Inside Julian Baggini: why are we so embarrassed by food? • Maoist cults • New poetry

New Humanist

A quarterly journal of ideas, science and culture from the Rationalist Association

Spring 2014

UTOPIA

Have we lost our faith in the future?

An interview with Adam Curtis

Niki Seth-Smith Politicians want to measure our happiness.

Is it a con-trick?

RATIONALIST a s s o c i a t i o n

Kenan Malik The importance of sacred art, from Dante to John Tavener

01

9 7 9 7 9 770306 512026

Samira Shackle Voices from the war in the Central African Republic

Vol 129 No 1 £4.95 €6 US$7

ISSN 0306-512X www.rationalist.org.uk