We live in a society absolutely dependent on science and technology and yet have cleverly arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. That’s a clear prescription for disaster. | |
— Carl Sagan | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Appearances Can Be Deceiving… |
2021 | Here’s To… |
Tweet, Tweet (Rockin’ Robin) | |
2020 | Why My Dentist Loves Me |
Live, Learn And Teach Goodness | |
The Lesson Of Trump’s Life | |
2019 | You Really Don’t |
No One Can Imagine | |
2018 | Until Integrity, Decency, Wisdom, And Humility Return |
Just Tell (And Re-tell) The Big Lie Often Enough On Fox News | |
2017 | To Laws, Not Office Or Individuals |
Beast / General / Civil | |
2016 | Patronage |
2015 | For Blogs, Too! |
2014 | Righteous Anger |
2013 | An Irish Blessing |
2012 | But Is It Worth It? |
2011 | Let Us Start |
Posts Tagged ‘Society’
A Clear Prescription
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Carl Sagan, Disaster, Education, Philosophy, Quotes, Science, Society, Technology on June 4, 2023| 2 Comments »
Restructuring Persistent Futility
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged American Politics, Dissent, Futility, Philosophy, Protests, Quotes, Society, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, Violence on January 24, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The truth is that a vast restructuring of our society is needed if remedies are to become available to the average person. Without that restructuring the good will that holds society together will be slowly dissipated… It is that sense of futility which permeates the present series of protests and dissents. Where there is a persistent sense of futility, there is violence; and that is where we are today. | |
— William O. Douglas | |
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On This Day In: | |
2023 | Restructuring Persistent Futility |
2022 | By Any Other Name (Or Description) |
2021 | Democracy, Pandemic, Economy And Climate Change |
Heaven Is… (Wand’rin’ Star) | |
2020 | Hoping For #46 In January 2021 |
2019 | Interesting, But Not Fascinating |
But Try To Eat The Low-Hanging First | |
2018 | Me, Too |
2017 | Apt Enough? |
2016 | Now Or Ever |
21, Pause, Restart | |
2015 | I Am Shocked, Sir, Shocked… |
Lucy & FSND-2 | |
2014 | Less Difficult |
2013 | The Spirit Of Liberty |
2012 | The Essential Freedom Of Aloneness |
2011 | A Problem Of Scale |
Fred Doesn’t Live Here Anymore | |
2010 | Another Book, Another Jog… |
How To Begin
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged American Politics, Art, Drawing, Government, Pablo Picasso, Philosophy, Quotes, Society, Voting on October 5, 2022| 1 Comment »
To know what you’re going to draw, you have to begin drawing. | |
— Pablo Picasso | |
[To get the kind of society you want, you have to begin by voting for the kind of government which will support and promote it. — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | How To Begin |
2021 | Looking Up |
Shiny (For Your Love) | |
2020 | #45: Or All-Consuming Greed |
You Could Have Told Me Yourself (I Heard It Through The Grapevine) | |
2019 | Not Personal |
2018 | Preference For Irrationality |
2017 | All At Once (All At Once) |
2016 | One Of My Vices |
2015 | The War Lord |
2014 | Orange October (II) – Giants Win NLDS Game 2 In 18 Innings (2 to 1)!! |
Acknowledging Doubt | |
2013 | Fulfilled Acceptance |
2012 | Error Is Tolerated Here (So Far) |
2011 | In Defense Of Pain |
Most Likely Beast
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Beast, God, Philosophy, Quotes, Self-Sufficiency, Society, Socrates on December 19, 2021| Leave a Comment »
He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god. | |
― Socrates | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Says The Rich |
2021 | Most Likely Beast |
Memories To Last A Lifetime (The Best Of Times) | |
2020 | Meet Unexpected Success |
Sweet Love (The Love I Lost) | |
2019 | Curing With Salt |
2018 | A Politician With Skills |
And / Or A Genuine Smile | |
2017 | A Lone, Brave Voice… |
2016 | Job Security |
2015 | For I Have Always Lived Violently |
2014 | We Stand !! (I Stand With George) |
Additional Requirements | |
2013 | In The Present Day |
2012 | Feeling It |
