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- Don’t Live Thoughtlessly
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Category Archives: Political Science
Good Advice from George Washington
Until quite recently, U.S. President George Washington was considered the ideal American: honest, brave, wise, and patriotic. None of that has changed. Washington offered some good advice about how to have a healthy society and a just government: “We must … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Political Science
Tagged Evolution, Kin Selection, Social Conflict, In-Group, Community, Out-Group, Social trust, George Washington
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Drug Policy: Good Is Better Than Perfect
American laws about recreational drug use are a mess. Americans rot in prison for using or selling marijuana, which is relatively harmless. They rot in prison for selling cocaine and heroin, which aren’t harmless but harm mainly heavy users, and … Continue reading
Posted in Political Science, Psychology, Science, Society
Tagged Addiction, Cocaine, Corruption, DEA, Drug policy, Heroin, Marijuana, Perfectionism
6 Comments
Don’t Live Thoughtlessly
The American philosopher John Dewey argued that for most people, most of the time, thinking is a last resort. They only think when a problem or obstacle blocks their path. And he wasn’t wrong. Most of the time, we live … Continue reading
Posted in Life, Political Science, Psychology, Society
Tagged Conformity, Cruelty, Customs, Groupthink, Herd behavior, Independent thought
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Beware of “Exceptions” to Freedom
Yale University historian Timothy Snyder wrote a short book called On Tyranny that’s quite good. Each of its 20 chapters explains a way to preserve freedom and civilized society in the face of attacks by tyrannical government. The book came … Continue reading
Posted in Political Science, Psychology
Tagged America, American ideals, Community, Courage, COVID-19, Emergency powers, Freedom, Lockdowns, Patriotism, Tyranny
2 Comments
Character Is Destiny — For Nations, Too
China is our geopolitical adversary, but the ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius had some advice that might help us in these difficult times. He said: “Only after a person has demeaned himself will others demean him. Only after a great family … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy, Political Science
Tagged America, Anarcho-Tyranny, Anarchy, George Washington, Mencius, Rules of Civility, Self-Respect
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Don’t “Other” Other People
Most people aren’t familiar with the idea of “othering,” but they are familiar with what it is. They’ve seen it. They’ve done it to other people, and they’ve had it done to them. To “other” a group of people is … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Life, Political Science, Psychology, Science
Tagged Evolution, Group bias, In-Group, Kin Selection, Othering, Out-Group, Partisanship, Social Conflict
1 Comment
Minding Our Own Business
I’m pretty sure that the Dalai Lama quote is fake, but it’s still true. “Not my effing problem” can be a path not only to inner peace, but also to social peace. Think for a moment about what it means … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Life, Political Science
Tagged Arrogance, Humility, Liberty, Life, Respect, Respect for others, Social Conflict, Wisdom
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Hope and History
A review of Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, by Wilfred M. McClay Originally published on May 25, 2019 here. What is the purpose of history? Is it merely a record of facts—of dates and kings, … Continue reading
Posted in Political Science, Society
Tagged American ideals, Constitution, History, History textbook, McClay, United States, US Constitution
2 Comments
A Pop Quiz About Government
We’ve got a pop quiz today, kids. But don’t worry: There’s only one question, and it’s multiple-guess. The authors of the U.S. Constitution were greatly influenced by a book called The Spirit of the Laws. It said there were three … Continue reading
Posted in Political Science, Psychology
Tagged Courage, COVID-19, Democracy, Fear, Freedom, Justice, Politics, Propaganda, Psychology, Rule of law, SARS-CoV-2, Social harmony, Virtue
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The Declaration’s Missing Word
Many recent social conflicts might have been avoided if the American Declaration of Independence had added one simple word. The Declaration’s second paragraph states the political ideals on which it was based: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that … Continue reading
