The transfer of information or emotion between social units, be they persons, groups, or organizations, in a society.
Only the lonelyOnly the lonely Only the lonelyKnow the way I feel tonightOnly the lonelyKnow this feeling ain’t right Song by Roy Orbison, 1960 The U.S. Surgeon General just released a report on the accelerating degree of loneliness in America and the health consequences of social isolation. The implications are diverse and devastating for … More Only the Lonely: Social Isolation & Industrial Modernity
Many years ago, I read an article by Irwin Deutscher titled, “Words and Deeds: Social Science and Social Policy.” It was his 1965 presidential address to the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP), published in 1966 in the journal, Social Problems. Deutscher was alluding to the fact that most of the data collected … More Words and Deeds: Entanglements of Hope and Doom
Sure, in most midterm elections the party ‘in power’ typically loses seats in the House and Senate, especially if the president has low approval ratings. Yet at first, this season looked very much like it would end differently. Then the Republicans gradually gained in the polls, so that now, just before Election Day, most races … More What is Up with those Democrats?
The verified allegations of the Fake President’s autocratic attempt to throw off the bounds of democratic process to affirm the object of his self-doubt—supremacy to everyone and everything in the world—keep piling up. Yet, the present political predicament of the United States of America is quite a bit more complicated than that. Without the decay … More Culture Decay and the Autocratic Attempt
In these times of chaos and confusion, it is important to know who has your back. However, it is not always so easy to know. Everyone from corporate executives to politicians, to social media ‘influencers,’ claims to have your interests at heart. High sounding ‘mission and goals’ statements belie various special interests in so many … More Who’s Got Your Back? Not the Usual Suspects
Yesterday, I watched a video clip of Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow speaking to here colleagues about the hate speech directed at her and the moral high ground upon which she stands. It was so moving that I must post it here, because only by standing up to hatred can we thwart persecution and violence … More Moral Clarity in the Fight Against Hate
Henrik Nordborg, who is Programme Director: Renewable Energy and Environmental Technology at OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, Rapperswil, St Gallen, Switzerland, has kindly agreed to allow me to re-post his recent article from Substack.com. It is an excellent assessment of where we stand in relation to our home, the Earth System, and the hubris of human … More NATURE CANNOT BE FOOLED
You cannot change large numbers of people’s beliefs or behaviors by giving them lots of facts and rational arguments, especially when the issue is political. Beliefs and behaviors are deeply rooted in our social relations and commitments to others and to the groups we identify with. Peaceful protests in the streets can certainly get the … More How to Make Climate Action Work
Here is a very interesting song expressing our future ansestors’ recognition of where we went wrong.
Either way, history will judge you in Climate Change — by Greta Thunberg — 31/10/2021 TITLE PHOTO: Vanessa Nakate (R) cries after her speech as Greta Thunberg comforts her during the opening plenary session of the Youth4Climate pre-COP 26 event. The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP 26, is being held in the city of Glasgow, Scotland … More Blah, Blah, Blah: An Open Letter to the Global Media by Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate
Robert MacNeil Christie, Author 