| Moral idiocy |
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| 07:45pm 08/11/2009 |
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It probably shouldn't come as a surprise by now that one can become chief rabbi in the UK while still being a bit thick, as Jonathan Sacks has recently confirmed. The link goes to an article about Lord Sacks' recent screed about how Europe is less moral because it's more secular. You'd be right in thinking that this is the sort of thing people have been banging on about for years now - he hits all the buzzwords, "consumerism", "instant gratification", you know the sort of thing. He makes one especially bizarre claim about ethics that I thought deserved a bit more light being shone on it:
“Parenthood involves massive sacrifice of money, attention, time and emotional energy. Where today in European culture with its consumerism and instant gratification – because you’re worth it – where will you find space for the concept of sacrifice for the sake of generations not yet born? Europe, at least the indigenous population of Europe, is dying.”
Ignore the racist dogwhistle at the end, there - although it is quite shameful for someone in Sacks' position - I'm interested in the claim that an adult without children nevertheless owes something to potential unborn children. And that one of the things she owes to unborn children is to bring them into being. How many children must one father or birth before one's obligations are fulfilled? I can't see how this obligation to parent would ever end.
And my thanks to Lux for pointing out that having children is hardly an unambiguous moral good given the growing threat of anthropogenic climate change. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint - which is really sacrificing for future generations - forget cycling to work or buying organic food, just don't have children. Even without the environmental consequences, it's just difficult to see how a bigger population is better in any sense. All this seems to be taken for granted by Sacks, I assume for religious reasons. |
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| Unadulterated, weapons-grade lunacy |
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| 10:24am 27/10/2009 |
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Everybody, check out this completely insane explanation of the Totally Real Science of homeopathy! "Dr" Werner will explain to you how mass doesn't exist so you can cross out the "m" from Einstein's equation, and also the string particles that Dr Hawkings discovered let us hear! It's science!
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| 05:55pm 28/09/2009 |
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"Outcry over Polanski's detention"? Really?
I genuinely don't understand why this is controversial. Roman Polanski drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl. After pleading guilty, he fled the USA before he could be sentenced. So that's two crimes for which he should be in jail. Is it suddenly a minority opinion that rapists should serve jail time? Even if those rapists make films? |
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| Bizarro Academia |
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| 06:31pm 10/08/2009 |
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Making the rounds on the sciencesphere right now is the course outline for William Dembski's courses on Intelligent Design and Christian Apologetics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Of particular note is the requirement that his undergraduates on the ID course "provide at least 10 posts defending ID that you’ve made on “hostile” websites, the posts totalling 2,000 words, along with the URLs (i.e., web links) to each post (worth 20% of your grade)". This explains a great deal! The "masters course" has a similar requirement.
In all seriousness, the sample exams available starkly expose completely empty and worthless courses. The questions are clearly designed to elicit essentially identical answers from each students, the only relevant skill is the ability to regurgitate on cue. Observe:
Why do materialistic neuroscientists think that the data from neuroscience confirm a materialistic understanding of mind? Critique their interpretation of these data and argue for a nonmaterialist neuroscience.
According to Richard Dawkins, faith is believing in the absence of evident (sic). By contrast, Nancy Pearcey argues that the attempt to remove Christian faith from the realm of knowledge and evidence has led to Christianity’s cultural captivity. Make the case that Christian faith is a matter not of subjective opinion but of objective knowledge.
Trace the connections between Darwinian evolution, eugenics, abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. Why are materialists so ready to embrace these as a package deal? What view of humanity and reality is required to resist them?
Sigh. |
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| I'm already sick of today |
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| 03:14pm 29/06/2009 |
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I'm just going to have to stop reading the news for the sake of my blood pressure:
Overweight celebrities such as Gavin and Stacey star James Corden are making dangerous weight gain appear normal, a medical expert is warning.
Professor Michael McMahon of Nuffield Health says fat stars are seen as role models, helping to make being overweight acceptable.
He says it is akin to the dangers of skinny media images and anorexia.