2011 | Stretching Science |
My Fear Is She Loses This Bet
Posted in Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged 2030, Democracy, Economics, Living up to the promises of the digital age, Philosophy, Quotes, Shoshana Zuboff, Society, Surveillance Capitalism, Time Magazine on December 1, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Conversations about democracy, technology and the economic dominance of surveillance capitalism are now inseparable. Looking ahead to the year 2030, I put my bet on democracy because it’s the best idea humanity has ever had, despite all of its obvious imperfections. When I wake up every morning, I’m thinking about what I can do to contribute to this so that our societies mobilize to double down on democracy. This begins with saying out loud that the current state of affairs is intolerable. As citizens, we begin by joining together in our communities, organizations, associations, political networks to demand an end to commercial surveillance. Our lawmakers hear from the tech lobbyists every day. They need to feel us at their backs instead. We are poised at a new beginning, and not a moment too late. | |
— Shoshana Zuboff | |
From her interview: “Living up to the promises of the digital age“ | |
Appearing in: Time Magazine; dtd: 1 / 8 February 2021 | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Sits Loose |
2021 | My Fear Is She Loses This Bet |
Gotta Stay Hungry (Dancing In The Dark) | |
2020 | Still On The Obstacle Course? |
Thunder (December ’63 – Oh What A Night) | |
2019 | Expecting A December Correction |
2018 | Dominoes II (Update From Last Year’s Post) |
2017 | Dominoes |
2016 | Itchin’ |
2015 | In The Not So Distant Future |
2014 | Sources |
2013 | Three Essentials |
2012 | Just Looking |
2011 | Religious Lessons |
2010 | View From Under The Bus… (A mid-term report card on the Obama Administration. Long, but still worth reading for historical perspective.) |
We Need Professional Journalists AND The First Amendment
Posted in Politics, Quotes, tagged An Informed Electorate, Free Press, Journalists, Quotes, Society, Students, Teachers, The First Amendment, Warren Buffett on April 12, 2021| Leave a Comment »
The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves – and the better the teacher, the better the student body. | |
— Warren Buffett | |
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On This Day In: | |
2023 | Once Is Rarely Enough |
2022 | Or Less Perceptive |
2021 | We Need Professional Journalists AND The First Amendment |
It Was Rainin’ Hard (Taxi) | |
2020 | Neither Alone, Nor Lonely |
Giving | |
2019 | That’s Why It’s Called Faith |
2018 | So We Agree, #45 Is Dumb – Too |
2017 | The Morality Of Spying |
2016 | He Doesn’t Remind Me Of Me |
The First Rule | |
2015 | Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow |
The Man Without Fear | |
2014 | I Blame Robocop |
2013 | Future Trustees |
2012 | Praise Not The Day… |
2011 | Educated Living |
The Most Dynamic Link
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America, Dynamic Links, Making A Difference, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Society, U.S. Representative John Lewis on December 30, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society. Why? Because human beings are the most dynamic link to the divine on this planet. | |
― John Lewis | |
From his book: “Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | No Implication Of Reasonableness |
2021 | Let Yourself Soar In 2022 |
Where You’re Concerned (It’s So Easy) | |
2020 | The Most Dynamic Link |
Looking Forward To 2021 (Like A Rock) | |
2019 | A Proud Assertion |
2018 | Ask #45 About Anything |
2017 | Playing Makes Sense |
2016 | And Fathers, Sons |
2015 | My Suspect Confidence |
2014 | Disguised Blessings |
2013 | Be |
2012 | The Only Way to Win |
2011 | Honest Writing |
Plumbers, Philosophers Or Presidents
Posted in Health, Leadership, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #IncompetentDonald, COVID-19, John W. Gardner, Philosopher, Plumbers, Politics, Quotes, Society, Universal Health Care, Water on July 15, 2020| Leave a Comment »
The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water. | |
— John W. Gardner | |
