Archive for August, 2008

Parody vs Real Life

Friday, August 29th, 2008

I defy you to explain to me the difference between Barack Obama’s sentiment, “We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country.” And the one uttered by Kang in Treehouse of Horror VII, “Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others.”

American politics is not even trying to hide the fact that their words are absolutely meaningless and they are just trying to unlock the right combination to get elected. Playing a high stakes crossword puzzle.

By the way, please don’t interpret this as support for the Republicans. Their allegiance with the Religious Right is an outright attack on the first amendment and until they renounce this partnership I cannot even consider supporting their candidates.

Intellectual Activism and Cultural Change

Thursday, August 14th, 2008

Ideas are important. Ideas shape culture and life. I had recently decided to improve my life I would work, in some fashion, to spread good ideas. So over the past month, along with diligent philosophical study, I have been trying to promote good ideas when possible.

I have submitted two LTEs, one to USA Today and one to the Philadelphia Inquirer. They were both rejected but there was a brief moment of excitement when an editor at USA Today emailed me to confirm some information and tell me my letter was being considered for publication. I plan to continue trying to get LTEs published, but in the mean time I have posted a handful of comments on philly.com.

I have also worked to improve my business life. I have been classified as a “pusher” by some for my efforts to promote David Allen’s GTD. But I am having some impact, three of my coworkers have purchased Getting Things Done, and to the extent any of his advice is incorporated into their daily routine it will benefit me greatly.

There is a need for good ideas in our culture. It is this intellectual vacuum that allows bad ideas to become so prevalent so quickly. So my advice is to know reality as well as possible and then be vocal in your judgment of the works and ideas of man. “Judge, and prepare to be judged.