Category Archives: Culture

A conundrum

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Mariner was a preacher for a while. He became familiar with the Christian faith generally and with Christ’s exhortations to love others before self. In college he had a minor in religion and studied several religions. Not one religion, especially Islam, ever took the ‘love’ thing seriously.

For centuries Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism were more closely related to the role of a Supreme Court and supported the political power base. Islam had a similar role but promoted a more punitive role as a requirement for inclusion. These are generalizations, of course, but generally the role of religion has more often been concerned about politics and self-aggrandizement than the pursuit of salvation.

It seems today that this political role has returned. In the United States particularly, hate is preached from the chancel. Deliberate political enmity and even violence are supported.

Is religion a change agent? Does religion have a ‘divine’ right to promote pain, suffering and death in the name of God and Jesus Christ? It is a conundrum.

Whenever religion takes up political reform, it is rebellious; advocates are looking for revenge, not love. Whenever religion focuses on profitability, it disregards the need for love and replaces it with dollars. With all the confusion in today’s world of humans, it is hard to find positive spiritual anchors – especially in churches.

What happened to the words of Jesus? Does religion suffer from the same forces that shape society? If so, what purpose is religion? In a time when unity, love of fellow man, sharing and compassion are in critical demand, where is the moral authority of religion?

Some of this confusion can be laid at the footsteps of the Founding Fathers. They wanted to be sure that the Church would never play an official role as a ‘state religion.’ In effect, however, making religion an independent and protected role in society, religion could do whatever it wanted in spite of democratic legislation.

So, the question remains, how can religion help? How can it advocate love of others? If religion doesn’t uphold Christ’s principles, who needs religion – unless it is a political voice instead of a religious voice?

Ancient Mariner

 

While we wait

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It definitely is a waiting game on several critical fronts. China has begun its pressure game with Taiwan; we can only wait to see what happens.

Neil Degrasse Tyson said if both polar ice caps melt completely, the ocean will rise to The Statue of Liberty’s elbow; we can only wait to see what happens.

The November elections clearly are jump ball at this point. All the polls mariner has read indicate a fog of insight; we can only wait to see what happens.

The Supreme Court has missed the ball on the Affordable Care Act and abortion. Is this the new direction for the Court? We can only wait to see what happens.

Across the nation police departments are understaffed from resignations and low pay. Crime is up in many states, including homicides; we can only wait to see what happens.

Finally, big corporations will have to pay a 15 percent income tax; will the republicans reverse this legislation in November? We can only wait to see what happens.

Afghanistan society has collapsed, having no economy and no social standards; we can only wait to see what happens.

The Ukrainians continue to fight as their nation becomes decimated by a needless bullet war; will the government and the economy survive as the war goes on? We can only wait to see what happens.

Mariner’s potato crop is nearing the end. Will there be an abundance of potatoes? We can only wait to see what happens.

Does the reader have a hobby?

Ancient Mariner

It warms the heart

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֎ Mariner watched a short video from NEWSY broadcasting which revealed a growing market for farm equipment built with standard parts rather than having to abide by the privatized and copyrighted and BIG dollar cost of companies like John Deere. The reader will enjoy a sensation they probably haven’t felt in a long time. See:

https://www.newsy.com/stories/former-software-engineer-aims-to-change-future-of-farming/?utm_source=MaropostMailing&utm_medium=Email&utm_name=08042022&omhide=true

֎ Mariner lives in a semi-rural area of Iowa, several small towns and no large metropolitan areas. Nevertheless, the public libraries in the region all have seen the new light in these changing times. Libraries aren’t quiet, dusty archives anymore. Libraries have become public activity centers with almost continuous programming for all ages from old people playing euchre to preschoolers running around on the lawn. Technically the libraries are up-to-date, even having supported some public school classes during the pandemic.

֎ The reader knows by now that Kansas voted overwhelmingly to keep the right to have an abortion. This may or may not be good news to an individual reader but the really good news is the turnout. Dangerous Donald continues to loom over politics like a possible tornado. His followers, mostly conspirators, racists, misogynists and illicit opportunists drew only half as many voters as those who voted for abortion. These numbers bring hope to those who know that the only way to defeat the Trump movement is to outvote its advocates. And most of us did not have faith that this could happen. Dare we think the Kansas turnout may be good news for November?