For fuck's sake. There are about three fat celebrities, and they're all named in that article. And James Corden and Ruth Jones are famous for one show, and Beth Ditto's had one album. That's it, I'm seriously stretching to think of another celebrity who might credibly be called fat. Chris Moyles doesn't count, he's in radio. But apparently the danger of fat people not self-hating for five consecutive waking fucking minutes is so great that we must consider any deliberate portrayal of anyone larger than the accepted standard as a dire threat to the sanctity of our nation. How on Earth can a few fat celebrities possibly outweigh (AHAHAHAHA) the entire modelling industry?
The excellent Melissa McEwan of Shakespeare's Sister said it best:
If you're fat, you're not only meant to be unhappy, but deeply ashamed of yourself, projecting at all times an apologetic nature, indicative of your everlasting remorse for having wrought your monstrous self upon the world. You are certainly not meant to be bold, or assertive, or confident—and should you manage to overcome the constant drumbeat of messages that you are ugly and unsexy and have earned equally society's disdain and your own self-hatred, should you forget your place and walk into the world one day with your head held high, you are to be reminded by the cow-calls and contemptuous looks of perfect strangers that you are not supposed to have self-esteem; you don't deserve it. Being publicly fat and happy is hard; being publicly, shamelessly, unshakably fat and happy is an act of both will and bravery.
The patronising tone of this bullshit is just too much for me.
Researchers found many obese people refused to take any action about their situation with almost one in five not contemplating doing anything to lose weight.
Imagine that! As many as twenty percent of overweight people think you should shut your fucking gob about what you think is best for them!
Tired of this shit. I'm off to found a commune or something. |
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| Say what? |
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| 01:49pm 29/06/2009 |
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In an article about the Metropolitan Police's botched handling of the G20 protests, something jumped out at me:
Chairman of the committee Keith Vaz said the public "clearly don't understand" the reasons for using kettling and other public order strategies.
"What's acceptable, what's within the police rule book - the use of distraction tactics, for example, slapping or hitting people - shocked the public," he told the BBC.
Wait. Unprovoked violent attacks on protesters is an official police tactic?
You're right, Vaz - I don't think the UK public quite understands that. |
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| 10:48am 27/06/2009 |
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music: Missy Elliott ft. Method Man - Bring the Pain
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This is interesting as hell. A Swedish couple are refusing to impose gender norms on their child, Pop.
“We want Pop to grow up more freely and avoid being forced into a specific gender mould from the outset,” Pop’s mother said. “It's cruel to bring a child into the world with a blue or pink stamp on their forehead.”
The child's parents said so long as they keep Pop’s gender a secret, he or she will be able to avoid preconceived notions of how people should be treated if male or female.
Pop's wardrobe includes everything from dresses to trousers and Pop's hairstyle changes on a regular basis. And Pop usually decides how Pop is going to dress on a given morning.
There seem to be two great benefits here. Firstly, greater autonomy for the child - avoiding all the "don't play with dolls unless they're soldiers" crap. Secondly and most importantly, a lot of people find that their gender doesn't match their sex, and I can only imagine that being raised without the weight of society demanding that your behaviour match what's between your legs helps in those cases.
The article quotes an essential psychologist who disapproves, but I don't buy her objection:
“I don’t think that trying to keep a child’s sex a secret will fool anyone, nor do I think it’s wise or ethical,” says Pinker. “As with any family secret, when we try to keep an elemental truth from children, it usually blows up in the parent’s face, via psychosomatic illness or rebellious behaviour.”
But what truth is being kept from Pop? They know what they look like naked - Pop knows hir biological sex. And Pop's gender is not decided, and wouldn't be decided even if s/he were being raised traditionally. We don't realise this because we expect everyone's gender to conform to their sex, and are totally shocked if our child turns out to be trans. But the fact that the majority decide their gender does match their sex doesn't change the fact that that is a decision. Pop's parents are taking the step of waiting for their child to answer that question in their own time. I think that's great. |
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| 12:12am 26/06/2009 |
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Oh my God, Michael Jackson's dead. I can hardly believe this.
