The lived world, as experienced by direct observation and scientific analysis of data.
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
I just read an article in an online journal countercurrents.org called, “How bad can it get?” In it, Robert Hunziker describes a book by Bill McGuire, Emeritus Professor of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at University College London. McGuire, a highly respected scientist, does not mince words in describing what he calls Hothouse Earth (Icon Books, … More How Bad can It Get? Reality Transformed
I just read Steve Schmidt’s “The Warning,” a quick and powerful lessen in American history, directly applicable to our current crisis of political culture. It explains so much, that I will only offer you the SubStack URL where it appears, so you can read it yourselves, because Steve’s eloquent expression of what it really means … More The Warning: History Informs Us Again
More and more people are moving closer to an “climate action now” mode today. They realize that the climate crisis really is an emergency. That, after all, is what emergencies are all about—action that people must take now or all is lost. Recognition is the important first step, but it is only the beginning. Many … More What does “Climate Action Now” require of us? Much more than you think.
It is about time we reflect on the distorted industrial-consumer culture and the “…isms” that propagandists use to confuse reality. The idea of individualism is certainly an American cultural icon as much as socialism has been a cultural red flag. If you like something, tag it as an instance of good old American individualism. If … More Individualism, Socialism, and Sanity: Can We Choose to Live as Humans?
The tension between the economy and the people has never been quite as intense as it is now. I hear all sorts of explanations, and speculations as to why many people are not returning to low-wage jobs where they must confront the public—especially in the restaurant and hospitality industries. Even hiring bonuses don’t seem to … More Did the Rat Race take a Hit from the Virus?
If you take a realistic view of any number of situations in the world today, you may find yourself hard pressed to see any of them as hopeful. Of course, that would not stop an optimist from being optimistic. From an entirely different perspective, the pessimist might say, “I told you so; these situations are … More What is Hopeful Realism?
“Risk on” and “Risk Off” are terms heard among stock market traders, analysts, and investment advisors. They indicate whether the speaker feels that risk is high or low for investing in markets or in a particular stock. Risk is always a matter of degree, except under conditions of certainty—and when does that happen? Yet, “risk … More Risk On Risk Off: Likely or Unlikely, Catastrophic or Not
We—the world’s population, that is—seem to have fallen victim to what is claimed to be an old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” The curse, of course, implies that “interesting times” involve deep troubles, crises and dangers shall beset its victims. On the other hand, we may want to turn to the ancient … More We Live in Interesting Times: Seeking Opportunities in Crises
The spread of the COVID-19 in the US began later than in many other nations, but its current pattern of growth gives us no comfort. The rate of growth in the spread of COVID-19 in the US has only increased since the first few days of its appearance in the country. This chart from the … More The US Spread of COVID-19 vs. Other Nations
Robert MacNeil Christie, Author 