Ancient Mariner

Private Equity

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Private equity investors are different from venture capitalists, who provide a cash infusion to small startups and hope they blossom into the next Facebook. Nor are they stock traders making split-second decisions to buy or sell shares in public companies. Rather, private equity funds aim to take control of a business for a relatively short time, restructure it and resell or liquidate the company at a profit.

It is mariner’s opinion that private equity firms are the most evil and destructive element of uncontrolled capitalism. The impact on local newspapers across the country has been in the news. Small newspapers are disappearing because of private equity take-overs.

It is a form of thievery. Mariner knows about four billionaires who bought a bank and immediately foreclosed on every mortgage – creating great financial hardship for homeowners. The billionaires either received immense amounts of cash when property owners could pay off their mortgages or took title to properties well below their market price. The event was a tragedy for mortgage holders and demonstrates the disregard of private equity for any form of moral behavior.

Propublica reports that private equity manages over six trillion dollars in the US economy. The Congress, of course, does not attempt to change the tax structure advantages.

An unexposed impact of private equity is the disregard for employees who are summarily laid off, fired, and whose retirement benefits are redirected to private equity.

Does the reader have a hobby?

Ancient Mariner

Aging

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Before we start, here’s a headline for the reader:

122 candidates running for election in November believe the 2020 election was stolen. Yes, Virginia, democracy is in great danger.

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֎ Mariner’s wife came across unusually good coverage of a looming issue that gets little press. Published by Forbes, the article[1] discusses the related issue of shrinking population versus today’s attitude toward older people.

It is true that most wealthy nations have shrinking populations. Population size is measured by the fertility rate (the total number of children that would be born to each human female if she lived to the end of her child-bearing years). For a population to sustain its numbers, the fertility rate must be 2.1 children per female. China has a fertility rate of 1.15, Australia and the United States have rates of 1.6 and Japan has a rate of 1.3.

As the average age of the population grows older, there are fewer women of child-bearing age. The average age of a US citizen has risen from 29.5 in 1960 to 38.6 today. It is frustrating to some that the very antidote for falling population is immigration – both mathematically and economically. Racial prejudice is a damaging phenomenon.

Associated with the shift in average age is the impact it has on the workforce. The UN suggests there will be around 30 million fewer people of working age in the world’s five largest economies. Changing the general attitude toward older people being inept and brain-dead will be difficult. Research has shown retired folks to be quite capable although some jobs involving strength or dexterity may have to be modified. Further, as the tech industry already has learned, older folks aren’t as interested in new technologies –they are rife with Luddites like mariner.

This issue will grow slowly, like a 1950 Ford reaching 90 miles per hour. It is growing slowly now but will become a serious, rapidly interfering issue in a few years.

Ancient Mariner

[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/adigaskell/2022/07/25/shifting-our-aging-society-from-a-burden-to-an-asset/?sh=1b91126e2756

The Electorate – AAPI

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The fastest growing population of voters is the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). A series of polls from different quarters suggest that, generally, this group leans toward the liberal democratic agenda. In the past two decades, Asian Americans also have become one of the fastest growing racial or ethnic groups in the United States.

Between 2010 and 2020, the Asian population in the United States grew by 39%, and their population is projected to pass 35 million by 2060. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders were the third-fastest growing group, growing by 30% from 2010 to 2020. Their population is projected to pass 2 million by 2030.

Asian Americans respondents ranked health care (88%), jobs and the economy (86%), crime (85%), education (82%), gun control (73%) and the environment (75%) as “extremely important” or “very important” issues for deciding their votes in November. Voting rights and addressing racism were also important issues.

This explains why there is growing resistance and prejudice against AAPI from the grumbling conservatives and unenlightened bigots.

Things may get interesting: Today, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced a seven-figure investment in digital, print and radio advertising to woo AAPI voters.

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The Associated Press announced today that a new survey showed that 2 in 3 Americans say they favor term limits or a mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court justices, according to a new poll that finds a sharp increase in the percentage of Americans saying they have “hardly any” confidence in the court.

