Engaging Life with Courage and Intelligence
Proctology and history are probably two of the least favorite majors in graduate school. They both study the ebb and flow of things and are the first to recognize when an eruption is about to occur. Since I know nothing about proctology and want to avoid its subject matter, I will focus on the history…
Classical Liberalism Arising from the Age of Reason was a comprehensive political philosophy known as classical liberalism. This philosophy was widely adopted in early America and elsewhere. Ironically, many MAGAs mistakenly believe that liberalism is a dirty, forbidden word. The mere mention of the word in some parts of America will cause “patriots” to whip…
Fanatical extremists have controlled local towns, counties, regions, and countries worldwide. Before the American Revolution, the Village of Salem and the Witch Trials come to mind regarding religious extremism. The religious fanaticism that gave rise to witch trials started in Europe in the 17th century, but most Europeans came to their senses by the middle…
Most of us discount the dangers of fanatical extremism, even though many Americans now believe in some version. We believe the threat to be somewhere out there. However, fanatical extremism can arise from nowhere or reemerge even when we think it has been defeated. Most Americans are largely uninvolved in politics. Despite the high-stakes tension…
We have discussed the deleterious effects of extremism and autocracy in the 21st century. Let’s go back several centuries to review three experiments in which brave people found ways to break the chains of tyranny instead of remaining attached to the umbilical cord of a freedom-sucking autocracy. As individuals, we tend to be drawn to…
Speaking of the alignment of people, the Dutch Revolt, which started in 1566, is a prime example of the unpredictable nature of political magnetism. The Spanish Netherlands, which today consists mainly of the Netherlands and Belgium, was controlled by the House of Habsburg and the Holy Roman Emperor in 1566. The independent-minded and disunited subjects…
The first question arising from the phrase “the English Civil War” is which one? Scholars may debate what constitutes a discreet English civil war, but there have been around eleven since the Norman Conquest in 1066. Most of the civil wars were between rival barons and royal houses. A succession crisis typically sparked conflicts after…
The American Revolution was the first successful, large-scale revolt against autocratic rule. There have been small-scale examples of people who ruled themselves, but nothing on the size of the 13 American colonies. The Dutch Revolt in 1566 and the English Revolution in 1640 were uprising against oppressive autocratic rule, but both were half-measures. While they…
Note: This post was written in April 2023 I previously commented that no commonly accepted antonym existed for the word “Woke.” In fact, it is hard to understand the meaning of “Woke.” Those on the extreme Right have defensively coopted the word to refer to virtually any perceived attack on their way of life, intelligence,…
Note: This post was written in April 2023 Definition of Gaslighting: a form of psychological manipulation in which the manipulator attempts to sow self-doubt and confusion in the victim’s mind. Typically, gaslighters are seeking to gain power and control over the other person, by distorting reality and forcing them to question their own judgment and…