Search Results for: how the mind works

Robert A. Heinlein: THE DOOR INTO SUMMER

Posted on Tuesday 8 July 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

(First published 1957. Edition here: Orion/Gollancz/SF Masterworks 2003, 178pp, with an introduction by Stephen Baxter) I’m no expert on Robert A. Heinlein — I still haven’t read Farah Mendlesohn’s book about him — but I have read *almost* all his … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Heinlein, science fiction | Leave a comment

Octavia E. Butler, PARABLE OF THE SOWER

Posted on Tuesday 1 July 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

(Four Walls Eight Windows, October 1993, 299pp) In June I focused on reading classic science fiction novels, partly to see how many I could get through in one month, considering other obligations (answer: 6 and a bit), and partly to … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Reviews, science fiction | Comments Off on Octavia E. Butler, PARABLE OF THE SOWER

Progress, and the Forces Against It

Posted on Friday 27 June 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

We have been here before: comparing 1940 to 2025; Steven Novella assesses whether skepticism has made any progress in recent decades; The irony of MAGA being outraged by a Muslim candidate for New York City’s mayor; Conservative presumption and arrogance … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, History, Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Progress, and the Forces Against It

Paleolithic Emotions, Medieval Institutions, and Godlike Technology

Posted on Tuesday 17 June 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

EO Wilson on the real problem of humanity; Conservatives think you can command thing into existence, despite the evidence of the real world; re: Trump’s tariffs on aluminum; With my comments about modern technology and globalism; How the Minnesota killer … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, conservatives, Human Nature, Human Progress, Politics, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on Paleolithic Emotions, Medieval Institutions, and Godlike Technology

Trump and MAGA’s War on California

Posted on Saturday 14 June 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

News today: Trump’s parade, No Kings demonstrations, and a dress-up cop shoots Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota; Charlie Warzel on the surfeit of information and how the right can invent via AI narratives to its advantage; Similar gaslighting about Alex Padilla; … Continue reading →

Posted in authoritarianism, Politics, Religion, Tribalism | Comments Off on Trump and MAGA’s War on California

Feudalism, Suicide, Ignorance, Disease, Conservative DEI

Posted on Tuesday 3 June 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Quite a round of doom and gloom essays today. This is where we are. The drive toward privatization will lead to feudalism; Max Boot on the suicide of a superpower; Paul Krugman on how we’re no longer a serious country, … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Human Nature, Politics | Comments Off on Feudalism, Suicide, Ignorance, Disease, Conservative DEI

Fareed Zakaria, Peter Wehner, Brian Tyler Cohen, and Anton Bruckner

Posted on Saturday 31 May 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Fareed Zakaria on Trump vs. Harvard; Peter Wehner on how Republican principles gave way to Trump; And so now there is justice for Trump supporters, and justice for others; “Happy Memorial Day” Brian Tyler Cohen about Trump’s confusion about “asylum”; … Continue reading →

Posted in Lunacy, Music, Politics | Comments Off on Fareed Zakaria, Peter Wehner, Brian Tyler Cohen, and Anton Bruckner

MAGA and human nature; How Trump thinks everything is about loyalty to him

Posted on Friday 30 May 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Reconsidering the definition of MAGA, and how it relates to base human nature; Recalling the David Brooks essay from yesterday; Trump thinks an honest economic forecast is “unpatriotic”; A Christian boy band preaches to public school students, and denies it; … Continue reading →

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Taker States and Desi Arnaz

Posted on Tuesday 20 May 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Thomas Edsall on the destructiveness of the Trump presidency; As the US discounts investments in the future, China is taking the lead; How Trump World clings to conspiracy theories; And how Trump folks simply stop enforcing rules they don’t like, … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Politics, TV Sci Fi | Comments Off on Taker States and Desi Arnaz

The Daily News

Posted on Tuesday 20 May 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

The range of politics reflects the range of human nature; Posts without much comments about military tribunals, hacking the economy, Jeanine Pirro’s black and white worldview, how the Qatar jet deal is Biden’s fault, Paul Krugman on sadistic zombies, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Politics | Comments Off on The Daily News