How far removed are we from segregation in this country? On the day I was born in Atlanta, it was not possible for blacks and whites to eat in the same restaurant. That changed a few months later, so segregation was a reality within my lifetime. People of different races could not marry in most … Continue reading Break the Chains
Category: Behavior
Voices in Our Heads
Somewhere, out on the plains in Africa, just shortly after humans had learned to talk, a tribe got into some sort of trouble and all seemed bleak. Suddenly a man in the tribe heard the voice of his father, who had died years before, instructing him on what to do. He got everyone's attention and … Continue reading Voices in Our Heads
What Nature Intended
To someone trying to reason out why people behave the way they do, homosexuality may seem like an anomaly. Two men together or two women together cannot produce a child, and since the biological imperative for all creatures on earth seems to be to survive and procreate, homosexuality doesn't appear to play a role … Continue reading What Nature Intended
Ecological Meltdown
We satisfy our endless needs and justify our bloody deeds in the name of yesterday and in the name of God - The Eagles The earth's ecosystem didn't pop up overnight. It has developed over billions of years, and humans have only been a part of it for a few hundred thousand at most. This … Continue reading Ecological Meltdown
Existential Void
In his book, Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl tells the story that on his first day in a Nazi concentration camp, an older and more experienced prisoner pointed to him and, based on the older prisoner's experience, said Frankl was the type who wouldn't survive. Frankl did survive and one way he managed … Continue reading Existential Void
Dead Parrots and Shows About Nothing
Python, Seinfeld, and Absurdity People think of absurdity as someone acting irrationally, or strange things happening to an otherwise normal person, but often the heart of absurdity comes from people rationalizing behavior which defies explanation. My stock portfolio just tanked; now's the perfect time to buy more! Whenever our instincts conflict with our intellects, we're … Continue reading Dead Parrots and Shows About Nothing
Communication Breakdown
The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had. --Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google The Internet was once solely the province of academics and researchers; universities communicating with the governmental and military facilities that financed their research; and … Continue reading Communication Breakdown
Biological Imperative
In Genesis, the first humans are instructed to be fruitful and multiply. Given that the human population now exceeds seven billion individuals, one could assume humans took that instruction to heart. Along the way, the transition from hunter gathers, where the population was constantly on the move, to an agrarian society where everyone stays … Continue reading Biological Imperative
War of Words
For centuries, those attempting to manipulate the public conscience have understood that appealing to emotions or instincts is far more effective than appealing to intellect. The advertising industry makes a fortune each year manipulating the audience's emotions to sell everything from coffee and toothpaste, to candidates for all levels of public office. In his review … Continue reading War of Words
Secrets, Lies, and Home Invasions
Travis Maudlin is a man of many quirks and peculiarities, much of which he keeps to himself, though some of his oddities can't be so easily contained. On more than one occasion, his coworkers have noted his habit of muttering to himself under his breath; his almost pathological refusal to use anyone's name in … Continue reading Secrets, Lies, and Home Invasions