This is a response to a comment on this post.
Category: Society
Ok. Why do you think conspiracy theories are a social evil?
I think conspiracy theories – as opposed the identification of actual conspiracies, which is an altogether different thing – and the belief in them cause a number of problems.
What is reality?
Saying “reality is everything” is hardly helpful. In fact, it’s “obscurantist”: a position which, deliberately or not, actually lessens human knowledge. The reason for this is that in order to understand what you mean by reality is everything, we must first understand what you mean by “thing.” There’s no other option because “reality is everything” …
Why is metaphysics dangerous in the hands of those who govern us?
Metaphysics, i.e the study of “things” outside of physical reality, is incredibly dangerous for politics. But first, why do we use metaphysics?
A Brief Attempt at Elucidating my Political Views
A liberal form of government – i.e. a government which is restrained by an enforceable bill of individual rights and complementary “checks and balances” – is necessary to protect individuals from the great power of the state. This is true and will continue to be true as long as the “state” has more power than …
Why do you beleive that’s the only reality there is and why do you [think] that it is meaningless?
Dr. Johnson, when confronted with the argument that this reality isn’t the real one, said “I refute it thusly” and stubbed his toe. (Or was it that he banged his hand on the table?) This is enough for some of us. It isn’t enough for most. But all evidence – based on our own perceptions …
Evolution of Riley’s Political Views
As a teenager, I was a statist, a borderline fascist. I may have believed in liberal ideas in theory – my grade 11 politics class group was the only group to propose a liberal constitution instead of a utopian one for a project – but I thought the government should draft the unemployed. I was …
Why don’t you believe in conspiracies?
First, I think we must distinguish between conspiracies in the legal sense, and conspiracy theories. Conspiracies are any time that two or more people get together to break a law. Conspiracy theories are “hidden hand” theories of history – around for ages in the case of the Illuminati for example, or newer theories, in the …
Why is it so hard for some people to beleive that the people in charge don’t have their own agenda?
[Responding to the above question submitted to me using Formspring:] We can debate endlessly the meaning of “in charge” but I can’t agree with your first statement. Nobody is actually “in charge” in the sense that nobody has the power to do whatever they want. A cursory look at Obama’s struggles implementing his agenda is …
2010 G20 in Toronto
Disclaimer: I didn’t know how to go about doing this. Maybe I’m paranoid (I certainly felt paranoid on Sunday…), but I worry that posting this will in someway have a negative affect on my career. I think there are many people in the governance and corporate worlds who – implicitly if not explicitly – feel …
An Open Letter, I guess
Dear Mr. Crimmins I read your editorial in June 7th’s Hamilton Spectator with great interest. Your idea of dispensing with elections is compelling: it would save huge amounts of money, it would shorten campaigns and make them completely unpredictable (hopefully saving us from a situation like that of the US, where each campaign begins after …
The US Census
I’ve been spending a lot time watching the Madness over the last few days and I’ve noticed something: embedded PSAs for the US Census.
Palin is coming to Hamilton
I don’t know why she’s coming to Hamilton. I can guess. Supposedly she’s coming to speak at a hospital fundraiser. I figure she’s really coming because she’s already spoken everywhere in the US that would take her. Though she is probably the dumbest politician I have ever seen (dumber than Quale, and that’s saying something), …
The Hamilton City Councilors are at it again
I guess it’s because municipal politics attracts the dregs, the people who can’t make it at any other level of politics, that we regularly get the most insane and ignorant suggestions from Hamilton city councilors. The previous highlight was an idea to ban swearing in the downtown core. Councilors were apparently wholly unaware of the …
The Toronto Sports Media Strikes Again
Our beloved sports media (specifically the Star) cannot hold a consistent position on anything, it seems. Obviously, the best example of this is Damien Cox and his endlessly wavering positions on everything. (Currently, this fixation is the Bettman-Balsillie affair: one day Bettman and the league are in the right, the next Balsillie is, and so …
Reflections on the god thing
I’ve been trying to read up on chaos theory today, as I think there may be some sociopolitical implications that haven’t been addressed by most of what I’ve read for the book. The description of chaos I’m familiar with sounds an awful lot like life: minuscule changes in initial circumstances have a big effect on …
The Culture of Fear
This culture of fear is ridiculous. On Thursday, I was on my home, and at the James-Main intersection. I wanted to cross it a particular way because, on Thursday, the new View comes out. It is located in a box on the southeast corner. So I want to go to that corner, rather than the …
Student throws korans into toilets
Okay, so a student at Pace University has been arrested because he apparently threw some books in toilets back in the fall. As far as I know, he was not charged with stealing the books, and he has not been punished by the university for obstructing the septic system. (I don’t know if there is …
Cheney and NHL’s Silly Season
The NBA isn’t the only league with a silly season any more, but first…The Whores!
The Daily Show, Conservapedia
A friend of my once mentioned that he didn’t like the Daily Show that much because it was too “left wing.” To call the Daily Show left wing is to buy in to the US bullshit about “right-left.” This supposed distinction (which isn’t much of one at all), makes these terms virtually meaningless except as applies …
Ontario Proportional Representation Proposal 2007
In October Ontario will vote on whether or not to accept a new method of electing our MPPs. This is a good idea, except for the fact that the proposed new one sucks balls.
“Food” and “It took them long enough”
In the CD player: The Violent Femmes
Unions
Firstly, the party went very well.
I want to burn Rice, but I won’t…hopefully someone else will
Rice’s confirmation hearing is today. She mentioned this “Town Square Test” (the name of the academic she name-dropped is not important, though I would like to give credit to him or her) that determines whether a society is a “fear society” or not. Apparently, an individual enters the town square and speaks his or her …
Jesus
So, I was watching some religious TV yesterday. I’ve been paying more attention to this stuff since I started studying the Bible. Like when I was at my stepcousin’s wedding a little while ago. I was very interested in the service all of a sudden… Anyway, Jack Van Impe was on Vision. It’s amazing, by …