Tag Archives: Politics

A Pop Quiz About Government

Posted on October 14, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

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 | Leave a comment

Truth, Lies, and Bullsh-t

Posted on June 13, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

“I am lying,” said Epimenides the Cretan. So if he was lying, then he was telling the truth. And if he was telling the truth, he was lying. Epimenides also made the Statue of Liberty disappear. Sorry. That was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Bullshit, Honesty, Lying, Morality, Politics, Social norms, The Invention of Lying, Truth | 3 Comments

Touching on Joe Biden

Posted on March 31, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

I try to keep this blog non-political, and this blog post is no exception. It’s neither to support Joe Biden nor to denounce him. It’s just about my own personal experiences and thoughts. As most people know, Biden is preparing … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Life, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged 2020 election, Biden, Democratic Party, Elderly, Harassment, Politics, Presidential campaign, Sexual Harassment, Unwanted touching | 2 Comments

We Can Have Unity Without Unanimity

Posted on November 24, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

Winston Churchill (1874-1965) was Prime Minister of England during World War II. He rallied his people to fight back against Nazi Germany even though some of them advocated surrender. Faced with such disagreement, Churchill said something that’s still relevant in … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Jewish Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Compromise, Disagreement, Fundamental values, Negotiation, Politics, Priorities, Setting priorities, Social discord, Social Peace, Social unity | 1 Comment

The Trouble with Politics

Posted on October 29, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

Americans disagree about a lot. But there’s one point on which we are unanimous: Our politicians are awful. Let’s be honest: Except in the haze of partisan fervor, can anyone truly believe that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were the … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Science, Psychology, Society | Tagged Followers, Hierarchy, Partisanship, Politics, Power, Primate societies, Propaganda | 2 Comments

Do You Want to Believe?

Posted on November 21, 2016 by N.S. Palmer

My latest blog post for The Jewish Journal: After a bitterly divisive election season, there’s one question on everyone’s mind: “How can people possibly believe that?” What “that” is depends on who’s doing the talking. It means one thing to … Continue reading →