The Death of Expertise

I first came across this article about 4 years ago.  I find it is even more relevant now.  Today people who wish to assert their opinion over anything else merely decry, “Fake news!” and then anything said after that is suddenly supposed to be both morally and factually correct.  One of more useful things about… Continue reading The Death of Expertise

NPO – A New Political Order

We have a two party system, I don’t think that will go away. We’re creatures of habit in the U.S., you could say it’s a tradition of ours. It might be time we changed them, though. So how do we go about changing parties, given that 3rd parties tend to be stillborn? We stop using… Continue reading NPO – A New Political Order

Best thing I’ve read this morning. Reminds me of childhood. From Bill over @ http://dubiousquality.blogspot.com/

Form Factors
“She’s looking through her purse,” Eli 16.5 said.

There’s a huge stack of receipts, business cards, etc. on Gloria’s desk

“She’s not looking,” I said. “That’s an excavation. Look at what she’s pulling out of there: concert ticket stubs from the 1990s, gum from a previous decade, receipts from childhood visits to the dentist–”

“Have actually pulled out none of those things,” she said.

“That’s not a purse,” I said. “It’s a hovel in a different form factor.”
https://dubiousquality.blogspot.com/

My youngest son has expressed an interest in Jazz music over the past year, which is pretty cool for a 12 year old. Even more neat considering that isn’t something he hears in our house. About 2 months ago he came to me and told me he wants to learn how to play the trumpet. Today he picked up his first trumpet so that he can start band on Monday. His excitement about it is so damn fun to watch. #prouddadmoment

Ruminations

I’m rambling today, I’m not bothering to work this into one coherent meme, so by all means pass on by. 🙂 I saw a poll today on a website, I don’t remember which one. It was asking which moment in MLK’s life was the most important. The Dream Speech, his non-violence, his work on the Civil… Continue reading Ruminations

I’m rambling today, I’m not bothering to work this into one coherent meme, so by all means pass on by. 🙂

I saw a poll today on a website, I don’t remember which one. It was asking which moment in MLK’s life was the most important. The Dream Speech, his non-violence, his work on the Civil Rights Act. We get so hung up on analyzing things, breaking them down to their component parts, that we miss the whole. Which ripple in the pond do you point at and say, “There, that’s the most beautiful.”? Which note stands alone in a song? Go look at something by Seurat.

I’m not sure if we could have another MLK, not in today’s world. Not as he was. His message is more relevant than ever, his method just as much so. In some ways, we’re angrier now, and more petty. The commitment to not hurt others would be viewed as weakness by those who confuse force as strength, pacifism as capitulation. Dr King would be torn to pieces on social media before he began, by people who highlight every fault but forgive none of them. The crowd would demand perfection before following him, instead of rising above their faults in order to strive towards something better. Some days my cynical side wins out.

I dream of a time when we think of peace first, not the fist. The fist is easy, whether it’s with words or weapons. When you understand violence, when you know that you can hurt people if you want, non-violence is a choice. It is a consideration and a discipline that requires a will to use it. I lack the will of a peaceful man, but I can dream of a time.

I am thankful for Martin Luther King, and the so many others that remain nameless to our history books. The people who keep trying, who keep building towards something better despite our faults. I’m thankful for those who choose to work towards a better world and are there to remind me that cynicism can be ignored. Good night all.

Facebook is a great place to catch up with friends and see how they’re doing in life. Share pictures, laugh at jokes, commiserate during the hard times, that kind of thing. It can also, sometimes, be a great place to learn new things or share different points of view, something I actively engage in and support wholeheartedly.

Unfortunately, it’s also a place where a great deal of negativity occurs. It boggles my mind, but people will post things here – lies, slander, fake news that is less believable than the Weekly World News, and they do it with abandon. Behavior that would lose us friends if we did it in person is not only acceptable on social media, but actively encouraged and lauded. This disappoints and disgusts me.

I always try to be careful to not ignore or block people with radically different viewpoints than mine. I don’t have to agree with you in order to try and understand what you believe and I just might learn something in the process. I think it’s extremely important to do that in order to avoid surrounding yourself with only things that you agree with. You cut yourself off from too much.

Lies and other such actions aren’t different viewpoints, though. They’re not different politics, religions or world views. They’re an attempt to harm others by manipulation, disinformation or just plain hostility. I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it -“If you have to lie to prove your case, then you’re doing it wrong.” We’re human beings, we’re not perfect and I don’t expect any of us to be, but damn…