For the confused: Sexual harassment and assault have nothing to do with the erotic. They are the core expressions of a pure power dynamic, a form of bullying and manipulation by immature and weak people who can sometimes become very dangerous, even violent. If you do not consent, do not enjoy, that is harassment and often assault. The harasser, the stalker, the abuser, the rapist, the murderer – they persist despite (and often because of) resistance and lack of consent….
Once in a while, I let it go. I have to, or my thoughts would consume me. Instead, I unhitch a million threads, and float… and drift. Before too long, a path waves toward me, but I prefer to explore. For that you need a dose of the random. Open possibility is too vertiginous, but play is a vector of freedom. Only a judicious, homeopathic dose of the random…such is the contemporary life. Why not play in a field of…
Darling Sweetheart, You are my avid fellow feeling. My affection curiously clings to your passionate wish. My liking yearns to your heart. You are my wistful sympathy: my tender liking. Yours beautifully, M.U.C.* Even with such a designer as Turing, it takes more than imitation-games of consciousness to write a love letter. Still, isn’t there something about this letter that suggests our own, often inarticulate, longings? *In this instance, MADAM preferred to call herself M.U.C. (Manchester University Computer). I know…
An American Category Sketch of Personhood vs. Non-Personhood – not exhaustive, but representative. So much is under debate. So much is culturally modulated. So much has a history of discussion rather than a solid truth claim. So much seems a little strange. Warning: Your answers may differ. This is meant to be thought-provoking; sorry for all the things I’m leaving out. Comments are welcome, but only if you’re civil. All comments are moderated. For each of the following, is this…
Sites for Recovering Jehovah’s Witnesses to Explore Scroll to the bottom if you’re not in the mood for this! Over the years, I’ve noted that the quality and helpfulness of former JW sites varies quite a bit. Some are very angry, while others are more compassionate. Some are able to create spaces to share insights with one another, some are more combative with peers. Some are focused on biblical interpretation, others on issues like abuse and shunning. More recently, I’ve…
I was re-reading a dissertation exam question, and I was somewhat surprised to discover that there has been no real transformation in my views on evil in more than a decade. Question: Compare the language of cause, analysis, description, and solution to evil in Augustine, Nietzsche, Schüssler-Fiorenza and one author of your choice (Buber). Identify juxtapositions, similarities, opposition, etc., amongst the authors, and situate your own view. The text of Augustine’s Confessions constructs an aesthetic metaphysics from within a post-Manichaean…