I saw a reference to Donald Trump as the “Divider in Chief” recently, and the comment made me laugh. The context was that of the pandemic and response to it, and how to frame the response: the model most people take is that of motorcycle helmets, and the model the poster preferred was that of… Continue reading Dividers in Chief
Category: religion
NCAA Football, accents, free will
Things I'm thinking about Monday: Tonight's the last NCAA football game of the season. Thank goodness. I hope it's a good one.I want to pronounce "Monday" with a Scottish accent, but it turns out I have no idea how to make it sound like it's a Scottish accent. It's not my accent, whatever it is,… Continue reading NCAA Football, accents, free will
The Golden Rule
I've been thinking about the Golden Rule lately, and it's confusing and difficult for me. It's also confusing and difficult to express. I am fairly certain that this post will come across as whining and petulant. Who knows, maybe it is - but I don't think so, and that's not the intent with which it's… Continue reading The Golden Rule
My rules for social media
Recently, a fellow I know on Facebook mentioned unfriending someone (for very good reasons), and it got me thinking a little more on the rules on how I use the site. I find that I have four fairly simple rules. Rule #1: Add People I Might Respect as Friends I add people who I think… Continue reading My rules for social media
Think about your connections.
Recently, Ted Neward posted a link on Facebook, "How We All Miss the Point on School Shootings," by Mark Manson. It's got some interesting points to it, the most crucial of which is that thoughts about gun control and mental illness are not the best conclusions from such events, but the disconnectedness between us as… Continue reading Think about your connections.
My greatest mistakes were because of intent.
Overall, I think I'm a fairly decent person, who's done some really stupid things. Almost every time that I've done something that hurts the people around me, it's been through lack of intent. That doesn't mean that my failures were intentional - I'm not the sort of person who sets out to hurt others, I… Continue reading My greatest mistakes were because of intent.
Weasel Words Are Great
Weasel words are great. And yes, I know, I left out weasel words in making that statement. Weasel words are words like "some" and "may." Most clickbait authors - i.e., people on Facebook - are allergic to them, so you get fine headlines like "Conservatives hate the gays!" instead of the less-click-baitish and far-more-accurate "Some… Continue reading Weasel Words Are Great
Conversation is the roar of the tide, not a ping from a radar.
One of the things I've noticed from watching Facebook is that the nature of conversation is being fractured. Facebook, Twitter, and other such mediums encourage the use of soundbites, basically snappy and memorable phrases. Conversations become about headlines, rather than content or context. The thing is: that's not how we actually exist. Our conversations are… Continue reading Conversation is the roar of the tide, not a ping from a radar.
Legalized Discrimination in Indiana
Indiana's "religious freedom" bill is a good example of something that should never have had to happen. As I understand it - and I'm not a lawyer, nor do I live in Indiana any more, so I'm mostly seeing the aftermath of rage - it says that a business has the right to refuse to… Continue reading Legalized Discrimination in Indiana
Vaccinations
I refuse to participate in the current flurry of condemnation against vaccination opponents. It's ugly, it's stupid, it's wrong - not because vaccination is a bad move, but because the condemnation itself is ugly, stupid, and wrong. Worse than being ugly, stupid, and wrong - it's not effective. It's cruel, in the end. If you're… Continue reading Vaccinations