Monthly Archives: May 2023

The Lies that Bind

Posted on 31 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

How the Christian curriculum ACE lies about science; How some people are happy to submit to tyranny; Wondering if it matters children are lied to about reality, and concluding that it doesn’t, given certain purposes of life; And reflecting again … Continue reading →

Posted in Meaning, Morality, Music, Politics, Religion | Leave a comment

Narrative Bias and Control

Posted on 30 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Another take on why conspiracy theories have become so popular; How home-schoolers who decided to send their kids to public schools exposed the three lies about home-schooling that convinced them to do so; The Week on the state of book … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Music, Narrative, Religion | Leave a comment

Then They Came for the Meteorologists

Posted on 29 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s items. How conspiracy theorists are attacking meteorologists; Naomi Oreskes on how the right attacks Social Security because it’s a “big government” program that actually works; The connection between American Christians and Uganda’s “kill the gays” policy And today’s music: … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Music, Psychology | Leave a comment

Sausalito, and Heartstopper

Posted on 28 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Missed posting yesterday because we took a day drive, on the first day of a three-day (Memorial Day, in the US) holiday weekend. On such weekends (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day) most Americans don’t celebrate the event so much … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal history, The Gays | Leave a comment

Groupthink, Reason, and Conspiracy Thinking

Posted on 26 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

An apology/defense of groupthink; My thoughts about how religion undermines the ability to reason; A Republican who believes globes are a global conspiracy; How Republicans take advantage of laws they voted against; And how they’re trying to disappear gays and … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Epistemology | Leave a comment

Moving Toward One Kind of Science-Fictional Future

Posted on 25 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Working from home vs. commuting, a slow social trend we thought might be temporary, but which may be inevitable, and for the good. I have a laptop connected to two big monitors, but otherwise this photo is apt. My cat … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Human Progress, Technology | Leave a comment

Three from SciAm

Posted on 24 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Scientific American is a magazine I’ve read intermittently for 50 years. A new take on the difference between liberals and conservatives; How most Americans think they are better than most people, but people in Asian countries do not; How there … Continue reading →

Posted in Mathematics, Psychology, Science | Leave a comment

Fox News Admits They Were Wrong; Reviews by Michael Dirda

Posted on 23 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

First, a follow up to my Media Literacy post three days ago. Stop the Presses! Something amazing has happened! Salon, Amanda Marcotte, 23 May 2023: Fox News falls for another hoax, as the Dominion defamation settlement pays off, subtitled “The … Continue reading →

Posted in Mathematics, Narrative, Science, science fiction | Leave a comment

More Examples of What MAGA Really Means

Posted on 22 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Items today: How Florida has been designated a dangerous state for blacks, Latinos, and sexual minorities to visit, with Tennessee close behind Florida and Texas on implementing similar policies; Marjorie Taylor Greene’s hypocrisy about drag (she condemns it, except when … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Lunacy, Psychology | Leave a comment

Today’s Fantasy vs. Reality Watch

Posted on 21 May 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Items today about How Americans feel so negative about the economy, despite actual statistics; How Christian Nationalism is working in Wyoming — the usual evocations of concerns that are not real; How to determine truth, with an aside about science-fictional … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Leave a comment