Category Archives: Psychology

My Uninterest in UFOs

Posted on Saturday 29 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

No, I don’t mean disinterest. I’ve mentioned before that people who are unfamiliar with science fiction, or with science fiction writers and fans, tend to assume that SF folks are credulous along the lines of “believing” in UFOs, where “believing” … Continue reading →

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Varieties of Psychological Illusions

Posted on Friday 28 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Wokeness Wars and three Great Untruths; More on that study that explains why people think the past was better, despite evidence. – Jerry Coyne’s website today has this post: Andrew Doyle: The culture war is not fake, but real and … Continue reading →

Posted in Morality, Psychology | Comments Off on Varieties of Psychological Illusions

Living in History

Posted on Saturday 22 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

We’re living through the hottest month and year in history. And it’s only going to get worse; Wondering why Trump fans adore him despite his incoherency and insincerity; And how conservative objections to LGBTQ books in a San Diego library … Continue reading →

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Truth or Consequences

Posted on Friday 14 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Why Republicans would want to defund the IRS, the DOJ, and the FBI; Cory Doctorow’s quick take on this theme in his latest novel; A new book about fearmongering; How conspiracy theories are driven by profit, not truth or honesty … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Conservative Resistance, Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Truth or Consequences

Consciousness and Choices

Posted on Thursday 13 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The problem of consciousness, and the resolution to a 25-year-old debate, via Vox and NYT’s Carl Zimmer; The paradox of choice, in supermarkets and everywhere else, in our abundant, materialistic world. Vox, Oshan Jarow, 30 Jun 2023: Why scientists haven’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Philosophy, Psychology, Science | Comments Off on Consciousness and Choices

Three Items by Paul Krugman

Posted on Friday 7 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

About why people don’t believe, or understand, that the economy has gotten better; Conspiracy theorists who think the government is simply faking the data about an improving economy; How ‘tech bros’ like Elon Musk are given to reflexive contrarianism and … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Three Items by Paul Krugman

Conservative “Intellectualism,” and Fear

Posted on Saturday 1 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Today: A long article about “conservative intellectuals”; How my attention to politics, especially to conservative antics, is actually all about science fiction, and its aspirations; A couple items about the Supreme Court case that did not involve an actual gay … Continue reading →

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Stomping the Floor and Deafening Applause

Posted on Tuesday 27 June 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Let’s see how my thesis of yesterday might inform some of today’s news. How Republicans don’t want to solve problems, they want to stomp the floor to protest people they feel threatened by; How Republicans define crime; Shifting the goal … Continue reading →

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The Biggest Thing Conservatives Believe That Is Wrong

Posted on Tuesday 20 June 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

That there was a golden age. NY Times, Adam Mastroianni, 20 Jun 2023: Your Brain Has Tricked You Into Thinking Everything Is Worse

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The Understanding of Human Nature, and Its Relationship to Science Fiction

Posted on Monday 19 June 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Here’s a draft of another essay trying to summarize my take on science fiction and my provisional conclusions on the topics I’ve been reading about over the past couple decades.

Posted in Personal history, Psychology, science fiction, The Book | Comments Off on The Understanding of Human Nature, and Its Relationship to Science Fiction