Category Archives: Politics

Items about the 20% and the 1%

Posted on Sunday 27 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Vivek Ramaswamy’s simplistic 10 “truths” includes one about the primacy of the nuclear family (compare my post two days ago); E.J. Dionne Jr. about how Republicans are focused on three different “yesterdays,” all since the 1980s, and not the future; … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on Items about the 20% and the 1%

The Outsized Perception of the Danger of Minority Cults

Posted on Saturday 26 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Two pieces for today. A Salon essay that suggests that the “mainstream media” has a far wider effect on the US population than the fringe, Trump/Fox-supporting media, than most of us realize (and how that’s a good thing); and how … Continue reading →

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Commentaries about Last Night’s Republican Debate

Posted on Thursday 24 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Various reactions to the Republican debate, with its themes of science denial, and lying to a base that feeds on lies; Robert Reich on Republicans’ denial of climate change. I watched bits of it. I’m relying on the commentaries published … Continue reading →

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Explaining Trump and his Followers; Conservatives’ Lies about Heartstopper

Posted on Tuesday 22 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Two kinds of boomers, and the naivete of older people about how social media works; Why Republican voters believe Trump — it’s all about their feelings of victimhood; An example of how pearl-clutching conservatives lie about Heartstopper. Not one but … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology, The Gays | Comments Off on Explaining Trump and his Followers; Conservatives’ Lies about Heartstopper

Jocks In, Academics Out

Posted on Thursday 17 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

How that college in Florida is transforming itself to focusing on jocks, rather than academics; How at least one commentator thinks Trump is doomed and will go to jail, while I’m not so sure; Then several items about conservatives’ explicit … Continue reading →

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Corridors

Posted on Wednesday 16 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The way I would have reimagined the Enterprise for Strange New Worlds; Five rules for reading the news, from Big Think, and my thoughts about them; Apocalyptic rhetoric from the right; conspiracy theories about the Maui wildfires. I’ve enjoyed the … Continue reading →

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Why I Hate Pop Concerts

Posted on Monday 14 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s lead article is about those of us who dislike attending pop concerts, even of singers and bands we otherwise admire and adore; Then, about PragerU; the “lost boys” on the American Right; and Lukianoff & Haidt’s book about Coddling, … Continue reading →

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Feeding Voters a Fantasy World

Posted on Saturday 12 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The most alarming thing I’ve learned in the past decade is how so many ordinary people are not smart, not well-educated, are susceptible to political ideology and religious zealotry, and are driven by ideology and zealotry to try to take … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, History, Politics, Science | Comments Off on Feeding Voters a Fantasy World

American Fragility and the Latest Political Hijinks

Posted on Friday 11 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

David Brooks on a kind of American decline, echoing some points of a 2018 book I happen to be half-way through reading; Quick links about slitting throats, Republican credulity, and firing Democrats; John Scalzi on that Ohio ballot measure. Here’s … Continue reading →

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The Rule of Law, Degrees of Conspiracy Theorists, and Martin Gardner

Posted on Wednesday 9 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

If Trump’s trial is on TV, will Americans, even his supporters, accept the outcome?; How traditional conspiracy theorists are alarmed by modern conspiracy theorists; Recalling Martin Gardner’s Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science; And just noting a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on The Rule of Law, Degrees of Conspiracy Theorists, and Martin Gardner