Saying the Right Thing, Even in Private
(Note: contains ethnic and ableist slurs) IT CAN BE A TRICKY BALANCE to say the right thing. There are things I say in private, perhaps in bursts of anger or when I’m thinking out loud... Read More
Subjective Tastes & Character Judgments—Two Great Flavors that Taste Lousy Together
“ALL I HEAR ABOUT these days is the NBA finals. Who are these brainless yahoos who get so obsessed about a ball going into a net?” “I hate those ditzes who care so much about... Read More
Humanism and a Work/Life Balance
MY TWO HANDS are not getting along. On the one hand, the purpose of a humanist life is to make the world better. There’s no afterlife, so the meaning of our lives comes from making... Read More
Starting with the Assumption that I’m Wrong
So I’ve been trying this thing. If I’m contemplating a change in my thinking or my life—especially for ethical reasons—I shift my perspective for a bit, and start with the assumption that I’m wrong. I... Read More
The Part about Black Lives Mattering Where White People Shut Up and Listen
Listen up, fellow white people. If we care about racism—and if we’re humanists, we bloody well better—there’s something we need to do. It’s enormously important. If any other action we take is going to be... Read More
Should We Care What Other People Think?
“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” —Lao Tzu In modern American culture—and in many cultures in many ages—there’s great admiration for the trailblazer, the inventor, the social reformer,... Read More
New Thoughts on Atheist Anger, and the Difference between Peace and Complacency
Can we find some degree of peace and acceptance in our lives, without becoming complacent about all the things that are terrible in the world? Or, to turn the question around: Can we let ourselves... Read More