There are only three branches of government: Congress is dysfunctional, the President is shackled by the Congress and the Supreme Court is wallowing in early 20th century interpretations of the Constitution.

Does the reader have a hobby?

Ancient Mariner

 

Privacy continues to dwindle

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Before we start, mariner has been asked about the accuracy and prejudice of his cluster of news sources. Anyone who knows mariner knows he is critical about everything – especially doctored facts. He has collected the best commentary, best fact checking and least biased reporting available. That being said, the two news sources below aren’t trying to change minds, just enlighten them.

Mariner owes it to his readers to reprint a Protocol (news agency) article that clearly demonstrates how large corporations can erase privacy even for the most personal aspects of one’s life. This issue also begs the question whether super giant corporations like Amazon should be allowed to be so large as to control what should be independent government oversight.

 

“Amazon announced yesterday that it’s buying its way into a huge slice of health care provision with the acquisition of One Medical for nearly $4 billion. It claims the deal will allow it to “reinvent” health care, and it’s raising some eyebrows.

One big concern with the deal: data. Health care companies hold a massive amount of information, especially in the age of telehealth. The deal gives Amazon new ways to glean data to help it build AI, Protocol Enterprise reporter Kate Kaye writes.

One Medical operates clinics throughout the U.S. and already has roughly 800,000 members enrolled for both in-person and virtual services. Amazon will have access to a treasure trove of valuable data for AI health products.

This means that talking with your doctor could be used to improve things like voice-enabled health apps or in-office ambient software.

This deal is also unlikely to face antitrust pushback despite its size, Protocol Policy editor Kate Cox told me.

Because Amazon doesn’t yet have a strong foothold in the health care industry, other than its work with Amazon Pharmacy, the deal will likely be viewed by regulators as “competition-neutral,” Kate said.

This reveals a flaw in current antitrust laws, allowing massive corporations to continue to grow their influence: Antitrust laws go after companies that are trying to grow in one particular sector, not “octopus” companies working on a little bit of everything.”

Join Amazon Prime! Cancer cured with Amazon products. Get Amazon health insurance discounts not based on averages but specifically targeted to your ailments except for existing conditions . . .

If Amazon doesn’t produce goosebumps, read this article by Axios that reveals Donald’s active pursuit to dismantle the FBI and IRS as part of a scheme to make America great again as a dictatorship, should he be re-elected. Winning aside, his advocates are deadly serious. See:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-ed1e48cc-4d9d-4a23-b2b9-042504d7b0b6.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&stream=top

Ancient Mariner

Sharing is a battlefront weapon

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Make no mistake, the next several years will get tougher than today. Already the climate is wreaking havoc with the economies of whole nations – including the United States. Everyone already knows that the less financial cushion one has the more rapidly they become severely destitute.

The governments at all levels have demonstrated failure across a wide spectrum of issues, especially sustaining the health and well being of those who have life changing disasters and the normal hardship of destitute life.

Here is a crazy correlation: As AR-15s are dangerous in the public’s hands, so, too, is sharing inversely helpful to the public. Sharing is the primary weapon against adversity. Some examples:

Does the reader have a drawer full of socks? Does the reader know socks have the highest demand in charity distribution centers? Give the drawer full to a distribution center and buy a new dozen to replace them.

Does the reader have a closet full of tee shirts? (mariner confesses he has a tee shirt he bought in 1988) Give all of them to a charity distribution center and buy a new dozen to replace them.

Does the reader have a house full of shoes? Keep three pairs and give the remaining but usable shoes to a charity distribution center.

Repeat this process for every kind of clothing, even long forgotten underwear stuffed in the back of the drawer.

The alternative, if the reader is so disposed, is to purchase equal quantities new and give them to the charity distribution center.

Some local charities depend on donations of soft drink cans. Take the time to deliver them to the charity.

Sharing is a primary weapon in the battle against adversity.

Another sharing weapon is a quarterly cash donation to charity food distributors. It doesn’t need to be so big that it imposes on the reader’s budget; it’s the steady, quarterly donation that really helps.

