Culture Warriors category archive
Jesus! The Spam! 0
Just for grins and giggles, I am appending below the fold a spam comment that has been repeatedly appearing in my blog’s spam catcher for the last several weeks submitted as a comment to random posts by [fake names].
I was raised in the Southern Baptist Church before it went bucking fonkers.
These clowns represent no Christianity that I know. And that persons believe this demented drivel scares the bejesus out of me.
Skirting Disaster 0
Honest to Betsy, you can’t make this stuff up.
Life in the Bubble 0
Phil Reed reviews recent research as to whether “social” media promotes “digital bubbles” and political polarization.
He finds that the research to be inconclusive but tends towards a yes. Here’s a bit; follow the link for the rest, including summaries of several studies.
“Ins” and “Outs” 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Elizabeth A. Segal explores tribalism. After explaining that humans lived for centuries in small, homogeneous groups because geography and (lack of) means of traveling and mixing with others mandated it, we evolved with a predisposition to identifying with our “tribe.” But there is downside. Here’s a nugget (emphasis added):
Discriminate! in the Name of the Lord 0
The Austin Statesman cuts to the heart of those religionists, almost all or whom proudly dub themselves as “Christian,” who would legalize discrimination on the basis of religion. You know, those folks who don’t want to bake a cake for a gay wedding, just to mention one example.
A snippet:
Sins of Omission Omission of Sins
0
Bob Gibson suggests that Virginia should teach all of its history.
Afterthought:
When I was a young ‘un in public school in Virginia, 1619 was taught as the “Red Letter Year.”
Just sayin’.
A There, There 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Naomi Ellemers considers why persons find it so difficult to recognize discrimination when it is present. Her article focuses on academia, but can easily be generalize to the larger society.
Here’s a snippet (emphasis added):
Fatal Afflictions 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Stanton Peele argues that addiction and Islamaphobia (and other manifestations of ethnic, religious, and racial hatred) satisfy similar emotional drives. Here’s bit:
It’s a short piece, but heavily annotated with links supporting his position. It is worth your while.
The Payola of the Privileged 0
I am not surprised at the college admissions cheating indictments, particularly as they involve ersatz athletes and corrupt coaches. The corruption of college athletics has been obvious to anyone who would look for a long long time. It is why I can no longer enjoy watching college football games on New Year’s Day.
At the core of the scandal is the fear of powerful, wealthy, privileged persons that their privilege was not enough to get them what they felt they or their children were due simply because of who they were, so they decided that their privilege included the right to cheat.
At The Sacramento Bee, Marcos Breton writes a powerful essay that highlights the other side of this coin: persons who are accused of being undeserving because of the spelling of their last name or the color of their skin, those whom the jealous privileged accuse of being “tokens.”
Here’s a bit:
I struggle to express the hole these indignities burned in me when I was naive and young and unaware of the social, political and cultural upheaval caused by the integration of white collar jobs and universities, a process that began before I came of age in the 1980s, but was in full backlash mode when I cluelessly took my place in the line of American opportunity.
Read it.
All That Was Old Is New Again 0
Writing in The Roanoke Times, John Freivalds sees disturbing echoes of the past in the present.
Republican Family Values, Protect the Children Dept. 0
Thom marvels at failed attempts to raise the female age of consent in Idaho, where it is currently 13 years of age.
I remember when my daughters were 13. Words fail me.