In my latest National Post column I argue that the same libertarian-libertine qualities that made social media appealing across normal partisan lines, and addictive, are now making them hugely and rightly unpopular and we must make the platforms legally “publishers” to put a stop to the raging indecency.
In my latest National Post column I warn my posterity, and yours, why artificial intelligence is far and away the most dangerous and urgent problem they face.
In Western Standard I present a review for the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy of Stephen Bown’s gripping Dominion: The Railway and the Rise of Canada, from colourful characters to poisonous whiskey to the crucial role of dynamite in building this nation and the West generally in the 19th century.
“Just as I learned I was pregnant with my first son, I saw the film 1917, a brutal World War I drama. I was struck by a final scene: not the one where the protagonist sprints across a trench, but one showing hundreds of men having their limbs amputated. I must confess I watched 1917 a half dozen times before delivering my son. As morbid as it sounds, I needed to see suffering more extreme than what I would endure so when the time came for my own bravery, I’d remember it was once far, far worse. But... Left and right can’t seem to agree on anything these days, but on the subject of suffering there is near consensus: eradicating it in full is the common goal of government, technology, medicine, and science.... Technology, meanwhile, has waged its own war on suffering, striving to eradicate even the mildest forms of it. Whether by rewriting the rules of ‘harmful’ speech or erasing internet clowns, a handful of companies became the ultimate arbiters of what is deemed safe in our virtual world.... In a culture that has no reverence or tolerance for suffering of any kind, even the smallest forms of it can seem like oppression.... But eradicating suffering in this country—or at least striving to reach that utopian goal—has come with some unforeseen consequences. Among them: a loss for what to replace suffering with. And the results of the multi-decade war on suffering haven’t been all that impressive. Recent headlines show no one’s coping very well these days, with growing depression and hopelessness among teenage girls and the ‘crisis of men,’ who lag behind women in education and the workplace. Though we may not realize it, nearly all of our modern cultural debates and ailments stem from the contemporary belief that suffering is not a natural or essential part of the human condition. The war on suffering has not only robbed us of resilience; it has sold us a mirage that is making us miserable. It is not a coincidence that the modern campaign to eradicate suffering commenced just as religiosity in general and Christianity in particular began to decline at a rapid pace in America. There is no religion that doesn’t embrace suffering as integral to its teaching. Christianity deified it, with adherents wearing a symbol of torture as a symbol of their belief…. With so much focus on comfort and safety, why aren’t we. . . happier?... And resilience in our people, our institutions, and even the physical infrastructure of our cities is increasingly deemed the missing ingredient in all aspects of American life.... We have long been fully invested in eradicating the suffering we deem unconscionable, but more important are the simple questions that define a serious life: For whom will you sacrifice? What will you defend? For what will you choose to suffer?”
Katherine Boyle “Get Serious” on The Free Press March 4, 2023 [https://www.thefp.com/p/get-serious-about-suffering]
“the world is not governed by the clever men, but by the active and energetic.”
Erasmus Darwin, Charles’ father, quoted by William Watson in Ottawa Citizen January 7, 2003
In my latest Loonie Politics column I ask how people can continue to believe in the competence, wisdom and compassion of government when they have daily evidence of its inept and callous folly.
In my latest Epoch Times column I weigh the morality of giving Ukraine a particularly effective weapon that’s particularly dangerous to civilians.
“Awe can mean many things. It can be witnessing a total solar eclipse. Or seeing your child take her first steps. Or hearing Lizzo perform live. But, while many of us know it when we feel it, awe is not easy to define. ‘Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world,’ said Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley. It’s vast, yes. But awe is also simpler than we think — and accessible to everyone, he writes in his book ‘Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.’ While many of us associate awe with dramatic, life-changing events, the truth is that awe can be part of everyday life. Experiencing awe comes from what Dr. Keltner has called a ‘perceived vastness,’ as well as something that challenges us to rethink our previously held ideas.... In his book, Dr. Keltner writes that awe is critical to our well-being — just like joy, contentment and love. His research suggests it has tremendous health benefits that include calming down our nervous system and triggering the release of oxytocin, the ‘love’ hormone that promotes trust and bonding. ‘Awe is on the cutting edge’ of emotion research, said Judith T. Moskowitz, a professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.... So what is it biologically? Awe wasn’t one of the six basic emotions — anger, surprise, disgust, enjoyment, fear and sadness — identified back in 1972, Dr. Keltner said. But new research shows that awe ‘is its own thing,’ he said.... Dr. Keltner found that awe activates the vagal nerves, clusters of neurons in the spinal cord that regulate various bodily functions, and slows our heart rate, relieves digestion and deepens breathing. It also has psychological benefits. Many of us have a critical voice in our head, telling us we’re not smart, beautiful or rich enough. Awe seems to quiet this negative self-talk, Dr. Keltner said, by deactivating the default mode network, the part of the cortex involved in how we perceive ourselves. But, Dr. Keltner said, even his own lab experiments underestimate the impact of awe on our health and well-being.... Awe is something you can develop, with practice. Here’s how. Pay attention…. Focus on the ‘moral beauty’ of others…. spend time learning about inspiring people…. Practice mindfulness.... ‘Meditating, reflecting, going on a pilgrimage.’… Choose the unfamiliar path. Awe often comes from novelty…. We can work on developing this openness through everyday choices…. In his book, Dr. Keltner wrote that people who find awe all around them, ‘are more open to new ideas. To what is unknown. To what language can’t describe.’”
New York Times January 3, 2023 [yeah, I know it’s long, but I think it’s noteworthy how they go on and on about the materialist basis and never look up to the heavens].