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Tag Archives: Social harmony
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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Utopia’s Biggest Problem
Blogger Marcus Ampe has written a thoughtful essay about utopianism. But he’s realistic about the impossibility of creating a perfect society. He wants, instead, to think about ways we can make society better. That’s a practical goal for which we … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy, Political Science, Society
Tagged Goals, Happiness, History, Humility, Morality, Philosophy, Social Change, Social harmony, Social Peace, Tolerance, Utopianism
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Chumps ’R Us
Our city government had imposed an 8pm curfew to discourage rioting and looting. But I’d had a busy day and I didn’t start my evening jog until 7:30pm. So when the appointed time arrived, I ended my jog early, went … Continue reading
Posted in Political Science, Psychology
Tagged Injustice, Law, Middle class, Obedience to law, Ordinary Americans, Protests, Racism, Social harmony, Unequal treatment
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How to Get a Healthy Society
In my previous blog post (“What’s Your Choice?”), I said that the main question of morality is not “what’s right or wrong” but “what kind of people we choose to be.” At first glance, that statement seems absurd, bordering on … Continue reading
Help Wanted: Wise Leaders
I won’t be watching the State of the Union address on television tonight. It’s nothing against Trump, who will tell us about all the YUUUUGE things he’s accomplished. Nor against Pelosi, who will be sitting there stone-faced with her minions. … Continue reading
Can You Feel the Love?
Can you feel the love? It’s kind of a cliché, sometimes said as a joke. But it points to a real problem. For any society to survive, its people need to cooperate. That requires at least a minimum level of … Continue reading
Abnormal Isn’t Normal, But It’s OK
“Abnormal” is not an insult. And “normal” is not a compliment. People bend over backwards these days to avoid calling anything “abnormal.” Apparently they think it might hurt someone’s feelings. For example, Robert Plomin’s recent book about human DNA argues … Continue reading
Do We Need Religion to be Good People?
“Does being religious make someone a good person?” Continue reading
Posted in Bible, Christianity, Jewish Philosophy, Judaism, Modern Orthodoxy
Tagged Christianity, Divine Law, Faith, Halacha, Judaism, Matthew Arnold, Morality, Prayer, Religion, Social harmony
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Keeping the Peace in Troubled Times
My latest blog post for The Jewish Journal: Angry disagreement now dominates our national discourse, with emphasis on the “angry.” We feel, with William Butler Yeats, that “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the … Continue reading
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
The Thousand-Year View 