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20 Aug 2010
As told by Alan Watts.
random
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ideas
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animation
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11 Aug 2010
You may be aware that an insane group of bigots in the US called the National Organisation For Marriage (NOM) are currently touring the US holding anti-gay marriage rallies. (Chances are you remember their preposterous "Gathering Storm" ad which rightly garnered a lot of ridicule last year). The NOM rallies have attracted the crazies... and very small crowds. Indeed they usually attract a larger group of counter protestors supporting gay marriage.
However, of course not everyone who supports their "traditional marriage" agenda is a crazy. Some are well meaning religious types, even if they are misguided and wrong. Pastor Olden Thornton in North Carolina would appear to be one such. He engages in a calm and civilized debate with a (heterosexual) pro-gay marriage activist, and it seems clear that he in fact agrees with her reasoned argument, but his religious convictions prevent him from acknowledging it. Which is of course sad in itself. Here's a good man (and cute too!) who recognises the truth and fairness of her argument, but because of his religion, he can't testify to that truth, and instead has to hold to a religious line that in his heart he knows to be wrong. But you know he wants to. (And so do I Pastor Olden, you big handsome Daddy!) Even when he's on more familiar religious ground (religion in schools) he's less than convincing.
marriage equality
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ideas
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31 Jul 2010
As someone who doesn't smoke hash anymore because it just doesn't suit me (it doesn't make me giddy and giggly or interested in things - it makes me dull and lethargic and unproductive and slightly stressed because every tiny thing seems like such a huge hassle) I personally have no interest in seeing it legalised. However, I recognise that there are strong arguments in favour of legalisation, and it's patently obvious that prohibition simply doesn't work.
But regardless of your feelings on the matter, and despite the Pollyanna-ish view of marajuana in this little short, it's a very cute piece of animation.
ideas
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animation
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30 Jul 2010
Yes apparently. Statistically speaking anyway.
And before you write off this study as superficial bigotry, it actually makes a lot of sense. As this article says:
The authors note previous work showing how more attractive people are more successful in their careers and earn more. This puts less attractive people at a disadvantage in the world of work and nudges them towards criminal alternatives. In addition, less attractive people suffer socially, make fewer friends and build less of what the authors call "human capital". They are therefore not as sympathetic to others and have less of an investment in society. This effect is far more pronounced in females, suggesting that they are judged on their appearance to a much greater degree.
The message seems to be that ugly people need a bit less condemnation and a bit more understanding. But that finding lacks the popular appeal of saying that they're all criminals and should be locked up, and so is probably doomed to be added to the file of Damned science.
ideas
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crime
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29 Jul 2010
5 Stupid, Unfair and Sexist Things Expected of Men
gender
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ideas
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26 Jul 2010
random
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politics
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ideas
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06 Jul 2010
I love these great illustrated/animated talks from the Royal Society of Arts (one of which I've posted before) which tackle big ideas in a fun accessible way, and they are all worth checking out. Here's another, from a talk by journalist, author and political activist Barbara Ehrenreich, which skewers the idea of "positive thinking", popularised by Oprah et al and in books like The Secret.
ideas
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animation
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03 Jul 2010
Stephen Fry gave a rambling and wide ranging interview ("What I wish I'd known when I was 18") to a young person's volunteer/activist organisation, and as usual with Fry, it's interesting and contains plenty of wisdom. The over-reaching sentiment, summed up at the end, being that nothing is more important, or powerful, than kindness.
people
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ideas
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15 Jun 2010
Feminist Hulk joined Twitter recently and has quickly garnered attention as he "SMASH MASCULINIST DEMANDS TO DENY EMOTION" and "CRADLE TENDER, SENSITIVE HULK WITHIN". He likes babies because they are "UNFETTERED BY SEXIST IDEOLOGY, AND HAVE NATURAL INSTINCT TO SMASH THINGS", and is "NOT THREATENED BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE PERFORMATIVITY OF GENDER. HULK NOT REQUIRE MASCULINITY OR ESSENTIALISM TO LOVE HULK BODY."
He also "USE ALL-CAPS. HULK CHOOSE NOT TO IMPOSE HIERARCHY ON LANGUAGE. PLUS, BIG HULK FINGERS MAKE SHIFT-KEY PROBLEMATIC."
He was recently interviewed by Ms Magazine.
internet
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gender
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feminism
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ideas
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14 Jun 2010
"The unequal treatment of gay people is a moral wrong and no amount of tradition can make it right. It is up to Scruton to defend discrimination, not liberals to have to justify treating all equally."
(via Everything Changes - from The Observer's review of The Uses of Pessimism and the Danger of False Hope by Roger Scruton)
ideas
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gay rights
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