Plato on Empathy
In a world in which empathy seems to be on the run, it’s good to be reminded of what the world’s great thinkers have had to say on the subject.
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Earth’s Resiliency
Primatologist Jane Goodall says that one of the key reasons she remains optimistic about the future of Earth’s environment is its resiliency. I.e., the moment we stop inflicting harm to the planet, it begins the slow process of healing itself.
Here’s a fabulous and mesmerizing illustration of precisely this.
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Note To Walmart About its Abuse
I appreciate the content of the letter at the left, but here’s an even better idea for Walmart shoppers: Stay out.
Walmart, in and of itself, isn’t abusive enough? Shopping there is a degrading experience, and doing so is supporting the punishment that one of the world’s wealthiest families inflicts upon both its customers and its employees.
Even if this weren’t the case, how much low-quality crap do you want in your life in the first place? Do you really want a pair of gloves that will keep your hands warm for a single season, but has been engineered to fall apart soon thereafter? How much Coca Cola and Doritos do you really want in your diet?
Get out of there and stay out.
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Ha!
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Wind Catcher
The people from Wind Catcher say their product is “perfect for camping, RVing, and off-grid living. It’s lightweight, easy to install, and produces enough energy to power your devices and appliances for days.”
Of course, “easy to install” is a relative term, but, with all those stays and anchors, it doesn’t look at all easy to me.
And, considering this sells for $1849, I’ll stick with a portable solar PV array.
Tagged with: portable solar PV array
Should Trump Be Detained Pending Trial?
Here’s a video in which former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner discusses the incendiary language that Donald Trump is using on his social media platform and at his rallies, e.g., referring to special prosecutor Jack Smith as a “deranged lunatic.”
The judge in the insurrection case has already said. “If Trump were any other U.S. citizen, he’d be detained pending trial,” on the basis that his language is clearly intended to incite violence.
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There’s Something to be Said for an Honest Life
I was pretty unimpressed when the lead witness for the Republicans in these proceedings was forced to admit under oath that “there is no evidence that Biden did anything wrong.”
I was even less impressed with his next assertion, “But it’s possible that there will be some evidence that emerges in the future.”
OMG. I’m not without sin, but I’m happy to say that I’ve avoided a life of utter dishonesty. I’m sure most of us can say the same.
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What To Do (And What Not To Do) About Climate Deniers
I don’t want to see climate deniers in public office any more that Leonardo DiCaprio, but I disagree with him here.
Restricting people from government who are unscientific in their thinking is an unsupportable idea, if only because it’s unconstitutional. Hell, the second in line to the U.S. presidency has no more use for science than does a speckled trout.
If you want change here, you need an educated voter base that will not accept gross ignorance in the leaders it elects.
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Greenwashing in Single-Use Plastics Generates Lawsuits in Europe
From “The Story of Stuff”:A legal complaint against Coca-Cola, Danone, and Nestlé has been issued by a consumer body and two environmental groups in Europe.
The complaint alleges the companies are misleading consumers into buying a product which is sold as being climate-friendly or sustainable, known as greenwashing, when it comes to their ‘100% recycled’ claims on single-use plastic water bottles.
The European Consumers Organization, backed by the environmental groups Client Earth and ECOS, claims the bottles are never made wholly of recycled materials. They say the ability to recycle them depends on a number of factors, including the tools available.
Coca-Cola said its packaging messages can be substantiated, Nestlé said it was cutting use of plastic packaging, and Danone said it was invested in recycling.
Every time I see something like this I think of the millions of people employed in industries that collectively degrade our planet, not to mention the health of their customers, and the feeling of compromised integrity that must accompany such a career decision.
Is Empathy Controversial?
At left we see another example of how we will argue about anything in the modern-day chaos we call our “society.”
As John Cleese points out, we can’t even agree that empathy for other people is an unequivocally good thing.
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