Nobody ever sang like him, danced like him, or did music videos like him. He perfected pop.
Here's probably my favourite video of his, it's completely insane:
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| Follow-up |
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| 02:42pm 23/06/2009 |
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The thought behind the cut is brief, and can be ignored by anyone who didn't read (or, having read, didn't care about) my last post. ( And... cut ) |
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| Easy Pickings |
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| 06:40pm 22/06/2009 |
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In September I start my MA in History of Philosophy, and if all goes to plan I'll start my PhD in philosophy a year after that, meaning that in five, six years tops I should be a doctor of philosophy and looking for work. This is an intimidating prospect, for all that it's far off - competition is fierce for academic jobs given how few are available.
But here's a ray of hope - I could become Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto! I would certainly do a better job of it than Professor David Novak, the latest to tilt at windmills and try to make a secular case against gay marriage. ( Cut! For length! And anger! ) |
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| You can only blame your problems on the world for so long, before it all becomes the same old song |
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| 07:33pm 09/06/2009 |
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I've heard from a few different people, now, that they didn't vote in the European elections because it was too confusing, they didn't know who all the parties were or what they stood for or what MEPs did.
Guys? This information is widely available from a variety of sources. It's just a google away. I know that if you're not used to thinking politically, or you don't already have a broad familiarity with UK and EU political systems, or you're not used to tracking down specific information on the Internet, that this can be difficult and irritating.
But EU elections are every five years. A bit of factfinding and then a walk down to the library once every five years isn't much to ask in the way of political participation.
Democracy grants massive power to huge numbers of people, but along with that power comes, say it with me, responsibility. All the moaning about the varied evil of politicians doesn't do a bit of good if we don't actually make any effort to put teeth to our feelings.
(this is not aimed at anybody in particular, & I'm not interested in attacking whatever perfectly good reasons you may have had for not voting. But I still think you should have voted! If turnout had been anything remotely decent, I am quite convinced that the BNP would not be heading to Europe now) |
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| They're hiring TEMPS at the PIPE factory |
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| 11:49pm 03/06/2009 |
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Today I found this horrific ad for a job on Gumtree. I present it for your amusement:
We are hiring a FUN & enthusiastic Admin Assistant for our UK OFFICE! Must enjoy a fast paced changing environment with a great ATMOSPHERE and be willing to TRAIN for more than ONE position! We take our COMPANY, our EMPLOYEES very serious - we just don't take OURSELVES too serious!
Must have AWESOME phones manners and be EXTREMELY articulate. Great customer service skills would be a bonus. Must have COMPUTER/TYPING skills working with MSWORD, MSEXCEL & MSOUTLOOK! Great time management skills and ability to thrive under pressure are an added bonus. Highly ORGANISED but able to have FUN too! We will settle for NOTHING less than BRILLIANT - and we are willing to PAY for it! We ONLY promote from WITHIN our company and our LOYALTY is for ONLY those committed AND devoted to OUR business!
The role will start as a temp role for three months to fill a gap due to expansion within the business with the possibility of extending. To apply: We will select the PERSON - not the PAPER - for a ONE-ON-ONE interview send us your CV and PHOTO and a "LETTER OF INTENT" explaining why YOU are the ONE we are looking for! ALL candidates WILL be considered for an INTERVIEW! People don't PLAN to fail - they FAIL to plan! So, PLAN on making a GREAT 1st impression on us and give it your BEST shot! GOOD LUCK! |
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| Resident Evil 4: First impressions |
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| 12:47pm 01/06/2009 |
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I guess the Secret Service spent all its budget on fancy walkie-talkies that show my face even though I'm holding them to my ear, and can't afford to hire anyone who speaks Spanish for this super-important, highly sensitive hostage rescue mission in Spain.
My theory so far (I'm only at the farm) is that the first guy who attacked me thought I was trying to rob him. Everyone else since then has been attacking me because I walked in and shot old Pedro. All the bodies are from a dangerous epidemic that swept through the village; burning them is hygienic. Basically I'm just walking through a rural Spanish village shooting everyone I see until I find the President's daughter. woop |
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| Up Against The Wall When The Revolution Comes |
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| 09:03am 15/04/2009 |
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music: M.I.A. - 20 Dollar
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Easter is a very important time of the year for Christians, and probably for like Jews or something too, I don't remember. They had the thing with the seder plate? Not Hanukkah, that's at Christmas. Anyway, did you know it's important for atheists too? Yes, it's the time when we have to justify our existence and all the horrible things we've apparently done. Madeleine Bunting piles on at the Guardian with an editorial that is notable only for the textbook fashion in which she recites the same nonsense. ( Why am I already so pissy? It's only ten ) |
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| State of Sean |
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| 12:40pm 10/04/2009 |
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music: Seasick Steve - Chiggers
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-I'm flat broke in London. London is generally a good place to be, but it is not a good place to be skint. Got a couple leads on jobs, though, so hopefully this state of affairs won't continue. Got an interview thing today, in fact! Only for a part-time job, but that'd be better than nothing.
-I start my MPhilStud at KCL in September, I think I mentioned already. This is cool, but I'm worried about losing my touch, philosophy-wise, in the meantime. I bought the complete works of Plato at Foyles, I'm working my way through that. Meeting up with Rory recently made me realise how lopsided my education has been - Sheffield's freeform system let me focus almost exclusively on ethics, politics and pure logic. I'm hot on that shit, but I have basically no epistemology or philosophy of mind. I've got some catching up to do there.
-I have a beard, in case any of you aren't on Facebook (I think that's actually illegal now). Suits me pretty well, I reckon. ( I start to ramble a bit here ) |
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| Chilli |
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| 12:10pm 18/03/2009 |
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My veggie chilli recipe is probably the recipe of which I am most proud. It continually evolves, but here is a rough guide. ( Aww yeah ) |
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| Very Happy |
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| 12:15pm 16/02/2009 |
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Expect me to be even more proud of myself than usual, because a few days ago I got word that I've got into King's! KCL has accepted me onto the MPhilStud programme (a two-year Master's course after which I could take a two-year PhD course (!)) for philosophy. I am Super Excited, and now scrabbling around applying for funding. This has provided a welcome relief from the various shit that has come into sudden contact with various fans, on which more later post-resolution.
But! Happy! |
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| Blah |
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| 10:15am 06/02/2009 |
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Well, my first night in Seoul was a bit of a wash, but last night was pretty cool. I found a rock/metal bar in Sinchon (I saw blacked-out windows, decal-ed with the motif 'JUDAS OR SABBATH' and a fluorescent sign promising 'METAL', so I was sold) which had a ton of music DVDs behind the bar and requests got played on the projector. I got befriended by a couple of random Korean metalheads, one guy was called Le-Hyo but the other guy kept saying "just call me Lee", which as I think I've already explained is the least helpful thing possible, upwards of 20% of Koreans being called Lee. Anyway, it's amazing how language and cultural barriers stop mattering when you find out that this guy also knows all the words to Alice Cooper's 'Poison'.
The highlight of the evening, though, was my seeing the best music video I have ever seen. I present it here without further comment; please, just watch it all the way through. Especially you, darkspree.
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| Happy New Year! |
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| 07:50pm 26/01/2009 |
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Am writing this on the Saemaeul (express) train from Busan back to Yeongdong. Love technology.
Weekend was awesome. We've got a four-day weekend for New Year, so we decided to head to Busan to relax. We stayed in Haeundae Beach, which is a slightly touristy area of Busan but it's fun. We had a really excellent hotel room (big bath and shower, massive TV, computer with free internet, all for 65,000 won (thirty-two pounds fifty) a night!), and Haeundae is lovely. Feels like I haven't seen the sea in an age, and it's a beautiful beach. First night we had delicious burritos in a bar called the Fuzzy Navel, which wasn't very Korean but what the hell. ( Thrilling adventures! ) |
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