As a species, we have a long tradition of watching our technology advance exponentially while lamenting that society is falling apart. Our medicine keeps us alive and active longer than ever before. We have instant access to more knowledge than ever before. Fewer people are marginalized, and even our poor (at least in America) are relatively richer than ever before. This progression has been marching on for some time now. So why do we always feel like it’s getting worse? Here’s an example: All around me, at work, on the streets, in public transportation, at family gatherings, and in…
Abandoning common sense for the sake of rules
The other day, I pulled up to a four way lighted intersection at 5:15am. There were no other cars visible. When I arrived at the light it turned green so I could drive through. Because there wasn’t anyone standing there when it turned, the walk light didn’t change. Just after the light turned, and I started driving through, a man walked up to the light with the intent of crossing with the green. However, because he didn’t arrive in time to push the button to enable the walk light, he didn’t get the walk light. Instead of walking anyway,…
The perils of gift giving
Gift giving is a treacherous thing. There are many different philosophies. Some make a list and want something directly from that list. Others want to be surprised and purposely don’t tell people they want anything. Still others truly don’t want anything. As for the gift-giver, some want that list, others just want a hint, and still others rely on what they know about the person and wrack their brains to come up with something creative and interesting. Some want to purchase the gift, while others want to give an experiential gift that one could never buy on their own….
Why would you own a driveway gate?
In the Seattle area, most houses have fences, which accurately represents how close people allow others to get to them in the Pacific Northwest. But I’ve noticed many homeowners take it a step further. Their fences go all the way around the house and include a driveway gate. As I sometimes see cars leaving or arriving at their gated houses, I’m struck by the same thought: Why would you ever want to have a gated driveway. If you have a gated driveway, you’re always either waiting for the door to open so you can leave, or sitting at the…
This is why Ricky Gervais is important
You may or may not like his comedy. But by simply saying things that make people uncomfortable, Ricky Gervais is reminding some that it’s important to speak your mind and educating others that freedom of thought and expression is an absolute requirement for a functioning society.
One of life’s sweet ironies
I was reminded yesterday about one of those lessons that comes with age: The older you get, the more likely you are to realize that you know less than you thought you knew when you were a teenager. With experience and perspective comes the wisdom that people have all sorts of reasons, backgrounds, and experience that play into their perceptions of events. When you look at everyone through your own filters, a lot of what you see doesn’t make sense, or you misinterpret what they’re doing because you only consider why you would do it that way. But so…
Those corporations… they’re always up to somethin’
This tweet from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez captures perfectly the different worldviews of conservatives versus liberals. It’s good advice, to be sure. But her last sentence captures how liberals see the world – and especially business. In her world, there’s a nefarious scheme by business owners to cheat their workforce at every turn, as often as they can. Business owners live for the Fall Daylight Savings so they can steal that extra hour of work from their workforce. Conservatives see that same instance, when a worker’s pay stub may be short an hour due to Daylight Savings, as an administrative error:…
Don’t wait for me to stop before you go
Have you ever approached an intersection governed by a stop sign to see another car already waiting at one of the other stop signs? There they sit. Stopped at their stop sign as you approach. And they wait. And wait. And you finally arrive at your stop sign. But instead of being able to stop and go, you now have to wait for them to go. They could have gone while you were approaching, but instead they sat there. Now, instead of stopping and going right away, you now have to stop and wait for them. If everyone simply…
No one has special rights
As I’ve written about before, Republicans have taken the best, most easily sold product in history, conservatism, and proven that the worst marketing department in the world is more powerful than the best product. Take gay, women’s, transgender, minority, etc. rights. The conservative stance on all of the above is pretty easily articulated. Conservatives don’t believe anyone has or deserves special rights. We believe, as the Declaration of Independence so eloquently states, that everyone was created by God, and we all have equal rights to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. A few key parts there. Number one, equal rights…