Three types of labels
We self-apply all sorts of labels. Conservative. Atheist. Lesbian. Asian. Enby. And thousands more. But this wealth of definitions can be a contentious affair. People don’t always agree on what …
Category: Philosophy
The human body
The human body isn’t a vessel for self-actualization. It isn’t designed to give us long, happy lives. The human body, like any animal, is a particle of an ecosystem. It’s …
Big business and you
How can megacorporations be so evil? Why do they deceive and exploit us so? Why are they destroying the paradise that is Earth before our eyes? These questions can be …
Work
I used to think city-dwelling animals were funny. I laughed tenderly at the pigeons nesting in the rafters of City Hall, at how little they knew. They have no idea …
Conservatism is a feeling.
You have it too. Even if you don’t subscribe to the political philosophy that shares its name, I suspect that you feel the desire, the urge to conserve the surroundings …
Avatars of evil
Most people want to be doing good things for the world. We’re keen to join the fight against greed, discrimination, and the other pandemic evils. But many of us are …
Identity, then and now
Twenty years ago, it was cool to be laid-back about identity. “Some people are white, some are black. Some are straight, and some gay. Let’s not make a big deal …
Intellectual civilians
Most of us know that human-made climate change is real. But how do we know? We’re not out there, measuring ice caps or CO2 levels; most of us don’t even …
Offensive art
Some say the arts have gone soft, because creators are too afraid to hurt people’s feelings. Such cowardice is a threat to art, they say, for art is meant to …
Charming concepts
A country with a singular culture. People look alike, speak the same words, and share traditions. Exceptions are vanishingly rare and hidden. A large mansion, home to a nobleman and …