Recent posts tagged politics
2023
The Rebel (Albert Camus)
How can we live as a species, knowing now the temptation to righteous power will always exist even in (and maybe especially in) the best of us? And how do we let all that not get in the way of us getting very real boots off our very real necks?
2022
"Your Dreams Will Never Love You Back"
Our dreams will never love us back precisely because they are our dreams. Only you and I can love each other, and we cannot afford to let anything else usurp that responsibility.
What Is To Be Done, And All That
On the meaning of "self-care" in a burning world.
2021
Public Image Limited
In re: "People care as much or more about their identity and having it validated as they care about material interests."
Fearful Asymmetries, 2021 Edition
When we talk about the ugly asymmetries in modern politics -- one side is far less sane than the other, let's face it -- talk arises of whether or not said people are in fact out of their minds.
The Fault In Our Stars, And The Responsibilities Engendered Thereof
"I keep thinking," my friend said, "that if only I'd done more, we wouldn't be in this mess we're in now." Were they right?
The Next Time The World Almost Comes To An End, I'd Like At Least A Little Advance Notice, Thanks
Title tells it.
2020
Stiff Upper Lip And All That
Just a few things as the First Tuesday In November approaches.
Malign Equivalencies
Why "they're all terrible" is the philosophy of suckers.
The Least Worst Form Of Governance
Two cheers for democracy, and all that.
Why You Can't Shame The Shameless
On the largely ineffectual ways we've grappled with the corruption of public morals.
Selecting For Stupid
Why spam scams are illiterate by design: to weed out the skeptical and keep the suckers.
Fearful Asymmetry
If I could sum up the problem of modern politics in only a few words, it would be this: the asymmetry of the motivations of the participants.
Everyone Knows Utopia Is Nowhere
On those who believe in incremental solutions -- progressive and conservative alike -- and those who believe in burning the whole house down and starting over.
Of Dark Days
None of this happened overnight. Neither will overcoming it.
2018
Getting Better All The Time
Why Steven Pinker's encomium to an improving world falls so flat.
Paranoia The Destroyer
On how the conspiracy theory mindset stems from emotional torment.
Typing With Both Fists
On blogging while angry.
Smarts For Me But Not For Thee
On very stable geniuses and the like.
2017
Cheap Shots Dept.
On politics in literature, again.
Change Their Minds Dept.
Let's waste less time trying to argue people out of something they were never argued into to begin with.
Politicaliterary Dept.
On politics in literature, spoken and unspoken (and a few other things).
Public Service Announcement Dept.
I hope people will not assume my silence over the last few days indicates any kind of assent to the situation unfolding around us. I've been busy with some mundane things -- my day job has put that many more...
2016
Gimlet Eyes Dept.
Artists can be politically outspoken, but are not automatically astute for being so.
Signal Vs. Noise Dept.
If I'm not talking, it's because I'm listening. Or at least trying to.