There are large corporations in the charity business; the Salvation Army is one example. The reader’s contribution to these corporations helps but some of the donation is redirected to corporate overhead. Just as mariner believes in bottom-up politics, he also believes sharing is a personal experience with a local end-of-process deliverer.

And of course, calamity may strike friends and family. Be prepared to share.

Ancient Mariner

Learning to deal with a Matrix world

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The Atlantic had an interesting article about the overhead of zoom communication. Generally, speaking when normal senses are disrupted causes fatigue and distraction. The article listed the following:

Zoom fatigue has six root causes:

  • asynchronicity of communication (you aren’t quite in rhythm with others, especially when connections are imperfect);
  • lack of body language;
  • lack of eye contact;
  • increased self-awareness (you are looking at yourself a lot of the time);
  • interaction with multiple faces (you are focusing on many people at once in a small field of view, which is confusing and unnatural);
  • and multitasking opportunities (you check your email and the news while trying to pay attention to the meeting).[1]

Many years ago mariner had an early experience with ‘zoom’ meetings using a different technology. His reaction reflected the above symptoms; he was unable to use normal intuitive insight into other participants’ motivations.

There is something reaffirming in the subconscious when humans talk to humans, an affirmation that is subtle for sure but does not occur when communication is directed through machines. A good experience is the difference between checking out the groceries with Kathy and checking out the groceries by yourself at a self-checkout. Another is the difference between ordering fast food from a kiosk versus ordering from a human. Human-to-human dialogue contains physiological affirmation of self.

The pandemic forced elementary school students to use remote computers instead of learning alongside other children and interacting directly with the teacher. Already several studies have come out describing the added difficulty to learn and the slowing of normal psychological development.

Maybe it will be better when we can all visit together at MetaDisney World.

Ancient Mariner

[1] “How to Build a Life” is a weekly column in The Atlantic website written by Arthur Brooks, tackling questions of meaning and happiness.

What does it feel like?

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What must it have felt like to societies that were at war before the invention of explosives and then experienced bullets, bombing and impersonal killing? Before explosives, war was very personal; brutal person-to-person engagement in violent and painful murder; war was an engagement of individuals – war could not be executed without individuals directly engaged with other individuals. Suddenly, many individuals could be killed without that personal, person-to-person engagement.

This is an example of ‘depersonalization’. War was no longer a personal experience, it became one person taking no risk but killing many unknown persons far away – whether the unknown individuals deserved it or not or even knew they were engaged in combat. Society must have felt an important moral commitment slip away – the individual was no longer morally responsible, rather, killing became a pluralistic, amoral experience.

What must it have felt like to societies that lived in relatively stable, locally governed communities where daily commerce was an engagement with familiar people, where the local economy was created by the community as a group of related individuals before the invention of the internal combustion engine that shifted commerce away from communal living, required massive interaction with non-community businesses and having to travel away from the local community on roads and rails? Afterward, communities were subject to economic forces outside the community and its familiar economic ethos of individual well being. This is depersonalization of economy – no longer a community-driven value system.

What must it have felt like to society when elections were strictly a regional phenomenon, where the elected officials were locally known and the issues were the voters’ concern focused on meat and potato issues before individual perspective was swamped by television which exposed individuals to unknown, pontificating, irrelevantly motivated hacks that had no concern for the power of the individual in democratic politics? This is depersonalization of democracy – a philosophy dependent on strength that comes from a bottom-up flow of authority.

What must it feel like to humans when growing up, assuming persona and responsibility and living life among other humans when the chemistry of inter-human behavior is disrupted by a handheld device that replaces human behavior with insidious instructions and influences, induces drug-like dependency and the sole motive is to deflect normal human behavior. Truly this is the depersonalization of human life.

Mariner has vowed to practice forgiveness and compassion, center his life in the society of his town, deny participation in top-down political activities that impose on local perspective and will never participate in the evils of uncontrolled, unmonitored behavioral modification.

In accordance with his Luddite attitude, mariner has completed his Christmas wish list for 2022: two ponies and a small, two-axle pony cart.

Ancient Mariner