Category Archives: progress

Human Rights, and Those Who Would Restrict Them

Posted on Wednesday 11 December 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s been 76 years since the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in America, conservatives prevent or keep trying to reverse many of those rights; Example of their latest bugaboo: transgenders; How Trump’s cabinet picks would please Putin, whose … Continue reading →

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There Is Always Long Term Progress and Short Term Retreat

Posted on Thursday 14 November 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

An essay that proposes that the idea of progress is a myth; I disagree; Quick takes on politics, and crackpots. OK, I can’t help but follow the political news, but for today’s post I’m sinking links about that to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Progress, Politics, progress, Religion | Comments Off on There Is Always Long Term Progress and Short Term Retreat

Lessons and Narratives

Posted on Friday 8 November 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Everyone has theories and lessons to be drawn from the election results; Robert Reich rejects several and offers his own; The focus on the current economy is just another example of short-term thinking, at the expense of bigger issues; Disinformation … Continue reading →

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Appropriate Terminology

Posted on Tuesday 29 October 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Several good items published today. We’re stuck in the Trump Loop because we can’t accept that sociopaths exist; Steven Pinker with data that says the country is *not* ‘dying’; Another piece about psychological “blind spots” and how to counter them; … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Politics, progress | Comments Off on Appropriate Terminology

Examining The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

Posted on Saturday 24 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Here’s a piece that challenges my challenge to the assumption, especially in America, than more is better, that the economy must always expand, that the population should continue to increase indefinitely. My point has been that this literally cannot continue … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Philosophy, progress | Comments Off on Examining The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

Far, Far Better Thing?

Posted on Monday 22 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

So this is the week that President Joe Biden, under fire by everyone since his lame debate performance last month (which I wrote about here), stepped down from his candidacy for a second term as president. This is virtually unprecedented … Continue reading →

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Progress and Retreat

Posted on Thursday 2 May 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

A reading from Steven Pinker, about progress the MAGA folks are reacting against; Double standards about Trump and presidential immunity; J.D. Vance and protesters; DeSantis and woke banks; the National Day of Prayer; another Republican taking advantage of a bill … Continue reading →

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Joshua Greene, MORAL TRIBES, post 2

Posted on Thursday 18 April 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Concluding summary and comments about this book. Some highlights: The author focuses on a modified utilitarianism, which he calls “deep pragmatism,” to solve tribal disputes in the modern world; He observes that “rights” are claims to end disputes, in order … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Morality, progress | Comments Off on Joshua Greene, MORAL TRIBES, post 2

Joshua Greene, MORAL TRIBES, post 1

Posted on Wednesday 17 April 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Here is a substantial book about human morality that offers ideas that, to me, help to knit together the ideas of others. For chronological context, this 2013 book follows, of course, the 1997 Pinker book that I recently read (review … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Morality, progress, Science | Comments Off on Joshua Greene, MORAL TRIBES, post 1

A History of Progress and Backlash

Posted on Friday 29 March 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Two items about Fareed Zakaria and his new book; Robert Reich on Roger Ailes; How “DEI” is now substituting for the N-word. * There’s a new book out this week by Fareed Zakaria, whose 2020 book, Ten Lessons for a … Continue reading →

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