Category Archives: Politics

The Myths Americans Live By

Posted on Saturday 5 October 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

A person’s history affects how he views the world; so too does a nation’s history affects its perceived position in the world, and its place in history. And every nation, or at least most nations, think it is very special, … Continue reading →

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Chemophobia

Posted on Monday 30 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

How Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking Silent Spring led to fixing the environment, but also led to an irrational fear of “chemicals” and then the anti-vax movement; Short items about Vance and Wallnau, Trump’s threats of a violent purge of society, how … Continue reading →

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Changing Minds

Posted on Sunday 29 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s theme: a couple items that illustrate when and how people have changed their minds. Erwin Chemerinsky, and Malcolm Gladwell. First, another piece about the new book by Erwin Chemerinsky (last discussed on 31 Aug), this time a review by … Continue reading →

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The Real Trump Mystery, and My Explanation

Posted on Friday 27 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Thomas B. Edsall on The Real Trump Mystery, and how base human nature explains this; Fareed Zakaria on how Trump’s economic ideas would stunt growth and spur inflation; Because Trump doesn’t understand money; Short items about Roseanne Barr accusing Democrats … Continue reading →

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Reality v Fear

Posted on Wednesday 25 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

If there’s a core lesson to take away from the studies of psychological biases over the past two or three decades, it is this: our minds evolved for survival, not for accurate perception of the real world. We are primed … Continue reading →

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Francis Collins on Facts (!)

Posted on Tuesday 24 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Francis Collins on how facts don’t care how you feel; Short pieces on Trump and golf; how brain damage is linked to religious fundamentalism; how Carlson and Vance are smart guys who play dumb; about Trump’s Truth Social posts; how … Continue reading →

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Alarmism About Culture

Posted on Thursday 19 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

A disgruntled French intellectual on “deculturation” sounds a lot like MAGA; Shorter items about how a mother died due to Georgia’s abortion ban; how conservatives see everything they don’t like is a judgement from their God; how Trump supporters are … Continue reading →

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Stories Are Not Evidence

Posted on Wednesday 18 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

How the right “creates stories” to support their worldview (i.e. they’re all about motivated reasoning); Paul Krugman on Trump, tariffs, Stalin, and Lysenko; Items about DeSantis cheating and which party is the party of violence; Items about a brain fever … Continue reading →

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Education vs. Conservatives

Posted on Monday 16 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Why should a ‘diverse’ campus include conservatives who are essentially against education? Paul Krugman on the eternal demonization of immigrants by conservatives; Short items about Vance’s fantasies, his aim simply to get media attention, and Trump’s clueless accusations about harsh … Continue reading →

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Regression Toward the Tribal

Posted on Saturday 14 September 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Let’s see now. Here we are in the 21st century. In the past 500 years humankind has shown remarkable progress on two parallel fronts. Along governance: no longer was the divine right of kings (or tribal leaders) recognized; rather, principles … Continue reading →

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