Category Archives: Social Progress

Gays, Small Towns, Climate Change Backlash

Posted on Monday 24 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The increased visibility of L.G.B.T.Q. people as a sign of progress in a multicultural global society; Versus the sentiments of a country song called “Try That in a Small Town”; And global backlash against climate change policies as an indictment … Continue reading →

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Progressions

Posted on Wednesday 29 March 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Topics in this post: The success of wokeness. How the least religious nations are among the healthiest along many measures. Partha Dasgupta on how the GDP should account for the cost of what we use. Julian Baggini on philosophy and … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Reviews, Science, Social Progress | Comments Off on Progressions

To Conservatives, Woke Seems to Mean Whatever They Don’t Like

Posted on Thursday 16 March 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

So my take on wokeness, a couple weeks ago, as a “perhaps exaggerated respect for the sensitivities of others,” is not what most others mean by “woke.” To some conservatives, it means anything they don’t like or want to acknowledge, … Continue reading →

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Crime in Oakland, Restorative Justice, and Personal Experiences with Crime

Posted on Sunday 12 February 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Here’s a local news item of interest on several points. And then my history of being victim of crime. ABC 7 News, 10 Feb 2023: Family of Oakland baker seeks ‘restorative justice’ for her death following robbery

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Rural Rage and Republican Shenanigans

Posted on Friday 27 January 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Paul Krugman responds to Thomas Edsall about the roots of conservative rural resentment, and how their three key perceptions are in fact wrong. Also, the GOP’s 30% sales tax idea; how religion would control or cut off the world; and … Continue reading →

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Recent Headlines, 7 Sept 2022

Posted on Wednesday 7 September 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Busy with things including the heat. For now headlines from the past few days, lightly commented. I’ve skimmed them at best; some I will revisit and comment further. About not following your gut; the past 150 years of human history; … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Education, Human Progress, Links & Comments, Narrative, Psychology, Social Progress | Comments Off on Recent Headlines, 7 Sept 2022

Son of Longtermism

Posted on Monday 22 August 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Some 14 days ago, in this post, I linked and quoted from a NYT guest essay by William MacAskill about valuing the future as much as we value the present. Which struck me as a reasonable position to take, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Human Progress, Humanism, Philosophy, Science, Social Progress | Comments Off on Son of Longtermism

Links and Comments: Some Good News, and the FBI

Posted on Tuesday 9 August 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Some recent news is actually quite good.

Posted in Links & Comments, Politics, Social Progress | Comments Off on Links and Comments: Some Good News, and the FBI

Fiddler on the Roof

Posted on Thursday 7 July 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Over the past couple evenings we’ve watched the movie version of a musical I had never seen before, in any form: Fiddler on the Roof. I was aware it was a big-hit musical, back in the 1960s or ’70s, in … Continue reading →

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Musings: The Sky; Living in History

Posted on Wednesday 18 May 2022 by Mark R. Kelly
Posted in Science, Social Progress | Comments Off on Musings: The Sky; Living in History