Once upon a time, I had a guest speaker in one of my classes who made the following point. He told us he worked with interns who would say things like, “I know what I want to write, but I just don’t know how to put it into words.” His response was, “Then you really … Continue reading War of the Words
Tag: life
A Child’s-Eye View
When I was in elementary school, my parents gave me several “How and Why Wonder Books.” These books introduced the fundamentals of weather, stars, rocks and minerals, insects, reptiles, birds, rockets and missiles, flight, and many other topics. I was fascinated by the book, “Atomic Energy.” So much so that a couple of years later … Continue reading A Child’s-Eye View
Everybody’s Got a Job to Do
My college roommate worked as a brick mason’s helper. His job was to mix “mud” (mortar), haul bricks, and in general do all the back-breaking stuff his supervisor told him to do. He vowed to finish his engineering degree and eventually earned a doctorate, so he could work with his mind rather than his back. … Continue reading Everybody’s Got a Job to Do
The Game
When I was in college, we joked about how we had to learn “what to kiss and when.” Some of my classmates facetiously said their goal in life was to “amass great wealth and power.” Generally, we rejected the notion that college was all about making money and “climbing the ladder.” That was then. But … Continue reading The Game
180
We sometimes hear people say, “I’ve changed my opinion 360 degrees on that.” It’s likely they mean 180 degrees, or enough to reverse course, not spin completely around. I’m sure most just want to say they’ve changed their minds, so it’s not a big deal. However, it seems to me it’s a bigger deal when … Continue reading 180
Dualities
“Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” “If you criticize Israel, that means you are antisemitic.” “If you question the president, you must hate your country.” There are many examples. These statements represent the “either-or” fallacy. Of course, a person might not agree with everything their country (or their president) does … Continue reading Dualities
What’s the Point?
“We all are going to die,” at least according to a prominent senator. This observation leads to two conclusions, both of which are unsatisfying. One is that religion (Christianity, according to the senator) will provide “salvation” in the next life, so we don’t need to fix things in this life. The other is that no … Continue reading What’s the Point?
Constants
In the middle of winter, someone crashed into one of the low brick walls that mark the entrance to the neighborhood. Significant damage was done, but nobody seemed to know anything about the accident. For a few months, I suspected that a snowplow had hit the wall, but the county office couldn’t confirm my conjecture. … Continue reading Constants
Kids’ Stuff
Let’s review a few rules many of us used to learn. Most of these are in the tradition of my parents and fellow Pennsylvanians. I’m concerned that the instant gratification and solipsism of our time might have already taken their toll on what was once considered common knowledge. I also worry about what might happen … Continue reading Kids’ Stuff
The Cheese Stands Alone
Everything we do is part of a vast chain of events. Sometimes things work out to our advantage. Sometimes not. There are no guarantees. While we might want to minimize suffering and give our children a better world, the outcome of all our efforts is at best uncertain. We might long for stability, peace, and … Continue reading The Cheese Stands Alone
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