Category Archives: Human Nature

The Myths Americans Live By

Posted on Saturday 5 October 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

A person’s history affects how he views the world; so too does a nation’s history affects its perceived position in the world, and its place in history. And every nation, or at least most nations, think it is very special, … Continue reading →

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Further Notes from Our Report on the Third Planet

Posted on Friday 4 October 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

What would alien spectators taking notes on modern American society observe? Society is unsettled, and political compromises are fragile; yet those advocating actual violence are a minority (Adam Lee) Society has developed high principles to overcome tribal conflicts, but while … Continue reading →

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Changing the Subject

Posted on Wednesday 2 October 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

About last night’s Vice Presidential debate, and how Vance kept changing the subject; How Vance’s contempt for climate change science belies his purported concern for children, and reflects this recent Cory Doctorow column about marshmallow longtermism; How Vance’s conversion to … Continue reading →

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Cynicism, Lies, Incompetence

Posted on Tuesday 1 October 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Recalling Reagan and his cynicism about the government; And lies about Hurricane Helene response, climate change, and about everything over one 24-hour period; My anticipation of how long it will take for Trump fans to realize how incompetent and moronic … Continue reading →

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Changing Minds

Posted on Sunday 29 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s theme: a couple items that illustrate when and how people have changed their minds. Erwin Chemerinsky, and Malcolm Gladwell. First, another piece about the new book by Erwin Chemerinsky (last discussed on 31 Aug), this time a review by … Continue reading →

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The Real Trump Mystery, and My Explanation

Posted on Friday 27 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Thomas B. Edsall on The Real Trump Mystery, and how base human nature explains this; Fareed Zakaria on how Trump’s economic ideas would stunt growth and spur inflation; Because Trump doesn’t understand money; Short items about Roseanne Barr accusing Democrats … Continue reading →

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Reality v Fear

Posted on Wednesday 25 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

If there’s a core lesson to take away from the studies of psychological biases over the past two or three decades, it is this: our minds evolved for survival, not for accurate perception of the real world. We are primed … Continue reading →

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Fear vs. Hope

Posted on Friday 13 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

An essay about “contrasting views of reality” by the American right and the left; Short items about MAGA and pets; Republicans and raunch; Laura Loomer; Buttigieg explains Trump; Lance Wallnau blames witchcraft; and Trump’s new big lie about crime; And … Continue reading →

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Cheating and Lying

Posted on Saturday 7 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

To me, all of these undermine the Conservative project as a legitimate intellectual discourse. How new local news sources are not what they appear to be; Epoch Times; my rule of thumb about reliable news sources; How the Heritage Foundation … Continue reading →

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Lukianoff & Haidt, THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND

Posted on Sunday 1 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Here’s a book that was published six years ago this month, and which I read one year ago last month. Subtitle: “How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure” (Penguin Press, Sept. 2018, 338pp, including … Continue reading →

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