links - mostly things to read for later
When you can barely keep up with the incoming flow of information.
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Cracked.com: What Helped Convince Me To Stop Being Hardcore Right Wing
I think the most notable part of this is that people are more likely to listen to people who think the same as them 90% of the time, and are only 'crazy' 10% of the time. The 2nd most notable part was that more people are watching than you think.
Right now, I really needed this article. It helps.
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Vice: What Nuclear War Would Look Like with an interview with a former Secretary of Defence.
I barely remember the Cold War - I was 12 when it ended. But I was an avid and advanced reader, so I read all the 80s YA stuff about nuclear war and the aftermath.
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Word Of A Woman: The Myth That The Church Alone Can And Should Take Care Of The Poor it's a simple question of mathematics. Church-goer giving could never cover the burden of the poor.
Frankly, I think that a large part of 'charity' is just 'beneficience giving', that is, you give it to feel superior to someone else, because you are better than them, because you are someone who has worked hard and is worthy and the beneficiary is someone who is not so worthy. It's basically an egotrip the largely depends on whether or not the giver is feeling generous and would like to grant a boon. And, yes, I give to charity, but it's a pittance compared to what I pay in a regular year of taxes. Taxes are unglamourous, pedestrian, and yet considerably more practical IMO - plus, they pay for things which are for the public good: roads and public transport, hospitals and schools, cops, and fieries. I might wish it wasn't paying for pollies' salaries, but, eh. Sometimes you just have to take the crap with the good.
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I can't remember where I found it, but there was this very excellent question asked by a Christian leader. The upshot of it went something like this:The question should not be 'Who Is My Neighbour?' as though we're trying to work out if other people are worthy of our kindness or not. The question should be 'Am I A Good Neighbour?' because in God's eyes, everyone is worthy, and we are called to 'go and do likewise' to the Samaritan who was a neighbour to the man found beaten and near death on the road.
Jesus didn't say who the man beaten up was or whether he was worthy of the Good Samaritan's help; he said go and be like the Samaritan - ie. BE A GOOD NEIGHBOUR.
Them's fighting words.
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Cracked.com: What Helped Convince Me To Stop Being Hardcore Right Wing
I think the most notable part of this is that people are more likely to listen to people who think the same as them 90% of the time, and are only 'crazy' 10% of the time. The 2nd most notable part was that more people are watching than you think.
Right now, I really needed this article. It helps.
--
Vice: What Nuclear War Would Look Like with an interview with a former Secretary of Defence.
I barely remember the Cold War - I was 12 when it ended. But I was an avid and advanced reader, so I read all the 80s YA stuff about nuclear war and the aftermath.
--
Word Of A Woman: The Myth That The Church Alone Can And Should Take Care Of The Poor it's a simple question of mathematics. Church-goer giving could never cover the burden of the poor.
Frankly, I think that a large part of 'charity' is just 'beneficience giving', that is, you give it to feel superior to someone else, because you are better than them, because you are someone who has worked hard and is worthy and the beneficiary is someone who is not so worthy. It's basically an egotrip the largely depends on whether or not the giver is feeling generous and would like to grant a boon. And, yes, I give to charity, but it's a pittance compared to what I pay in a regular year of taxes. Taxes are unglamourous, pedestrian, and yet considerably more practical IMO - plus, they pay for things which are for the public good: roads and public transport, hospitals and schools, cops, and fieries. I might wish it wasn't paying for pollies' salaries, but, eh. Sometimes you just have to take the crap with the good.
--
I can't remember where I found it, but there was this very excellent question asked by a Christian leader. The upshot of it went something like this:The question should not be 'Who Is My Neighbour?' as though we're trying to work out if other people are worthy of our kindness or not. The question should be 'Am I A Good Neighbour?' because in God's eyes, everyone is worthy, and we are called to 'go and do likewise' to the Samaritan who was a neighbour to the man found beaten and near death on the road.
Jesus didn't say who the man beaten up was or whether he was worthy of the Good Samaritan's help; he said go and be like the Samaritan - ie. BE A GOOD NEIGHBOUR.
Them's fighting words.