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Tag Archives: Evolution
Healthy Societies Are Efficient
Efficiency isn’t everything, but healthy societies and people need it. If you want the deep explanation of why that’s true, read about Charles Darwin’s observations of birds (finches) on the Galapagos Islands off the coast of South America. Each island … Continue reading
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 Community, Evolution, George Washington, In-Group, Kin Selection, Out-Group, Social Conflict, Social trust
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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
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Evolution and the X Factor
“Oh, God, not another argument about evolution.” That’s how I reacted — somewhat unfairly — to a video posted last week by the Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank located at Stanford University. The video is about “mathematical challenges to … Continue reading
Lucky You
You’re lucky. So am I. I’ve written in previous blogs that believing we’re lucky is a helpful attitude: It makes us happier because we look for the good in situations. It helps us achieve because we see problems as opportunities … Continue reading
We Are What We Are
We are what we are. The only question is what we choose to do about it. When I worked on Capitol Hill, I knew a political writer who was a nasty, hateful person. Then he became a Christian. And — … Continue reading
Posted in Christianity, Human Relations, Judaism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Society
Tagged Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazim, DNA, Evolution, Globalism, Group behavior, Hillel, In-Group, Kin Selection, Moment Magazine, Nationalism, Open borders, Out-Group, Proxy variable, Yoram Hazony
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Oh Say, Kin You See?
Football player Colin Kaepernick refused to stand during the American national anthem. And people on all sides of the political spectrum went nuts. Why? The most obvious reason is that they either endorse or dispute his complaint: “I am not … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Political Science, Psychology, Society
Tagged American Flag, Evolution, In-Group, Kaepernick, Kin Selection, National Anthem, Psychology, Tribal behavior, Tribe
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Fighting Racism Starts in the Heart
My latest blog post for The Jewish Journal: When we think of relations between Jews and African-Americans, we naturally think of our proudest moments. And we should. Abraham Joshua Heschel marched side-by-side with Martin Luther King in 1965, helping America … Continue reading
Pianko and Peoplehood
My new blog post for The Jewish Journal: Are we not one people, but many? Today’s Jewish population is incredibly diverse. World Jewry includes people of all races and nationalities. It includes “honorary members” such as interfaith spouses and children … Continue reading
Is Jewish Peoplehood Passé?
Is it time for us to stop thinking of ourselves as “the Jewish people”? Are we not one, but many? Some influential writers think so. They start with what is obvious: today’s Jewish population is incredibly diverse. World Jewry includes … Continue reading
The Thousand-Year View 