Category: Learning
He lied on his college applications and went to prison
‘Conning Harvard’ gives an example of what not to do. Adam Wheeler made headlines in 2010 when it was discovered he’d been admitted to Harvard under false pretenses. His prize-winning work had been faked too.
Too much ‘noo’ in the sphere (all spin, no facts)
Steve Bannon describes MAGA narrative in terms of Teilhard’s ‘noosphere’. Bannons says that liberals get sucked into fact-checking while Trump’s followers don’t let themselves be distracted by questions of truth.
Hard truth! Trust news!
A ‘Democracy dies in darkness’ erasure poem. Jeff Bezos didn’t allow the Washington Post editorial staff to endorse Kamala Harris. Many are resigning over his ‘principled’ action. Does he believe them?
Have you found a news source you trust?
Here are a few suggestions. Pay for the news or support it however you can. Journalists reveal what government officials are doing and what candidates are saying. That’s democracy.
Secretamos la concha / We secrete the shell
Un ensayo ilustrado sobre el conocimiento / An illustrated essay on knowledge. Mini-illustrations about not grabbing too tight and instead growing that which we’ll carry with us. In English (plain text) and Spanish (in images).
Why do politicians ‘swear in to office’ on a Bible?
Doing so is supposed to appear solemn, but it can’t really bind them to their promise. The politician may not believe God holds them accountable for promises on a Bible. Swearing in on a Bible only shows the cultural power of Christianity.
High school debate judges have their own opinions
They want an inclusive, non-hostile environment. Oppression can be systemic. We know our own experiences. These are obvious facts. How can we pretend not to know them when we make any judgment whatsoever?
A hostile critic isn’t impartial
They complain about our greatest strengths. In real life, when our enemies point out our ‘faults,’ we don’t always need to take it to heart. They don’t have our best interests in mind.
Quit Twitter?
It’s been a Fire Swamp, and it’ll get worse. Here’s where you can go. If it isn’t Trump who’s given free rein to make Twitter swampier than it already is, it’ll be someone like Trump. Maybe a hundred Trump figures.
We may not have Twitter tomorrow
Letting go is a complex process, and there’s no one right way to do it. Sometimes good things can’t be saved. We can be sad and frustrated. But, even not wanting to let go, we can give ourselves permission to actually let go.
We mortals must combat hate speech
Starboard buys Parler, and it looks like strange fire. This is all kinds of strange fire, except for the queer kind that we like. It is instead made of strange fires that deserve to be scrutinized and judged.
If you’re told your position is harmful
Someone’s mad at your car. Did you almost run them over? I can pause and apologize. I care about others. I recognize that their perspectives are valid and their observations about my behavior might be correct.