I'm not afraid of whites. I'm not afraid of Black people or Mexicans. I'm afraid of desperate people. People who are not secure in their careers with families to provide for or with no healthy avocations to fill their down-time with life-enhancing or home/community improvement endeavors. People with little hope and little to keep them gainfully employed with healthy self esteem.
When I think of who's going to break into my home or threaten my family, it's anyone who, for whatever reason, feels the need to harm others, whether to take their things or try to make themselves feel better through harming others (it's a real thing people do, ask a clinical psychologist). Someone who feels afraid, backed into a corner, DESPERATE (either physically, emotionally or mentally).
If we want to keep society moving in a positive direction, we need to adjust our institutions so people of whatever race and creed feel they are getting a fair chance (by giving them an actual fair chance and helping them FEEL that truth -- but it has to be true, for Pete's sake!). That means every shred of evidence they have to the contrary (institutional racism -- also a real thing, corruption in politics and government, police treatment of the public -- especially where there is a visible history of unfair treatment/racism, etc.) needs to be actively and measurably reduced to the lowest levels possible.
Friday, August 18, 2017
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
False Equivalency
To reason with someone who would try to equate groups espousing the elimination of other races with groups that exists to fight oppression is like trying to debate the merits of drunk driving with an utterly wasted 17 year old. There's no basis for a meaningful discourse. Just take away the keys for their own good and the good of others. They'll get angry and lash out, and that's OK, because if you let them get in and drive without doing what you can to stop it, you share the blame for the results.
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Immigration -- Problem Solved
The big fear in immigration is that they will not assimilate. That's an easy problem to solve.
1. Be kind to immigrants. Show them how awesome America can be and they will want to be like us. Yes, they can keep their food insomuch as they can find the right ingredients here in America. I love the multiethnic foods that come along with our immigrants. They can keep any of their beliefs, and act on them as long as they don't infringe upon the rights of others (American value). That means if it's not fair, if it wishes to take away the rights of women, if it wishes to supersede or undermine our law, then not so much. No. But if we treat people in our country fairly and with appreciation, we'll get the same in return. People want to be part of a good thing, part of a supportive and productive community. We need to help people realize this basic human need. Failure to do so, and we foment the types of problems we're seeing now.
When children or second generation immigrants are here and they feel the unkindness and unfairness, a portion of them will be radicalized, as would a portion of us if we found ourselves surrounded by haters and became desperate. Hating causes disenfranchisement and ultimately despair and finally uprising. You will reap the punishment of your hate by creating, with your hate: violence to the haters (and the silent who allow the hate to go unstemmed.
The how...that's a big, barely tractable problem. But if we can put a man on the moon, we can do it.
1. Be kind to immigrants. Show them how awesome America can be and they will want to be like us. Yes, they can keep their food insomuch as they can find the right ingredients here in America. I love the multiethnic foods that come along with our immigrants. They can keep any of their beliefs, and act on them as long as they don't infringe upon the rights of others (American value). That means if it's not fair, if it wishes to take away the rights of women, if it wishes to supersede or undermine our law, then not so much. No. But if we treat people in our country fairly and with appreciation, we'll get the same in return. People want to be part of a good thing, part of a supportive and productive community. We need to help people realize this basic human need. Failure to do so, and we foment the types of problems we're seeing now.
When children or second generation immigrants are here and they feel the unkindness and unfairness, a portion of them will be radicalized, as would a portion of us if we found ourselves surrounded by haters and became desperate. Hating causes disenfranchisement and ultimately despair and finally uprising. You will reap the punishment of your hate by creating, with your hate: violence to the haters (and the silent who allow the hate to go unstemmed.
The how...that's a big, barely tractable problem. But if we can put a man on the moon, we can do it.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
9 Reasons Not To Hate Trump
Here are 9 reasons not to hate Trump:
1. Because the Republicans were so very hateful toward Obama. Hate and you become what you hate -- simple enough. Don't meet them in the gutter, you don't respect that and you don't deserve respect when you go there. What tradition (religious or cultural) is proud of their vengeance and quid pro quo retribution on their opponents? Is that the level of maturity you've been striving to reach?
2. Because of his physical characteristics (hands. hair, weight, etc.). It's not about that, and you know it. If you're a late-night comedian going for the cheap laugh, or you like to judge people based on appearance, then by all means, but it will get you no respect from people care about important things, and you demean yourself in doing so. Is that your goal?
3. Because of his wife or his family. It's not about them -- any feelings you have about Trump as president should be about Trump AS PRESIDENT (there's enough to deal with without bringing family into it. Period.) I have friends who have done things they regret, and I love them. You can rail against nepotism, a real and insidious form of corruption, but not against Trump because of the character of his family. You can criticize any behavior of any government official, family or not, based on their performance as an appointed/elected official (or even campaign activist), but leave the personal lives of family members alone.
4. Because he was elected. He just ran, his base and others hoping for something different and, understandably, not wanting Hillary to be president (I didn't either, though I believe she would have been less damaging than Trump). The integrity of the election itself is still under investigation, and any campaign activity that may be implicated needs to be adjudicated and held fully accountable, but until that time, that is not a reason to hate Trump.
5. Because he lies all the time. It's a defect in personality or psychological disorder or part of his narcissism complex. No reason to hate him for it. It's not smart to trust him with important things, of course, but don't hate HIM for his mental limitations. We don't hate dogs because they don't understand English, and we don't hate other mentally challenged people because of the limitations their conditions impose on them. Do we? I don't. For sure, those who buy into his fake narrative don't earn respect, but they can't help it -- it's where they are.
6. Because he's mean and vindictive, and he bullies people. He needs treatment and therapy, not hatred. Who ever changed from being a bully because people hated them back? Just makes them worse.
7. Because hate makes you, the hater, less. You are not living your best, acting your best, or at your most effective when you are hating. You are your best coming from a place of confident competence, full of bright energy, fighting for something positive you believe in. Keep your focus on a goal that makes the world better and work hard for it. If that means being part of electing someone who is worthy of being America's leader, or fighting for policies that bring us closer to a more perfect Union like ethical government or universal human rights, then get to it and shut up about the water under the bridge. Not to mention, chronic hate and resentment and contempt is damaging to your health.
8. Because others rightfully will question your integrity when you come from hate (or pettiness, snarkiness, cynicism, or derision). Regardless of your motive, if you're perceived to be biased, the only people who will hear you (whether they agree or disagree) have already made up their minds anyway, and you're relegated to the echo chamber. Why even bother. Because it makes you feel good? If you want to feel good, better to just grab a beer/joint, put on your favorite music, and hang out with friends. Or get in a good workout. People who hate in order to feel good are...what?
9. Because hate is part of the problem. Every bit of hate you bring with you diminishes us all.
There are things worth fighting for or against: Powerful people who exploit those they have influence over, anyone trying to silence a free press, abuse of government power, incompetence in government, hypocrisy (this is a tough one because being beyond reproach is no easy task), dishonesty in public service, special interests buying politicians, mistreatment of people because of (any reason here), etc. Take on those issues with passion and energy -- the strength of America depend on as many people as possible working as hard as they can for something they believe in (that's how we started this crazy experiment in the first place), and we have a long way to go to become a more perfect union. If you want to change things, envision the better world, figure out how to make it happen, make your plan, and execute. But stop the ridiculous hate.
1. Because the Republicans were so very hateful toward Obama. Hate and you become what you hate -- simple enough. Don't meet them in the gutter, you don't respect that and you don't deserve respect when you go there. What tradition (religious or cultural) is proud of their vengeance and quid pro quo retribution on their opponents? Is that the level of maturity you've been striving to reach?
2. Because of his physical characteristics (hands. hair, weight, etc.). It's not about that, and you know it. If you're a late-night comedian going for the cheap laugh, or you like to judge people based on appearance, then by all means, but it will get you no respect from people care about important things, and you demean yourself in doing so. Is that your goal?
3. Because of his wife or his family. It's not about them -- any feelings you have about Trump as president should be about Trump AS PRESIDENT (there's enough to deal with without bringing family into it. Period.) I have friends who have done things they regret, and I love them. You can rail against nepotism, a real and insidious form of corruption, but not against Trump because of the character of his family. You can criticize any behavior of any government official, family or not, based on their performance as an appointed/elected official (or even campaign activist), but leave the personal lives of family members alone.
4. Because he was elected. He just ran, his base and others hoping for something different and, understandably, not wanting Hillary to be president (I didn't either, though I believe she would have been less damaging than Trump). The integrity of the election itself is still under investigation, and any campaign activity that may be implicated needs to be adjudicated and held fully accountable, but until that time, that is not a reason to hate Trump.
5. Because he lies all the time. It's a defect in personality or psychological disorder or part of his narcissism complex. No reason to hate him for it. It's not smart to trust him with important things, of course, but don't hate HIM for his mental limitations. We don't hate dogs because they don't understand English, and we don't hate other mentally challenged people because of the limitations their conditions impose on them. Do we? I don't. For sure, those who buy into his fake narrative don't earn respect, but they can't help it -- it's where they are.
6. Because he's mean and vindictive, and he bullies people. He needs treatment and therapy, not hatred. Who ever changed from being a bully because people hated them back? Just makes them worse.
7. Because hate makes you, the hater, less. You are not living your best, acting your best, or at your most effective when you are hating. You are your best coming from a place of confident competence, full of bright energy, fighting for something positive you believe in. Keep your focus on a goal that makes the world better and work hard for it. If that means being part of electing someone who is worthy of being America's leader, or fighting for policies that bring us closer to a more perfect Union like ethical government or universal human rights, then get to it and shut up about the water under the bridge. Not to mention, chronic hate and resentment and contempt is damaging to your health.
8. Because others rightfully will question your integrity when you come from hate (or pettiness, snarkiness, cynicism, or derision). Regardless of your motive, if you're perceived to be biased, the only people who will hear you (whether they agree or disagree) have already made up their minds anyway, and you're relegated to the echo chamber. Why even bother. Because it makes you feel good? If you want to feel good, better to just grab a beer/joint, put on your favorite music, and hang out with friends. Or get in a good workout. People who hate in order to feel good are...what?
9. Because hate is part of the problem. Every bit of hate you bring with you diminishes us all.
There are things worth fighting for or against: Powerful people who exploit those they have influence over, anyone trying to silence a free press, abuse of government power, incompetence in government, hypocrisy (this is a tough one because being beyond reproach is no easy task), dishonesty in public service, special interests buying politicians, mistreatment of people because of (any reason here), etc. Take on those issues with passion and energy -- the strength of America depend on as many people as possible working as hard as they can for something they believe in (that's how we started this crazy experiment in the first place), and we have a long way to go to become a more perfect union. If you want to change things, envision the better world, figure out how to make it happen, make your plan, and execute. But stop the ridiculous hate.
Monday, July 24, 2017
The Threats and The Solutions
Threats:
Wage Inequality: When enough people are exploited, when wages are driven down instead of buoyed up, when capitalism leads to desperation to the dependent segment of our population, we flirt with instability, rebellion, and revolution. There is enough wealth in this nation to avoid this if we find a way tin incentivize businesses to increase the wages of the lower tier workers. With the blatantly unequal rise of wages for different classes in America, how can those directing and litigating and legislating how we compensate different levels of society need the excuse to make those annual raises more equal. And with the recent mutation of those annual increases tilted so extremely toward the rich, there is a growing capacity for this remedy. Business people, MBAs, the C Suite, Financial institutions, Boards of Directors, this is your chance to build in institutional structures that tie compensation at the highest levels with those at the middle and bottom, AND correct the imbalance that's manifested itself withing the last 30 years. You're smart motherfuckers. You can figure this out, and for the long term strength of your current hegemony, you better do it now or it's going to come crashing down on not only the underclass, but the rest as well. Your move, power brokers. Do the right thing.
Equal Opportunity: The strength and stability of our nation begs that we optimize the participation of every human being living in our boarders. Every person on the public dole, in prison, unemployed, disenfranchized from productivity for whatever reason is a drag on all of us. What can we do individually and institutionally to bring those outcasts back into the productive side of our economy? The ROI in moving any of those out-groups into the in-group pays off more than any other endeavor to the overall health of our country. What are we doing to neutralize the forces that oppress anyone or allow them to fall into the takers? Drug addicts, prisoners, released prisoners, the sick, physically and mentally disabled, welfare recipients, young single mothers and fathers, the poor, homeless, PTSD victims (vets and non-vets), etc. Getting those individuals the focused assistance they need to return to productivity is worth every single penny over and over. Every person we leave behind will live to haunt the world of our children's future.
National Security: Being a global force for good is a fine tagline for the US Navy, but contributing to the worlds down-trodden both within our borders and around the world is the single best thing we can do to keep America great in the eyes of the world. We can lead or take a back-seat, or we can lead by example. The world, for sure, needs to do their best in their borders, and we can be an inspiration or just another failed experiment.
Corruption Busing: Trust in our institutions, with the apex being our federal government from the very top down, is the single most important need for our long-term stability. Everything we can do to identify and illuminate areas where we need to clean house is necessary. Vigorous, continual, continuous, strenuous and unrelenting pressure to be better is central to continuing as a viable nation. Independent and unbiased journalism is essential, so supporting local, state, and national media that prove themselves to be objective and aggressive is worth every penny. Truth, you sons of bitches, not to further your ideologies. Fuck your ideologies. Facts and science and a clear picture of reality will do more to put us on the right track than your conspiracy theories, right and left wing-nut biases, and the blowhards that get all emotional over the Clinton's, Bush's, and Trump's. Follow the money, subtract your emotions (if you have feelings about people (like Obama or Trump), you're not the right person to act on facts). If you have feelings about America and the Constitution, you're getting closer. If you have feelings for the long-term (3 - 10 generations) of our continued global viability, you're closer still. Avoiding spending on objective study of climate change, gun violence, immigration, government effectiveness, national health, defense, energy, science... is dangerous. If we're not making policy on reality, we're at the mercy of merchants whose goals are their short-term (single or two generation) wealth instead of national long-term resilience and stability. Your choice.
Solutions:
Pick one or more of the items above. Think hard about where you want to contribute some of your energy and resources to bust up the negative parts of any of them or to bolster the forces for good. I like working toward the positive side and let the negative side starve for lack of attention. Promote strong, independent journalism at whatever level. Support organizations that bring people to productivity. Lobby your company to raise your minimum wages -- if you're the CEO, check your greed and find a way to share the wealth to strengthen your company's standing in the world. Whatever your level, throw some support at one of these worthy enterprises and drag some friends along with you.
By the way, one of the solutions is stronger education based on students' needs, especially those students who are poor and whose needs are not being met. Equality in education is a force multiplier.
Wage Inequality: When enough people are exploited, when wages are driven down instead of buoyed up, when capitalism leads to desperation to the dependent segment of our population, we flirt with instability, rebellion, and revolution. There is enough wealth in this nation to avoid this if we find a way tin incentivize businesses to increase the wages of the lower tier workers. With the blatantly unequal rise of wages for different classes in America, how can those directing and litigating and legislating how we compensate different levels of society need the excuse to make those annual raises more equal. And with the recent mutation of those annual increases tilted so extremely toward the rich, there is a growing capacity for this remedy. Business people, MBAs, the C Suite, Financial institutions, Boards of Directors, this is your chance to build in institutional structures that tie compensation at the highest levels with those at the middle and bottom, AND correct the imbalance that's manifested itself withing the last 30 years. You're smart motherfuckers. You can figure this out, and for the long term strength of your current hegemony, you better do it now or it's going to come crashing down on not only the underclass, but the rest as well. Your move, power brokers. Do the right thing.
