Monthly Archives: August 2026

More About Science Fiction in Modern Society

Posted on Monday 31 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

First, posted on Facebook about our Napa Valley Wine Train trip yesterday. Then, more about the role of science fiction in modern society. The Atlantic, Gal Beckerman, 31 Aug 2026: We Are Living in the Fantasy World of 13-Year-Old Boys, … Continue reading →

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Christian Nationalism, and the Dissipation of Science Fiction Into Popular Culture

Posted on Saturday 29 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

The arrogance of Christian Nationalism; How some of science fiction has become absorbed into even literary culture. – – – From a few days ago. NY Times, David French, 20 Aug 2026: JD Vance Has a Mind-Bending Vision for America … Continue reading →

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Truth, Myths, and Levels of Reality

Posted on Friday 28 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Given inevitable pandemics and inevitable conspiracy mongering, could AI be the answer?; A new Sean Tan book, and how perhaps some truths can only be told through myth; Bruce Ledewitz at OnlySky recalls a time when the US government was … Continue reading →

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Is Science Fiction Becoming Obsolete?

Posted on Thursday 27 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Jill Lepore on how Silicon Valley misreads classic science fiction; Kibble: Trumps wants to rename everything; Reich calls Trump petty and incompetent; how the Supreme Court is less and less interested in facts; and about ICE’s new electronic glove torture … Continue reading →

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Self-Destruction and Magical Thinking

Posted on Wednesday 26 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Self-destruction: Of the US military, of the Kennedy Center; How MAGA’s religious freedom doesn’t apply to Muslims; Dimwits: Darline Graham, advocates for “conservative-based” science; a GOP nominee who thinks humans and dinosaurs lived at the same time; Liars, vanity projects … Continue reading →

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Cognitive Overload?

Posted on Tuesday 25 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Is humanity suffering information overload? Why people hate data centers; Why people hate the government; Is this all about the increasing complexity of the world, and the limits of human cognition? Comments about Trump and Canada from Robert Charles Wilson … Continue reading →

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Penn Jillette, GOD, NO!

Posted on Tuesday 25 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales” (Simon & Schuster, August 2011, 231pp) This is an odd book that is superficially about religion and atheism and the author’s own version of a “ten commandments,” but … Continue reading →

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The Proper Study

Posted on Monday 24 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

The proper study of mankind, if not in the way Alexander Pope meant; Powers of Ten, and the range of human intuition and understanding; If Pluto is a planet, so are dozens of other spherical bodies. A passionate performance of … Continue reading →

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Kevin, Sean, Darline

Posted on Sunday 23 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Noting Kevin Kelly’s substack; David French, Sean Duffy, Harvard, and fear of corruption; World hunger is declining; How is Sharia Law worse than Christian Nationalism? (asking for a friend); Ignoramous Darline Graham pivots to a safe conservative target: trans kids. … Continue reading →

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The War Within Human Nature for Human Survival

Posted on Saturday 22 August 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

The growing movement of Americans who don’t think all people are created equal; Trump tries to intimidate the source of a report he doesn’t like; Under Trump, protected wild horses are being slaughtered; Trump is doing everything he can to … Continue reading →

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