Category Archives: Psychology

Daily Outrages. Tyrant.

Posted on Thursday 15 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

It is too tiring to keep up on the daily outrages. I have things to do. But we can’t become complacent. So headlines today, with minimal comment. Items about gaslighting, Bari Weiss, Trump not as fascist but as tyrant, winking … Continue reading →

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The Paradox of MAGA

Posted on Friday 9 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

My fascination with this ICE killing in Minnesota is, again, that it’s a perfect example of the paradox of MAGA, if not of conservatives in general. They claim to be Christians, and to revere the Constitution and the US Founders, … Continue reading →

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ICE Thugs

Posted on Thursday 8 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s posts are about the Minnesota ICE killing and the responses, from Trump and Vance to Jesse Bering, Jonathan V. Last, and others. An essay by Elay Shech about why we should trust science even though it keeps changing. (Because … Continue reading →

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Ethnic Cleansing and Collective Effervescence

Posted on Thursday 1 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

The Department of Homeland Security imagines a future in which 1/3 of the American population is deported; The idea of “collective effervescence”; Brief posts about the dirty 1970s; Trump and aspirin; Florida giving God citations passes; and items from JMG. … Continue reading →

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Do People Actually Believe the Things That They Say?

Posted on Wednesday 17 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Timothy Snyder on Elon Musk, responsibility, and displacement; Adam Lee how on how, despite abortion bans, rates of abortion have gone up; Short items on racism, dual citizenship, dismantling climate research, promoting violence, and snitching and scapegoating. – – – … Continue reading →

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The Limitations of Human Cognition

Posted on Monday 1 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Anti-Vaxxers and how it’s not about evidence; Paul Krugman on Trump’s incoherent war on drugs; Short takes on how Trump is elevating Sen. Mark Kelly; how Maga’s idea of Christianity implies a “cold-hearted Jesus”; and why a Bible-based essay on … Continue reading →

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False Equivalences

Posted on Wednesday 26 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Frank Bruni on people who excuse Trump’s outrageous behavior for the relatively minor sins of the previous administration, unable to tell the difference in magnitude; Briefly noted items about Mark Kelly and Benedict Arnold; NYT on Trump’s fatigue and Trump’s … Continue reading →

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Be Careful What You Wish For

Posted on Monday 24 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

What a no-immigration economy looks like; A profound psychological question: why is RFK Jr. so convinced he’s right? A thought for the day about childhood religion; Briefly noted items about an administration of liars; how MAGA is tearing apart following … Continue reading →

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Richard Dawkins, THE GOD DELUSION, post 6

Posted on Tuesday 18 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

(Houghton Mifflin, Oct. 2006, 406pp, including 26pp of appendix, books cited, notes, and index) (Post 1; Post 2; Post 3; Post 4; Post 5) * Here are glosses on the Preface and 10 chapters of the book, followed by some … Continue reading →

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Richard Dawkins, THE GOD DELUSION, post 5

Posted on Monday 17 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

(Houghton Mifflin, Oct. 2006, 406pp, including 26pp of appendix, books cited, notes, and index) (Post 1; Post 2; Post 3; Post 4) * Here are notes on the final four chapters. Glosses follow in the next post. * Ch 7, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Book Notes, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on Richard Dawkins, THE GOD DELUSION, post 5