[Nationwide, we have lost (deaths) over 1,000 medical staff to COVID-19. With only 4% of the world’s population, we have over 25% of the world’s confirmed cases and over 25% of the COVID-19 deaths. We are the only major industrialized country in the world without universal health care. I (for one) put it all down to poor leadership – starting at the top. Remember how we were promised “better than Obamacare, and it’ll cost less”? That was before our #IdiotInChief President “discovered” (Feb 2017) how complicated “health care” was to solve / fix. #IncompetentDonald – November is coming! — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | We Need To Provide More Outlets |
2021 | Don’t Forget Luck |
A Smooth Oldie (Take Five) | |
2020 | Plumbers, Philosophers Or Presidents |
2019 | Watching |
2018 | Even #45 Shall Pass To Sand |
2017 | Shedding Light |
In The Neighborhood | |
2016 | The Responsibility Of Freedom |
2015 | Face It |
Birdfight | |
2014 | Honoring Firefighters |
2013 | And Never Will |
2012 | The Human Adventure Continues |
2011 | Almost Never |
And #IncompetentDonald Weakens It
Posted in Politics, Quotes, tagged #IncompetentDonald, John W. Gardner, Politics, Quotes, Society on March 23, 2020| 4 Comments »
Some people strengthen the society just by being the kind of people they are. | |
— John W. Gardner | |
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On This Day In: | |
2023 | Ditto For A Good Spouse And Their Love |
2022 | Putin’s Objective In Ukraine? |
2021 | It’s 12 O’clock Somewhere |
The Way It Is (Get On Up / Sex Machine) | |
2020 | And #IncompetentDonald Weakens It |
2019 | Morning Mirror |
2018 | Wondering About #45 |
2017 | A Prayer For London |
2016 | Don’t Default |
2015 | Her Pilgrim Soul |
2014 | Three Observations |
2013 | Robbed Again |
2012 | Good Hearts |
2011 | Interesting Reading |
What Are You Lookin’ At? | |
Stand Up, Hook Up, Shuffle To The Door…
Posted in Humor, Quotes, tagged Airplanes, George Bernard Shaw, Humor, Optimists, Parachutes, Pessimists, Quotes, Society on December 11, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute. | |
― George Bernard Shaw | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | A Strange Situation |
2021 | Small Moments, Lived Well |
Shaking My Confidence (Cecilia) | |
2020 | Two Happy |
Every Time I Look Around (How Bizarre) | |
Boxing (Day: 3) – Double-End Target Setup | |
2019 | Stand Up, Hook Up, Shuffle To The Door… |
2018 | Ridiculous Idea |
2017 | Waddle On! |
A Severe Challenge — When The President Is A Liar | |
2016 | The Best Of Circumstances |
2015 | Reverberating Silence |
2014 | Wrong Again? |
2013 | Improper Faith |
2012 | One More Rung |
2011 | Sunday Morning Earlies (Hugging trees and smiling…) |
Hurry | |
Updates On Life | |
2010 | It’s Gettin’ Deep In Here |
Propaganda vs. Art
Posted in Other Blogs, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Art, http://allisonmarieconway.com, Iris Murdoch, Other Blogs, Philosophy, Propaganda, Quotes, Society, Truth on June 26, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Any society contains propaganda, but it is important to distinguish this from art and to preserve the purity and independence of the practice of art. A good society contains many different artists doing many different things. A bad society coerces artists because it knows that they can reveal all kinds of truths. | |
— Iris Murdoch | |
[Found at one of the blogs I follow: http://allisonmarieconway.com/ | |
The specific link to the post this was from is: http://allisonmarieconway.com/2018/08/13/on-art-democracy-dangerous-play/ | |
Please visit the blog if you have a free moment. — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Stuck Feeling Rich |
2021 | Choose Strength |
Release Your Fears | |
2020 | No Fear |
2019 | Propaganda vs. Art |
2018 | What Did You Bring Up? |
2017 | Waiting For My First Strike |
2016 | Mostly Just Masticating |
2015 | Don’t Mess With Mosa |
How Long Is This Run? | |
2014 | The Importance Of Being Forgetful |
2013 | Anyway |
2012 | Habit Forming |
2011 | And In The Other Hand(ful) |
In Love With Words | |
Boundless Naïveté | |
Who Did You Say Signed Off On This Treason, Pat? | |
Have You Planted Lately?
