Category: Society

Big Government Is Good- When It Does What YOU Want

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The Hypocrisy is Palpable

First, Let’s Admit a Near Universal Truth

I know you will be shocked to hear this, but hypocrisy is rather common within our species. It can be especially virulent among our political class. All those old aphorisms about “watch what they do, not what they say,” “power corrupts,” and similar sayings are true pretty much across the board.

People change their tunes when circumstances or opportunity calls upon them. While this is a near universal truth, the scope and depth of such hypocrisy within the Republican party today is unique,

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An Homage to Our Senses

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We May Overlook the Gifts of Our Senses. Today, We Recognize Them

A Change of Pace for Agents of Reason

More times than not, this blog talks about our lack of sense – as in Common Sense. National and international news has been so intense of late (and will get more so over the next 6 months), I thought we could use a little change in focus for today. About those other senses, not about common sense.

I have mentioned from time to time how important our senses are, but only in passing.

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Competition is the Key

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For Governance and Economics, This is The Key Ingredient

Human Frailties Will Arise, Every Time

Every human endeavor has the potential to be a thing of beauty and long-term benefit for all concerned. Unfortunately, they also hold potential for great distortion and damage. Eventually, those failures of excess and lack of perspective almost always rear their ugly heads and do damage to people, the planet and everything in between.

One thing seems to be the best preventive measure/corrective process – good old-fashioned competition. Most of us basically understand this in economics, although as we will note in a moment,

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Core Issues – Balance and Perspective

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Deciding Issues of Rights, Responsibilities, and Governance

Two Topics Dominate the News – More is at Stake Than the Obvious

 While Ukraine and other important issues continue to be important and visible, two new topics have seized the headlines and our consciousness: the sale of Twitter and the risks to reproductive freedom, especially for those without economic or political power, in today’s America.

Both issues have some components that often are overlooked but are key to why there is so much energy around both issues. Let’s take a look.

 Twitter

The still to be finalized but likely to go through purchase of Twitter by Elon Musk,

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Humor, Humility, and Hubris in High Places

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A  Demonstration This Past Weekend of Important Qualities

A Long-Delayed Event

The White House Correspondents Dinner happened last weekend, the first time in several years, and the first time in 6 years one has been held with a sitting president in attendance. It is very much an insider’s gathering, but this one had some useful observations for us all.

A confession: I have a soft spot for this event. I was a guest for it one year and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is the Washington version of the Oscars and the Met, rolled into one,

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Four Great Reasons to Quit Carbon Energy

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No Matter Your Politics or Economics, Now is the Time

Energy Remains a Defining Element of Human Life

The ability to harness energy has been a defining qualify of human existence for a very long time. So much of what we know, do, and assume is based on harnessing energy. That is not going to change any time soon. More likely is that it will never change.

While I admire, and to at least some degree support, calls to minimize energy usage, it is most unlikely that we will economize our way out of the problems this posting highlights.  

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What We Need Is Trust

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Part II of the Discussion – The Workplace and, Meeting Space Deficits

 

Trust Writ Large

We talked earlier this week about the serious erosion of social trust, including the all -important but often unrecognized weak link trust that makes for a functioning society. We discussed that while a bit of this is a part of human nature, the downside of such distrust got a long term and deep boost from the Reagan era, which fed right into what the conspiracy theorists and far righters have brought to maturity over the last 4-6 years.

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So Much Comes Down to Trust

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It Seems a Rare Commodity These Days. That Hurts Us All

 

First of a Two-Part Commentary

Let’s take a bit of time to talk about trust. Today, the general nature and specific outcomes from whether we have trust or not. Later in the week, we will talk a bit about how this is being reflected in the workplace and in other gatherings. Some important rumblings are happening that we should take account of, and address.

Trust as An Essential Social Element

A lot has been written of late about the element of social trust perhaps being another long-term casualty of the pandemic.

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See, Here is the Funny Thing About History….

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It’s Never Over. We Should Do Better at Teaching It

Do We Learn from History?

Apparently, not much. Or not many of us. We all know that famous old line “Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” Less well known but equally true is the one that says: “Those who learn history are doomed to watch those who do not, repeat it.” Yes, indeed.

The whole point of recording and passing on history, one assumes, is to pass along the lessons contained therein. Yet, we continue to make the same mistakes,

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Reflections on Memorials

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Memorial Services Remind Us of  Important Truths and Priorities

A First Such Gathering in a Long Time

 Last week I attended a memorial service for a friend. It was one of the first such gatherings I have participated in since the pandemic began. After such a long absence, I remembered of why such assemblies are important to us all.

By “us all,” I refer not only to the memory of those lost to us, but also to their families, friends, acquaintances, and the larger community.

Different Communities Do This in Very Different Ways

I am a  Unitarian Universalist,

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