their actions are nothing to be celebrated. There’s nothing inspiring or “girl boss” about a megalomaniac who wants to get rich quick at any cost – unaffected by these cases, we point and laugh, but there’s no real gain for anyone else. In fact, average people like us, who may purchase from or work for fraudsters, also risk falling into their traps.”
- 12th – Boris Johnson admits attending parties during lockdown.
- Jakub Trybull – “It can be argued that January marked the start of Johnson’s steady but inevitable decline. For a man who surrounds himself in self-appraisal, the “clown king” of British politics couldn’t resist a performance without an audience. Soon, report after report came out of alleged lockdown-breaking gatherings that the then Prime Minister either attended or was aware of. Faced with mounting pressure, Johnson repeatedly corrected his previous statements and finally provides Parliament, and the public, with an ill-received apology.”
- 18th – Microsoft moves to acquire Activision Blizzard
- Microsoft first announced its intentions to acquire game studio Activision Blizzard, the makers of Call of Duty and Candy Crush. This is a move still rumbling on and has been challenged by many competitors and gamers alike who brand the move anti-competitive. The outcome of the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling will be fascinating and set the scene for similar moves going forward.
- Kylie MacFarquharson gave his take on how developed countries choose to distribute their vaccine.
- Ezra Sharp took a look at the border dispute between Russia and Ukraine that, in the context of the subsequent invasion, reads as an ominous warning of what was to come.
- Ezra was at it again, this time analysing the potential impact of Partygate and other scandals in domestic politics.
- Pope Francis sparked outrage when he called women who chose not to have children ‘selfish’. Iseult gave her view.