Posted in Leadership, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Leadership, Navarre Scott Momaday, Philosophy, Planting, Quotes, Shade, Society, Trees on June 10, 2019| Leave a Comment »
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. | |
— Navarre Scott Momaday | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Laying A Sound Foundation |
2021 | A Little… |
Bringing Back Memories | |
Think Global – Act Local | |
2020 | Was #IncompenentDonald Born To Be A Diplomat? |
2019 | Have You Planted Lately? |
2018 | Something / Nothing |
2017 | Kindness |
2016 | Dealing With It |
2015 | Too Many Choices! |
2014 | Vini, Vidi, Vici |
2013 | Heroes |
Education, n. | |
2012 | Who I Want To Be |
2011 | Mythic Forgetfulness |
Pass The Soul
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Education, Gilbert K. Chesterton, Philosophy, Quotes, Society on July 19, 2014| 1 Comment »
Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. | |
— Gilbert K. Chesterton | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | What Really Matters |
Lots Of Fog | |
2021 | Families |
Every Now And Then (Total Eclipse Of The Heart) | |
2020 | A Message To Optional Trump Supporters (Basically Everyone) |
2019 | Bigger Jaws |
On The Other | |
2018 | Hoping For A Blue Wave In November |
2017 | Garden Dreaming |
2016 | Well, Maybe Not “No” Talent |
2015 | An Appetite For Life |
A Trip To The Library | |
Great Expectations | |
2014 | Pass The Soul |
2013 | Zapping Music And Art |
2012 | Not Quite Fantastic |
That Kid Is Back | |
2011 | Wolves At The Door |
2010 | I’m Feeling Patriotic… (Well, more than usual, anyway.) |
Beating the Heat… | |
Good Business
Posted in Leadership, Politics, Quotes, tagged A New Deal, Automation, Business Leadership, Education, Isaac Asimov, Jobs, Politics, Quotes, Re-education Of Workers, Robots, Society, The Roving Mind on March 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »
The problem arises, however, of what one is to do with those workers who are replaced by the robots. | |
It is not that there will be an overall diminution of jobs. If the past is to be a guide, technological advances create more jobs than they destroy. Thus, the automobile industry employs far more people than the buggy industry ever did. Nevertheless, there is a change in the kind of jobs that will be available. The repetitive jobs of the assembly line will tend to disappear. The dull jobs of paper-shuffling and button-pressing will disappear. In their place will be such jobs as computer-programming and robot maintenance. | |
On the whole, the jobs that will come into existence will be far more creative and will take far more education and training than will those that have disappeared. | |
It will therefore be part of the responsibility of the corporation of the future to see to the re-education of the workforce. This could be done out of pure feelings of humanity and philanthropy, but it is more practical to suppose that it would be done out of a very natural desire to preserve the stability of society. It might save money, in the short run, simply to cast out the displaced, but it would not be good business to have hordes of hungry and angry people ready to change, by force, the economic system that reduced them to misery. | |
— Isaac Asimov | |
From his book: “The Roving Mind“ | |
[Asimov is referring to the responsibility of the corporation replacing the worker with automation. In today’s political climate, it is the unemployed who must retrain themselves (at their own expense). It is nice when the government can assist, but there is no “legal” responsibility. And, of course, the corporation has no responsibility to their workers. It will be interesting to see if this remains a tenable relationship between worker, government and corporation. I believe it will not be tenable and we will end up with a voter imposed (via government) “New Deal” for workers which will shift some of the costs of retraining / re-education back onto the businesses / corporations of our economy. — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2023 | Have You Posted To Your Blog Lately? |
2022 | So THAT’s Why… |
2021 | I Welcome The Questions |
6:00 AM (I Got You Babe) | |
2020 | Increasing Importance |
And Now Joe | |
2019 | But Yours |
2018 | And Smile More Often |
2017 | He’s Keeping The Light On For Us |
2016 | The Results Of Trying Too Hard |
2015 | Make Me Look |
2014 | Fresh Drink |
2013 | Good Business |
2012 | Unsure Spirit |
2011 | A Lost Valuable |