The purpose of life? This is certainly bold, isn’t it? I imagine many people would be skeptical in hearing that someone claims to have any insight into their purpose of life. I would be. I am. It’s so subjective, for one, and there are so many ways of looking at it, questioning it. Did some deity assign my purpose of life? Do I choose it at some point, or just fall into it? Is there really

Welcome to my 100th blog! For the occasion, I thought I would discuss an idea to take THEE principles off the Internet and into the political arena. Let’s talk about real solutions that, without a violent revolution or total social upheaval, could bring about much-needed, radical change to our political system—and it wouldn’t even be that hard to do! The trick is to make it seem as if what we’re

Governments tend to attract some very intelligent, educated people. They offer decent pay, benefits, vacations, sick time and the perks of working for a large, successful organization. So why do governments on the whole seem to be so stupid? It’s not my intention to be inflammatory. But I’d be rather surprised to learn you hadn’t thought something similar at some point in time. Granted, governments

“To this war of every man against every man, this also inconsequent; that nothing can be unjust. The notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice have there no place. Where there is no common power, there is no law, where no law, no injustice. Force, and fraud, are in war the cardinal virtues. No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent

We like to do what’s easy, or should I say, we like to do what’s easier. I think modern civilization makes it even easier to do what’s easier. It’s no longer necessary that every family must work their own field and raise their own livestock and govern their own tribe. I write this, by the way, as I sit in my apartment, impatiently awaiting the delivery of my new washing machine.  Things

I never gave much thought to work. I have and do work, of course, as most of us do. There have been many mornings (or afternoons depending on the job) where I’ve dragged myself out of bed while whining: “I don’t want to go. Work is no fun.” Conversely, there have been days when the hours flew by and I finished up the day feeling accomplished and fulfilled. There have been many things I’ve done

I never thought I’d write this, but I miss the good ‘ol waning days of the Industrial Revolution, back when six year-olds worked in coal mines and the gap between society’s richest and society’s poorest was so wide that to this day, it’s used as a measuring stick for social inequity. Yes, the Victorian Era, when prudishness and repression were the norm and homosexuality was a prosecutable crime

There’s something I’ve been hearing a lot lately—the call for a more scientific society. Scientific American thinks Big Data is the wave of the future. British associations call for more scientists in political office. As far back as 1998, UNESCO released an opinion piece of sorts, declaring that “scientists have an increasing obligation to become involved with policy makers and the public in finding

I often think back to a seminal moment I had in high school. It was a rough time—as it is for most people at that age. Everything was so dramatic, so magnified. I struggled with physical changes, family issues, social acceptance and my place in the world. Didn’t we all. I was walking between classes. I must have been late to something; there was no one else in the hallways or in the yard. I asked

In part 1, we acknowledged your dissatisfaction and sense of powerlessness in the face of our current social crisis. In part 2, we discussed the need and nature of change itself and identified the need for some guidance on the way forward. Here, we discuss that way forward. This is a big topic. Oh man, what a big topic! Currently, many a revolutionary organization calls for a three-step process,

Things have to change, that’s for sure. A lot of people have come to that conclusion recently. A lot of movements, large and small, have cropped up in response to that conclusion. People are thinking. They see things like ignorance, apathy, corruption, violence, crime, poverty and desperation. They start looking for root causes and they often whittle it down to one institution or another. Some