What is hell like? Comedian Lewis Black remarked that his answer to that question is Middle School. I agree. But it’s also a pretty unfortunate observation about the times we’re living through. We don’t need to wait for hell to experience never-ending Middle School on Earth. I say this because Middle School is a time … Continue reading Middle School →

Baby boomers and many of their parents were sold on the notion of saving their memories. I know my parents collected thousands of slides, print photos, super-8 film reels, records, cassettes, and video tapes. Snapshots of vacations and every event they wanted to “remember.” Camera and film companies encouraged them and us to “capture the … Continue reading Memories →

“That is a reason, not an excuse,” Mr. Miller, my high school physics teacher, used to say. It was a good lesson. We can rationalize – provide reasons for – doing poorly on a test or project, being late to class or work, or losing a game or a promotion. And so, we all try … Continue reading Excuses →

In the 1960’s, Andy Warhol famously predicted, “In the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.” His prediction turned out to be right. The speed of modern communications and the rise of the internet have made it so. Most of us may not be seeking fifteen minutes of fame, but we all seek confirmation … Continue reading Greatness →

“That guy is worse than Juan Williams.” These were my mother’s last words. I have chosen to interpret them as an indictment of Fox News and all other partisan outlets that have poisoned our ability to understand one another. In a nutshell, these words will always remind me that my mother, who I admired as … Continue reading Last Words →

“Tell us about the land of the many,” Matthew requested. “Did you mean to say, please, Matthew?” Mary answered gently. “Alright. Please tell us about the land of the many,” Matthew repeated. “First, children, it was a country called, ‘From Many, One.’ It existed in the time before.” “Before what?” Luke spoke up. “Before we … Continue reading Tolerance →

My maternal grandfather served in the South Pacific in WWII. One of the stories he shared with us was about being onboard the SS President Coolidge, a passenger liner that had been pressed into service as a troop transport ship. In 1942, the ship struck two US Navy mines off the island of Espiritu Santo, … Continue reading 45 →

I used to teach a first-year course in critical thinking. Prior to that, the course was known as “Justice and the Good Society.” In my mind, the two concepts are merged, because it seems to me a good society depends on critical thinking ability. But that’s not my main point. When I taught “Critical Thinking … Continue reading Privilege →

I’ll admit it. I like to receive “likes” for what I post. And I can see the usefulness of rating products and services. But we all need to keep these things in perspective. There is an episode of “Black Mirror” in which real-time ratings determined everyone’s social status. Enough “stars” provided a better job, a … Continue reading Likes and Stars →

According to Douglas Adams, “The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything” is 42. Of course, in The Hitchhiker’s Guide, the question itself remained a mystery. Because this is my 42nd post in this series, I thought I’d take a shot at the ultimate question. On second thought, maybe it would … Continue reading 42 →