Personality Disorders & Politics

The worst problem in politics is not external corruption but internal corruption. Working in local politics, the person I have worked the most for is a man I have zero respect for, see as evil to his core, and see as breathtakingly stupid. He doesn’t belong in a state legislature, he belongs in a mentalContinue reading “Personality Disorders & Politics”

On the Professor Uju Tweet

The response to the Prof Usu tweet wishing for a painful death upon the late Queen Elizabeth II has resulted in backlash but not nearly the right kind. The heat of her rancor is concerning but what is most concerning is the utter lack of syllogism. The tweet was bat-shit stupid. Jeff Bezos responded toContinue reading “On the Professor Uju Tweet”

Reporting Fees: An Idea for Police Reform

As a member of Black Lives Matter, one of the greatest problems faced are nonviolent, nonsexual, incidents being handled by the police. While I ultimately support replacing the institution of the police with a form of social work, that is far off. Let it be granted that nonviolent and nonsexual incidents should often be reportedContinue reading “Reporting Fees: An Idea for Police Reform”

The Right to Humanity

Is it a tragedy if someone with a disability is denied, by social convention, the fruits of human life? I am not referring mostly to sex and romance but that is an easy example to use. The left has a contradictory relationship with sex and romance being constituent in a full life. Like with otherContinue reading “The Right to Humanity”

Shrek: A Retrospective

Is Shrek a good character? Well, I would not consider him to be that, principally, since he is literally a NIMBY. While fairy tales are not about fuedalism, as I have written, including in-universe politics does behoove a story and add to its moral. I have serious problems with Cinderella but not ones feminists tendContinue reading “Shrek: A Retrospective”

Identity Politics & Human Dignity

Identity politics tends to be shallow and myopic. They are far from concerned with a post-Rawlsian or pre-Rawlsian idea of human dignity and eudemonia. They tend to be overwhelmingly single-issue and also don’t give much thought to collateral effects. When I was in the Gay-Straight Alliance of my high school, for example, I was theContinue reading “Identity Politics & Human Dignity”

Corporal Punishment & Liberalism

Recently, Cassville, Missouri reinstated the paddling of students. Now, I am against this for myriad reasons, obviously. First, the overwhelming consensus of developmental and child psychologists are against it at the same level virologists are supportive of vaccines and climate scientists believe in global warming. It isn’t a question. It has been settled since theContinue reading “Corporal Punishment & Liberalism”

How Woke is Hollywood?

Hollywood is, of course, liberal but is it good at being liberal? No. The entertainment industry has a selection bias, an obvious one. Their education is, mostly, in theater and the arts. Their literary godfather from the interwar years would be Picasso while mine would be Steinbeck. For them, the paragons of the left areContinue reading “How Woke is Hollywood?”

Truth & Reconciliation

We live in a very vindictive culture and the peace process of clearing the air in interpersonal relationships is mostly never attempted. In my experience, late millennials and Gen Z, especially, but people generally, are incapable of forgiveness, clearing the air, or any type of kinship or fraternity with people with whom they have hadContinue reading “Truth & Reconciliation”

Trying to Making Rawls Work

They lost community and cleaned up the mess with mass incerceration. If the late 20th century proved anything, it was that the decline in community and character led to social decay. This decay was not, as Pat Buchannan or Ronald Reagan would put it, the fault of the New Left and the hippies. At least,Continue reading “Trying to Making Rawls Work”