Wisdom in fragments

It's really complicated to work-out how much of our wealth came from empire, it's like trying to take the egg out of a baked cake. It's better to look at individual wealth and businesses.

British journalist and author, wrote "The Boy with the Topknot

We have a very strange relationship with empire, a combination of selective amnesia and nostalgia. The amnesia comes from the fact we mostly identify as the nation that won World War 2 not as the nation which had the greatest empire in human history. That helps us forget that there was at least a century where we were quite massively white supremacist and sometimes genocidal.

British journalist and author, wrote "The Boy with the Topknot

The learnings I had as an athlete about communication and motivation- and even how we worked with companies and brands- really have helped me in this new journey but most important has been the realisation that I have to stay true to myself, and find that same passion and focus in entrepreneurship as I did in athletics.

British Olympic heptathlon champion and gold medalist

Ultimately, you have to fail at some stage with whatever you do, to get the successes that you need in the end.

British Olympic heptathlon champion and gold medalist

You can have athletes that are at their physical peak but without the right mental resilience and approach, their performance will not be where it needs to. I've focused on that a lot through my career- learning through experiences and trying to keep a perspective on what I'd achieved previously.

British Olympic heptathlon champion and gold medalist

There's so much data that's been collected around fitness, but a lot of this has been based on male subjects and isn't always right to apply to women. Having been through the journey myself, I want to help more women become body-literate and motivated to enjoy exercise.

British Olympic heptathlon champion and gold medalist

There are so many times we see women offered fitness opportunities to look good. It's the bikini guides and all those other things… In reality, there's so much more to understanding how women exercise, what helps them train effectively, and why exercise matters during key stages in life such as pregnancy.

British Olympic heptathlon champion and gold medalist

I couldn't believe you could spend so much time working for something, without knowing it would happen, and then it happened. I came off track and remember looking around thinking someone was about to tell me that I'd been disqualified or that it was an error- I just couldn't believe that everything had come together, and I'd won that medal.

British Olympic heptathlon champion and gold medalist

I think life matters because it gives meaning to the universe. Without life, the universe is devoid of meaning. We aren't the universe, but we are a vital part of it, we are what gives this universe meaning.

British Astronaut & ISS Expedition Commander

We fear the unknown, but the less you know about something the more knowledge there is to gain, and hence the less afraid you will be. When you understand a situation and are fully prepared having analysed the risks and mitigated them- you may well still be apprehensive, and that's normal.

British Astronaut & ISS Expedition Commander

Space also taught me that when you think you're at 100% of your physical or mental capacity, you're not. We have enormous reserves within us (which we don't tap into for good reason), but we are all capable of pushing ourselves a lot further than we think.

British Astronaut & ISS Expedition Commander

My understanding of humanity was changed more by working in the space industry than space travel itself. It opened up my eyes to what international collaboration can really achieve. The space industry and scientific community seem to transcend all that. You realise that you're involved in this incredible international space station that's been occupied for 20 years and which simply couldn't have succeeded if it wasn't for everyone collaborating together.

British Astronaut & ISS Expedition Commander

Space triggers that innate curiosity in us about what's out there, where we came from, and the possibilities those answers could bring. Humans are explorers – our imaginations can run wild- it's in our DNA. Our fascination with space links to our ability to dream, to wonder, to be curious and to have big ideas.

British Astronaut & ISS Expedition Commander

It's only the latest iteration of post-1980s capitalism which has disconnected us so much from the common good, our collective interest in care and compassion. Before that, capitalism wasn't really like that – and if you think about the style of capitalism we observe in continental Europe and Asia – there's been a much higher emphasis on community.

Economist & Author on Globalization, Corporate Power & Digital Society

I remember one particular interview with a boy, Peter, aged just 14. He told me how he posted on Instagram and then waited and waited for someone to like his posts. When they didn't' it made him feel awful and invisible. It's so heart-wrenching to think of that.

Economist & Author on Globalization, Corporate Power & Digital Society

Social media platforms are the tobacco companies of the 21st century, and they need to be regulated – especially when it comes to children. These platforms are selling a highly addictive product and continue to allow abuse and hatred on their platforms. Over 33% of all UK 18–24-year-olds have experienced abuse on Facebook.

Economist & Author on Globalization, Corporate Power & Digital Society