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MY BLOGS
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The Rational Optimist
http://www.rationaloptimist.wordpress.com/
Commentary of Life, Society, Politics, and Philosophy
LATEST ARTICLES ( 1483 )
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Trumpism and Religion: God Help Us
Nobody is a better advertisement for atheism than Trump.A man many evangelicals view, despite all his demerits, as God’s instrument for achieving their... Read more
Posted on 11 January 2022 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Call Me Fishmeal
Half listening to the radio — some environment report — I heard the word “fishmeal.” And my brain popped out, “Call me Fishmeal. Read more
Posted on 08 January 2022 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
America’s Catilinarians
The Catilinarian Conspiracy was a notorious episode in Roman history.Rome’s (probably mythical) founding king, in 753 BC, was Romulus — who with his brother... Read more
Posted on 05 January 2022 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Don’t Look Up!
Kate, a grad student working with astronomer Randall, discovers a new comet. Will hit Earth in six months. Twice as big as the asteroid that wiped out the... Read more
Posted on 01 January 2022 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
What Are America’s Global Interests?
After their December 7 video call, President Biden said Putin got the message “loud and clear” that invading Ukraine (again) would incur a big price.The actual... Read more
Posted on 28 December 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Supreme Court Follies #2: Guns
The Supreme Court’s 1857 Dred Scott decision said no Black person can have any rights. That set a high bar for decisional badness. Read more
Posted on 23 December 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Supreme Court Follies #1: Abortion
I use the word “follies” not in the fun sense, but as the plural of “folly.” The Supreme Court is plunging headlong toward great follies, as if calculated to... Read more
Posted on 19 December 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Whoopi Goldberg Critiques Human Behavior
Whoopi Goldberg is a comic. Or so I’ve heard. Can’t say I’ve ever actually seen her being funny. Nevertheless, seeking a break from my customary heavy reading, ... Read more
Posted on 15 December 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Idiocracy
As someone vaunting human reason, the 2006 comedy film Idiocracy haunts me. It starts with an upscale couple — intelligent, educated, thoughtful — agonizing... Read more
Posted on 11 December 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Isness: What is Existence?
The deepest of all questions is why is there something and not nothing? Existence either sprang from nothing, or is eternal. Both possibilities make our minds g... Read more
Posted on 06 December 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
“Let’s Go Brandon!” and the State of American Political Discourse
In case you didn’t know:“Let’s Go Brandon!” means “Fuck Joe Biden!” The latter phrase was chanted at some NASCAR event and the sportscaster mis-heard it as the... Read more
Posted on 03 December 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Death, Memory, and Meaning
The biggest fact of life is death. Life’s purpose is preparing to be dead for a very long time. How do we do that?Some try to evade the issue by anticipating... Read more
Posted on 29 November 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
The Deep State
“The Deep State” refers to a locus of true power, hidden, pulling strings behind the scenes. Journalist David Rohde discussed his 2020 book about this, at the... Read more
Posted on 26 November 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Baltimore Coin Show Fun
Last week I went to the Baltimore coin show. Normally thrice yearly, it hadn’t been held for two years, due to Covid. Southwest has a one-hour early flight, the... Read more
Posted on 22 November 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Two Waitings
In 1977, when Avon published my fantasy novel, my middle initial was omitted on the cover. So we got a tart letter from the other Frank Robinson — Frank M. —a... Read more
Posted on 19 November 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
“Intelligent Design” — Another View
You’re walking in a forest and find a watch on the ground. Seems obviously the intentional creation of an intelligent designer. Read more
Posted on 14 November 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Dave Chapelle’s Netflix Trans Shocker
Comedian Dave Chapelle had a history of offending some trans activists. His latest Netflix special, Closer, focusing on that subject, sparked a firestorm. Read more
Posted on 10 November 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
America’s Didius Julianus Moment
Didius Julianus was the Roman Emperor who bought his crown at auction.Here’s the story. The madman Emperor Commodus (the one in Gladiator) was murdered on the... Read more
Posted on 07 November 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
The Threat from the Illiberal Left
Robert Boyers’s 2019 book, The Tyranny of Virtue, decried the woke left campus culture’s oppressive censoriousness. My 2020 review* ended by noting that the... Read more
Posted on 02 November 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Robinson’s 2021 Albany Voters Guide
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan is running for a third term. Opposing her are Republican candidate Alicia Purdy and independent Greg Aidala; and Valerie Faust as a... Read more
Posted on 31 October 2021 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY
