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Category Archives: Uncategorized
Oregon’s ex-fire marshal – too Good for the job?
Last week, when Oregon’s fire marshal abruptly quit his job in the middle of the biggest wildfire disaster in state history, many of us wondered what could have happened. Did he make some inappropriate political remark, maybe? Or gross incompetence? … Continue reading
What if half the country’s in a cult (and doesn’t know it)?
How can you tell if you’ve accidentally signed up for a cult? One sign is that you’re so enthusiastically opposed to the U.S. presidential candidates besides the one you prefer that you’re no longer living up to the “reflective” ideal … Continue reading
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A farewell to facts
A childhood friend, who is now a retired journalist and journalism professor, posted this cartoon on Facebook recently: (Original source) A few hours earlier, another childhood friend had posted something to Facebook – something political – with so many factual … Continue reading
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A species caught up in stories
Science fiction novelist Becky Chambers described my book topic very well, in her most recent Wayfarers novel, Record of a Spaceborn Few. The characters are humans, many generations after a greatly damaged Earth had been left behind. Here, an archivist … Continue reading
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In a League of her own
A few weeks ago, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced a “small quarantine accomplishment”: She’s made it to rank Silver III in League of Legends. Predictably, the lively congresswoman’s tweet met with a scornful backlash – she should give back her salary or … Continue reading
“The only thing we have to fear…”
International terrorists are trying to ratchet up our fear. They’re devoting their lives to getting us to invest a lot of energy into making ourselves far more secure (in one specific dimension or another) than rationally called for. They’re working … Continue reading
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Tagged cognitive framing, collective resistance, motivation, politics
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Mindfulness IV: Making Choices – Ethics and Mindfulness
Ideally, mindfulness would make us more conscious of the world around us and more sensitive to the way our actions affect others. But is that necessarily so? Caveat Four: Mindfulness doesn’t always lead to “goodness.” Here are some possible ways … Continue reading
Mindfulness III: When Mindfulness Sets Us Adrift
One benefit often mentioned for mindfulness is the value of shaking up one’s complacent perspective on life. Jon Kabat-Zinn explained that “we lock ourselves into a personal fiction that we already know who we are, that we already know where … Continue reading
Mindfulness Caveats II: “Always Be Mindful” – Good Idea?
“Chopping wood is meditation. Carrying water is meditation. Be mindful 24 hours a day, not just during the one hour you may allot for formal meditation… Each act must be carried out in mindfulness.” – Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle … Continue reading
The Meta-Narrator 