Dudes without Dictionaries

     We live in an American age either blessed or cursed by "extreme liberty", and while those of us with a liberal bent are ok with 300 million people all simultaneously seeking to recreate reality according to their own subjective will....... well, it would be a lot easier if we all spoke from a common dictionary. Pushing the boundaries of "free", many among us broadcast their, affirmations, prejudices, attitudes, beliefs, and even facts, choosing to use words in unimaginably non-normative ways.

     Yes, it is often stylish and cool, and we do normally detect intended manipulative ness.... but I believe that we will all sooner reach our personal nirvanas if we stick to a common meaning for words  like: fascist, Nazi, democracy, liberal, authoritarian, conservative, socialist, Marxist, Christian, atheist, insurrection, infidel, etc.

bellum omnium contra omnes

     "War of all against all"  A Hobbsian refrain as the academics might say. There is a claim that an aggressive Australian ant species, the "bulldog ant", is so naturally conflicted that if it's head is separated from it's tail, that the separated parts will fight each other to the death.

     Three weeks until the mid-terms and America's political/cultural war is pure "bulldog".  Pundits, polls and propaganda search out the 3% ambivalent, while we, the "free-will claiming body whole", take up our traditional, genetically correlated, 50/50 face-off. Here in Missouri, the heads and the tails have spent countless millions seeking to change the minds of three Latuda Moms in Blue Springs as to whether the last election was stolen or not stolen. 

     However, every where there are public pleadings for unity, and perhaps Rousseau and Pinker are right...that with enough compassion videos on Twitter and with platitudes on every NFL helmet, we maybe can engineer a renewed 21st century social contract....or...... there is always what's behind Hobbs' door number two..... thermo-nuclear holocaust.

Praise & Blame

‘We use praise and blame to influence behaviour, and the appropriate standard is relative to what we can reasonably expect most people to do. Hence praise and blame, at least when they are given publicly, should follow the standard that we publicly advocate—that is, the standard which can be expected to have the best consequences—rather than the higher standard that we might apply to our own conduct. We should praise people for doing significantly better than most people in their circumstances do, and blame them for doing significantly worse. If you have done more than your fair share, that must at least lessen the blame you deserve. If you have gone beyond the usual moral standards, we should praise you for doing so, rather than blame you for not doing even more.’

PS: Some 19th century philosopher

Cynical Me....

     Yes John, I understand that if I work regularly, you are required to withhold and remit taxes due to my SS# account. I know that when I file my tax return, I will have to pay the Social Security contribution that you normally pay, but I am not very reliable and may quit at any time....so, would you just agree that I am a contractor and pay me cash.  Of course, I will pay the taxes due when I file!

Cynical Me....

     Hello John, I am just checking to make sure your ok.  You didn't answer my earlier call 47 minutes ago.  Great, hope you enjoyed your nap....Hey, as long as I have you on the phone, would you make sure you got the "payment request" that I sent  to you this morning. I haven't received the "cash app: funds yet  Great, no hurry, just checking...take care!