Equal Opportunity: The strength and stability of our nation begs that we optimize the participation of every human being living in our boarders. Every person on the public dole, in prison, unemployed, disenfranchized from productivity for whatever reason is a drag on all of us. What can we do individually and institutionally to bring those outcasts back into the productive side of our economy? The ROI in moving any of those out-groups into the in-group pays off more than any other endeavor to the overall health of our country. What are we doing to neutralize the forces that oppress anyone or allow them to fall into the takers? Drug addicts, prisoners, released prisoners, the sick, physically and mentally disabled, welfare recipients, young single mothers and fathers, the poor, homeless, PTSD victims (vets and non-vets), etc. Getting those individuals the focused assistance they need to return to productivity is worth every single penny over and over. Every person we leave behind will live to haunt the world of our children's future.
National Security: Being a global force for good is a fine tagline for the US Navy, but contributing to the worlds down-trodden both within our borders and around the world is the single best thing we can do to keep America great in the eyes of the world. We can lead or take a back-seat, or we can lead by example. The world, for sure, needs to do their best in their borders, and we can be an inspiration or just another failed experiment.
Corruption Busing: Trust in our institutions, with the apex being our federal government from the very top down, is the single most important need for our long-term stability. Everything we can do to identify and illuminate areas where we need to clean house is necessary. Vigorous, continual, continuous, strenuous and unrelenting pressure to be better is central to continuing as a viable nation. Independent and unbiased journalism is essential, so supporting local, state, and national media that prove themselves to be objective and aggressive is worth every penny. Truth, you sons of bitches, not to further your ideologies. Fuck your ideologies. Facts and science and a clear picture of reality will do more to put us on the right track than your conspiracy theories, right and left wing-nut biases, and the blowhards that get all emotional over the Clinton's, Bush's, and Trump's. Follow the money, subtract your emotions (if you have feelings about people (like Obama or Trump), you're not the right person to act on facts). If you have feelings about America and the Constitution, you're getting closer. If you have feelings for the long-term (3 - 10 generations) of our continued global viability, you're closer still. Avoiding spending on objective study of climate change, gun violence, immigration, government effectiveness, national health, defense, energy, science... is dangerous. If we're not making policy on reality, we're at the mercy of merchants whose goals are their short-term (single or two generation) wealth instead of national long-term resilience and stability. Your choice.
Solutions:
Pick one or more of the items above. Think hard about where you want to contribute some of your energy and resources to bust up the negative parts of any of them or to bolster the forces for good. I like working toward the positive side and let the negative side starve for lack of attention. Promote strong, independent journalism at whatever level. Support organizations that bring people to productivity. Lobby your company to raise your minimum wages -- if you're the CEO, check your greed and find a way to share the wealth to strengthen your company's standing in the world. Whatever your level, throw some support at one of these worthy enterprises and drag some friends along with you.
By the way, one of the solutions is stronger education based on students' needs, especially those students who are poor and whose needs are not being met. Equality in education is a force multiplier.
Let's Keep Our Eye On The Ball, People.
Nature abhors a vacuum, so when there's no real crisis, we make one up to fill our emotional space. Like a gas, whatever the latest drama is will expand to fill our container.
This, in itself, should be something we keep in mind all the time. The consequence, if we don't, is that the real crisis will sneak up on us and fuck us from behind. The important, somewhat non-urgent things, have to be kept in check and on our radar, because the little peccadilloes will distract us if we're not shrewd.
