Nov 05
I was struck by something Lukianoff and Haidt said in The Coddling of the American Mind when they describe the response to Rebecca Tuvel’s article (“In Defense of Transracialism”) in Hypatia: “It is striking how many of the critics’ complaints refer not to Tuvel’s arguments but to her word choices” (p105). At first, I thought, …
Nov 01
I live in a small lake-centered community about three hours north of Toronto, consisting of about thirty houses: about ten are occupied year-round; the others are occupied mostly just during the summer. So, small neighbourhood. Over the past few years, I’ve experienced six instances of what I would call over-the-top insult. Specifically misogynist insult. Man …
Oct 23
I live in a cabin on a lake in a forest (purchased back when people like me, not-rich people, could afford such things). There are about ten permanent residences; about ten cottages owned by people who may (or may not) be there during any given weekend or week; and, now, oh the horror, about ten …
Oct 19
Weather websites are issuing air quality alerts because of the smoke coming from forest fires in the northeast, and yet people in cottage country just a few hours north of Toronto have smokepits going all day, presumably so they won’t be bothered by mosquitoes. Never mind that said smokepits fill the whole neighbourhood with toxic …
Aug 23
“The replacement of journalism by rumor aggregators …” (Zendegi, Greg Egan). Yes. That. Precisely.
Aug 11
“Caitlin knew she was not a good negotiator, not like Annelise or Rachel. Sicence didn’t negotiate truth; it tried to discover and prove it.” The Eleventh Gate, Nancy Kress Ah. The less regard for truth, the greater one’s negotiation skills. Explains politics. The state of the world.
Aug 03
“In strict economic terms, the almighty free market theoretically considers the work of women in the home to be without value, to be worthless. It is recognized nowhere in the free market economic model” (The High Road, Terry Fallis). Also true for the work of men in (and around) the home. But I would not …
Jul 23
NANCY MOUNT BILL PASSES IN HOUSE Proposes “None of the Above” Be Added to Ballot Thirty Percent of the Votes Would Trigger New Election Excellent idea. from Jack McDevitt’s The Long Sunset
Jul 11
James White’s Sector General series should be required reading for ANYONE assigned to first contact missions. Note in the first paragraph below (from Alien Emergencies), the inclusion of specialists in communications, philosophy, and psychology. Note the exclusion of specialists in any of the hard sciences. And the military. (Note also, the more effective way.) “The …
Jun 20
“Look at the world around you, David. What do you see? An endless theme part, with everything turned into entertainment. Science, politics, education–they’re so many fairground rides. Sadly, people are happy to buy their tickets and climb aboard.” The Millennium People, J. G. Ballard
fiction
