“I think the world honestly would be a much healthier place if instead of trying to find rationalizations for our bad behavior we would just say, “I was an asshole. Sure, there were reasons behind it, but that doesn’t matter.”
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Somebody forgot to give 2021 the memo. This year was supposed to be better. We were supposed to be better. This past week casts doubt on those suppositions. Instead of easing the rough waters, the week’s worked to heighten an already tumultuous time. A time that threatens to rend us from each other.
Back in the old days, when we still recognized the value of education as more than just a pathway to future earnings, there was a thing called a liberal arts education. Along with reading, writing, and arithmetic, we taught science, social studies, and civics. Students were expected to become familiar with the basics of several disciplines in order to become better citizens, and not just better earners. This loss of focus has contributed to a loss of the ability to engage in civil discourse
Maybe I’m just looking at things through the lens of nostalgia, but we used to debate ideas and policies. We would try to convince others based on the strength of our argument, not our ability to discredit our opponent. Now more effort is put into dehumanizing those we disagree with, then making the case for our argument based on its merits. This has resulted in an ever-widening breach between us. A breach that allows for those motivated by self-interest to take advantage of CONTINUE READING: ARE BETTER TIMES REALLY AHEAD? – Dad Gone Wild