Ed, Win

This week is all a guest quote from a passionate, terrific political scientist who deserves more attention than he gets:

“Citizens need to care! We need to be involved! Participation matters!”—Edwin Taylor 

The Formerly Pure--And Pure Nonsense

Remember when rainwater was considered “pure?”  We’d stick our tongues out and taste the purity.

Largely no longer. The amount of impurities in typical rainwater today has made a little mockery of that. 

Those are the things—the things that matter—we need to be upset about, talking about, contacting our “representatives” about.  Not being upset and talking about the words or actions of some “celebrity,” or emotive anguish and repeatedly expressed and discussed crushing disappointment over some sports team or sports figure.

Because our emphasis on those fleeting spectacle things just show how easily we  are led (and lead ourselves) into deflective, delusional, self-destructive irrationality.

You, Boob

Let me preface: I enjoy a good/interesting/funny/etc. YouTube video now and then.

But IF the up and coming generations are going to address the problems we have, let me suggest that it won’t be by endless fixation with one inane YouTube video after another. Every bit of time, energy, and thought spent by all the Neros fiddling on those while Rome burns sees the problems get worse—and the plutocrats become more secure by our willing diversion.

Echo Echo

Too many people want their echo chamber; they don’t want to learn anything.  They are desperate for scandal—about those they are pre-despised toward.