I feel bad for the good people I have known who became cops. I know some of them had the best of intentions. Yes, some saw the pay and the “authority” as tempting bait, but even those managed to convince themselves this was a way they could do good while collecting rewards. Maybe they were even still good people as long as they were off the clock, but no one can be good while being a cop. Not anyone.
Tag: control
Stay Motivated!
We live on a planet with problems and we simply can’t afford to endorse the delusional, irrational, irresponsible, wishful, and naive thinking of those who believe that we must wait until the world gets better first before we take responsibility for making it that way ourselves.
POTUS
I have come upon a new usage for the term POTUS. Actually, it is an old usage. It refers to the position but not directly to the incumbent. This works in the same way as does the juxtaposing of tyrant and tyranny. Is there a difference between the Emperor of Rome, Caesar, Nero, or Caligula?
Home Education: A “Public Benefit?”
Random comment from the ‘Net: “I think a tax break for home schooled families is a great idea. However, you forget that we live in a community, and no man is an island. Those families do benefit from living in a community where others are educated.” Whoa! This argument cuts both ways: the community arguably benefits more from brilliantly-educated home schoolers than home-schoolers benefit from badly-educated children at government schools; therefore, the home schoolers might deserve a break.
Begging To Be Enslaved
“Unmoored”? Being chained to an aggressive thief makes people feel steady and safe? Can a person like that even be considered a person? Human, yes. I can see that, but without apparent “personhood”. Pitiful.
Cultural Osmosis
The enemy of reason is authority. People either believe something because reason tells them it is a true belief, or they believe it because some authority figure, whether it be a teacher, a parent, a priest or a politician, tells them it is so and they choose not to actively engage their reason in questioning the truth of what they are taught.
Excusing Aggression Does Not a Libertarian Make
“Well mostly I want people to be free, and mostly I want government leaving people alone, but in this case, for the good of society, I think it’s necessary for government aggression to be widely used, because the alternative is too scary!”
Think of All the Jobs Central Heating Destroyed
Central heating – along with running water, electricity-powered household appliances such vacuum cleaners, ranges, refrigerators, and freezers (with the latter later becoming self-defrosting), commercial dairies, inexpensive prepared foods, and other modern conveniences – released women from the dullness of housewifery so that they could contribute their skills to strangers in commercial markets (and, of course, earn extra monetary income from these contributions).
Government Doesn’t Serve Community
The best way to serve the community is to do the best job you can, being useful, and not violating anyone’s life, liberty, or property while doing it. Avoiding violations is the bare minimum to qualify as service. Master this and the rest will fall into place, even if you don’t get the same praise and recognition as those who draw attention to themselves.
What Children Reveal About Human Nature
When a child doesn’t follow through on a promise to “never do it again,” it’s because of Social Desirability Bias, not because they lack self-control. Kids say stuff that sounds good to avoid negative consequences. In other words, they’re acting just like adults, minus the subtlety.