The New Opiate of the Masses

In our society, SportsCenter is the opiate of the masses. 

Investment vs. Squander

If a man puts $50k down on a new home and his wife spends another $50k on cocaine, both ‘spend’ the same amount of money.  If they find that they need to reduce spending by $20k to keep from going broke, a commission may suggest an across the board 20% reduction.  That would avoid the potentially difficult conversation about priorities. 

Probably better to have the conversation. 

Insurgency

The goal of an insurgency is not to demonstrate that it is a superior alternative than the sitting government. The object is to make the existing government unstable, causing the people to lose the confidence. They use fear, pressure, and propaganda. Finally, through attrition, exhaustion, or frustration, the government yields power. Once in power, the insurgent’s true agenda is revealed – as it is executed. 

And that concludes our lesson on what the Congressional Republican leadership and the Taliban have in common.

Jefferson

How could anybody want to de-emphasize Jefferson’s role in US history? 

He was a courageous patriot, and was among the brightest stars in the Enlightenment sky.  He is the author of the Declaration of Independence, and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.  He shaped the Bill of Rights.  He is the architect of the ‘Wall of Separation’ between church and sta …

OH!  I get it.  Never mind. 

Religion Quiz

Here's a one-question quiz:

1. I choose the religion and church to which I belong because:
   a)   It's the only true faith; all others are either naïve mythologies, dangerous heresies, or both.
   b)   It's the church my parents attended.  I'm comfortable with the beliefs, ceremonies, and culture.   

Seriously, can't we all just be comfortable with our beliefs, and consider the possibility that our being right doesn't necessitate that anybody else be wrong?  What's so hard about that? 

Self-Pity

Each of us—as well as most religions, races, ethnic groups, and nations—have been wronged at some point in their existence; sometimes horribly.

It is wasteful and dangerous though to dwell on these past injustices, and center one's identity on them. Through the lens of idividual or collective self-pity, even the most heinous acts can be justified as righteous revenge, retribution, or defense against crimes long passed.

Terrorism and Society

The most destructive result of terrorism is often not the property damage, or even the precious, irreplaceable lives lost; but rather the unleashing of latent destructive forces within society in response to the crime.  Xenophobia, intolerance, militarism, and the destruction of liberal institutions often follow such acts, and do more societal damage than bombs ever could. 

Look around today’s society—the undercurrent of hatred against immigrants, Moslems, gays and lesbians, or anybody who speaks out against this prejudice—and it’s easy to see that the worst long-term damage was not done by Osama bin Laden, but is self-inflicted.