It's part of being an adult, and as a country, it's part of keeping the long-term programs strong and effective. For example, the existential threats to our way of life are economic stability, maintaining our trust in government (bigger picture: making sure our government is competent, which we're struggling with at the moment), and keeping ourselves on a positive trajectory as a people -- united and aligned.
Our little differences can be dealt with, like what sort of healthcare will keep us together, but we need real leadership in bringing us together on the overall goal: providing adequate healthcare for everyone so we can pretty much get on with our lives.
It's better if more of us are involved in substantial ways in working toward solutions to our major threats: International Security, Wage Inequality, and Equal Opportunity. Pick one and get to work. Click here.
This, in itself, should be something we keep in mind all the time. The consequence, if we don't, is that the real crisis will sneak up on us and fuck us from behind. The important, somewhat non-urgent things, have to be kept in check and on our radar, because the little peccadilloes will distract us if we're not shrewd.
It's part of being an adult, and as a country, it's part of keeping the long-term programs strong and effective. For example, the existential threats to our way of life are economic stability, maintaining our trust in government (bigger picture: making sure our government is competent, which we're struggling with at the moment), and keeping ourselves on a positive trajectory as a people -- united and aligned.
Our little differences can be dealt with, like what sort of healthcare will keep us together, but we need real leadership in bringing us together on the overall goal: providing adequate healthcare for everyone so we can pretty much get on with our lives.
It's better if more of us are involved in substantial ways in working toward solutions to our major threats: International Security, Wage Inequality, and Equal Opportunity. Pick one and get to work. Click here.
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Real and Surreal - Consciousness
Those of us who have pondered the nature of conscious awareness and consciousness have concluded that this hard-to-express, hard-to-define, hard-to-explain phenomena is unique. The brain (and body neurosystem and its chemistry) contains it, but it is not of the brain. It's of time, geometry, residence, and electrochemistry all mucking up together, with its mixture of realtime sensory input, stored neural pathways and memories, neurotransmitter concentrations and distributions, and contemporaneous fluctuations in all of that which give us this sensation of being. To try to deconstruct it into any momentary or sub-system of all that mixtures is to remove some of what it means to be human. As such, even if we were able to download all of those complex and chaotic algorithms into another brain or artificial intelligence system, it wouldn't be the same being. If it (that consciousness) were able to be cloned (and I'm way dubious), it would exist as its own separate entity. I couldn't go there with it, because the me is wholly existant only within THIS body/mind system. The new person might be another, different me, and HE might be able to feel like he's me inside another being, and as far as YOU are concerned, it might be an good enough version of me to carry on as me (because you don't feel me like I feel me). As I interact with you, I don't feel the you-ness of you -- I only sense the you as I know you to be through observation, interaction, and our history along with all the assumptions, understandings and comprehensions that I apply to all my thoughts and feelings of you. But I can't know the feeling YOU have while being you. That's yours alone, never to be able to be shared with an "other." So the idea that I would be able to live as another person, immortal or transcending my own body, is not a thing. At least not for many millennia of advancement... Here's a scientific thread for you to turn into a novel: A person is merged with a mindscape and lives with it over time, allowing me and it to grow together directly connected to my mindspace until it becomes more and more of part of me and when it's been able to share enough experience where I have direct mental access to it directly connected to my brain, and if I can train myself to access and store and live from that space until they are mutually connected as if I had the two brains and I was intentionally duplicating my memories and experiences with that secondary mindscape, then perhaps after years and years, I could start letting my original brain slowly drift off-line (maybe as it dies), then, like someone having a hemisphereectomy or severing the corpus collossum (which happens sometimes due to brain tumors or severe, life threatening/debilitating conditions), the original could be removed and much of my conscious self could continue on Brain two. If you do choose to go that route, let me know so I can take credit for this pretty cool idea. I've never seen it talked about like this before, so as far as I know, this is the first time it's been proffered as on option. We could start developing the protocols today and in the next hundred years or so of brain research, they could start developing the interface technologies to accommodate it. Good luck!
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