Fsrcoin
MY BLOGS
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The Rational Optimist
http://www.rationaloptimist.wordpress.com/
Commentary of Life, Society, Politics, and Philosophy
LATEST ARTICLES ( 1470 )
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Science, Nature, Religion, and Civilization
Charles Murray’s book Human Accomplishment is a historical examination of all the developments and advancements, in the arts and sciences, that have propelled... Read more
Posted on 05 January 2024 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Nikki Haley and the Monster That Ate Republicanism
Nikki Haley is a good person. Pity she got mixed up with that Republican party. And, like so many, couldn’t summon the moral clarity to get out. Read more
Posted on 01 January 2024 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
I Have Nothing to Say Today
That heading is not some clever shtick. It’s the literal truth. I am writing a blog post with nothing to say.I just love writing, playing with words and ideas,... Read more
Posted on 28 December 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Too Much Moralism
I’m very moralistic. Not a claim of personal morality; rather, another applicable word is judgmental.Some decades ago, non-judgmentalism was the thing. Read more
Posted on 24 December 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
My Jan. 2 Book Talk: “The Democrat Party Hates America”
On Tuesday, January 2, I will critique Mark Levin’s book, The Democrat Party Hates America. In the context of our whole political landscape, I promise a rock-‘e... Read more
Posted on 23 December 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
My Failed Psychedelic Quest
“We should do this,” I told my wife, watching a Netflix documentary about psilocybin and other psychotropic substances, their growing therapeutic use, and... Read more
Posted on 19 December 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Trade Wars: Shooting Ourselves in the Foot (and Elsewhere)
Free trade is bad — for some people — but good for most. Protectionism is good for some, bad for most. But those profiting from it know it, and reward... Read more
Posted on 15 December 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Anti-semitism and Cancel Culture
Here’s a letter to the editor I sent the local paper yesterday:First, criticizing Israel is not necessarily anti-semitism. I’m of Jewish ancestry, my mother... Read more
Posted on 11 December 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
How Do We See Things?
I’m not one to take anything for granted. That includes existence itself.It’s been observed that if some physics parameters, like the precise strength of... Read more
Posted on 08 December 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Bar Trump from the 2024 Ballot?
A movement’s afoot to block Trump’s candidacy. Based on a 14th Amendment provision barring from federal office anyone who “engaged in insurrection” against the... Read more
Posted on 04 December 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
David Lynch’s Hilarious 1984 “Dune”
Trolling Netflix, my wife and I stumbled upon David Lynch’s 1984 film, “Dune.” I’d read the Frank Herbert sci-fi novel in the ’70s; hadn’t remembered this film... Read more
Posted on 30 November 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
My Marriage
In all my years of blogging, I’ve barely touched upon my life’s central thing: my marriage with Therese Broderick. (I’ve eschewed boastfulness, humility being... Read more
Posted on 27 November 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Criticizing Israel is Not Anti-semitism
Predictably, the Middle East horrors bring out, too widely, not humanistic responses, but their antitheses. Ideological pathologies. Read more
Posted on 24 November 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Democracy and the Press: We’re in Trouble
Our democracy is in deep trouble. A big part of that is people unable to tell truth from lies (indeed, reality versus downright crazy) and which news sources... Read more
Posted on 20 November 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Modus Vivendi in a World Going Nuts
A recent major poll showed Trump leading Biden in five of six key swing states. Many people won’t vote for Biden because he’s old. But will vote instead for a... Read more
Posted on 16 November 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Sarah Vowell: Historian-Adjacent Narrative Non-fiction Wise Guy
Sarah Vowell is a living contradiction to the notion that history is dull. She writes history books almost as comedy routines. Yet still they’re full of real... Read more
Posted on 11 November 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
What Are Humanity’s Top Problems? And Their Solutions?
This is a “philosophy contest” advertised by the “World Roundtable Association of Amateur and Professional Philosophers.”*It solicits a list of humanity’s top 2... Read more
Posted on 06 November 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
The Hard Problem of AI
What does the Artificial Intelligence (AI) explosion mean for our future? That’s the Great Topic of the day.Back in 2013, my seminal Humanist magazine article,... Read more
Posted on 02 November 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
The Frog and the Scorpion
Gaza is a godforsaken place. (Why do most residents still worship that god?) Two million people crammed into an overcrowded ghetto. A prison camp. Read more
Posted on 29 October 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
MAGA Cult Triumphant
The Republican crazies got their way in the end after all.It had seemed the party was completely MAGA-gaga, with little left of its sane wing. Read more
Posted on 26 October 2023 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY
