DR. DREIMER'S OBSERVATIONS: (updated  as inspiration strikes)

These Observations are in chronological order. About sixty may also be found at www.quotegarden.com. through a search  for the quotation or "Dr. Idel Dreimer" on that site. The Quote Garden is a good source of quotations if you are searching by topic.

The complete list of observations is below. There are now so many Observations, that we have also listed them by topic.  These topics are often quite broad. Sometimes we have placed the same observation under different headings. Thus, Observation #55 -- An idea does not have to be valid to be respectable; all that is required is a sufficiency of fools -- is found under Ideas and Ideals, Climate Change, and Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. Sometimes we question whether "Culture and Political Correctness" is sufficiently different from "Life and Society." Often the distinction depends on the wording of the Observation: does it contain the word "society" or the word "culture?"

We now have a few Observations with illustrative cartoons.

MOST POPULAR OBSERVATIONS
ATHEIST QUOTES -- concerning  God, Faith, and Religion.
CLIMATE CHANGE
CULTURE AND POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
EQUALITY
FREEDOM
HUMAN NATURE AND THE HUMAN CONDITION
HUMOUR AND RIDICULE
IDEAS AND IDEALS
LIFE AND SOCIETY
MISCELLANEOUS
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
POPULAR DELUSIONS AND THE MADNESS OF CROWDS
REALITY AND REALISM 
REASON
SCIENCE
TOLERANCE
TRUTH AND ILLUSION

 Complete list of Observations.

2550. Competence and compassion are symbols of the fault line in society -- the law of the jungle vs. the societal yearnings for egalitarian harmony.

2549. Power is the mainspring of the competitive evolutionary clockwork -- it is the basis for survival and success.  In human societies, cultural power is consolidated by engineering citizen devotion to a tribal narrative. The most powerful element in early narratives was religion -- a fantasy exempt from rational rebuke -- and irresistible in its promise of life after death. In modern times, the most functional narrative has involved understanding how the universe actually works -- giving rise to all the modern technological marvels, and the consequent ascendance of western civilization. Currently -- there is a "religious" revolution favouring feelings over facts. Multiculturalism values mindless tolerance over prudent recognition of cultural dissonance; affirmative action and diversity policies slight competence in order to manufacture an ego-salving charade of group equality. The triumph of feelings is centre stage in the transgender narrative -- which denies biological reality in order to comfort those suffering from gender dysphoria. This return to a focus on emotions -- a sentimentalization of reality -- does not augur well for success in the still obdurately competitive global arena.

2548. Ideologies -- religious or secular -- based on unevidenced certainty of virtue, view opposition as immoral, and hence a justification for ruthlessness. In this category we can place religions in general -- such as Christianity at the time of the Inquisition -- and Islam still today. But secular ideologies -- such as socialism, political correctness, wokeism, environmentalism, progressive egalitarianism, or trangenderism, are not immune: the "virtuous" aim justifies unconscionable and disreputable means.

2547. The transgender movement is Orwellian. Just as the Big Brother of "1984" sought power by requiring devotion to a narrative determinedly irrational -- freedom is slavery -- so Big Transgender Brother requires an abject  surrender of fact to fantasy. We must agree that psychology is a transformative, purifying Lysol -- capable of destroying the troublesome pathogens of real biological difference -- including athletic ability; we must avoid traditional words -- such as "mother" and "son" -- too painfully truthful in their recognition of actual biological function; finally, we must assent to logical absurdities such as "some men can give birth." It is, quite simply, a movement inconsistent with human dignity.

2546. The modern university proves that education is no protection against stupidity; a degree simply gives it a veneer of respectability.

2545. The fact that wishful thinking has an abysmal track record has not diminished its popularity.

2544. Over time-- in a world of instant communication -- tribal differences may decline -- and a global similarity of values may emerge. The speed is as resistant to wishful thinking as in any other gestational process.

2543.Tribalism is -- fundamentally -- exclusive. Trying to make it inclusive is like squeezing water to remove the moisture.

2542. Multiculturalism wears the mantle of egalitarian virtue -- but is functionally destructive.

2541. Evil is always most convincing -- and potent -- when it wears the mantle of virtue.

2540. It's the stupidity of others that is so outrageously unfathomable. Our own is always understandable in the light of mitigating circumstance.

2539. The term "anti-Palestinian racism" is deliberately deceptive. Palestine is legitimately criticized for an ideological -- i.e. Islamic -- obsession with the destruction of Israel. The animus has nothing to do with race, and everything to do with culture.

2538. Those who seek to alter the nature of human nature have millions of years of evolution to contend with. Some realities may be unpleasant, but have the obduracy of the intrinsic.

2537. Problems are remarkably resistant to solutions that ignore their origin.

2536. The temporary bliss of ignorance is no match for the persistence of facts.

2535. Multiculturalism represents the perverse and destructive desire to ignore cultural differences. The temporary bliss of chosen ignorance does not alter the truth; no problem was ever solved by ignoring its factual causes.

2534. Persistent lies about multiculturalism and diversity will not promote harmony. Facts -- like closeted skeletons -- have a way of rattling out at moments inopportune, inconvenient, and even revolutionary.

2533. The perfectly harmonious egalitarian society requires a change in human nature. The futile attempt creates misery -- a permanent winged monster in the ointment of achievable human happiness.

2522. When the government tells you not to criticize an ideology -- or a policy -- it must be a disastrously vulnerable and irredeemably wretched.

2521. Religion is the gilt of false hope painted on the death mask of reality.

2520. Toleration of intolerance is a self-congratulatory evil. In enhancing injustice, it seeks approbation for "virtue."

2519. Youth is too quick to hope; age, too ready to despair.

2518. Errors are like snowballs. Indiscriminate immigration leads to cultural dissonance. Rather than admit error, authorities prefer a mea culpa, abandoning traditional values of free speech, and adopting the oppressive censorial measures of the troublesome cultures. This disgraceful pretence of "virtue" obliterates the line between tolerance and cultural suicide.

2517. There is no doubt that large amounts of money -- like power -- tend to corrupt. On the other hand, we would not be adamantly opposed to having the opportunity to test our moral resolve in resisting the temptation involved.

2516. Most people are not interested in ideas. Everyone has opinions, but few are interested in the general principles from which they have been derived.

2515. "Moral conscience" is simply a reflection of what is taught by parents and teachers, and absorption -- by osmosis -- of cultural norms. But some are more teachable and absorptive than others.

2514. Obama's recent suggestion that Republicans will seek to retain power through vote suppression, or manipulation of the legal system -- tactics used by Democrats -- represents hypocrisy overload. It seems evident that the Obama "magic" is gone. The downgrade is to shabby hat -- no rabbit.

2513. In the era of progressive egalitarianism -- when the biological truth is inconvenient -- it must be re-imagined as an "enlightened" orthodoxy. The concept is Orwellian.

2512. The great benefit of youth arises from a desire for change. The great failure of youth is an inability to understand the obduracy of human nature, and the danger of unattainable ideals.

2511. The old religion has -- not surprisingly -- a secular displacement -- progressive egalitarianism. Woke beliefs are comfortingly conformist -- carrying the moral assurance of egalitarian virtue -- and allowing a pious escape from  heretical insult -- the real world of obdurate and intrinsic inequalities. 

2510. The conformity of religious belief allows a paradoxical freedom -- a shedding of doubt -- and an untroubled escape from thinking.

2509. Faith -- certainty in the absence of evidence -- is appealing to those who want -- or need -- an escape from the complexity of real life.

2508. Celebrity pronouncements on politics usually confirm that -- while celebrity greatly increases confidence, the individual's cognitive abilities are unimproved, somewhat diminished, or significantly impaired. (Cf. #726,727)

2507. Bad ideas are an intellectual cancer. Installed -- they compromise the cognitive process-- and absurdities of justification, misrepresentation, and prevarication are sure to follow.

2506. The truth is always ignored when it challenges a particularly cherished lie. (Cf. #1208)

2505. Symbolism is used to simplify complexity -- to delineate the scope and nature of the forest obscured by the trees.

2504. Beware the honeyed voice of progressive egalitarians. Like the instruments of darkness, they win us with honest trifles -- the alleviation of extremes of poverty or suffering. Then -- they betray us in deepest consequence --with subversions such as immigration protocols that ignore cultural incompatibilities -- or diversity policies which ignore merit and competence, ensuring dysfunction and failure.

2503. The stigmatizing of success and the coddling of failure may satisfy the desire for self-congratulatory virtue-signalling -- but the results will range from idiotic to apocalyptic.

2502. Pretending that "equity" is achieved by appearance -- numbers of group members in evidence -- is as morally bankrupt as it is intellectually disreputable.

2501. The only "equity" worth having is based on equality of competence. All "equalities" based on group membership are a disgraceful façade.

2500. Wokeism is a soap bubble of sentimentality. Floated -- aloft -- it shimmers in psuedo-egalitarian defiance. But the landing is always hard.

2499. Diversity policies reveal an unexpected human weakness. Many in positions of responsibility would rather be seen signalling virtue than achieving it.

2498. Egalitarianism is an attempt to postpone the judgment of hierarchy; postponement only defers -- it will not save. 

2497. Egalitarianism -- all-embracing -- attempts to avoid judgment and hurt feelings. The aim is futile -- in the end -- hierarchy will declare winners and losers, survivors and fatalities.

2496. Egalitarianism is the lens of sloppy sentimentality -- it blurs the distinction between what works and what doesn't -- between what is good and what is evil.

2495. The "justice of function" implies the immediacy of harsh judgment: favouring the competent is a rejection of the less able. But the "justice of being" is, ultimately, just as cruel -- since it fails to encourage the very necessities for survival -- the competence and confidence needed to overcome obstacles.

2494. "Mercy" seems more simplistically benign -- but it is not. Indiscriminate mercy entrains a toleration of evil.

2493. The term "justice" implies a duality -- reward for good -- punishment for evil.

2492. The culture that chooses harmony over survival will not survive.

2491. Harmony enforced is not harmony attained; it is simply a veneer over the cauldron.

2490. Harmony and survival are often mutually reinforcing. But -- while survival is possible without harmony -- harmony is not possible without survival.

2489. Evolution of living creatures embodies ruthlessness. In any society, that ruthlessness is modified by the advantages conferred by co-operation. But that co-operative harmony is a means to an end -- not the end itself.

2488. The truth is also often oppressive -- since it denies dreams, delusions, and desires. But at least it presents the impeccable credentials of fact.

2487. All false certainties -- whether they be labelled religious, scientific, or egalitarian -- are oppressive.

2486. Religious yearning is understandable. Religious certainty, while personally comforting, is oppressive and toxic when imposed on others.

2485. I did not start to think until I began to write.

2484. All religions are embarrassingly anthropocentric. The universe is far too vast and mysterious for gods so pettily human writ so powerfully large.

2483. All "DIE" policies are exercises in self-congratulatory virtue signalling -- the ticking of group membership boxes. The costs are in equality of opportunity, competence, and superior results. They are both unfair and destructive in any environment in which excellence is valued.

2482 Religious "truths" are opinions -- and should be subject to criticism. Truth is determined by evidence, not faith.

2481. It is not the purview of religion -- or government -- to proclaim truth in the absence of evidence.

2480. The truth is not determined by fiat -- but by fact.

2479. Improvement is enabled by inequality. Stasis is the necessary result -- and the cost -- of equality.

2478. Mediocrity -- whether proclaimed or not -- is the goal of those who want to make people equally happy.

2477. Achievement and excellence are incompatible with egalitarianism. The winner of a race -- despite all generosity of spirit -- cannot avoid rebuking others with the taint of loss.

2476. Excellence demands an element of ruthlessness.

2475. Canada's health care system has long been defended -- falsely --for its egalitarian purity. Only recently -- as the cost of corrupt ideological nonsense is being paid by patients -- in terms of unavailable doctors and excessive wait times -- is there a glimmer of hope. It is possible that privately funded efficiency may be a balm sufficient to soothe the fatal ideological wound predicted by egalitarian apologists.

2474. Bad ideas -- once established -- are common-sense resistant. Logic struggles in the battle against self-satisfied ignorance. 

2473. All "DIE" policies are suicidal. Putting emphasis on inclusion -- rather than competence -- may signal virtue -- but presages mediocrity, dysfunction, and failure. 

2472. Demonizing your opponent only works if you can point to the hooves and tail. In the absence of evidence, you look foolish and desperate.

2471. Egalitarianism is the great leveller -- it blurs the distinctions between the workable and the dysfunctional -- and between good and evil.

2470. The real hierarchy of cultures is suggested by the numbers of people wishing to immigrate to the free and economically advanced countries of the west -- as opposed to those yearning to live in Pakistan, Iran, or Saudi Arabia. That disparity is a hint that western immigration policies should be discriminatory and selective -- since cultural dissonance augurs social unrest. 

2469. Only an awareness of the fault line in every society -- the distinction between the co-operative and competitive -- can lead to a just understanding of morality.

2468. The only certain virtue is wisdom -- but that "certainty" is deceptive. Wisdom can never be determined in the present -- only in retrospect, with a knowledge of outcomes.

2467. Much of the decline in the credibility of universities arises from Egalitarian Disease. This brain-destroying pathogen triggers an irrational response --a rejection of merit in favour of debilitating injections of inclusion and diversity; the inevitable progression of cortical rot accounts for the current cognitive deficit -- an absolute inability to distinguish between obvious truth and specious nonsense.

2466. The fact that virtues become vices arises from the necessary tribal dichotomy -- that between competition and co-operation. What is virtuous in the co-operative sphere becomes vice in the definitively competitive. Loving thy neighbour is virtuous if the neighbour is reciprocally virtuous; it is imprudent, dangerous, and evil if he is a competitive psychopath determined to kill you -- or others. Giving him a hiding place in your basement is generous -- but unwisely so.

2465. It is a paradox that "social virtues" are subject to the law of diminishing returns. Thus --"tolerance" is a virtue in matters superficial -- but tolerance of honour killings is evil. Compassionate reduction of some inequalities may be beneficial -- but the attempt to manufacture "equality" itself, offends the need for hierarchy in competitive matters of competence and function.  The paradox arises because "social virtues" function in co-operative relationships in society. When co-operation is impossible or unwise -- competitive values -- the need for survival -- must come into play. What is virtuous in co-operation becomes destructive in matters of personal or tribal survival. This principle would appear to apply to "social virtues" such as honesty, love, charity, generosity, trust, inclusiveness, kindness, respect, friendliness, etc.   

2464. We are bound by the principle of necessary inconsistency. One the one hand, we must hold that human life is "sacred" -- in order to deter disregard, ruthlessness, and casual murder. On the other hand, abortion, euthanasia, war, and the evidence of the natural world --all these tell us that life -- human or otherwise -- is ordinary, uncertain, and expendable.

2463. Since conservatives tend to be realistic -- and reality is less attractive than fantasy -- they are often denigrated by liberals as having a "hidden agenda" -- essentially -- the engineering of an unwelcome return to earth. In the current case, it would appear that Trudeau is even more vulnerable to the accusation. His admiration of basic dictatorship, Schwabian cosiness, and declaration of Canada's post-national state -- all these suggest he envisions a global reset  -- a dystopian ant colony of humankind programmed to follow the Supreme Leader -- one with still decent hair and colourful socks.

2462. Trudeau always was fool's gold -- a bit of sheen and a glint of promise -- but not worthy at the core.

November 1, 2024  End of 15th year of Observations

2461. Indigenous people need a plan which will allow them to function in a post-industrial society. The remote forests of Bingo-Bongo may be an alternative -- but free lunches will not likely be on the menu.

2460. Indigenous people will have to decide their future: competent, self-supporting adults -- or unhappy dependents -- reliant on donations wrung from benefactors increasingly resistant to interminably repeated mantras of ancient grievance.

2459. The IGI -- the Indigenous Grievance Industry -- will decline -- like any other money-making enterprise -- when people stop buying the product -- guilt by association.

2458. There can be no "reconciliation" with those whose raison d'être is victimhood and complaint. The "truth" is that cultural dissonance is real and obdurate: a minority culture cannot expect to be financed in perpetuity in a traditional lifestyle which is neither economically viable nor psychologically supportive. 

2457. Beware of those proclaiming themselves to be on the side of the angels. It's either because they have no substantive argument -- or it's an attempt to hide an unscrupulous pact with the devil.

2456. The most dangerous oppressors are those who claim virtue of intent -- for few wish to proclaim opposition to "virtue" -- and many welcome the opportunity to do evil in the self-congratulatory guise of good. In this category, we must put the religious, the socialist, the egalitarian, and those proclaiming new world orders. These latter new societies will be seen to be socialism thinly disguised -- with a vast populace constrained as "equal" ant-like workers managed by royal experts who, alone, have agency and freedom of choice.

2455. Paragraphs -- and paragraph spacing -- are God's gifts to the literate. Those who reject spacing lack piety; those who reject paragraphs entirely are the spawn of Beelzebub.

2454. Mel Gibson has described Kamala Harris as having the I.Q. of a fence post. This is unnecessarily unkind. Mr. Gibson should stop insulting fence posts.

2453. It would appear that many Liberal government seals, trained in genuflection and head-bobbing -- regardless of the unsuitability of their acquiescence -- are programmed for life.

2452. Hamas is a pathogen of genocidal intent. It will not respond to the tea and biscuit remedy of negotiation, nor take a positive lesson from "proportionate response." Infected with a deadly virus -- you do not want to make a deal -- to accept some permanent disability-- you try to destroy it.

2451. All egalitarians suffer from the same moral deficit -- an inability to recognize evil. Thus they are totally unequipped to deal with it.

2450. The chalice of egalitarianism is golden -- glittering with the promise of virtue. But the contents are toxic.

2449. Mockery of culture is the cause of much outrage --the intensity in proportion to the absurdity of the ridiculed aspect. Defence of things religious or "sacred" will be righteously rabid.  

2448. It may be claimed that a "cultural appropriation" is a form of mockery. That claim in itself is an admission that -- seen through a different cultural lens -- a societal trope may appear to be absurd. That mockery may be in bad taste -- but it is not a mortal sin. As of this date, the descriptive document of the human condition lacks a clause proclaiming the sanctity of feelings. In fact, mockery plays a very important rôle in society. It is the guardian of reason, the enemy of pretension, and the mirror to folly. It is unwise to cage the cat of ridicule -- for the rodents of folly will thrive.

2447. The anguishing over cultural appropriation proves the thesis: there can be no innocence where a feeling is determined to be hurt.

2446. The fuss about cultural appropriation suggests that the "sin" is not absolute -- but contextual. It reveals an outrageous inequality of treatment arising from the desire to denigrate the successful and bolster the anxious.

2445. Those worried about cultural appropriation are selective in their resentment. Appropriation by successful cultures, is excoriated as grave sin of political incorrectness; in an "aspirational" culture, it is perfectly acceptable -- merely the virtuous and legitimate flattery of imitation.

2444. Accusations of cultural appropriation are made by those acutely aware of inferior cultural status. It is a rather pathetic attempt to "get even" with those who have no need of such defensiveness.

2443. Plagiarism is an admission of incompetence. Those who think for themselves would never choose the language of another -- because it would be a disavowal of their intellectual competence. Those who struggle with the challenge of expressing ideas have minimal competence to defend -- and may take the short cut of plagiarism to give the appearance of an ability which they lack.

2442. Religious narratives lack factual support -- but function in the social, political, and personal spheres. They can contribute to social cohesion, or cause social division. Historically, they have been important in encouraging tribal bravado and  ferociousness in battle; they have been useful to rulers. On a personal level, they may comfort with the promise of a familiar security -- the certainty of early years of minimal agency -- when parents were the all-providing gods in the infant universe.

2441. Modernity has not improved education. This may reflect the current fashion of focussing on feelings and bizarre social theories instead of competence and practical results. We predict that, at some point, incompetence levels will lead to social collapse or a sudden necessary resurgence of the outmoded notions of competition and excellence. In the interests of personal survival -- the holding of breath in anticipation of a turnaround is not recommended.

2440. There is a kind of arrogance in modernity: it is always assumed that a fancy new way of learning must, in its very novelty, be superior to methods long tested over time. We know that is the case with reading; we suspect it is true with mathematics -- where it is assumed that memorization and getting the right answer must be muddied with a conceptual understanding of the process. 

2439. One virtue is the necessary pre-condition for all others: survival.

2438. History tells us that civilizations eventually die. It's probably because they get distracted -- and fail to recognize that the first virtue is survival.

2437. When, in any successful civilization, the competitive spirit declines, and competence erodes, there are others with a more realistic assessment of the human circumstance waiting to take over.

2436. Societies do not thrive on indolence --or infinite egalitarian tolerance; competition is bred in the bone, and only competence will answer nature's obdurate imperative: adapt or die.

2435. Being right without might leaves evil unaffected.

2434. Western civilization seems determined to follow the path of mindless optimism directly into the terminal abyss of egalitarian gullibility.

2433. Theoretical virtues are ideal notions -- useful in varying degrees -- depending upon circumstances. Practical virtue will reflect a modification of the ideal. Honesty may be admirable in a court of law, but evil if it exposes others to harm. Ideal virtue must always defer to practicality. 

2432. It is perverse to assume that equality is either attainable or desirable. A reduction in some inequalities may be beneficial, but mindless egalitarianism obscures the crucial difference between function and dysfunction, and, most importantly, between good and evil.

2431. Progressive attitudes and policies are attractive in theory, but destructive in implementation. They assume that justice lies in equality of outcome, but, in failing to account for the defining rôle of input, they mislead and subvert.

2430. Perfection is seductive -- but reality has a better path to tomorrow.

2429. Tip perfection, but pay reality a living wage.

2428. Perfection is no match for pragmatism.

2427. All civilizations decline. If the decline arises from internal decay -- it is the decay of pragmatism. 

2426. Western civilization is currently toying with an excess -- an unsustainable egalitarianism. The danger is that it will be overcome by those more pragmatic who -- one way or another -- pay heed to competence and function. 

2425. The most workable mud hut thus far devised appears to be a society which allows for the freedom to pursue self-interest and efficiency in capitalism -- a capitalism modified to ameliorate -- but not extinguish -- the inequalities intrinsic to our genetic legacy. The balance is not fixed, but defined, roughly, by the destructiveness which comes from an excess in either direction.

2424. Those who seek societal crystal palaces will not succeed. There is no simple answer to removing the conflict between self-interest and the common good. It is a characteristic of humankind to yearn for perfection -- but reality dictates an acceptance of imperfect -- but workable -- mud huts.

2423. The fault line in society may be described as a conflict between self-interest, and the common good -- between the justice of function -- which recognizes hierarchy -- and the justice of being -- which favours equality.

2422. Capitalism works because it allows freedom to pursue some degree of self interest. Socialism doesn't work because it demands that human beings devote themselves exclusively to the common good. 

2421. The exchange of short term self-interest for longer term-self-interest is invariably messy. Some individuals are willing to give up a lot; others, somewhat less. The bargain represents a fault line at the heart of every society. Governments, religious institutions, and conventions seek to repress; individuals seek to rebel.

2420. All creatures pursue self-interest: survival. In the jungle, the pursuit is short term and immediate; in civilized societies, there is an implicit bargain: individuals give up some degree of short term self-interest in exchange for the superior longer-term self-interest to be obtained by co-operation.

2419. The religious notion of original sin is more accurate than the modern assumption of original goodness. Self-interest can be modified -- but not replaced by egalitarian theories, and demands for unwavering devotion to the state. It is the necessary and inextinguishable "sin" of all creatures.

2418. If tolerance is your baby, take care the perambulator of enabling optimism does not tip into the abyss of toxic gullibility.

2417. Being nice to everyone, regardless of their beliefs and actions, will achieve chaos before Nirvana.

2416. The definitions of good and evil will be partly variable, partly fixed. One society may favour human sacrifice to the gods to deal with drought; another may prefer an irrigation system. But all will agree on matters essential to societal function, such as restrictions on casual murder, and penalties for theft. 

2415. Good and evil are socially defined. Good is that which appears to favour the greatest number; evil is that which places self-interest above all.

2414. Egalitarianism sounds good -- but has chaos at its core -- because it discourages the necessary distinction between good and evil.

2413. The fatal flaw in progressive philosophy is the assumption that universal goodness can be achieved by pretending that it already exists.

2412. Until there is a general understanding of the difference between theoretical ideals and practical goods, western civilization will continue in its unhappy decline.

2411. The human condition is not, finally, fixable. That is because the dreams of an egalitarian nirvana can never be squared with the need for challenge, competition, and the invidious distinction between success and failure.

2410. More harm is done by trying to create an ideal social "crystal palace" than by accepting the mud hut limitations of human nature. That is why egalitarian socialism never works -- but hierarchical capitalism -- a mix of jungle-legacy  self-interest and necessary societal co-operation -- does.

2409. Ideal virtue -- the kind that is usually signalled -- assumes that compassionate egalitarianism will solve the problems of mankind. It won't -- because practical virtue necessarily involves the cruelty of competition, and the triumph of competence over ineptitude.

2408. Ironically, progressive policies -- which embody well-intentioned compassion, and seek to manufacture a sweet balm of equality from the competitive challenge of hierarchy-- are destructive. They run counter to the evolutionary imperative which demands competence and superior function.

2407. Civilizations decline because of forces external, internal, or a symbiotic combination. Just as the rise is marked by assurance, and the enthusiastic overcoming of obstacles, so the decline tracks dependence and a yearning for predictable tranquility. It represents a shift in emphasis from the justice of function -- a celebration of competence  and excellence -- to the justice of being -- an acceptance of dependent mediocrity. The terrible truth is that human beings thrive on the cruelty of challenge, fail on the compassion of ease.

2406. Progressive policies lead to disaster -- but -- excused on the grounds of good intentions -- outrageously -- persist. Gullibility is the great enabler of stupidity, the reliable precursor to disaster. 

2405. Societies work because people can trust one another. Trust arise from a commonality of values. Introducing significant cultural dissonance with high immigration rates is a foolhardy exercise in self-congratulatory virtue-signalling. It proclaims wilful blindness to the inevitable consequence of cultural divisions. 

2404. Policies of mass immigration are based on the premises of multicultural compatibility, instantaneous assimilation, and inexhaustible funds for social programs. No wonder they don't work.

2403. Death would appear to be a prerequisite for maximum equality.

2402. Equality requires stasis, but change is in the heartbeat -- in the pulse of life itself. Something close to equality might be found in death -- but even then, the ashes might proclaim a difference.

2401. Change is the kryptonite to equality.

2400. To signal virtue, some governments pretend that freedom of speech is compatible with laws against blasphemy. It is not. But stupidity is a self-compounding investment: the emerging conflict is remedied by restricting speech.

2399. Multiculturalism is a failed ideology. Human beings are co-operatively tribal. Co-operation requires trust, and trust arises from a commonality of values.

2398. Common sense: an erstwhile horse now trending unicorn.

2397. The aim of left wing propaganda is to gild the reality of hierarchy with a chimerical veneer of egalitarian nonsense.

2396. The wheat of truth: now consistently covered in a chaff of lies -- sealed tight with the crazy-glue of propaganda.

2395. By and large, the press has swapped investigation for promulgation.

2394. Egalitarian fantasies -- fabulous fillies with losing track records.

2393. Feel-good notions -- filtered through the lens of likely practicality -- often predict the malaise of regret. 

2392. Today's egalitarian virtue -- tomorrow's destructive folly.

2391. Today's propaganda -- tomorrow's absurdity.

2390. It's a shame to see art hobbled with the clay feet of propaganda.

2389. Egalitarian principles -- the fantasies of progressivism.

2388. Real virtue has a track record; false virtue is widely advertised. 

2387. The more numerous the arguments for virtue, the more suspicious one becomes.

2386. Many television programs are persuadotainments -- or sinkholes of convinsomation.

2385. Much of the entertainment industry has got religion: it assumes a moral duty to edify the public into progressive piety -- or go broke trying.

2384. The cost of virtue-signalling in socialist health care schemes can be high. Mediocrity is the handmaiden of equality.

2383. The Canadian Health Care System does not merely follow the virtue-signalling principle of "no child (patient) left behind" -- it explicitly mandates the implicit negative corollary --  no patient can be allowed to forge ahead. Individual citizens are forbidden from using their own money to buy private insurance in pursuit of the best possible health outcomes. Thus -- except for the very rich who can afford to leave the country -- it enforces mediocrity, mandates the passable minimum.

2382. Writing and thinking have a symbiotic relationship. Whichever comes first inspires the other.

2381. All virtues are theoretical, and based on assumptions of circumstance. When circumstances change, so may the perception of "virtue" alter accordingly.

2380. General principles are only as good as their underlying assumptions.

2379. Theory is invariably clobbered by practice. That's because theory is static, reality confounding, and practice necessarily adaptable.

2378. If moderation is the supreme virtue, then to be exclusively moderate would appear excessive. One way or another -- through excess or moderation -- excess is unavoidable.

2377. There is a kind of brain restless with creative discontent -- it wants to worry ideas, characters, and narratives into existence.

2376. In the creative process, volition seems to take a back seat; the brain's invisible hand scavenges the interior landscape for the eventually appropriate result.

2375. In the perplexity of existence, certainty comforts. The thin ice is certainty in the absence of evidence -- the stock and trade of religion.

2374. Progressives succeed in their deceptions because of the inexhaustible supply of human gullibility.

2373. Wokeism is the new term for politically correct egalitarianism.

2372. Anonymity is becoming a pre-requisite for criticism of the aspirational fantasies of wokeism.

2371. Free speech has become a victim of rabid egalitarianism. A criticism of Islamic principles and practices is seen as hate speech; any reference to the negative effect of a cultural value is termed racist --and anyone who has the temerity to suggest that biological facts are not instantly obliterated by psychological perceptions of gender is deemed the spawn of Satan. In the name of equality, we are retreating from freedom and the rationality of science to a dank cesspool of primitive taboos.

2370. When "Equality" is God, any reference to hierarchy becomes heresy.

2369. God is function without form -- a conceptual entity often central to tribal identity, a mythic glue for social cohesion, a psychological source of hope and comfort, and a powerful  talisman protected by assumed infallibility and supportive social taboos. Yet he is, after all, puppet rather than creator -- and, shaped by his self-appointed messengers -- is not exempt from the corruptive influence of power. Too human, with power of divine pretence, he becomes his satanic counterpart.

2368. "God" is redolent of ancient anthropomorphic baggage -- the impedimenta changing according to time and successive societies of creators. He should be avoided in any discussion of how the universe actually works.

2367. The argument that radical Islam does not represent Islam is a holey "holy" bucket --wholly unholy, in fact -- because the radicals can point to textual evidence -- and the moderates can point to no renunciations, revisions or modifications.

2366. Islam is as Islam does. Progressive egalitarianism refuses to recognize a moral hierarchy in cultural values -- thus a rational criticism of Islamic malevolence -- like the fatwa -- is neither welcomed nor approved. All criticism of Islam is seen as "Islamophobic" hate speech rather than as morally justified free speech. This represents an exchange of our birthright of freedom of speech for an oppressive mess of Islamic pottage - the idea that blasphemy is "illegal" -- with the concomitant notion that death is an appropriate punishment. The failure to criticize Islam for its authoritarian cruelty is moral apostasy.

2365. The automobile symbolizes the freedom, convenience, flexibility, and inequality of capitalism. The streetcar represents socialism --  it will take you "equally" and inexpensively to some locations at certain times determined by the government. What seems to work best is a preponderance of automobiles, and a necessary back-up alternative of streetcars. The "stellar" worlds of streetcar exclusivity invariably collapse into black holes of dysfunction and misery -- because human beings, unlike ants, prefer individual freedom to imposed equality.

2364. The great error is to think that capitalism can be replaced with socialism. It's like thinking your self-directed automobile can be replaced by a government-run fixed-track streetcar.

2363. Expecting capitalism to provide a "socially desirable" distribution of wealth is like expecting your automobile to wash dishes. It can't -- and won't. You need to buy a dishwasher of redistribution. Exchanging  your car for a socialist hand cart will not solve your dirty dish problem either -- but it will leave you without the most convenient, reliable, and efficient form of transportation. 

2362. Once a brain is infected with viral progressivism (virus progressivus), a rapid deterioration of cognitive function ensues: bad judgment, laughable notions, and general incoherence mark the course of decline. The most terrible aspect of the condition is that the cognitive failure which defines the disease renders the only possible cure -- common sense -- utterly ineffective.

2361. Egalitarians cannot avoid absurdity. The universe is innately hierarchical, and obdurately resistant to wishful thinking.

2360. If men tend to ambition, and women towards content, is there a gender gap when it comes to capitalism/socialism, the justice of function/the justice of being, bellicosity/pacifism, conservatism/liberalism?

2359. Men tend towards ambition, women, towards content.

2358. Just as the universe expands with constant acceleration, so, as we age, does time, in our perception, hurtle towards the senseless dark.

2357. There are always some infected with SFS -- Silly Farmer Syndrome. Upon discovering a supply of golden eggs, they feel compelled to call for the death of the provident goose. 

2356. Never aim for perfection -- try for something achievable.

2355. The human condition -- like the universe which cradles it -- resists tidying.

2354. Capitalism may be seen as a safety valve for natural aspirations, freedom, and self-interest; Socialism -- which  forbids freedom and self-interest for all but the chosen elite -- invariably lurches towards dictatorship and dysfunction.

2353. Unfettered capitalism echoes the law of the jungle; but too much redistribution of wealth attacks enterprise and initiative; it crushes the pursuit of self-interest necessary for societal function.

2352. Those who give prescriptions for the utopian society without recognizing that every society contains a fault line -- between self-interest and the common good -- will succeed only in creating poverty -- and confirming their intellectual limitations. 

2351. The desire to eliminate the cruelties of economic disparity is entirely understandable. But to do so by limiting net worth is fraught with danger, for it would curtail freedom, impede human achievement, and crush the spirit of initiative and enterprise intrinsic to our species.

2350. Capitalism echoes the freedom implicit in the law of the jungle. It aligns the individual desire for freedom with much of the common good -- but it can never provide the degree of equality to which many aspire. Greater equality can only be achieved, safely, with an artificial distribution of wealth which does not destroy individual initiative. Socialism always fails because it overvalues equality and undervalues freedom.

2349. The functional society requires that citizens love their servitude -- which is why compliance will always be imperfect. The most successful societies are those which best manage to align freedom of choice with the common good.

2348. Utopian schemes assume the perfectibility of human nature. New world orders and great resets are doomed. The societies that work will always justify complaint -- because they reflect the insoluble muddle of competing forces: self-interest and the common good.  

2347. Human nature is not perfectible; there is a necessary, irreducible core of self-interest which cannot be erased. That's one reason why capitalism works, and socialism doesn't.

2346. We are condemned to walk the tightrope of optimism over the abyss of gullibility.

2345. Perhaps necessarily, there is an optimistic bias in human perceptions; like all virtues -- it contains the seed of vice -- the stumble into gullibility.

2344. Wokeism is a powerful reductive pathogen -- turns brains into mush.

2343. "No child left behind" --i.e.  abolish competence, merit, and competition in favour of  an unearned equality of outcome.

2342. "No child left behind" an appeal for the mediocrity implicit in equality.

2341. "No child left behind" -- a sentimental appeal which defies logic. If no child is left behind -- then no child can forge ahead -- and mediocrity wins every race. 

2340. The behaviour of entangled particles suggests that space-time lacks the reliable certainty of mother's carrot cake recipe; it is more conditional -- like the warranty on the stove she bakes it in.

2339. God is function without form. Existing only in the mind, he is a useful puppet -- sometimes to reinforce the necessary morality in every social contract -- at other times -- to inspire, justify, and exonerate evil in the service of those in power. God, judged fairly, would fail Paradise.

2338. In actuality, God is a fraud -- but -- like Santa Claus, the Easter bunny, and the tooth fairy -- he has secured a place -- unresponsive, unaccountable, rent-free -- in the welcoming soup kitchen of the mind. Unlike them, he meddles in morality, and in the politics of power.

2337. There is a galactic gap between signalling virtue and achieving it.

2336. All "diversity" policies pretend that group membership is more important than individual competence. Failure is a cake already baked into the ingredients of false assumptions.

2335. Necessary prevarications (all progressive causes, supporters of unsuitable presidential candidates, etc.):  When the facts don't fit, lie like sh*t.

2334. Life traces the arc of disillusionment.

2333. Diversity and inclusion policies are, in reality, an egalitarian hammer: they perceive awkward points of excellence as nails to be flattened in the creation of an  inclusively "equitable" level field -- a monotonous plain of mediocrity.

2332. In the past, great advances in science, technology, and medicine were made by mere individuals. Powerful novels, enduring poetry, and great music -- similarly -- lacked the exceptional benefits of progressive selective policies and committee oversight.  We can only imagine the untold miracles we could have witnessed if the advantages of diversity, inclusion, and equity had been recognized in those primitive, inegalitarian times.

2331. The fatal flaw in government is the assumption of infallibility: it assumes fitness to control everything --and thus is borne, impotently, towards dictatorship.

2330. Some government is necessary -- but -- like every modest virtue -- it contains the seed of vice: big government.

2329. Enterprise innovates; government suffocates.

2328. Government and freedom are predator and prey. As government grows, so freedom falters.

2327. Successful people vote for less government, so they have the freedom to become more successful.  Less successful people vote for more government, so they can remain unsuccessfully dependent. Big government and poverty are mutually reinforcing.

2326. Religion is not the reliable rock of comforting certainty so often assumed. Rather -- it is a shifting sand of fashion -- gods come and gods go. The constant elements of morality -- like the prohibition of murder and theft -- are tribal imperatives -- the rules necessary for the functioning of any society -- irrespective of the transient deity of choice.

2325. The progressive left signals virtue, creates chaos.

2324. Politics requires flexibility and dexterity – intellectual and moral – which would be the envy of any circus contortionist.

2323. To err is human; to punish, divine.

2322.Those who leap to conclusions often regret both aim and agility.

2321. There is a comforting, hopeful assumption that failure implies virtue, and success is burdened with vice.  It ain't necessarily so.

2320. All socialist schemes attempt to suspend the laws of economics. The laws of economics are not amused. They resist suspension, fall like gravity.

2319. The "virtues" of social morality often assume degrees of idealistic certainty at odds with the practical advantage of survival. "Thou shalt not kill" advises a virtue universally lauded -- but unfailingly suspended in times of war. This explains why virtues are subject to the law of diminishing returns. At some point, they conflict with some greater practical good.

2318. Lies often sound better than truths -- but they are liable to sudden rot and hard landings.

2317. An idea that is especially reassuring should be examined very carefully. Such reassurance is often hopeful gloss to an inconvenient pig.

2316. Bad ideas are often protected because to criticize them would expose some particularly cherished delusion.

2315. The proclamation that an idea must not be criticized is certain proof of insufficiency. No one suggests infallibility for Einstein's theory of relativity. But that psychological perception of gender causes biological differences to vanish like a morning mist in sunlight is held to be sacrosanct. Those who criticize -- or fear -- Islam -- a religion antithetical to western values -- are labelled as the Spawn of Beelzebub.

2314. Equality: Advertised as "Progressive Panacea." Fully absorbed --a mortally paralytic poison.

2313. Equality: "Multivitamin" on the bottle -- Ebola in the pill.

2312. The most dangerous ideals are religious, socialist, and egalitarian. The victims of religion and socialism are already incalculable. Egalitarianism is poised to destroy entire nations of the terminally gullible.

2311. Ideals are unattainable absolutes -- and thus harbour the seed of evil. The idealist, certain in his conviction, lacking practical validation, assumes his noble ends justify disreputable means.

2310. Diversity -- like every virtue -- is subject to the law of diminishing returns. A train that can travel to many different cities may be useful. A train that goes in every direction simultaneously goes nowhere.

2309. Societies are founded neither on the rock of truth, nor the quicksand of fantasy -- but on some landscape that the majority finds navigable. 

2308. In the current Reign of Error, where are the children -- the youngsters with the visual acuity and unschooled honesty to expose the naked emperors of egalitarian progressivism?

2307. Multiculturalism is an extraordinarily foolish notion based on the seductive falsehood of cultural equality.

2306. I am so monumentally ancient, I am thinking of charging admission.

2305. "DIE" policies signal virtue, but necessarily compromise competence and impair function. One day the fog of egalitarian fantasy will lift -- revealing that virtue signalling and actual virtue occupy different universes.

2304. Human and cultural variability -- the obdurate distinctions between success and failure -- these are the yawning chasms the magical carriage of egalitarianism must traverse. The current pumpkin wreckage is not unexpected.

2303. Some things work better than others. That is the great practical fly in the theoretical ointment of equality.

2302. The inevitable worm in the shiny apple of equality is the common sense distinction between success and failure. The polished apples of egalitarian policy --- whether mass migration or diversity delusion --  ultimately rot, and, pungently, decay. 

2301 Mass migration is based on the assumption that success and failure are inherently unfair -- hence equality is the goal of virtue. People -- intrinsically equal -- have a right to move from locations of failure to locations of success -- and everyone will live -- in egalitarian virtue -- happily ever after. It ain't necessarily so.

2300. The great modern moral battle is between common sense and egalitarian fantasy.

2299. The great moral challenge of our times: distinguishing between what sounds -- and what is -- virtuous.

2298. Choosing diversity over competence ensures a multiplicity of incompetencies.

2297. Hiring on the basis of group membership devalues competence, and proclaims the triumph of façade over function.

2296. Competence is not a function of skin colour or group membership. Hiring or rewarding people based on "identity" will assure identity, not competence.

2295. It's extraordinary to reflect that my cat, Rico, is wiser than untold numbers of human beings. He has no religion, nor does he believe in equality.

2294. Competence and function are now -- fashionably -- ignored. The new reverences are for appearances and feelings. It's a kind of cultural death wish.

2293. EGS -- Egalitarian Gullibility Syndrome -- is a virulent cultural pathogen which infects the minds of liberals and progressives everywhere.

2292. Truths are self-evident; only the most vulnerable and absurd beliefs require criminalization for disrespect.

2291. The more unpalatable the truth, the more outrageous the lies needed to gloss it over.

2290. No trap is more certain than perfection. It's where the possible is doomed to perish

2289.  It is important to understand the limitations of human nature; pretending that silk purses can be made of sows' ears leads to ugly purses and deaf pigs.

2288. The true test of virtue is in result, not intent.

2287. The best intentions can lead to the worst outcomes.

2286. Choose equality, reap mediocrity.

2285. Evolution favours the fittest; the egalitarian, pretending to superior virtue, will yet succumb to those striving for excellence.

2284. Discriminating against intelligence, competence, and diligence, will empower the stupid, the inept, and the dilatory. The nation or enterprise that chooses mediocrity will find no impediment to the self-destructive goal.

2283. Diversity policies are inconsistent with excellence, antithetical to competence, and inimical to success. They are based on the absurd belief that "justice" can be served through the manufacture of equality of result while ignoring  inequality of input. Proponents are idiots -- regardless of the sub category -- progressive, subversive, defective, corporate claptrapper, government gobbledygooker, university professor, etc.

2282 Diversity policies are hostile to function and inimical to competence. They pretend to virtue, but facilitate failure.

2281. Old age is the torture chamber of persistent disillusionment.

2280. The modern sensibility favours evil,  because the assumption of original goodness -- a corollary of egalitarianism -- deters the necessary cruelty of punishment.

2279. Advocating for immigration on the grounds of "economic efficiency" is myopic. Context is all: that efficiency is ultimately dependent on a functioning social context. 

2278. Immigration policies should focus on benefit to the host country. The aim should be virtuous results -- not the signalling of phoney virtues: theoretical egalitarianism or multicultural compatibility.

2277. Socialism always veers towards dictatorship because it assumes -- falsely -- that "equality" is the proper and virtuous state of mankind. Trying to make unequal things equal requires exceptional oppression -- but any cruelty can be justified by the assumption of angelic purpose.

2276. Monarchs used to justify their tyranny by claiming the divine right of kings; socialists justify theirs by assuming that equality -- paradoxically imposed by the elite -- is a divine virtue. All "divinities" have surprisingly utilitarian, dictatorial feet. 

2275. Diversity programs attempt to manufacture equality of result, while ignoring the quality of input. The idea is superficially attractive -- but doomed by the irrational premise.

2274. Religion may well be ineradicable -- because of the human need for magic and certainty -- a compensatory escape from a reality which has neither. A failure to compartmentalize religious certainty and nuclear capability may prove fatal to the human project.

2273. Everyone knows that "equality" is a crock. Human, cultural, and intellectual variability are obdurate, obvious realities. But to say so is now considered apostasy -- that is -- hurtful to feelings -- the unpardonable sin. Bogus "morality" begets  monumental stupidity.

2272. "Equality" is a false God. It is inimical to liberty -- and change -- the lifeblood of existence; it is consistent only with mediocrity, stasis, and death. That is why the new idealism -- based on the assumption that only through "equity" can virtue be attained -- cannot avoid disaster.

2271. With the decline in Christian certainty has come the rise in secular idealism. The main dogma of Political Correctness is that feelings are sacrosanct. From this premise are derived many ideals based on the false notion that equality is the bedrock virtue on which social morality is based. In the modern world -- ideals are still at odds with functional morality -- but the "divine" justification for ideals comes from the worship of the new Supreme God -- Equality.

2270. One may argue that -- in the western world -- religious theory is giving way to changes in functional morality. Christian churches can hardly move quickly enough to embrace secular perceptions of sexual mores.

2269. Religions -- in the past -- have attempted to give practical, functional social moralities the appearance of having divine approval -- an absolute, ideal, unassailable justification. Disparities are not unknown -- and it is not surprising that --as practical moralities change -- religious theory is under pressure to follow.

2268. Functional morality arises from the need to regulate social behaviour. It contains both necessary and optional elements. Rules against murder tend to be found in all societies, but the death penalty -- or honour killings -- may be countenanced in some. One of the rôles of religion has been to give particular social moralities a degree of certainty -- a universal "divine" justification.

2267. Traditionally, societies have attempted to justify rules of social morality by claiming a religious origin.

2266. Ideals arise from the impulse to find moral certainty and clarity -- and thus focus on moral absolutes. Functional morality has no concern with absolutes -- it is a social construct designed to adjudicate between individual and social interests. Thus, idealism and functional morality are seldom aligned; one is theoretical, the other, practical.

2265. Ideals work best in moderation. This explains the ancient wisdom: "You can have too much of a good thing."

2264. Every ideal must be judged on the basis of its practical result.

2263. Ideals are ideas of perfection -- but perfection is incompatible with change -- and hence with the pulse of life.

2262. Idealism is the hopeful flower of societal co-operation. But it is helpful only to a degree; when the real flower appears, the petals are thorns; the nectar -- deadly.

2261. The ineradicable fault line  -- the yin and yang at the heart of every society -- explains why Nirvana is always beyond the next mountain top.

2260. No society can adopt, wholly, the law of the jungle -- for it is incompatible with the co-operative advantages of civilization. But the egalitarian ideal of socialism is equally dangerous -- because it engenders stasis and dysfunction. Competition, excellence, and superior function are essential to survival. The most successful society will be that which -- in any given environment -- manages to achieve the best balance between competition and co-operation.

2259. All societies traverse a narrow path -- perhaps a tightrope -- between two realities: on one side is the competitive law of the jungle -- on the other is the paradoxical need for co-operation, the seed bed of egalitarianism. The ultimate aim is survival -- but to stray too far in either direction ensures disaster.

2258. Multiculturalism -- a soap bubble of virtuous egalitarianism -- will eventually collapse on the rock of cultural incompatibility.

2257. Infinite charity -- the soap bubble of virtuous intent -- will burst on contact with the unyielding reality of finite resources.

2256. After a time, façade becomes transparent, clothes translucent, and the emptiness within is -- gasp -- exposed. The Harry/Meghan magic trick is all hat, no rabbit.

2255. Nowhere is the abyss between facile virtue-signalling and  practical virtue more obvious than in sanctuary cities. Infinite charity cannot be manufactured from finite resources. Those who pretend it can will soon find themselves without resources.

2254. Stupidity is difficult to fix because, so often, it arises from the innate human desire to sugar-coat reality.

2253. If all virtue-signallers were laid end to end, gathered into heaps, and painted fluorescent red -- the rest of us could avoid the intellectual no-go zones, and work on achieving virtue.

2253. The more time spent signalling virtue, the less time available to actually achieve it.

2252. Nirvana would be a lot closer if half the time spent signalling virtue were devoted to achieving it.

2251. Sound strategic diversity is seen in plywood -- where the focus is on function. Stupid diversity is seen in choosing people, not for function -- but to suggest an equality of groups, or to proclaim a self-congratulatory egalitarianism.

2250. Diversity policies -- fortunately -- contain the seeds of their own destruction. Repeated and persistent incompetence has a way of betraying its paternity.

2249. So many fine carriages conceal an inner pumpkin. The collapse can be instantaneous -- from simply incredible to barely edible.

2248. Perversity often assumes, successfully, the mantle of piety.  It's a sure sign that gullible fools significantly outnumber perceptive skeptics.

2247. When egalitarian virtue-signalling is the permanent north pole of your moral compass -- you will be unable to distinguish between good and evil. They have somewhat dissimilar locations.

2246. Playing by the rules works quite well -- until you encounter a rules - breaker. 

2245. It is helpful to expect the best in people -- but foolish not to be prepared for the worst.

2244. It is necessary to believe in one's immortality to thrive -- while recognizing that life can't go on forever.

2243. Few understand the paradox of virtue: what may be beneficial in limited degree becomes toxic in excess.

2242. Life doesn't make much sense until you realize there is paradox at the core.

2241. Dogs are dependent; cats know you are expendable.

2240. Some hopes -- too fervent by half --are like watched pots.

2239. The belief that unequal things are equal is a suicidal distortion of reality. Pretending that the bridge functional is the same as the bridge collapsing can have crushing consequences.

2238. "Equity" is always manufactured by denying equality of opportunity and ignoring quality of input. In any practical sense, it is unfair.

2237. The attractiveness of "equality" is significantly outmatched by its dangerousness. As the enemy of liberty and of function -- it is a slow, corrosive, deadly -- poison.

2236. Those who uphold the virtue of "equity" intimidate with claim to moral superiority. That leads them to ignore functional failures, and to oppress heretics with conflagrations of pious bullshit.

2235. All "ideal" virtues become destructive when they are imposed, unmodified, on the untidiness of reality.

2234. The greater the certainty about one's virtue -- the greater the evil that can be justified in its promulgation and defence.

2233. Ideal virtues invariably fail the test of practicality. That is because they are absolutes -- and the real world is changeable, uncertain, and untidy.

2232. The acid test for all theoretical, ideal, "absolute" virtues --is function. What happens when they are applied in practice?

2231. There is a reason why so many "progressive" cities in the United States have fallen into the abyss of dysfunction. It's the huge chasm between ideal virtue signalled, and practical virtue achieved.

2230. The devotion to impossible ideals invites the consequence of societal dysfunction.

2229. The  modern charade -- deceptive and dangerous -- is based on the axiom that feelings are sacrosanct. Logical corollaries are that unequal things must be presented as equal, and practical concerns --such as function, competence, and competitive advantage -- are deemed unnecessary, odious, and divisive.

2228. Those who say they want equality are lying -- they want improvement. The deception is strategic -- painting the lipstick of egalitarian virtue on the pig of grubby self-interest.

2227. Ignoring what works -- a false refuge for jerks.

2226. Choose the façade, discover the fraud.

2225. Hire for diversity, regret the perversity.

2224. The existential threat to western civilization is the lure of façade over function. A bogus egalitarianism can never replace the need for competence.

2223. The most potent argument against diversity policies is their results.

2222. When you choose façade over function, things will fall apart.

2221. It is the task of the curmudgeon to tell people that what they want they can't have -- or shouldn't want.

2220. It seems reasonable to conclude that religion has had a significant evolutionary function: the tribe most assured of divine approval, most imbued with the notion that death is a temporary inconvenience, will  -- other things being equal -- prevail. Now that we have acquired the means to halt -- and possibly eradicate -- the entire human experiment, it would appear prudent to reconsider the place of religious certainty in the absence of evidence. Appeasement of religious beliefs which seem aggressively determined to eliminate unbelievers would seem less than helpful. The claim of religion to have the power of life and death over human beings should be seen for what it is: a relic of stupidity, superstition, and savagery. 

2219. Competition is the evolutionary imperative. Civilizations -- like species -- thrive because of their capabilities - superior ideas and function -- and fail when they lose conviction -- or cannot adapt to a changing environment. Western civilization appears to be at the brink. Remarkably successful in improving the lot of humankind through scientific advancements, institutional stability, and the creation of unparalleled opportunities for self-development and freedom for citizens, it has concluded that individuals should be judged -- not on their merits -- but on the basis of group membership. The anguished lament concerns the failure to achieve the one infallible and overriding virtue --"equity." A corollary of the proposition is that all success is seen as infused with a moral taint, and all failure the sure sign of deliberate oppression. The solution -- currently being implemented -- is to renounce all aspiration for success in favour of manufacturing the false but comforting appearance of an egalitarian mediocrity. "Success" in that aim seems almost assured. But western civilization as we have known it will not survive.

2218. The evolutionary process is competitive, and the focus is survival.   With the development of tribal societies, the most effective competition incorporates two disparate elements: the original functional imperatives of the jungle --speed,  strength, determination and intelligence -- and a leavening element of co-operation. The tribal problem is that of determining the balance. The tribe will be destroyed by too much emphasis on jungle function, and by too much pretence that struggle can be banished in a paradise of incompetent egalitarianism. 

2217. The popular music of one's youth becomes an emotional talisman -- infused with a current of wonder, an adrenaline of optimism. It becomes the gold standard by which all subsequent musical styles are judged -- and -- invariably -- found wanting.

2216. The central problem of our age is a failure to distinguish between pretentious, unrealistic feel-goodery -- and the common sense that seeks practical virtue -- something that is achievable, reasonable, and real.

2215. Procrastination, once inhaled, is as habit-forming and tenacious as tobacco.

2214. A badly loaded dishwasher is a sure sign of carelessness, ignorance -- or its close cousin -- superstitious optimism. Tact and tolerance are improper in response; a noisy rearrangement -- not excluding mutterings of reproach -- is required to re-affirm the moral equilibrium of the universe.

2213.  Liberty and equality are matter and anti-matter; one must destroy the other.

2212.  "Equity" is a phoney virtue -- it can only be contrived by restrictions on liberty.

2211. Competitive sport can tell us much about equity. It is challenging, and exhilarating -- it evokes tribal enthusiasms, creates winners and losers. It is an echo of the law of the jungle -- safely constrained by the civility of the rulebook. Imagine, now, the "virtuous" vaccination of social equity --all scores become predictable ties. The fans dissipate; the players evaporate; the fields lie bare. All interest, enterprise and function vanish in a languid puff of evanescent futility.

2210. Human variability is the untidy fact; equality of result is the fanciful ideal.

2209. The pursuit of equity is a battle against competence.

2208. "Studies" courses are concerned not with facts, but with belief and commitment. They are enterprises essentially religious rather than scientific.

2207. The chief concern of university "studies" courses is not discovery, but agenda.

2206. Equality is a gilded pillar --a base metal which, despite its sheen, deflects the moral compass.

2205. The belief in equality obliterates the useful distinction between good and evil.

2204. The great folly of many universities is to replace the search for truth with the intent to indoctrinate. The goal is a fanciful version of virtue -- an egalitarian renunciation of fact in favour of fiction.

2203. In chasing the bauble of "equity"-- equality of result -- while ignoring the quality of input -- Harvard has destroyed its reputation as an educational institution.

2202. You can proclaim the virtues of "equity" as much as you wish. It cannot be attained in a world of human variability; not should it be.

2201. The virtue of an ideal can only be measured by its practical effects.

2200. Life requires contradiction: a belief  in ideal virtue -- and the diminished, practical version of it.

2199. Ideals must be judged -- not on their theoretical attractiveness -- but on their practical results. Variation is the pulse of life -- incompatible with the stasis of perfection -- the fixed absolute of the ideal.

2198. The path of ideal virtue -- fragrant as the rose -- ends in a briar patch of practical consequences.  

2197. Harvard -- having chosen its poison -- the pursuit of equality rather than excellence -- and though aware of the progressive paralysis --  is determined to drain the chalice.

2196. Those who ignore competence in order to manufacture the appearance of equality will reap the consequential reward: dysfunction and failure.

2195. "Woke" is the virtuous ideal. "Broke" is the practical result.

2194. Those hired on the basis of equity and inclusion can hardly be dismissed on the grounds of incompetence or unprofessionalism.

2193. The old values of competence, achievement, and honesty have been replaced by diversity, inclusion and equity. The choice is dangerous. "Equity" will not redeem a society incompetent, mediocre, and corrupt.

2192. By promoting unrealistic goals like "equity"-- virtue signalling is more destructive than constructive.

2191. The chief purpose of virtue signalling is self-congratulation -- not societal amelioration.

2190. As long as there is evil in the world, tolerance must be selective.

2189. The antidote to despair is to create, within oneself, a cheerful Sisyphus.

2188. Human variability, cultural incompatibility, general unpredictability -- and the fact that every ideal virtue contains the paradoxical seed of practical vice -- all these ensure the permanent untidiness of the human  experiment.

2187. The easy answer is that there are no easy answers.

2186. "Diversity, inclusion, and equity" (DIE) is a virtue signalling mantra which cannot achieve virtue. Diversity for its own sake invites chaos -- and in practice is hostile to the concept of merit. If inclusion is the primary value, then competence is secondary. "Equity" represents a focus on the appearance of equality of result -- without any concern for the quality of input which would make it fair and reasonable.

2185. Any scheme of morality must be consistent with tribal survival. Aiming for equality of result is suicidal -- because it denies the reality of human variability; equality is static -- changeless -- consistent only with stasis and death.

2184. Laughter recognizes disparity and incongruity -- it is the civilized echo of the jungle cry of triumph. Political correctness claims to be the superman of morality -- yearning virtuously for equality. Laughter is its kryptonite.

2183. At the heart of every socialist scheme is the seed of tyranny.

2182. At the heart of every socialist scheme is the seed of dictatorship.

2181. "Righteousness" is never more comfortable than when wearing a jackboot.

2180. The more liberty, the less equality. Human beings are inherently unequal, and, given liberty -- will choose what is best.

2179. The paradox which many cannot grasp is that civilized "virtues" -- like the egalitarian impulse -- carried to extreme -- lead to dysfunction and disaster.

2178. Evolution is competitive, civilized society is co-operative. Failing to recognize that co-operation is a competitive strategy is suicidal.

2177. In a world of equality, the moral compass cannot distinguish between good and evil.

2176. Hierarchy is the bedrock reality on which the bubbles of egalitarianism invariably burst.

2175. Equality is the enemy of liberty. That is why socialism invariably tends to dictatorship.

2174. People only choose equality if there is nothing better available.

2173. Liberty does not lead to equality. People chose what is best, not what is equal.

November 1, 2023  End of 14th year of Observations.

2172. When people are rewarded, not for their abilities, but for their minority group status -- no one should be surprised by bogus claims of exotic identity. The truth struggles in competition with a more advantageous lie.

2171. For the young --nothing is more alluring than the infinite future; for the old -- nothing is more marvellous than the finitudes of the past.

2170. The tribal animal model -- and the history of mankind -- both suggest that dictatorship is the default form of human government. The tendency to worship tyrannical, all-powerful gods is entirely consistent with the autocratic principle. It would seem that evolution has favoured tribes with few leaders and many followers programmed for sheep-like acquiescence. Democracy is a recent attempt to interrupt the gravitational force towards the concentration of power. But it is more fragile and difficult than most would like to admit.

2169. Evolution works through a combination of the random and the rational. A mutation proposes; the environment affirms or disposes. It seems likely that the creative brain operates in a similar manner: novel possibilities are suggested -- then are confirmed or rejected according to suitability by the arbiter of the conscious mind. The creative process is neither arbitrary nor deliberate -- it is a combination of the two. We are not the predictable machines of the behaviourist -- nor do we magically escape the logic of causality. 

2168. When "diversion, inclusion, and equity" is the virtue-signalling mantra of choice, competence, merit, and excellence will be ignored. "Equality" is a scam: some things are better than others.

2167. Those who think inclusion is a primary virtue still prefer doctors with medical degrees and plumbers with certificates. They signal inclusion -- but choose competence.

2166. Those mesmerised by the mantra "diversity is our strength" do not welcome the diverse opinion that it invites chaos.

2165. Those who yearn for "equity" still hope their horse will be in the winner's circle.

2164. Hierarchy is the powerfully unpleasant truth; equality is the seductive lie. The ship of state won't run far on humbug.

2163. Religion is often socially powerful, but factually incorrect. That reveals much about human nature.

2162. The abandonment of the phonetic approach to reading is emblematic of the great modern love affair with abstruse theories and claims of superior caring. But efficacy takes a back seat to self-promotion, popularization, and financial reward.

2161. The modern focus is on feelings -- the lens of personal perception; the assumption is that reality is equally flexible and capricious -- and can be bamboozled into submission. It can't.

2160. The first great modern folly is to replace what works with what sounds good. The second great modern folly is to persist with what sounds good -- even when it is clearly not working.

2159. People seek "equality" because it sounds more just and fair than "personal advantage." Usually, the "justice" they seek involves an "unequal" reward  -- one quite unrelated to effort.         

2158.  The professed desire for "equality" is spurious and misleading: no one wants to be equal to those in a position less fortunate than one's own. The true motive is elevation and improvement. 

2157. People seek equality up, not down.

2156. The purpose of a government office is not to assist citizens, but to test their patience.

2155. "1984" used to be seen as a warning. Now it is an instruction manual.

2154. Evil is most successful when it parades as virtue.

2153. We desperately need a new calculus of stupidity -- a slide rule of folly that will answer questions such as: How many times will mankind fall for the promise of socialism? How long will it take to realize that the crystal palace cannot be manufactured from the mud hut of human nature? When will we accept that ideals are subject to the law of diminishing -- and ultimately negative -- returns?

2152. Virtue-signalling is always an exercise in self-congratulation.

2151. Virtue-signalling is easy; the consequences are hard.

2150. The more "virtuously ideal" the scheme, the more harm it will cause.

2149. Feelings are powerful -- but, by definition -- subjective -- vulnerable to the kryptonite of facts.

2148. Laughter arises from a sudden, triumphant perception of incongruity. It is agnostic with respect to feelings -- and thus is the bête noir of political correctness.

2147. Every choice ever made refutes the principle of equality -- for every choice declares one thing is better than another.

2146. Lies are like cockroaches -- if you find one, there are more where it came from.  (This observation was derived from a personal experience in 2023. But the general idea -- with slightly different wording -- has been expressed before. E.g. “Lies are like cockroaches, for every one you discover there are many more that are hidden.” (Gary Hopkins)  "[L]ies are like cockroaches — if you see one, there are others." ~Nelson DeMille, Night Fall, 2004 (Courtesy Terri Guillemets of The Quote Garden) We prefer our version because it more clearly suggests that a single lie proves the persistent and ineradicable dishonesty of the source.

2145. "Equity" -- equality of outcome -- is only fair when there is equality of input.

2144. "Inclusion" is another buzzword that signals virtue -- but denies function and competence.

2143. Those who favour "diversity" do not want to hear that too much diversity is unworkable -- it invites chaos. They support only a theoretical "diversity" -- the kind that signals virtue -- not the divergent opinion that exposes the truth.

2142. Practical virtue -- as opposed to ideal virtue -- will never look very good. It will always be untidy --and reflect a compromise with some awkward aspect of reality.

2141. Human beings are only rational utilitarians at a distance. Up close, many decisions are primarily emotional -- tribal, or personal. The purveyors of utopia -- call it socialism, world government, or the new world order -- imagine solutions for problems they do not understand.

2140. The difficulty in accepting the dangers of idealism ensures constant disillusionment. The human condition appears to be, inevitably -- psychologically -- Sisyphean.

2139. The battle between idealism and realism is organic to the human condition. Each can be destructive -- but only one wears a mask.

2138. The occupants of a small lifeboat may have the virtuous instinct to welcome onboard hundreds of other survivors of the sinking ocean liner. But too many will reduce the freeboard and ensure that all will perish.

2137. Self-preservation has cruelty at its core.

2136. The idealist would have the lion and gazelle lie down together on the plain, and, gazing at the stars, philosophize about equality. The realist knows that the lion has difficulty discussing such things before dinner.

2135. Affirmative action is a fraud: it claims to provide the delectable delight -- equality of result -- but deceptively obtained -- with the nauseating sacrifice of equality of opportunity. It is mere mirage -- a three dollar bill plucked from the socialist conjuror's execrable hat.

2134. Ideal virtue lives in a crystal palace where the plumbing doesn't work; practical virtue must often be content with a mud hut -- but a functioning outhouse.

2133. Idealists would have the lion lie down with the gazelle, and, gazing at the stars, discuss the advantages of equality. They ignore the fact that before dinner,  both lion and gazelle are otherwise engaged, and after dinner, only the lion can see the stars.

2132. Every society will restrict individual freedom in some way. The freedoms most legitimately restricted are those in which the pursuit of individual ends directly injures others. Murder, theft, and libel are examples. Restricting the freedom to pursue and proclaim truths which may hurt feelings -- while currently fashionable -- is less easy to justify.

2131. The spirit of Islam is to bully -- to coerce citizens into a set of beliefs based on revelation rather than investigation. The spirit of democracy is to disrupt the natural tendency towards dictatorship -- to reduce bullying by periodically introducing an expression of the leavening desires of the citizenry. That is why Islam and democracy are, in essence, incompatible.

2130. Multiculturalism requires us to respect cultural values which we find distasteful, disagreeable, or disgraceful. It fails utterly to recognize that "tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions."

2129. Multiculturalism is a theoretical panacea -- but a practical absurdity.

2128. The current fashion is to dismiss and disparage function in favour of feelings -- a complacent and universal feel-goodery seems to be the goal. But as dysfunction takes hold -- so the desired Nirvana will fade.

2127. Mr. Trump is a man whose desire for greatness is betrayed by the stumbling block of his enormous and unrelenting ego.

2126. Life -- at its core -- is competitive. Human history is marked by the rise and fall of civilizations. Now that we have nuclear weapons, the evils of violent nationalism are clear. But to believe that competition is somehow outmoded, and that it can be discarded in favour of sentimental egalitarianism is to misunderstand the nature of reality. The next great task for mankind to avoid the destruction of civilization through violence -- while also avoiding its destruction through idealistic folly.   

2125. Societies are tribal and territorial. The are built on commonalities, not differences. Trying to make them diverse and global is like trying to remove the moisture from water. 

2124. Harmony may be possible in a society where most people believe in the truth, or when most people believe in the same lies. It seems unlikely in a society where half the people believe in lies, and half believe in the truth -- or a radically different set of lies. 

2123. We are seeing a profound cultural shift -- away from the recognition of facts, and a respect for competence -- towards a reverence for feelings and a concomitant acceptance of egalitarian mediocrity. When the buzzwords of "diversity, inclusion, and equity" triumph over the pursuit of excellence -- we will reap the reward of such sentimental egalitarianism: the mindless bliss of profound dysfunction.

2122. The driving force behind western civilization has been the freedom to question, and -- rather than accept untested assertions -- to discover how the world actually works. With political correctness -- which focuses on feelings rather than facts -- that impetus may now be crucially weakened. Policies based on the assertion that perceptions of gender are more important than biological facts -- and that those with transgender perceptions are "exactly the same" as those whose perceptions are "chromosome compliant" signal the belief that science no longer matters. Then, of course, any rabbit hole of fantasy will do. When governments and academic institutions require citizens to accept statements contrary to fact, such as "some men menstruate," they create an Orwellian dystopia.

2121. Bullies are never appeased. They are encouraged by submission; they are deterred only by resistance.

2120. There are a great many stupid people in the world. University degrees appear not to alleviate the essence of the condition; sometimes, they seem to exacerbate it.

2119. Many would like to repeal the law of the survival of the fittest -- it offends their egalitarian sense of morality. They would prefer the fit be hobbled, and the unfit be raised to a uniform level of incompetence. The flaw in their thinking is that an unfit, incompetent society -- by definition -- cannot survive. There is no morality at all for the benignly equal -- but undeniably dead.

2118. Censorship is the refuge of those who have no logical, factual basis for refutation. It is an admission of impotence.

2117. The ideas that are censored are usually unwelcome truths.

2116. Nationalism is optimistic and  favours freedom; globalism  is fearful, and seeks to limit and control. Those in favour of nationalism tend to be the ordinary powerless; those in favour of globalism imagine they will be exempt from the restrictions they wish to impose on everyone else.

2115. The Malthusian apocalypse and the Tragedy of the Commons both demand a reduction of freedom -- the evolutionary demand for success.  But choosing the path between the necessary life force and the destruction which it seems to imply is not easy.

2114. The justice of function and the justice of being both offer virtue -- but are, in themselves, destructive of society. As is so often the case, the practical path lies in compromise.

2113. When you understand that every virtue is subject to the law of diminishing returns -- and leads inevitably to vice -- it becomes clear that the apparent choice between good and evil may, in fact, actually be a choice among evils.

2112. The great modern folly is to believe that you can have all the advantages of western civilization -- which arise from an emphasis on competition, hierarchy, and competence -- by getting rid of competition, hierarchy, and competence.

2111. "Deep down, we're all the same" is the mantra of those who anticipate an imminent multicultural utopia. True enough -- you just have to go deep down enough to get past all  the awkward, the impossible, and the irreconcilable differences which arise from culture. 

2110. If it is wrong to exclude people because of their membership in a group; it is equally wrong to include them on the same basis. Favouritism -- affirmative action -- despite the claim of egalitarian intentions -- denies equality of opportunity; it is a cure indistinguishable from the disease. 

2109. Those who seek "equality" have decided to ignore excellence. They would be well advised to avoid any kind of competitive challenge.

2108. Socialism is the term used to describe the dictatorship of the left.

2107. Capitalism and socialism are both productive: capitalism excels in goods and services -- socialism in oppression and hypocrisy.

2106. And on the eighth day, God sat back to watch the unfolding. And he saw the lion crush the gazelle, the python swallow the child, the parasitoid larva relentlessly consuming its host, the spider enjoying her cannibalistic meal. He saw the Black Death, and the mortal consequences of viral success. And reflecting on the marvels he had wrought, God smiled, for he knew that they must be good.

2105. Seeing history through the lens of race makes the absurd assumption that skin colour determines how people think and act -- an argument which precludes the possibility of change. It is more reasonable to conclude that success and failure arise from a mix of geography, individual abilities, and -- crucially -- cultural context.  Unequal outcomes -- we have the temerity to suggest -- have less to do with skin colour than with unequal inputs. Nature's imperative is cruel: adapt or die.

2104. The idea of "cancelling" western culture is a popular delusion. It is the childish impulse of the farmer who thinks that when the goose is dead, the supply of golden eggs will be enhanced.

2103. In a reasonable world, the transgender lobby would be seen for what it is -- an outrageous attempt to protect the feelings of a few by insulting, silencing, and de-legitimizing the many. In their Orwellian, dystopian vision, speech is to be compelled, and facts are to be denied.  The "truth" is to be determined -- not by observation -- but by the power of propaganda,

2102. The ideal may be an inspiration -- but it is the enemy of necessary compromise and practical accomplishment.

2101. Improvement is possible; perfection is not.

2100. The protection of feelings -- tactful civility -- should not be confused with a keystone of virtue; no functioning moral compass comes with a "pander" setting.

2099. Make-believe worlds are like soap bubbles -- they don't land well.

2098. Virtuous theories do not ensure virtuous outcomes.

2097. Western governments delight in signalling  "virtue" -- with immigration policies based on pan-cultural acceptance. But the refusal to recognize the fact of cultural incompatibilities leads to a great evil -- the perceived need to suppress the truth and limit the freedom of speech they once claimed to espouse.

2096. "Equity" is a functionally absurd goal. When the same results are expected from different inputs, the Mad Hatter is in charge of the asylum. 

2095. Diversity is not an end in itself -- but a means to  gain superior function. Diversity for its own sake is spelled "c h a o s."

2094. Diversity is useful in providing options; the best function arises from the superior option.

2093. The price of inclusivity is paid in the currency of competence.

2092. Inequality is like the pooping goose that lays the golden eggs. The farmer who values a tidy egalitarian barnyard above all, will discover that the price of execution is unacceptably high.

2091. Life is essentially and intrinsically cruel and unfair. Modifications are possible -- even necessary -- but compassionate egalitarians everywhere make the terrible mistake of thinking that cruelty and injustice are superficial and eradicable. They do not understand the word "intrinsic."

2090. The essential fault line in every society is the battle between competition and co-operation. Each brings its own evil: competition can be ruthless -- co-operation may foster an oppressive groupthink inimical to innovation and individual achievement. A degree of virtue is obtained by a degree of compromise. In a world of necessary opposites -- the purely virtuous solution is a dangerous fantasy. 

2089. Those who seek to punish success and reward failure will regret their success.

2088. Reducing inequality may be virtuous; trying to make unequal things equal is evil.

2087. The "virtuous" seek equality, not realizing it is a chokehold on the breath of life. "Equality" is a theoretical state which -- if it could be attained -- would be destroyed by the slightest change; it is consistent only with stasis and death.

2086.The notion that discriminatory policies are the certain cure for discrimination reveals the intellectual bankruptcy of the progressive left. Equality of result cannot, ethically, be purchased at the expense of equality of opportunity.

2085. Without hint of ultimate cessation, affirmative action policies reveal the unacknowledged assumption at their core: the favoured groups are inherently inferior, and will never be able to succeed on their own merits; they will require permanent coddling. Thus the "attack" on "racism" is premised on the evil it claims to abhor.

2084. We live in a world which is intrinsically cruel and unfair -- the signal example -- murder is the usual price of survival. As tribal animals, whose success depends, in large measure, on co-operation, we may instinctively recoil at the cruelty of the justice of function -- and yearn for a world unblemished by competitive striving -- a haven of ease and untroubled harmony. While it is clear that the law of the jungle can -- and must -- be modified for a degree of social harmony -- it is not a legal construct, a statute subject to repeal -- but -- like gravity -- a universal reality. The great irony -- too often overlooked -- is that a determined pursuit of egalitarian harmony creates misery -- as it crushes the very engine of survival -- the  life force -- the innate, inegalitarian, competitive drive for success.

2083. "Equality" is a buzzword as dangerous as it is attractive. Rewarding people regardless of their competence ensures mediocrity and failure. But to choose failure -- no matter how virtuously egalitarian -- is to reject the force of life itself. A "virtuous" suicide still ends in death.  

2082. The current preferred narrative favours the justice of being over the justice of function; it recoils at success and smiles on failure.

2081. The ratio between the justice of function and the justice of being -- as determined by extensive clinical investigations -- should be about 80/20. This values survival over suicide, but allows for the co-operative advantages of social living. The ratio currently being sought in the western world is 20/80; the consequences are obvious.

2080. Capitalism reflects the justice of function, socialism represents the justice of being. One ignores compassion for the advantages of competence; the other sacrifices function for the appearance of equality.

2079. Policies which reward people on the basis of group status are inherently prejudicial.  The assumption is that group members are incompetent, and cannot be judged on their merits. What is being sought is not justice, but the appearance of it.

2078. Affirmative action ignores the justice of function -- which rewards competence -- in order to uphold the justice of being -- which rewards people on the basis of group status -- "being" in a group.

2077. Affirmative action programs aim to create equality of result by ignoring equality of opportunity. 

2076. Never underestimate the persuasive power of communal irrationality. 

2075. Every society requires unifying myths and essential narratives -- and taboos to hide disruptive, unsettling truths.

2074. In every era, there are truths that dare not speak their names. In the past, perhaps, it was "The king is an idiot" -- or "God does not exist." The current sacrilege is to say "People are not equal." To say that they never have been and never will be is to invite permanent exclusion from polite society and -- probably -- an enforced regime of anti-psychotic medications.

2073. There is a unanimity among religions: "God" made us too stupid to observe, reflect, and reach our own conclusions. In despair, we must subsume our intellects in "faith" and do what we are told. "Cui bono?" suggests the truth: religions have been the foundation stones of tribal loyalty-- the cautionary obelisks ensuring mindless groupthink and obsequious obedience -- not to God -- but to the temporal Caesars, the wielders of practical power.

2072. “Freedom of religion” is an entirely defensible concept. You can’t stop people from believing in unicorns, centaurs, God, or the tooth fairy. On the other hand, the desire of government employees to wear religious symbols on the job should carry no greater weight than their desire to proclaim other private enthusiasms – for a political party, a sports team, or a brand of soap.

Indeed, given the fact that every religion claims a unique moral superiority – leading to the historically deadly intensity of religious disputes -- no secular government should appear to favour private superstition over public reason, or to betray the simple prudence of common sense.

2071. The Great Reset is simply a fancy term for an old idea --  dictatorship. Like socialism, it requires the many to sacrifice their liberty for the advancement of a theoretical ideal favoured by -- and favouring -- a controlling elite.

2070. Socialism offers equality, freedom from responsibility, and free stuff. But the premise is not egalitarian -- it assumes an elite of central planners who will enforce the "equality" of the rest. That is why socialism invariably devolves into dictatorship.

2069. Slogans and buzzwords are often like leaky buckets: they may look pretty good -- but given the test -- they don't hold water.

2068. "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity" is an attractive slogan which ignores the fact that "equality" is restrictive,  inimical to "liberty," and ultimately unattainable. Further, while "fraternity" is a necessary co-operative element in civilized society -- it must share space with the reality of competition -- the seed of progress, and the beating, disruptive heart at the core of all existence.

2067. A reduction in inequality may have social benefits -- but every virtue is subject to the law of diminishing returns. While reducing inequality may beneficially enhance the freedom of the less successful, when equality becomes the chief prize, competition -- the seed of progress -- is constrained. Success may acquire the moral taint of unfair advantage, and failure -- explained solely by oppression -- becomes the hallmark of moral purity. At some point, the net result is negative: the focus on equality of result denies equality of opportunity, restricts freedom, and ensures mediocrity.

2066. The great problem of the human condition is that life is inherently unfair. Further, while attempts to remedy inequities are noble, and often socially useful, they are subject to the law of diminishing -- and ultimately negative -- returns.

2065. Emotions may often be swayed by facts; facts do not reciprocate.

2064. Political correctness assumes that the world should respond to emotions -- with no test of legitimacy. In a malignant retrograde alchemy, it reverses the journey of maturation -- from self-absorption to socialization: it is an infantilization of adults.

2063. The law of diminishing -- and ultimately negative -- returns -- applies to every ideal and every virtue. The closer you get to completing the crystal palace, the more obvious become the advantages of the mud hut. That is because crystal palaces-- inflexibly -- require crystal people; mud huts can forgive us our humanity.

2062. Life will not give you meaning -- you must give meaning to life.

2061. When the protection of feelings becomes the primary virtue, the truth -- like a scandalously disreputable relative -- effectively disappears -- buried in a discreet, uneasy silence.

2060. Political correctness is just humbug -- but humbug raised to unaccustomed levels of absurdity.

2059. The Carbon Gods would scarcely notice if Canadians retreated, dutifully, to the caves. The government, on the other hand. would be pleased; it is firmly committed to the idea that it is better to posture than to prosper.

2058. Politicians are especially vulnerable to the virus of virtue-signalling. This pathogen of feel-goodery leads them to proclaim follies as truth -- and to disdain both consequences and practical alternatives. The disease -- a triumph of fiction over fact -- is endemic on the left.

2057. Political correctness holds that feelings are more valid than facts. Thus, self-pity and anger are self-validating; beyond questioning -- they are the justifying divinity within.

2056. If equality reigned, the sameness would be fatal. The human race would die of boredom, futility, or paralysis.

2055. No human endeavour would be undertaken if equal outcomes were assured.

2055. If all sports competitions were required to have equal outcomes, everyone -- including the players -- would just stay home.

2054. The more liberty, the more inequality.

2053. Liberty cannot lead to equality, because liberty allows choice. No one who has the freedom to choose the best will choose mere equality.

2052. Every act of choosing embodies freedom --and -- by recognizing a hierarchy of options, denies the principle of equality.

2051. "Equality" sounds attractive -- until you realize it is a theoretical state which is incompatible with freedom, choice, and change.

2050. The pretense that unequal things are equal is the rot at the heart of the left wing narrative. It leads to the denial of competence, and the disregard of merit; it entails and assures mediocrity and dysfunction.

2049. Those who recognize the competitive necessities and hierarchical realities of the human condition also acknowledge the societal need for balance -- co-operation and compassion. Egalitarians, convinced of the virtue of their absurd  beliefs, are more doctrinaire: they would banish competition, discourage initiative, and disparage success -- even though the inevitable and necessary result is the mire of mediocrity, the paralysis of defeat.

2048. Elect a clown -- expect a circus: magic acts of energy supply, high wire self-balancing budgets, and sideshows of fancy dress and miscellaneous follies.

2047. Trudeau -- the clown prince of Canada.

2046. The human preference for attractive lies over plain truths accounts for the rise and persistence of left-wing lunacy.  

2045. Feelings represent emotional truths -- they are aspects of our consciousness. They are part of the real world we inhabit -- but large swathes of reality don't give a damn. 

2044. Those whose self-esteem is reliant on group membership may find greater reward in accomplishment than in lament over social disparities. Cultural dissonance is eroded more quickly by achievement than by complaint. 

2043. Respect is more easily earned by accomplishment than compelled by complaint.

2042. Tribalism -- which requires herd-like thinking -- is like any other power: it can be a force for good  -- or evil.

2041. If the coronovirus vaccines were riskless and actually worked,  it would not be necessary to force people to take them. Those who wished to protect themselves could do so, those who did not would pose no threat to anyone but themselves. The "social good" argument for enforcing self-protection must be considered in the context of unknown risks and the importance of individual liberties. Seatbelts may pass the test, but novel vaccines may not.

2040. Nothing real is ideal; imperfection is the ticket price for existence.

2039. The human condition denies a complete resolution of the opposing claims of competition and co-operation. Our survival instinct is competitive, our social instinct is co-operative.

2038. Never excuse crimes done in the fulfilment of an ideal. Adolf Hitler sought racial purity, Mao Tse-tung, a communist paradise.

2037. Idealism is as idealism does.

2036. Those who signal virtue must bear responsibility for the practical results of its pursuit. People should not be excused for their failure to distinguish between what sounds good and what works.

2035. Those who preach "diversity" subvert the spirit of their claim: they do not accept the divergent opinion that diversity can lead to division, misery, and chaos.

2034. We are condemned to seek the unattainable.

2033. We live in an era of buzzwords, preferred narratives, and cherished illusions. But as Mr. Coyote has shown -- determination alone is insufficient to suspend the law of gravity. 

2032. When the government provides "free" healthcare, it is a short step to legislating against behaviour which results in higher costs. Liberty is always the price of security.

2031. There is an authoritarian jackboot implicit in socialism's promise of free stuff from the government. What the government gives, it can also withhold from those deemed insufficiently compliant.

2030. Life is scarcely possible without some disregard of the facts -- some degree of illusion. But some need a great deal more than others. 

2029. The ideal moment is seldom recognized in the present. It seems, most often, to beckon from the future, or to reproach from the past.

2028.  He who waits for inspiration misunderstands the distinction between the bus and its driver.

2027. He who waits for inspiration to begin a project fails to understand that beginning comes first.

2026. Inspiration is the child of industry, not idleness. 

2025. A life without deadlines is an invitation to idleness.

2024. We suspect that if Hitler were to re-emerge today, he would win easily -- because very few believe -- or so it seems -- that we have anything worth fighting for.

2023. Socialism -- a jackboot disguised as Cinderella's slipper.

2022. Socialism offers an attractive fantasy -- equality and free stuff provided by the government. Seemingly, it overlooks the mainspring of human motivation -- self-interest. In fact -- that is reserved for the unequal elites, who ultimately ensure the conformity of the common people by coercion. It is a jackboot disguised as Cinderella's slipper. 

2021. All societies require a degree of co-operation to function -- call it conformity or even servitude if you will. The great advantage of capitalism is that servitude is the natural outcome of self-interest -- the achievement of goals. It is chosen rather than coerced.    

2020. Those who are determined to see the world as it "should" be, will discover their determination is radically insufficient to the task.

2019. We live in an age determined to put feelings first -- to "sentimentalize" reality. Reality is not amused.

2018. Moral indignation over cultural appropriation is a sure sign that what is being appropriated is symbolic and offers no practical advantage to anyone. If there were such advantage, indignation would be replaced by a sense of justification and the ineffable smugness inspired by the flattery of imitation.

2017. It is perfectly natural for any minority group to wish to maintain its special and comforting mores. But -- to some degree -- that involves a rejection of the special and comforting habits of the majority. Having your minority cake limits your consumption of the bigger one. There may be no immediate and instinctive gushing at the reproach. If the minority has better ideas, they may be adopted in time -- but they will need to pass some objective test of utility.     

2016. While true racism exists, it is less common than the frequent use of the word suggests. The real cause of the "racial" divide is cultural dissonance. As cultural disparities fade, so "racism" will decline.

2015. It would be helpful to start labelling cultures by origin, rather than by skin tone. (For example, Afro- or Anglo-American.) Origin could determine culture -- but there is no necessary link: time allows for changes in attitude and perspective. If you constantly link skin tone with culture, you imply a necessary connection -- an inevitable causal relationship; you promote, exactly, the assumption of racism.

2014. The assumption that skin colour is a determinant of character, abilities, and function is the operating principle of racism.

2013. Consistently talking about "white" or "black" culture is a handy short-cut -- but -- dangerously -- it confuses correlation with causation: it suggests a necessary link.  If you believe skin colour is the cause of culture, you perpetuate an unbridgeable divide -- because skin colour is neither chosen nor changeable.

2012. Racism is the symptom; cultural dissonance is the disease; the susceptibility -- the underlying pre-disposition -- is our evolutionary legacy -- our innate tribalism.

2011. The wise realist does well to ignore the scorn of those who seek only perfection. They will eventually be humbled by reality.

2010. Fortunate is the man who has learned to be content with achievable goals.

2009. Humankind is condemned to imperfection -- an irresolvable conflict between the ideal and the real. Like Sisyphus, we are condemned to struggle -- to raise our burden to the welcoming peak -- the promise of relentless gravity contained -- but never achieve that goal.

2008. All utopian dreams are based on the idea that mankind is perfectible -- that love, peace, and harmony are achievable goals. But this overlooks the reality: all living creatures are the result of a cruel and competitive evolutionary process. The competitive instinct can be tamed, but not erased -- for it is at the very heart of existence -- it is the pulse of life itself. 

2007. All virtues -- all ideals of perfection -- are subject to the law of diminishing returns. What is imagined to be perfection eventually reveals its terrible consequence.

2006. Variability -- both individual and cultural -- ensures unequal outcomes.

2005. The stupidity arising from unexamined good intentions is probably the most dangerous: it claims moral superiority, assumes infallibility, and proceeds with the impenetrable arrogance of sacred mission.  Politicians seem especially vulnerable.   

2004. When equal outcomes are hailed as justice -- either human variability has been finally extinguished, or someone is cooking the books.

2003. When unequal things are placed on the scales of justice, they will not weigh the same. If they are pronounced equal -- then "justice" is on the take.

2002. It is a great mistake to confuse equality with justice. When things with unequal function are equally valued, justice has deferred to delusion. 

2001. Society requires an uneasy schizophrenia: we feel compelled to praise the ideal, but must ultimately value survival. Thus, the gilded chalice of equality is for show, ceremony, and the signalling of virtue; drinking from it is unwise --the poison first paralyzes, then destroys.

2000. Competition -- with its unkind distinction between winners and losers -- is the cruelty at the heart of all existence. It can be modified or restrained -- indeed, that is a requirement of civilized society -- but not eradicated.  Eradication implies the "virtue" of equality, but that is an impossible ideal, a perfection consistent only with finality -- the death blow of stasis. Competition may be cruel, but it is inevitable -- it is implicit in change and a function of the pulse of life itself.

1999. While the sense of gender dysphoria may be real and profound, and the urge to deny contrary biology understandable, it is inappropriate to expect society to deny fact in favour of psychology. The fact is biological men can't give birth, and biological women can; the claim that biology doesn't matter is simply untrue. The attempt to compel speech, to banish words like "mother," and "son" -- to prevaricate with statements like "not all boys have penises" -- these do not help the cause. The principle is oppressive and Orwellian -- mind control through Newspeak, logical absurdities, and the erasing of fact. 

1998. It is fascinating that, in the attempt to eradicate "racism," one of the chief strategies has been to convince white people that their skin colour makes them inherently evil. This confirms our long held contention that the proclaimed desire for "equality" is often deceptive: it is a false front for the deep-seated human desire for triumph.

1997. Those who complain that the world is screwed up fail to understand that turmoil is in the blueprint. Every society reflects the conflict between the competitive evolutionary reality of living creatures -- where function is all -- and tribal attempts to modify it -- by reducing competition and supporting the less competent. (We have noted the opposition between the "justice of function" -- which rewards competence --and the "justice of being" an egalitarian concept which -- in its extreme form -- rewards all equally -- just for "being" there.)  The conflict is profound and fundamental. Neither can triumph -- neither can be utterly dismissed. Nor can either can be seen as inherently virtuous. If virtue lies anywhere -- it is in the acceptance of a middle ground which, while always appearing unsatisfactory, will give reasonable, viable recognition to each element. 

1996. The conventional, hopeful construction of "God" requires a clinical re-assessment. It is claimed he created this world of ruthless predation -- where most life forms must survive by eating others. He then appears to the top predator, and -- in return for reverence, obsequious praise, and undying devotion -- offers a compensatory escape -- paradisal and eternal -- from the unsavoury cauldron. No -- not just yet -- only when you are -- conveniently -- dead. The gullible murmur "saviour." The narrative says "psychopath."

1995. In a world which embodies the principles of competition and change, the determined pursuit of ideal virtues -- the absolutes of stasis and perfection -- guarantees misery.  Seek improvement -- not perfection. Ideals are for inspiration, not implementation.

1993. The societal crystal palace is attractive concept -- but an inadequate shelter. Those who persist in striving to build it must believe that fine intentions are more important than keeping warm and dry.

1992. There is an essential cruelty at the heart of existence -- competition for survival. Human beings -- and other tribal animals -- modify competition with co-operation -- and this engenders kindness, compassion, and respect for individuals. But co-operation is still a competitive strategy -- not an end in itself. To exalt co-operation over competition may appear noble -- but there are consequences: those who don't survive can't co-operate.

November 1, 2021 End of the twelfth tear of Observations

1991. Competition is in the blueprint of nature; cruelly, it declares winners and losers, and requires constant adaptation on pain of death. Human beings yearn to build crystal palaces of serenity and egalitarian happiness. The  disparity between blueprint limitations and architect aspirations explains the structural defects of the human condition.

1990. The truth is necessary for understanding, but understanding has no pact with happiness.

1989. In a world of necessary opposites, answers are seldom simple.

1988. Love, in fact, is not the answer. It will not help the gazelle in the jaws of the lion.

1987. No memories more cruel than those of happier times.

1986. Affirmative action policies are discriminatory pigs gussied up with egalitarian lipstick.

1985. Affirmative action policies lack termination dates -- and thus subvert their only possible justification: a temporary measure to disrupt long-held prejudices. Those who create them signal their belief that those affirmed are permanently inferior -- and need perpetual favour to give the appearance of equality. The affirmed do not object -- since what they seek is not equality -- but -- as is common among all human beings -- improvement. 

1984. All civilizations decline -- we suspect that it is because the populace eventually ceases to believe in the raison d'être, the defining myth -- the zeitgeist -- which fuelled the rise. Once the cultural glue of confidence is compromised, the society becomes vulnerable to those more assured. It would appear that western civilization has reached this point. The beliefs in excellence, competition, freedom, self-reliance -- even the concept of nationhood itself --are crumbling in the dedication to equality, security, and  the preservation of feelings. It is thought that the culture can be cancelled, and built back better on the basis of equality, diversity, and inclusion. It is an experiment which overlooks the fundamentally competitive nature of the reality of which we are irrevocably a part. 

1983. Wishful thinking is a short term comfort, a longer term disaster.

1982. We live in an era of extraordinary delusion -- apparently convinced that fine intentions and the signalling of egalitarian virtue will overcome the competitive nature of reality. 

1981. (a) The down-to earth version: The evolutionary imperative is that some will succeed, and others fail. The civilized imperative is that equality should reign: individuals -- and the groups to which they belong -- are equal; one idea about the conduct of society is just as good as the next -- even if they should be contradictory; failure must be extinguished -- no one should be left behind -- and success made universal. Now you understand why bullshit is an essential component of the human condition.

(b) The Bowdlerized version  The evolutionary imperative is that some will succeed, and others fail. The civilized imperative is that equality should reign: individuals -- and the groups to which they belong -- are equal; one idea about the conduct of society is just as good as the next -- even if they should be contradictory; failure must be extinguished -- no one should be left behind -- and success made universal. Now you understand why lying is an essential component of the human condition.

1980. We have attempted -- in the interest of shortening the path to Nirvana -- to elucidate certain laws of Cultural Economy. Such laws will continue to be ignored, and the persistence of cultural conflict -- often mischaracterized as racism -- will be piteously lamented. The overriding preferred narrative is that all cultures are equal and wondrously compatible. The truth will always be ignored if it challenges a cherished illusion.

1979. Dominant or successful cultures never complain about cultural appropriation. Success engenders confidence -- identity loss is not seen as an imminent threat.

1978. Many cultural traditions have benefits which are primarily psychological -- their appeal is subjective rather than universal. They assure a "special place,"-- they support the idea of exclusivity. The indignant accusation  of "cultural appropriation" indicates the category. If that which is appropriated were of real and universal benefit, there would be confirmative rejoicing rather than cries of moral outrage.

1977. A cultural tradition that can be linked, objectively, to more freedom, opportunity, and happiness is worth defending.

1976. Some cultural differences are superficial, others profound. The ideal of "multiculturalism" always assumes superficiality; the reality of profound differences shows the folly of multicultural posturing and the mindless signalling of virtue. Antithetical values lead to conflict. Diversity is not intrinsically virtuous. 

1975. The determination to be a cultural minority carries with it the logical consequence: You will not be in the majority -- as trivial or as consequential as that may be.

1974. We are tribal creatures, and are usually most comfortable adhering to our cultural traditions, even within a larger, different cultural context.

1973. The failure to understand the importance of our innate tribalism -- and the difficulties posed by cultural differences -- may be the result of a naive idealism. Many like to believe that "we are all the same underneath." That may be true at some primitive level --but it ignores the fact that cultures can value quite different things. If your idea of utopia is to live a primitive subsistence lifestyle in a remote uneconomic location -- supported by the government -- you will be at odds with those who believe that to get the benefits of industrial society, you have to work in the economic machinery that supports it. If you believe that religion is the foundation of government, and individual freedom should defer to an ancient dogma, you will be uncomfortable in a society which is secular, and values freedom of speech. Much of what is conveniently called "racism" is -- inconveniently -- the result of cultural differences. 

1972. The mantra "Black lives matter" may be immediately appealing to those oppressed by true racism -- prejudice against people based on their skin colour. But it only reinforces the destructive logic -- that skin colour matters. If skin colour really does matter -- then we are lost -- since it is neither chosen nor alterable. Martin Luther King was more perceptive -- people should be judged on their character, not their skin colour. When people insist on the importance of colour, rather than on culture and character -- they perpetuate an unbridgeable divide.

1971. "White supremacy" may seem an easy shorthand for describing the values of western democracies -- but the effect is destructive -- since the implication is that skin colour and culture have a causal relationship. But overlap is not causality, and to argue otherwise is to ensure the perpetuation of racial conflict. Western cultural values have enabled high standards of living, extended life-spans, opportunities for self-fulfilment, and significant freedom for citizens. They have not created utopia -- but to pretend that social failings are the result of skin colour is to justify similar criticisms of all people based on their appearance -- rather than their ideas.

1970. Every time you make a choice, you deny the principle of equality: you are declaring that some things are better than others. Not only is inequality the cause of galaxies and the wellspring of evolution, it is the beating heart of freedom, choice, and progress.

1969. Free speech is increasingly subject to taboo. A taboo is a device used to achieve by threat a respect which cannot be freely granted -- that naturally accorded to virtue, truth, or accomplishment. The taboo against "Islamophobia" is a signal example -- but others -- like references to the physical aspects of gender -- abound. Our times will be known as the Age of Euphemania.

1968. Freedom of speech implies a certain acceptance of reality: people have different opinions -- the best ideas are derived from a competitive exchange -- and some will feel the elation of success, others the ignominy of defeat. The new religion -- political correctness -- finds virtue in uniformity of opinion, in the absence of conflict, and in an equality of self-esteem. The two are antithetical. It is a measure of our times that freedom of speech is increasingly restricted in favour of  false harmony, deceptive blandness, and the cocooning comfort of mediocrity.

1967. Buzzwords such as "diversity," inclusivity," and "equality" soothe the ear but cloud the mind. "Diversity" must reject the fact that some ideas work better than others; "inclusivity" cannot reward competence; "equality" must eschew the triumph of excellence. The modern choice -- virtue signalling over virtue creation -- façade over function -- is both restrictive and destructive.

1966. Equality cannot survive in a world of freedom or of choice. Freedom implies choice -- and any choice makes a powerful anti-egalitarian statement: some things are better than others.

1965. Equality is logically inconsistent with change -- for any change in a theoretical state of equality would destroy it. Equality needs stasis -- it denies the very pulse of life.

1964. In western societies, Islam appears to be regarded as a hot potato -- to be dropped on contact -- or a burgeoning mushroom -- something best kept sheltered, in dim conditions of murk and shade. There are some places that the light of reason may be found upsetting and inconvenient. 

1963. It is interesting that societies which formerly appeared to favour freedom of speech, have now, apparently, seen the error of their ways. Certain topics, like Islam, multiculturalism, equality, diversity, or inclusiveness are considered sacrosanct. The notion of taboo would seem to be a persistent artifact in functioning of human culture.

1962. "Islamophobia" -- like "racism" -- is not a term which invites analysis. The message is not logical, but emotional -- a symbolic taboo: "This is not something we wish to discuss: shut up."

1961. The trouble with men of "vision" is that they invariably see themselves as benevolently infallible leaders, deserving of the grateful adoration of the unwashed, unthinking multitudes.

1960. In the calculus of the human condition, the propensity for complaint is a constant. Thus, the better things are in general, the higher the level of nit-pickery and whininess becomes. 

1959. The advances in technology are not being matched by progress in human wisdom. Sometimes it seems as though the relationship is inverse.

1958. The justice of function -- the law of the jungle -- rewards speed, strength, determination and cunning. The justice of being -- valuing only compassion -- rewards all equally, regardless of merit. "Social justice" lies between these extremes -- but nailing jelly to a wall will precede it in the list of human achievements

1957. There is an inherent justice in mediocrity -- what it seeks, it invariably attains and invariably deserves.

1956. Those who are "woke" will soon discover they are not "woke" enough. Impossible standards have no limit to their theoretical requirements of orthodoxy. This phenomenon may be referred to as the inexorable law of unattainable ideals.

1955. Those who say they want equality -- particularly equality of result for a group in which they claim membership -- are lying. They are using the word "equality"  because of its implication of justice -- its connotation of unimpeachable morality. What they really want is improvement, along with the special status they feel their group deserves;  they will not be dissatisfied with superiority -- or a pleasing element of revenge.

1954. The society which values function will triumph over the one that ignores function in favour of feelings. Western societies, believing that happiness is derived from equality rather than success, seem determinedly suicidal.

1953. A liberal believes not merely that the one-legged man can win the footrace, but that his failure to do so represents an unacceptable deviation from the egalitarian principle intrinsic to the function of the universe. A motorized scooter provided by the government is the required solution. A conservative believes the man should expend his energies in the field most likely to bring success, and he should be reasonably content with the rewards his best diligence can produce. The scooter should be provided only in the case of failure to achieve basic needs. 

1952. The dream of perfection is the curse of mankind. The reality is always less.

1951. Many yearn for an "equality" of different groups. Certainly the removal of barriers to achievement for all individuals should be a priority. But equality of achievement will not occur with the waving of wishful egalitarian wands. Individuals, and the groups of which they are a part, will prosper or fail according to their merits, and the unavoidable vagaries of circumstance.

1950. Tribal thinking -- call it co-operative assent if you prefer -- when it accords with reality -- is our greatest strength. When it embraces fantasy -- as is too often the case -- it is a debilitating weakness.

1949. Looking up the definition of a word in several dictionaries -- strategic diversity -- suggests purpose and has the potential for greater understanding; trying to find the meaning of a word by consulting volumes chosen at random -- diversity for its own sake -- has only one definition: stupidity.

1948. Motion M - 103 approves, in principle, the claim of laws against blasphemy: that there are some ideas so utterly ridiculous that they must be protected by the state.

1947. Laws against blasphemy represent admissions of error; they proclaim that some beliefs are so stupid, so vulnerable to criticism, that fear is the only means of protecting them from ridicule. 

1946. We live in an era where criticism of culture is dismissed as racism, and unpleasant facts about beliefs and customs are excoriated as hate. Thus truths are suppressed in the cause of harmony. But shutting people up will not change their opinions. If ideas cannot compete in the marketplace of public opinion -- how can good triumph over evil?

1945. Political correctness does not merely accept and encourage falsehood -- dishonesty is its core operating principle.

1944. Political correctness assumes that harmony can be achieved through dishonesty.

1943. The desire for equality -- sometimes appearing as a desire to protect the vulnerable -- can lead to the tyranny of the minority. Each case must be considered on its merits: it may be reasonable to ban peanut butter in an enclosed  school lunch room -- but not to cut down all city oak trees because of one child's allergic response to acorns. History will judge the current response to COVID - 19.

1942. Placing feelings above facts paves the way for tyranny: the rationale for any position becomes based on emotion -- which is individual, varied, unpredictable -- and -- by definition -- not subject to evidentiary dispute. Anyone who is  aggrieved, angry-- or even homicidal -- may claim an automatic privilege of virtue.

1941. The transgender lobby requires us to value feelings over facts -- to deny the observable and defining link between gender and reproductive function. But misfortune should not justify tyrannical impulse, spineless compliance, or compassionate dishonesty. If that were the case,  we would abandon speech to please the deaf, and give up vision to placate the blind.

1940. We live in an era of great expectations -- untempered by any sense of the limitations of our evolutionary template -- the obduracy of the nature of human nature.

1939. Happiness lies in the ability to reconcile great expectations with actual results.

1938. Those who define themselves, in part, on the basis of their culture, are simply recognizing the reality of a social construct. They should recognize, however, that criticism of culture can be foolish, justified, or irrelevant -- but the accusation of "racism" is an improper defence.

1937. Those who define themselves by skin colour or race are unwise: they invite others to do the same -- and legitimize the principle. Defining people on the basis of unalterable characteristics is the folly of racism. In theory, criticizing people for something they can't change is stupid. In practice, the word "racism" becomes an unanswerable defensive accusation -- one which precludes legitimate criticism of culture, and ensures the persistence, rather than the amelioration, of cultural differences.  

1936. Those who prattle on about equity, diversity, and inclusion believe they are offering solutions. In fact, they are symptoms of a problem -- the refusal to acknowledge the necessity of competition, and to recognize the legitimate claims of merit and competence.

1935. Co-operation is not an end in itself -- it is a strategic device in the competitive tool-box.

1934. Every society will seek to modify the law of the jungle -- to mitigate the extremes of competition which threaten social cohesion and co-operation. The great error is to believe that competition can be banished in an egalitarian utopia -- since it is the beating heart of the evolutionary process -- the necessary and persistent wellspring of all progress.   

1933. The claim that all men are equal is nonsense -- but often repeated -- because fantasy flatters, and the truth hurts.

1932. The idea that all men are created equal is nonsense -- and everybody knows it. That the claim is repeated so often shows the degree to which self-esteem can be bolstered with the mere signal of virtue -- the promulgation of an egalitarian lie -- rather than from the practice of virtue itself -- a careful adherence to truth.

1931. The claim of victims for compensation will always be viewed in the light of the degree to which they are considered responsible for their own misfortune.

1930. The pretence of multiculturalism is that all cultural values are compatible. This assumption is a deliberate signalling of virtue: it puts egalitarian delusions ahead of obdurate facts -- and ensures social conflict. Look at Europe.

1929. We are all tribal. Tribal antagonism based on race or skin colour ensures that no tensions can be resolved -- since no change in either is possible. Tribal conflict based on culture has the potential for resolution -- but no one should think that incompatible values can be wished away: when values are antithetical, there can be no peace without a victory. When race and culture overlap -- keeping the necessary distinctions is difficult. Most have not even taken the first step of recognizing the difference.

1928. Groups who seek redress on the basis of "justice of being" may find that proclamations of equality are cheap -- and that in a crunch -- considerable emphasis is placed on conformity and competence.

1927. The justice of function values competition -- it is the law of the jungle. The justice of being pretends to equality -- a state wherein all are rewarded regardless of merit. Civilized justice requires some middle path -- but there is no  map currently on file.

1926. Those who seek social justice should be aware of the two extremes -- the justice of function -- which rewards speed, strength, determination, and cunning -- and the justice of being -- which rewards all just for "being" there. The first is the law of the jungle -- which must be modified to gain the benefits of social co-operation. The second is a socialist fantasy -- which ensures dysfunction, de-humanization, and despair.

1925. Affirmative action policies show disdain for the principle of equality of opportunity -- which allows merit to triumph -- in favour of equality of result -- which assumes that competence is irrelevant.

1924. In the temple of infinite tolerance, there is no distinction between good and evil -- between devil's curse and angel's prayer. 

1923. Evil is most successful when it poses as virtue.

1922. Religion is an imaginative construct -- a work of art, if you will -- but it differs from other narratives in its social impact. It gives hope of resurrection, salvation, and ultimate justice. It comforts with an anthropocentric view of an otherwise alien or even hostile universe. It soothes with repetition and communal ritual. Because it claims divine origin, it insulates itself -- and believers -- from mere mortal criticism. These elements create a powerful mythic cultural glue which enhances social unity -- and which -- historically -- has enabled tribal survival.

At the heart of its power lies certainty -- which is both its inspirational strength and its moral weakness: while inspiring faith with claims of infallibility and moral purity -- it allows the commission of unconscionable evils in its promulgation and defence. Reason requires that, in the absence of evidence, religion should deny certainty -- but this is like asking the dictator to renounce power, the charlatan to proclaim his deceptions, the predator to give warning to its prey.

1921. Many bad ideas wear the sheen of virtue.

1920. Faith is the foundation stone of fanaticism.

1919. Faith is the root -- fanaticism the flower.

1918. Unfortunately, faith is the first step on the road to fanaticism.

1917. We are urged to grasp and cherish each moment -- to make it "count" -- as if life should be an anxiety of tabulations. What we actually cherish -- in retrospect -- are the times of oblivious content and happy inattention.

1916. Perspective is crucial. Just as a dictator -- unopposed -- begins to believe in his own infallibility -- so dictatorial regimes -- which easily bully and bamboozle their citizens -- begin to believe that other countries can be treated with similar disdain. The two errors are related -- but the second is likely to be corrected first.

1915. One of life's little ironies: those who strive for "equality" discover how competitive a process it is.

1914. Those who claim to strive for equality usually have someone (themselves) or some group (their group) at whose superiority they would not entirely be dismayed.

1913. Competition -- not equality -- is what makes the world go 'round.

1912. The inarticulate nincompoop is never a threat -- he is easily identified and dismissed. Far more dangerous is the articulate, plausible, virtue-signalling nincompoop -- who may convince you to share in his stupidity.

1911. Life is a jigsaw puzzle with many pieces missing and the configuration subject to change. The answer is neither to despair nor pretend -- obsessively -- to a solution which is not there -- and try to coerce others into belief. It is necessary to be satisfied with modest improvements that provide clarity in the moment.

1910. Those who claim to seek equality of outcome are not to be trusted. Their real aim is a degree of improvement which excludes neither triumph nor revenge.

1909. Racism is a bad thing -- except when sponsored by government. Then it becomes the white rose of virtue.

1908. The currently fashionable signalling of virtue: The past can be re-written, and a new crystal palace can be built. Human beings can be transformed into the apparently perfect but lifeless figures of an egalitarian crystal menagerie.

1907. A twist on Voltaire: Those who believe absurdities have no bar to the commission of atrocities.

1906. Capitalism allows for the alignment of self interest and societal prosperity. In the hope of greater societal prosperity, socialism denies self-interest, and achieves social misery. The honey of self-interest works better than the vinegar of coercion.

1905. Just as individuals balance self-interest and tribal loyalty, so societies must adjudicate the tension between individual desires and the common good. 

1904. Governments want a compliant citizenry; citizens want a compliant government.

1903. The Crystal Palace Paradox: The societal crystal palace requires a sacrifice of freedom -- a degree of conformity -- which renders it uninhabitable by actual human beings. The oppressions required in its construction herald and guarantee failure. The paradox applies to socialism, the multicultural paradise, world government, and the great reset.

1902. Schemes for utopian societies -- crystal palaces -- will always founder on the fact that human beings will cherish an amount of freedom which exceeds the degree of conformity required.

1901. "Nobody left behind" expresses the pious hope of inclusion. But if no one is left behind, there can be no one forging ahead. Every race will end with an equality of mediocrity.

1900. Mindless virtue-signalling is widely admired; realistic assessments -- lacking the required elements of optimism and fantasy -- are widely ignored.

1899. The great Catch - 22 of the human condition: a casual approach to the achievement of ideal virtues is condemned -- but ideal virtues are unattainable -- and an eager pursuit leads inevitably to oppression and moral failure.

1898. Tolerance is subject to excess -- an excess which leads to the failure to distinguish between good and evil. (See #1813 -- "Tolernuts")

1897. It is currently fashionable to excuse behaviour on the grounds of an unfortunate background. This assumes that human beings are automatons that can be programmed for life, but it ignores the possibility that people can be influenced to improve and meet the expectations of others. Whether there is "free will" -- in a theoretical sense -- or not -- the assumption is foundational to the practical functioning of society.  

1896. Diversity is not an end in itself -- it is a strategy to enhance the odds of survival -- the survival of the fittest. Diversity which leads to irreconcilable division -- paralysis -- is not helpful.

1895. Every impulse toward perfection should be tempered by an awareness of the law of diminishing -- and potentially negative -- returns.

1894. Revolutions, once begun, are stopped not by reason, but by necessity.

1893. Pretense is the foundation stone of political correctness; deception is in its breath; dishonesty is at its core.
 

November 1, 2020. End of eleventh year of Observations
 

1892. In the end, the world values competence over victimhood. Only in a perverse alternative universe would all creatures seek failure and death over survival and success.

1891. The politically correct revel in the size and sear of their bonfires; they care little whether the anguished screams come from witches or truth-tellers falsely accused.

1890. Of course there should be a God -- just as you should be rich, famous, respected, and good-looking. But comforting fantasies about alternative universes are poor guides to the real one.

1889. Multiculturalism and socialism are both examples of radical innovations which cannot survive the environmental test of tribal realities. They require a complete re-engineering of human nature.

1888. To understand human societies we need no lessons beyond those which evolution provides. Change is the essence of life, and change is a competitive process -- equality is unknown because it requires stasis. Evolution achieves radical change with incremental steps which are the result of the interplay between innovation and conformity. A mutation is tested against the conformity demanded by the environment. Those which pass the test may be adopted if they are competitively advantageous; the rest fail. As the environment changes, so does the viability of any particular innovation. So it is in societies. All tribes are essentially conformist -- for too much diversity would be chaotic and destructive. Against this conformity progress is made -- not by achieving equality -- but through small changes -- ideas which arise and are tested for survival in the social climate. Once again --as the tribal environment changes, so ideas -- once impossible -- may become embedded in a new conformity.

1887. Human society invariably contains notions in constant opposition, dichotomies not ultimately amenable to resolution. The first notion is the desire for a co-operative egalitarian harmony; the second notion recognizes an obdurate truth: the essence of life is competitive change -- the pursuit of unequal outcomes -- and some things, ideas, and people will always be considered better than others. 

1886. Religion represents an early imaginative explanation of the workings of the universe and a powerful tribal glue considered -- usefully -- too "sacred" for criticism. As more facts about the universe have been discovered, a significant dichotomy has appeared -- between the still tribally entranced and the newly freed -- whose thinking has sensibly advanced.  

1885. The political power of the left rests on the existence of a dependent populace. It has a significant incentive to provide more free stuff, and decrease free choice wherever possible.

1884. The human condition is sufficiently imperfect that calls for revolution will always get a sympathetic hearing. Those who favour evolution may be disdained for their caution -- but evolution has an impressive track record.

1883. A modest proposal for the grand scheme: Try to make it seem that the human race is worth preserving.

1882. Too many are ready to signal virtue -- when the real, viable choice is a lesser evil.

1881. The left is much given to sound-good mantras – the signalling of virtue. It obviates the need for thinking about where real virtue lies -- for dealing with the complications of the real world.

1880. Aldous Huxley said that in the efficient totalitarian state, the slaves would love their servitude; Robert Frost said freedom arises from being easy in your harness. Capitalism enslaves with material rewards for a relatively free expression of competitive self-interest -- but does not address unequal results. The socialist harness appeals to an ideal of co-operative "equality" -- but requires sacrifice -- it minimizes choice and reward. The Chinese social credit system attempts to meld the two by giving material rewards for pre-determined standards of tribal co-operation.  

1879. Harmony purchased at the expense of truth and freedom is like the smile on the Devil's face.

1878. The vulnerability of compassion is the failure to distinguish between genuine misfortune and dangerous stupidity.

1877. The truth is often impolite.

1876. Beware of those who promise equality: the attempt to provide what cannot exist guarantees hardship and misery.

1875. Socialism promises equality, delivers slavery.

1874. What appears to be a racial antagonism will be found to have a cultural root.

1873. Race does not matter; culture does.

1872. Those who seek to destroy the past are attempting to alter reality;  they pretend that the present is rootless, exempt from causality. But the past is a guide to both the potential -- and the limitations -- of human nature. A future conceived on the basis of wishful thinking is doomed: if you do not understand the cause of a problem, your solution will compound rather than cure.

1871. Multiple Cake Syndrome -- the desire to have one's cake and eat it, too -- to pretend that things mutually exclusive are actually compatible -- may be considered a reliable constant in the lexicon of human psychology.

1870. There can be no grand scheme of moral principles -- since moral decisions are calculated on the basis of experience -- which -- by definition -- changes with time. The decision that seems reasonable in one context may be unreasonable in another. 

1869. The morality of the universe is entirely utilitarian. Survival is the chief good. Human societies appear to modify the utilitarian approach by proclaiming the values of justice, equality, and the sanctity of human life. But the motivation is still tribal survival, and may still be described as utilitarian. If there is a society that chooses self-destruction to uphold a principle, the suggestion is that the principle is unsustainable.

1868. What the atheist asks is the ability to describe things as the evidence suggests, and to respond in a rational fashion.  Speculations about how things came to be -- no matter how interesting -- lack an evidentiary basis and are ultimately irrelevant to daily life. Speculations about how things should be -- the conduct of society -- these are the subjects of moral philosophy. Religion -- which claims both a human-like originator and a detailed knowledge of his moral conclusions -- is fantasy posing as fact -- and should be valued accordingly.

1867. Evolution proceeds by combining innovation with conformity. Something new is introduced -- but it must conform to the requirements for survival in a particular environment. So too, must societies progress. Innovation is needed -- but it cannot be so radical that it is unable to survive in the existing context. The term "revolution" suggests its fatal flaw: a radical change -- unsupported by existing social norms -- cannot succeed.

1866. When you try to exchange reality for wishful thinking, reality can be surprisingly vindictive.

1865. Quoting those of prominence to support your argument -- the appeal to authority -- is a pretty cheap trick. You can probably find someone of equal prominence with an opposing view. We confess -- we do it all the time. Sometimes integrity must defer to efficacy.

1864. The primary goal of signalling virtue is not to achieve virtue -- but to enhance reputation.

1863. The egalitarian/globalist dream is of universal cultural compatibility. The truth is that the caste system is not compatible with judging people on their merits; laws against blasphemy are not compatible with freedom of speech; and  a belief in the supremacy of religion is not compatible with the democratic notion of the importance of the will of the people.

1862. No one talks about the equality of the apple and the peach -- they are valued for different characteristics. How lucky they are not to be Mr. Apple and Ms. Peach.

1861. Religious hypotheses are unverifiable by the living -- the only "evidence" is ancient personal assertion -- or mythic "facts" woefully lacking in credibility.  But fantasy is its own protection: it is a unifying realm beyond the fractious quibbles of intellect. Religion provides a sense of certainty, assures moral superiority, and comforts believers with a sense of community through repeated shared rituals. We should never underestimate the power of stupidity that is reassuringly communal.

1860. Laughter arises from the sudden, triumphant perception of incongruity. The incongruity must be consistent with emotional detachment. (cf. #970)

1859. People are -- naturally -- reluctant to accept that you cannot have all goods in equal measure at the same time. If you want more equality -- you will have less liberty; if feelings are to be protected, you will have to ignore facts; if inclusivity is most important, you will have to abandon standards. Those who insist that square pegs are compatible with round holes are called idealists by fools and fools by realists.   

1858. Political correctness -- which puts feelings ahead of facts -- ensures that the factual basis of real problems can never be discussed: problem solving defers to the rhetorical signalling of virtue. The assumption of equality -- the foundational stone of political correctness -- means that inequalities of outcome are invariably seen as the result of insufficiencies of accommodation rather than inadequacies of input.

1857. Gods are created for our purposes -- to do our bidding. They are used to terrify, to justify, and to explain. Consistency is not a requirement. Sometimes we expect a god to be a beneficent purveyor of egalitarian mercy -- a comforting emotional haven -- a refuge from the real world. That world, of course, is simply the outcome and embodiment of the evolutionary principles of ruthless competition and necessary murder -- it is the very world he is assumed to have knowingly created in the first place. 

1856. Utopian dreams are invariably constrained by the real limitations of human nature. Human nature is the result of a process primarily competitive -- not egalitarian.

1855. Those who seek to destroy one hierarchy will invariably create another. The form is vulnerable -- not the concept; hierarchy is intrinsic to all existence.

1854. It's a disappointment to egalitarians -- but there are actually three certainties: death, taxes, and hierarchy.

1853. Political correctness always involves a distortion of reality -- it is a deliberate attempt to put lipstick on the snout of a truth which might offend someone. Because of its focus on feelings -- sentiments -- rather than facts -- it may be seen as a "sentimentalization" of reality. Political correctness goes beyond occasional tact and discretion -- it involves a consistent -- and ultimately dangerous -- dishonesty. 

1852. The human condition will always be unsatisfactory -- since the battle between pleasant fantasies and hard realities can have no final resolution.

1851. The curmudgeon does not have all the right answers; however, his skeptical stance gives him a good insight into the wrong ones.

1850 The price of  tidiness is eternal fussing.

1849. Language is the crystallization of human thought -- and written language allows for the most careful, polished, complex, and unfiltered version of the human voice.

1848. The most lasting thing about any individual is evidence of mind -- and the written word allows for the most interesting and profound articulations of ideas and portrayals of the human experience. 

1847. Happiness is an elusive target -- it can be hit only unexpectedly -- with arrows aimed elsewhere.

1846. To aim for happiness ensures failure; happiness is not a target, but the by-product of interest, purpose and engagement -- the achievement of some other goal.

1845. The desire to appear broadminded is vulnerable to the "tolerance trap." The more generously broadminded you wish to appear, the more outlandish, absurd -- and even immoral -- are the people and ideologies of which you must approve.

1844. In an age devoted to the signalling of virtue -- rather than determining where virtue actually lies -- it is wise -- in making public statements -- not to allow one's judgment to be clouded by facts.

1843. Political correctness is a perfidious virus -- a pathogen of the intellect which manifests as a pandemic of pathetic stupidity.

1842. We live with monsters, dream of angels. The monsters are change, inequality. competitive struggle, and capitalism. The angels are perfection, equality, ordered ease, and socialism. The monsters can -- to some extent -- be tamed for social respectability -- but not slain -- since they are inseparable from the energy that is life. The attempt to breathe life into angels may appear noble, but it creates evils greater than those we already bear.

1841. Some people appear to believe that equality of opportunity will lead to equality of result -- which serves to show the fragility of the line between hopefulness and stupidity.

1840. It is often said one cannot serve two masters. When choosing between equality and excellence, it should be noted that one offers better working conditions; the other pays higher wages.

1839. Belief in nonsense can be a powerful force. The lack of facts and logic requires an over-compensation in steely stubbornness and desperate determination.

1838. Those who see the world as they think it should be get blindsided by the world as it is.

1837. The line between idealism and stupidity is often imperceptible.

1836. Equality -- like handsome -- should be judged not as it appears -- but as it does. It does a lot of stupid things.

1835. Equality bleats like a sheep -- but devours like a wolf. Some things are better than others -- and the failure to make moral distinctions -- the failure to reward good or discourage evil -- ensures a moral dystopia.  

1834. Egalitarians make the fallacious claim that people should be respected for who they are. But people should earn -- or lose -- respect -- according to what they do. Moral neutrality is highly immoral.

1833. An acceptance of reality can be remarkably freeing. Once you can say that equality is not in the blueprint of nature, and that political correctness is a dangerous sentimentalization of reality, you can come -- with great relief -- to conclusions formerly forbidden -- considered unkind, anti-social, immoral, and disruptive.  

1832. Multiculturalism -- based on the idea that all cultures are equally worthy and inherently compatible -- is not realistic. A policy of accepting immigrants from different cultures is viable -- as long as there is an understanding that cultural values can be antithetical, and necessary accommodations must be made by immigrants -- not by the inhabitants of the country of destination. 

1831. We yearn for meaning -- but all we get is experience.

1830. Man yearns for freedom, knowledge, and wisdom. Wisdom is the most elusive -- a recognition of the attainable -- a river of quicksilver running an irregular course between the unsatisfactory and the ideal.

1829. Ideals are tools with very sharp blades -- useful when used precisely, and with care -- dangerous and potentially fatal in the wrong hands -- or in the wrong context.

1828. "Diversity" and "inclusivity" are buzzwords rooted in the notion of equality. Diversity -- often held up as a desirable goal -- assumes diverse elements are equally worthy; inclusivity -- similarly -- assumes that everybody included is equally competent. In fact, diversity can lead to dangerous divisions -- and inclusivity suggests that standards and merit are irrelevant. Who wants to drive over a bridge constructed by an "inclusive" group of builders who have no knowledge of engineering principles -- and who have widely "diverse" opinions about its load-bearing capacity?

1827. Socialists would refute King Canute: they believe that success against the tide of history is possible. 

1826. During the Obama presidency, it was thought students should be held to account differently -- according to their backgrounds; thus, it would appear that there was no link between troublemakers and culture. It is extraordinary how stupid people become when they decide to ignore reality,  and subscribe to a "preferred narrative."

1825. Democracy assumes the existence of a knowledgeable and intellectually competent electorate. Socialist educational policies -- which value "equality" rather than accomplishment -- help to create exactly the kind of gullible population which socialism needs to achieve its "egalitarian" -- but oppressively authoritarian -- "utopia."

1824. Be optimistic -- and hope for the best -- for, as Dr. Johnson  observed, "Hope is necessary in every condition." That's the easy part. The hard part is avoiding the abyss of gullibility -- being alert -- and knowing when to switch to plan "B." If you don't have a plan "B," you've already slipped over the edge.  

1823. There is an unbridgeable gulf between utopia and the here and now:  Here -- the man with no legs will never win the footrace -- and no compensation will meet the demands of ideal justice and perfect mercy.

1822. There is an indelible wound in the human condition: In the reality of struggle -- with the fact of intrinsic disparities -- we dream of perfect ease and universal equality. To settle for less suggests a pact with the devil -- but the determined pursuit of unattainable perfection leads -- paradoxically but inevitably -- to oppression and moral failure.

1820. The difference between a genuine virtue and a false one may be a matter of degree: most virtues, carried to excess, become oppressive, harmful, and counter-productive. As Alexander Pope observed in the 18th century: the difference is too nice / Where ends the virtue or begins the vice.

1819. The worship of false virtues paves the way for evil. False virtues include the extremes of "diversity," "inclusivity," "multiculturalism," "equality," and "tolerance."

1818. It is currently fashionable to suppress the truth in favour of harmony. But such bargains usually end with the Devil unscathed, and everything else in flames.

1817. Islam is often defended on the grounds that only extremists commit evil in its name. The absurdity of that defense is exposed by the fact that entire countries -- which claim to abide by Islamic principles -- embrace disgraceful oppressive evils. Iran hangs gays, Pakistan has the death penalty for blasphemy, and in Saudi Arabia, stoning and beheading are punishments for adultery, apostasy, and witchcraft.

1816. Canada's Motion 103 is an example of Tolernaziism. In the interests of tolerance, it suggests that the deficiencies of Islam should remain hidden -- by classifying any criticism as hate speech.

1815. Tolernaziism: The condemnatory stance and oppressive measures taken by those who believe that the equality of things justifies undiscriminating tolerance -- or tolernuts. It is the moral failure implicit in the refusal to make moral distinctions and value judgments. (An example of condemnatory stance would be Trudeau's outrage that honour killings should be termed "barbaric." An example of an oppressive measure would be the Austrian law which criminalizes the "disparagement of religious precepts" -- since some religious precepts are clearly cruel and harmful.)    

1814. "Tolernazi:" One who embraces, exhibits, or exemplifies tolernuts.

1813. "Tolernuts:" A tolerance to excess which assumes the equality of all things, and therefore refuses to make moral distinctions or value judgments. It results, paradoxically, in intolerance of any attempt to discriminate on moral grounds, or to claim that some things are better than others, and thus may be said to enable evil, and champion absurdity.    

1812. Beneath the mask of equality -- the hidden truth -- the silent, grinning skull of stasis.

1811. Speech is free -- until it contradicts a particularly cherished illusion.

1810. By placing the protection of feelings over the criticism of evil, political correctness has distorted the moral compass; it pretends to virtue, but enables vice.

1809. The great moral failure of the age is reflected in the determination to see the world not as it is -- but as it "should" be -- or as it suits a preferred narrative.

1808. Art and agenda are an uneasy mix. The murder mystery -- the crime drama -- may be fiction -- but are most satisfying when they respect the realities of human motivation and emotion. Political correctness represents the determined attempt to lie about the human condition --and a politically correct character -- designed to represent a distortion of humanity -- will never be convincing.  

1807. Political correctness sets its path without regard to any moral compass: it will deliberately ignore evil in order to protect feelings.

1806. The great sin of political correctness is that it refuses to recognize evil -- and thus allows it to flourish.

1805. Political correctness must bear the shame of the evils it dares not address.

1804. Hatred is now so widely deplored that we must conclude that it has become unnecessary -- since perfection of the human condition has now, at last -- thankfully -- been achieved. Either that -- or a great deal of evil is, with deliberate intent, being scandalously ignored.

1803. If the path to the Palace of Wisdom were clear and unequivocal, there would be less echo in the corridors.

1802. Islam -- like everything else -- should be judged not on its claims of virtue -- but on its achieved results. Few seem anxious to escape secular democracies in order to experience the delights of Islamic theocracies.

1801. Islam is as Islam does.

1800. Being kind to people with bad ideas -- is just another bad idea.

1799. It's nice to be alive and wriggling! Kicking at this age might attract the attention of a bucket.

1798. The most dangerous intellectual malady in the world today is Multiple Cake Syndrome -- the belief that you can have your cake and eat it too -- that irreconcilable opposites are comfortably compatible. You cannot have any of the following: competitions in which everybody wins;  honesty and unhurt feelings; truth and political correctness; success measured by degrees of victimhood; absolute mercy and perfect justice; open borders and national sovereignty; multiculturalism and national unity; unlimited diversity and social cohesion; inclusivity and standards of competence;  freedom of speech and laws against blasphemy; a secular society which defers to religious superstitions. Finally-- you cannot achieve the most cherished and delectable of confusions -- you cannot recognize the simple fact of the real world -- that some things are better than others -- and yet proclaim that all individuals, groups, cultures, and religions are equal.   

1797. There is the world of infantile delusions and adolescent fantasies -- and the world of hard choices and adult responsibilities. One world is liberal, the other is conservative.

1796. There is the world of infantile delusions and adolescent fantasies -- and the world of hard choices and adult responsibilities. You cannot live in both; if you think you can live in both, you are having an adolescent fantasy.

1795. Those who claim not to be "Islamophobes" should be asked two defining questions: Would you be willing to burn a Koran in a public street in Pakistan? Why not?

1794. Truth is often sacrificed at the altar of Harmony. The great danger is that Harmony remains disdainful and elusive -- and the Truth, re-discovered, brought back to life, takes a terrible revenge.

1793. Political correctness represents the fairy godmother approach to reality; as such its principles and practices should be the exclusive preserve of card-carrying  members of the Fairy Godmothers' Kool-Aid Collective.

1792. Political correctness is a distillation of sentimentality -- it refuses to recognize the boundary between the pleasantly desirable and the actually attainable -- between fantasy and fact.

1791. Political correctness -- which places feelings before facts -- is an attempt to sentimentalize human experience.

1790. Religious certainty: an ancient mountain range of complacent superstition -- much eroded by the elements -- the scourings of doubt, investigation, and truth. Of course -- a rocky archipelago remains -- teeming with determined limpet believers --  but the tides of science, knowledge, and social realism continue to encroach, and, persistently, rise.

1789. Those claiming victim status may merit our sympathy -- but there is danger in undue compensation. Victimhood should not become a strategy for success -- but a circumstance to be remedied by accomplishment.

1788. No society will improve if governments -- and citizens -- persist in claiming that there is no hierarchy in cultural worthiness.

1787. The natural world is cruel and competitive; the ideal world merciful and egalitarian. The civilized world is a utilitarian compromise. The key word is "utilitarian:" civilization cannot survive either extreme: the imperative of competition, or the fantasy of equality.

1786. Wisdom and feel-goodery live in different neighbourhoods -- usually galaxies apart.

1785. Perfection is incompatible with change -- and hence with the pulse of life.

1784. Those obsessed with diversity seem remarkably uniform in their opinion that it is an end in itself. They forget that diversity is a means -- it provides a wide pool of possibilities from which strength may be derived -- by selection of the most useful, viable alternatives. Diversity for its own sake suggests infinite division -- a descent into chaos.  

1783. How long can the adaptive imperative be ignored: to what extent -- and for how long -- should a "subsistence" culture be freely subsidized with the amenities common in industrial societies? When is kindness a cruelty in disguise?  

1782. The Indian reserve reflects the egalitarian socialist/communist model. No one owns property -- and so no one has an incentive to maintain what is the responsibility of "the state" to fix. Similarly, only handouts -- not work -- are essential for survival. What the model overlooks is the very essence of life -- the timeless struggle for improvement -- the achievement of unequal outcomes. A successful overcoming of obstacles instils confidence and develops skills -- but "equality" means stasis -- and dependency erodes the soul. It is little wonder that remote reserves -- lacking economically viability -- bereft of challenge and purpose -- sink into a miasma of suicide and despair.

1781. By holding that feelings are more important than facts, political correctness suggests a radical distortion of the moral compass. The conclusion: "I am angry; therefore I am right," sounds perfectly reasonable.

1780. Two new additions to the popular lexicon: (a) thunberg, verb: 1. to scold with self-righteous sanctimony. 2. to preach pretentiously about matters of which your knowledge is limited or non-existent.
                                                                               (b) thunberger, noun: 1. immature, ignorant, twerp. 2. one who preaches or scolds authoritatively and sanctimoniously about theories speculative and unproven. 3. phony.

1779. Liberals are always admired for their noble intentions; their disastrous results are always excused on the grounds of unusual circumstance and exceptional bad luck. Conservatives, on the other hand -- who are only elected in times of desperation and despair -- are roundly condemned for their uninspiring realism, and are considered exceptionally fortunate when they avoid the chaos that their policies clearly portend.

1778. We live in a world of sows' ears, and should strive to make serviceable wallets. The silk purse is the song of Sirens -- it promises delight, but delivers destruction.

1777. The bad news is that neither mankind nor society is perfectible. The good news is that improvements are possible. The moral is that we should focus on the useful, rather than strive for the impossible -- which invariably makes things worse.

1776. The idea that the legitimacy of government derives from religion cannot be reconciled with the notion that it depends upon the will of the people. The idealists -- those who believe it can -- would be willing purchasers of a unicorn ranch on the Big Rock Candy Mountain.

1775. Illusions, while necessary -- like other drugs -- need rigorous testing for safety and efficacy.

1774. The Canadian diet -- long on fantasy, short on reality -- has had the expected result: Cultural Derangement Syndrome. We are now more than half in love with the easeful death of cultural and economic suicide. 

1773. High intelligence often overlooks the lowdown of common sense.

1772. Knowledge and wisdom are often very distant relatives.

1771. Everyone should be required to play squash. Any fantasies about the egalitarian nature of existence would be obliterated. The cruel competitive realities of failure and success would become evident -- and the utter ruthlessness bred into the human heart would become abundantly manifest. This would lead -- in many -- to a sobering re-assessment of the underlying realities of the human condition. (Compulsory military service might be an acceptable substitute.)

1770.  "Diversity" is strength only when the "diverse" people have a uniform conception about important things -- like truth and justice, and a common devotion to pursuing them. Otherwise, it can be debilitating, divisive, and destructive. Diversity, unbridled and untethered, is a steed called chaos.

1769. The man of infinite tolerance is mere façade -- a mannequin  with a moral vacuum at the core.

1768. The man who is tolerant of stupidity and evil is the guardian of stupidity and the enabler of evil.

1767. Political correctness represents the three monkey approach to reality: assuming that everything and everyone is equally worthy -- it refuses to see, hear, or speak of the "evil" of hierarchy. Reality, when ignored, can be surprisingly vindictive.

1766. The human condition guarantees trouble. Sometimes you will get into trouble for lying; at other times you will get into trouble for failing to lie -- outrageously ignoring the expectations of the times.

1765. Every dream of Utopia is subverted by the nightmare fact: some things are better than others. Inequality is the bite of every paradisal apple -- it ensures that community will be diluted by competitive struggle, and that contentment will be marred by the cruel but inevitable distinction between failure and success. 

1764. There is no success without struggle; otherwise it's called good fortune.

1763. The temper of the times: good intentions and virtue signalling are more important than realism and results.

1762. The reduction of inequality has, arguably, led to less division and violence in society; the pursuit of equality, however, illustrates the operation of law of diminishing  returns.

1761. Every virtue is subject to the law of diminishing returns.

1760. Tolerance walks a knife edge of virtue; one one side -- the chasm of gullibility -- on the other -- the abyss of self-serving sanctimony.

1759. When tolerance excuses evil, the Devil rejoices.

1758. People would rather run with the herd -- even if it is wrong -- than risk getting trampled by championing the truth.

1757.

1756. The God hypothesis -- a patriarchal and very human alpha male as Creator-in-Chief -- seems weak -- but perhaps understandable among primitive tribes with few facts and active imaginations. When the theory is embellished and developed by religions -- which suggest that God -- managing his vast universe -- or universes -- has nothing better to do than anguish about the affairs of mankind -- and that certain special, chosen human beings know exactly what he is thinking -- "absurdity" and "idiocy" are words  insufficient to the descriptive challenge.

1755. Human beings yearn for moral perfection -- you can call it "social justice," if you like. But reality insists on compromise -- the equivalent of moral failure. This explains why frustration and disappointment are ineradicable threads in the fabric of human existence.

1754. Civilization represents the successful exchange of some individual liberty for the advantages of tribal security and tribal co-operation. Socialism is a trap which overlooks the law of diminishing returns: at a certain point the sacrifice of liberty is destructive, and "civilization" becomes indistinguishable from slavery.

1753. The record of socialism is unblemished: it invariably transforms good intentions into disastrous results.

1752. The problem of socialism is the problem of human gullibility.

1751. God -- the be-all and end-all of the universe; how can he avoid the character flaw of immodesty?

1750. If God wanted to show us he's really there -- smart, caring, and an all round great guy to boot -- you'd think he could have hit on something a little less gruesome than the crucifixion of a close relative.

1749. The atheist has no preconceptions -- he reads the text of the universe as it appears -- and there are no explanatory footnotes. It is the theist who proposes an explanation; thus, he must bear the burden of proof. That proof is invariably what somebody said a long time ago.

1748. Sweden is the canary in the multicultural coal mine.

1747. Immigration policies based on multicultural ideals -- the assumptions that tolerance represents the greatest good -- that all cultural ideas are of equal worth -- and that integrative pressure is an unseemly insult -- put the appearance of virtue over the real thing. Reality is unforgiving: honour killings and the death penalty for blasphemy are not the moral equivalents of gender equality and freedom of speech; no one should be surprised when the virtue of "multiculturalism" has unintended consequences: cultural erosion, division, and ultimately, violence. Sweden is the canary in the multicultural coal mine.

1746. While Jews represent only two percent of the population, they have received twenty-two percent of Nobel Prizes. Obviously, affirmative action policies are desperately needed. The Nobel committees should immediately stop selecting recipients on the basis of the significance of their contribution to human affairs, and make awards based on lesser achievements -- but those which will more accurately suggest the equality of all races and cultures. 

1745. Creation involves destruction: you cannot have a new world without losing something of the old. Choosing a new world should be done with care.

1744. Welcoming large numbers of immigrants without trying to determine their interest in or capacity for integration no doubt bolsters a sense of virtuous egalitarianism. The practical results are likely to be unfortunate. 

1743. "Diversity" is simply "'equality" wearing pants of a different colour. Each rejects merit, competence, and suitability -- all of which suggest the anathema of hierarchy -- and each defers to the universal, undiscriminating welcome of "inclusivity."

1742. One of the unacknowledged attractions of climate alarmism is that it is a socially acceptable way of proclaiming moral purity; even better -- it permits unlimited contempt for "deniers."

1741. There is a powerful undercurrent of Puritanism in western culture. As religion has declined, moral disapproval is increasingly signalled through political correctness and environmental fanaticism.

1740. Without the "preferred narrative" -- the steady diet of lies -- liberals would be forced from the asylum and have to deal with reality -- just like everybody else.

1739. Religion has always been the "secret police" of human culture: God is the spy in the sky -- the omniscient and omnipotent enforcer of social norms.

1738. The chief concern of religion -- the most potent force in tribalism -- has always been power; its aim is to instil, as the mainspring of human action, the imagined preferences of the God or Gods. When behaviour is firmly premised on fantasy, it is resistant to reason, and is susceptible to manipulation by those who can most convincingly interpret the "desires" of Divinity.

1737. By holding that the greatest harm lies in the hurting of feelings, political correctness radically distorts the moral compass -- it precludes the recognition of evils far more profound. There is no better example than that of Mr. Trudeau, who expressed outrage that honour killings should be termed "barbaric" -- because it might make immigrants feel "defensive." The only immigrants who would be offended, of course, would be those who consider honour killings to be routine and acceptable. Thus, in his moral dystopia, Mr. Trudeau -- rather than upset the advocates and enablers -- would silence criticism of evil, and allow it to triumph.

1736. As John Stuart Mill noted, "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. " By making feelings sacrosanct, political correctness inhibits the criticism of evil, and allows it to flourish.

1735. Political correctness is all three monkeys, rolled into one: it refuses to see, hear or speak of evil. By refusing to recognize evil, it is powerless to advance the cause of good.

1734. People who oppose the hanging of gays, the death penalty for blasphemy, honour killings, and the assumption of gender inequality as a foundational cultural precept, are often, nonetheless, enthusiastic proponents of "cultural diversity." If they are politicians -- with the least hint of encouragement -- they are likely to proclaim such diversity as a source of strength. It would appear that political correctness and the compulsion to signal virtue are effective agents in turning the human brain into mush.
 

November 1, 2019 -- end of tenth year of Observations.
 

1733. Socialism  pretends that people will be satisfied with a co-operative "equality." It ignores the reality -- that the essence of life is the struggle for unequal outcomes -- that failure and success are necessary threads woven into the fabric of existence. By attempting to replace struggle with dependency, it destroys liberty and erodes the soul.

1732. Socialism offers two misleading benefits -- free stuff -- and freedom from individual responsibility. Both involve a reduction of choice. Free stuff is not necessarily what the citizen wants -- but only what the state is willing to provide.  If you do not have responsibility -- then you are dependent -- you lack the agency or capacity to improve your circumstances. The price of security is always liberty.

1731. Socialist schemes within non-socialist governments will always be characterized by inefficiency and coercion.

1730. The socialist impulse has an infected, totalitarian root: the vision of an egalitarian nirvana justifies any burden of human sacrifice. That is why the path of socialism leads to dictatorship.

1729.  The nobler the intention, the more nefarious are the enablements which it may excuse. That is why the effects of virtue -- rigorously pursued -- are indistinguishable from those of vice.

1728. All governments are monopolistic; periodic elections are the only means yet developed for modifying their totalitarian tendencies.

1727. A monopoly represents an imbalance of power -- and thus engenders arrogance,  degrades civility, and invites oppression.

1726. Competition is the seed of efficiency. It also forestalls the inevitable abuses of monopolistic power.

1725. Failure is baked into every cake destined for the Big Rock Candy Mountain.

1724. Politicians do not get elected by telling the truth -- but by blurring the line between fantasy and reality.

1723. When the inmates are in charge of the asylum, the sane man must choose between speaking the truth and claiming to be the King of Siam. Speaking the truth will ensure confinement in a padded cell; the King of Siam has a good chance of running the ward for the aspirationally delusional.

1722. As Margaret Thatcher observed: "The facts of life are conservative." It is perhaps not surprising, then, how often the fantasies and feel-gooderies of life turn out to be liberal.

1721. Evil is deliberate; stupidity, oblivious and optimistic, often lays claim to good intentions. The results are often indistinguishable.

1720. A benign dusting of good intentions seems to justify an avalanche of bad results.

1719. Power tends to corrupt -- and monopoly power utilities will treat you like dirt.

1718. Homo Sapiens is one of the most successful results of eons of competitive evolutionary struggle. It is interesting how unpopular success has now become, and how often failure is celebrated as a kind of moral triumph. Perhaps this represents, merely, a longing for our roots -- the untroubled egalitarian days of single-celled bliss. 

1717. When the world is an asylum, you have to become mad in order to give the appearance of sanity.

1716. The legitimate outcome of equality of opportunity is not equality of result -- but the reflection of unequal abilities, determinations, and happenstance.

1715. There is no moral compass which allows for the sacrifice of equality of opportunity to achieve the equality of result. (This is the immoral remedy of affirmative action schemes.)

1714. The development of varied, extraordinarily complex, conscious living creatures from inanimate matter is nothing less than miraculous. But there is nothing inherently moral about the process or the result. Most living creatures are caught up in a ruthless scheme of necessary murder -- and morality is a rather rare concept derived from the lives of a few of the most complex creatures who live in social groups. The great error of religion is to assume that what is miraculous must also be moral. It simply isn't.

1713. The abbreviated spelling of "idealist" is  "idiot."

1712. Practical people seek to manage hatred; fools try to banish it. Idealists believe it can be replaced with love.

1711. A lot of classical music is a fraud -- it is merely orderly noise -- devoid of soul and lacking in intelligence.

1710. What is the true nature of God? Does he weep when evils are committed in his name? Or does he respond with bemused intellectual detachment -- savouring the irony?

1709. Behold the chameleon -- tolerance! By turns, it is a generous empathetic sensitivity, a foolish appeasement, a mark of cowardice, a betrayal of principle, and an acquiescence to the most profound evil.

1708. It is a fatal flaw for religion to claim that it has all the answers. In the real world, things change -- including verifiable knowledge. Old speculative certainties run the risk of becoming new, obvious absurdities.

1707. Utopias are imaginary places defined by happy co-operation and untroubled consensus; real human beings tend to be competitive and fractious. The clay foot of every Utopian project is coercion.

1706. The man with no legs will not win the footrace. Jungle justice declares his failure to be final and complete; compassionate justice, obsessed with equality of outcome, says his reward should be no less than that of the most proficient runner. Civilized justice must find a middle ground between cruelty and stupidity.

1705. Successful self-reliance builds confidence; dependency erodes the soul. Socialism -- assuming that men would rather be dependent than confident -- erodes the soul.

1704. There can hardly be a more certain way of ensuring resentment against Muslims than by establishing penalties for criticizing their uncompromising and often hostile religion.

1703. So often, in politics, the choice is between the benign cruelty of conservatism and the destructive kindness of liberalism.

1702.  The appearance of animate matter, and its complex development to the triumph of consciousness, is an unfathomable, extraordinary, awe-inspiring mystery. Those who find "God" a tempting explanation should remember that the process is neither deliberate nor kind -- it is both cruel and blind.

1701. Altruism -- despite its claim -- is still, ultimately, the handmaiden of competitive societal advantage; the society which believes that competition -- with its callous distinction between failure and success -- can be replaced with egalitarian loving kindness -- will not survive. It will be superseded by those with a better understanding of reality.

1700. Wisdom lies in the acceptance of the perfectly correct amount of imperfection.

1699. "Virtue" is as "virtue" does.  Fine sentiments and noble intentions may be pleasing to the ear -- but real virtue is determined by practical results. What works is better than what sounds good.

1698. Once you assume that it is possible to arrange for the correct global temperature at the end of the century – you’ve already bought a meadow of unicorns on the Big Rock Candy Mountain.　

1697. Socialists do not realize that the essence of life is the struggle for unequal outcomes -- that the lifeblood of the human condition is the freedom to achieve success by overcoming adversity. They believe in a perennial perambulator of "equality" -- a doled-out baby formula of "security" -- and a level route designed to avoid the hills and valleys of reality. The effect is to ensure passivity and dependence -- to build a cage of incompetence and failure.

1696. Religion is a private, personal matter that should have no rôle in the framing of government legislation; nor should it appear as an element in the interaction between citizens and government representatives. Otherwise how is it possible to be assured of the distinction between democracy and theocracy?

1695. A government must be essentially secular -- or essentially religious: it cannot be both. It cannot claim to legislate on the basis of reason while allowing its employees to proclaim their superstitious preferences to the public during working hours. If a government wishes to endorse religion, it has a moral duty to citizens to explain exactly what religious beliefs lie at the heart of its deliberations. 

1694. Collective guilt -- with its concomitant -- collective victimhood -- are cures worse than the disease: they serve not to heal -- but to perpetuate -- old wounds.

1693. Do not seek perfection -- but reasonable compromise. Be uncompromising only in defence of what is reasonable.

1692. There is a natural tendency to seek tidy solutions to the difficulties of the human condition; the first step is to realize that there are no tidy solutions. Simple answers and ideal schemes are examples of the difficulties.

1691. Your view of religion will depend on how much you value truth, and how much you value strategies for avoiding it.

1690. When it comes to racism, every rake and shovel in the garden shed becomes a broomstick.

1689. Ideal schemes for human society always oversimplify -- they assume that men are mere piano keys -- rather than beings complex, varied, and uniquely different.

1688. To hold that men are equal is an insulting over-simplification -- it represents a false accusation of uniformity among beings complex, varied, and uniquely different.

1687. The curmudgeon may not have satisfactory solutions, but he appreciates -- instinctively -- the dangers of excessive enthusiasm.

1686. The purpose of co-operation is to gain a competitive advantage.

1685. You cannot serve two masters: if your devotion is firmly to truth, then feelings will bleed from its blade; if your concern is the protection of feelings, then truth must go beg in the streets.

1684. Space and time are necessary conditions for experience -- but entangled particles, and electrons of no fixed address, question their nature. "Experience" suggests consciousness -- something for which no one seems to have a convincing explanation. Is it like life itself, a potential of matter which arises from a particular organization -- and hence an implicit aspect of reality? We long for a world of plain facts, but must deal with a universe of puzzling uncertainties.

1683. Contrarian thinking -- no matter how sensible -- is, by definition, unpopular, and hence risky -- thus the socially prominent tend to be vulnerable to the pressures of orthodoxy. (Perhaps this accounts for the apparent relationship between celebrity and stupidity.)

1682. Liberal: big heart, empty head.

1681. Liberals like to advertise their big hearts; they worry less about revealing their empty heads.

1680. Human beings are happiest with groupthink: they would rather be wrong with the herd, than be right, but stand alone.

1679. Islam is both a religion and a political ideology. The reflexive response to religion in the West is that faith is sacrosanct;  thus, it is impossible to reject any political ideology -- no matter how subversive or incompatible -- as long as  it wears the mantle of religion. Idealists always suffer -- their failure to face reality allows it to stab them in the back.

1677. Political correctness -- the flatulence of feelings, the stench of rotting minds.

1676. The ideology of Islam -- as evidenced by countries such as Iran and Pakistan -- is not compatible with western democratic values. Immigration policy must attempt to separate the harmlessly misguided, who can adapt, from the dangerously committed, who will not. The current notion -- that such distinctions are irrelevant -- will have unfortunate consequences.

1675. Propaganda can be seductive, but Islam --"the religion of peace" -- is as Islam does. How many Islamic countries exist where dogma does not oppress -- where there is no stranglehold on freedoms taken for granted in the West?  

1674. Anarchism is a philosophy well suited to island jurisdictions where the human population is no greater than one.

1673. Sometimes hard choices must be made. Equality or merit? Compassion or justice? Political correctness or freedom? What sounds good or what works?

1672. The harmony purchased with lies is always nervous.

1671. It's fascinating to watch the good intentions of political correctness lead to the hell of timidity, stupidity, and oppression.

1670. Preponderance of Evidence

          Isn't it odd --
          This thing about God? --
          Brief sparks of benevolence
          Mid his routine malevolence.
       

1669. Political correctness values equality, and thus assures mediocrity.

1668. Every society should consider, carefully, the claims of excellence and the entreaties of equality. The choice is between meritocracy and mediocrity.

1667. Political correctness and the truth inhabit galaxies so far apart that no ray of light has yet completed the journey between them. 

1666. The great challenge of the modern age is to square the circle: to admit that some ideas are better than others, while pretending that all ideas -- and the people holding them -- are absolutely equal.

1665. God and the Devil are the same reality wearing different masks.  

1664. Virtue-signalling is the modern epidemic – and once you become convinced that you are on the side of the angels, any pact with the totalitarian devil can be justified. The truth of things – where virtue actually lies – such matters are irrelevant.

1663. Political correctness assumes that foundational truths are unnecessary: a stable social edifice can be built on the shifting sands of expedient dishonesty.

1662. Political correctness assumes the bridge to harmony can be constructed with a multiplicity of convenient lies.

1661. Equality is incompatible with change, and hence with the vicissitudes of existence. Climbing out of a real abyss is possible; reaching the top of an infinite mountain -- a mountain of equality -- is not.

1660. The kryptonite for equality is change.

1659. Both the terror and beauty of life are the function of impermanence.

1658. With respect to Islam, the bien pensants in the West have adopted a strategy which encapsulates a foundational principle: harmony can be purchased with dishonesty. As with all pacts with the devil,  the attractive bargain turns out to be less straightforward than it appears.

1657. A humorous cynicism is best -- when mindless cheerfulness has given way to guarded optimism -- and that, too, has failed -- it is better than the alternative of despair.

1656. In their spare time, government employees may legitimately attempt to transform lead into gold,  make moonbeams from cucumbers, or proclaim their religious beliefs. But references to such personal quirks are inappropriate in the workplace. In addition to being divisive or irrelevant, they can only serve to erode trust -- fragile at the best of times -- in the sanity and sobriety of government.   

1655. Of course government employees dealing with the public should not wear religious symbols -- any more than they should similarly proclaim their political affiliation, preferred sports teams, or sexual enthusiasms.

1654. The universe is ninety percent utilitarian, and ten percent inspiration and imagination. Both elements are crucial -- but ignoring the proportions is the road to ruin.

1653. Freedom from religion is more important than freedom of religion -- just as the right to peace and quiet must trump the right to play loud, repetitive, unpleasant music.

1652. Those who attempt to transcend the prejudices of their times will not be hailed for their heroism.

1651. We are tribal animals; thinking with the herd is part of our genetic legacy.

1650. It is not surprising that liberals favour the lowering of the voting age: they know the young are idealistic, and vulnerable to their stock-in-trade of attractive illusions.

1649. Tolerance extended to stupidity becomes a compounding device.

1648. Tolerance is only as virtuous -- or as evil -- as its object.

1647. Tolerance extended to evil loses its good name.

1646. Much evil is done in the name of virtue.

1645. Tolerance is a moral chameleon -- virtue or vice according to its place and direction.

1644. Self-perceived virtue can be dangerous; the tendency is to forget that every virtue, carried far enough, becomes a vice.

1643. The success of any society is determined by its geography -- the location -- and landscape of the mind: the ethos. The modern folly is to pretend that only location is important, and that all cultures are equal.

1642. Dream big -- but not stupid. (A re-statement of # 1641.)

1641. Dreams and desires are the inspirations to progress and fulfilment; suffering occurs when the inspiration is in disproportion to the perspiration needed and available.

1640. The egalitarian society is a utopian dream. There will always be elites of wealth, power, influence, talent, creativity, sophistication, and intellectual accomplishment. The goal should be that the barriers to success in any sphere be minimized.

1639. Man was not made for the planned egalitarian ease promised by socialism, but for the freedom and struggle inherent in capitalism. The cruel necessity of competitive struggle can be mitigated, but not abolished. That is why socialism -- which attempts to do so -- invariably tends towards dictatorship, and why remote, communal, government-funded Indian reserves are cultural disasters.

1638. True "freedom of religion" must include the freedom to follow any peaceful religion -- or to reject all religions.  Since it calls for the deaths of apostates and unbelievers, Islam is incompatible with freedom of religion, and is unsuitable in countries which hold that freedom dear.

1637. Theists are strong advocates of "freedom of religion" -- by which they mean the "freedom" of believers to subscribe to unlikely fantasies dressed up as dogma. They are less enamoured with the more important "freedom from religion" -- which requires that fantasies not claim to be facts.  

1636. All religions tend towards fanaticism -- the certain belief that only they have a true and detailed understanding of "God" -- a divinity suspiciously human -- but as intriguingly varied as the societies which have imagined him.

1635. The western world is engaged in a determined revision of the hierarchy of evils: intolerance is the greatest sin; guilt in any matter must be determined, not on the basis of principle, but according to a scale of relative inequality. Thus -- any evil committed in accordance with cultural tradition is justified -- and any crime is ameliorated according to the victim-group status of the perpetrator.

1634. It is not entirely surprising that lipstick has been applied some troubling, oppressive religious texts -- proclaiming the excuse of benign metaphor. But the proposition that a machine gun is really just a waffle-maker is always subverted by the term "machine gun" -- and by the persistence of those who insist on continuing to pull the trigger.

1633. Political correctness is a deceptive confectioner: with syrupy slatherings of feel-goodery, it presumes to hide the difference between dung and delicious.

1632. Reality -- the truth -- is sprawling, stubborn, contradictory, mysterious, and inconvenient. It cannot be tidily stuffed into the little boxes of religious dogma -- nor can it be agreeably housed in the brittle crystal palace of egalitarian socialist ideals.

1631. Arrogance always implies superficiality -- a lack of awareness -- a blindness to proportion -- a failure to think things through.

1630. The Green New Deal shows the intellectual bankruptcy of the Left; the proposer and supporters have a believability balance of zero; further applications for credit should be denied.

1629. Mr. Trudeau suffers from the "Angelical Fallacy" – he believes himself to be irrevocably on the side of the angels. The delusion can be fatal: victims believe that their virtuous ends – so undeniable and obvious – will justify all means – no matter how foolish or ignoble. Thus, they make irretrievable pacts with the devil.

1628. "Racism" is a sin quite oddly defined: the crime is not prejudicial generalization per se -- a positive attitude towards one group may be quite admirable -- just as may a negative generalization about another -- and "race" is sometimes irrelevant: cultural difference is the real topic.  The victim status of the group described is the sole determinant of the use of the term "racism."  

1627. "Hate crimes" tend to be uni-directional: a whisper of legitimate criticism in some directions is considered a crime; in another direction, slanderous exaggerations and contrived falsehoods are seen as unremarkable and entirely excusable.

1626. Victims are always one lap ahead in the race to sainthood.

1625. The New Zealand Imam said "Islamophobia kills." But -- so does Islam -- and Islam came first.

1624. Political correctness requires people to ignore what they know to be true, and profess "acceptable" lies. It represents the real-life attempt to establish "thoughtcrimes."

1623. The attempt to create the crystal people needed for the "egalitarian" crystal palace of socialism is intrinsically oppressive; socialism invariably veers towards dictatorship.

1622 Socialism and political correctness are both based on ideal, egalitarian visions of reality; they are both oppressive in the real world.

1621. Every ideal has an inner jackboot.

1620. To get anywhere, an ideal concept requires some size of jackboot.

1619. Inside every committed idealist is an authoritarian, screaming to get out.

1618. Within every ideal there lurks a totalitarian heart.

1617. Ideal worlds are both unattainable and unforgiving; the attempts to construct them are invariably oppressive.

1616. Ideals are absolutes -- and hence unforgiving. The real world -- a see-saw of necessary opposites -- requires compromise.

1615. Political correctness is the determination to see only la vie en rose; wherever reality is deemed unpleasant, it is exchanged for fantasy.

1614. A focus on equality of opportunity must surely enhance the prospects for any nation, since it allows for competition among the best and most talented to exert their influence for excellence. Similarly, a focus on equality of result is restrictive -- a leavening of the best with the worst is the definition of mediocrity.

1613. The internet has allowed the rise of synoptic learning -- knowledge of considerable breadth but little depth.

1612. Any hint of hierarchy is anathema to the egalitarian impulse; for this reason, failure becomes the mark of a compensating virtue, and success the certain proof of moral turpitude.

1611. The latest folly is to dismiss anything created by a dead white male -- citing the irrefutable crimes of deadness, whiteness, and maleness. Truth, accuracy or historical importance are irrelevant; in the new enlightenment, the group identity of the source is the proper determinant of legitimacy.

1610. Excellence is a winning racehorse; equality is a winning unicorn.

1609. Equality and excellence inhabit different universes.

1608. If you are interested in winning, you will not anguish over equality. The reverse is also true.

1607. Those in favour of non-discriminatory immigration should be required to marry by random selection.

1606. Every nation should select immigrants most likely to give -- rather than receive -- benefits.

1605. Seduced by the ideal, we neglect the real.

1604. God's "perfection" is the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card. Is God contradictory, unreliable, and uncaring? Are his motivations muddled, his creation cruel, and his second coming inordinately delayed? Don't worry -- his wisdom his infinite -- yours temporal and flawed.  Tolerance of the perfection evasion varies according to the need for a comforting illusion.

1603. "God" represents the attempt to tame the unfathomable, bizarre mystery of the universe -- to give it a comforting "human" face.

1602. At the heart of the human condition there is an unbridgeable divide between the ideal of social co-operation and the practical necessity of individual competition -- the conflict inherent in change and improvement.  Moral inadequacy is assured. Too determined a pursuit of ideal social virtues such as "equality," "tolerance,"  or "harmony" -- and oppression is the result -- since "equality" is unattainable, "tolerance" cannot be extended to evil, and "harmony" is both vulnerable to change and inconsistent with hierarchy. But a failure to pursue such virtues carries the stain of moral turpitude. It is the existential problem of assured damnation: damned if you do -- and damned if you don't.

1601. Mass murderers like Brenton Tarrant are responsible for two evils. The most obvious is the insanity of killing people -- apparently -- for their membership in a group. The less obvious is the inevitable linking of such horror with criticism of Islam, and inhibiting its legitimate expression. Facts remain, unchanged: Iran and Saudi Arabia are oppressive Islamic theocracies; Pakistan has the death penalty for blasphemy. Sharia law is incompatible with democracy; murderous riots over mocking cartoons and horrendous evils committed in the attempt to establish a Caliphate cannot be erased with wishful thinking. Benign interpretations of the religion do not -- and should not -- preclude the recognition of the evils of actual, literal observances.

1600. Those who seek a world of love and peace should remember that neither concept can exist in the absence of hate and war.

1599. Virtue owes less to name than circumstance. There is the secrecy of the conspirator -- but also that of the ballot box -- the mask of the thief -- and that of the truth-teller. Similarly, tolerance and diversity encompass the admirable, the condemnable, and the merely stupid.

1598. The thunderstrike of awe: from matter, the shining thing of consciousness, the dark thing of death.

1597. Socialism assumes that men are mere piano keys -- to be manipulated by elite central planners tasked with the implementation of a harmonious "egalitarian" vision of a powerful leader. In fact, men aspire to some degree of freedom -- according to their talents and capacities -- to be both pianists and composers. 

1596. Those preoccupied with God's benevolence ignore -- conveniently -- a foundational and essential principle of his creation: most living things are locked in a scheme of necessary murder.  (A variation of #1536)

1595. The more comforting the illusion, the more vigorous must be the defence; the greater the assumption of virtue, the greater is the oppression righteously justified. We live in an age devoted to "virtuous" illusions. 

1594. Socialism is the crystal palace which nobody knows how to build. Much of the difficulty lies in the fashioning of the required crystal people.

1593. Between the glacier of cynicism and the abyss of gullibility, lies the difficult path of prudent judgment.

1592. The danger of skepticism is cynicism; the danger of trust is gullibility.

1591. Good intentions should always be subjected to the Stupidity Test: Will the practical result be seen as undeniably noble or monumentally moronic?

1590. The Angelical Fallacy is common to all idealists, including socialists, supporters of affirmative action, multiculturalists, and climate activists.

1589. The Angelical Fallacy: The erroneous belief that good intentions justify bad practices and hellish outcomes.

1588. Virtue signalling is becoming a defining folly of the age: too many -- eager to look good and sound good -- rush to self-flattering moral judgment. The truth, the facts -- or where virtue actually lies -- are secondary to sanctimony.

1587. In the current age, the signalling of virtue is more important than achieving it.

1586. The determined attempt to make silk purses out of sows' ears can leave you with dead ears and deaf pigs.

1585. Life can be deceptive: What is obviously noble and virtuous in theory can turn out to be disconcertingly stupid in practice.

1584. When language is used inaccurately, minds become muddled. The failure to distinguish between race -- which is immutable -- and culture -- which can be changed -- leads to accusations of "racism" as a handy way of silencing debate about cultural differences.

1583. In an age which decries racism, there is an increasing insistence on seeing people, not as individuals, but as representatives of their race. There seems to be no awareness of the irony.

1582. Without failure, there is no success.

1581. Religion has traditionally dealt with the dichotomy between what is real and what is imagined by placing the ideal world at a convenient distance -- after death. Socialism -- and the new secular religion of political correctness -- attempt to transform the real world by imposing ideal, egalitarian principles. Both are doomed by the bedrock reality: the essence of life is the struggle for unequal outcomes.

1580. Imagination is essential to improvement -- just as mutations are essential to evolution. But both imagination and mutations must -- ultimately -- defer to the utilitarian dictates of the environment.

1579. What sounds good and what works inhabit different universes.

1578. The ideal and the real are inextricably intertwined threads -- they form the Gordian knot of human existence.

1577. In the ideal world, the lion lies down with the lamb, and they discuss how the brotherhood of creatures may best be expressed and enhanced. In the real world, the lion cannot philosophize before dinner. At the heart of the human predicament is the need to make a reconciliation -- always imperfect -- between the two worlds.

1576. Political correctness -- an enchantment with equality -- attempts to deny the Darwinian realities: some things are better than others -- and the essence of life is the struggle for unequal outcomes.

1575. The struggle gives success its savour.

1574. The art of life -- balancing necessary lies with necessary truths.

1573. The labyrinth of life -- passages of lies, passages of truth.

1572. The border wall is a defining symbol of our age. It is seen by realists as a cruel necessity -- by idealists as unnecessarily cruel.

1571. The great tragedy of mankind -- clever enough to be dangerous -- not enough to be wise.

1570. Humbug -- a collection of agreeable lies -- lubricates the social machinery. It's a Goldilocks thing: too little, and the truth is unpleasant and depressing; too much -- no one can get a grip on anything, and people start yearning for reality.

1569. The amount of hypocrisy in any endeavour may be seen as directly proportional to the distance between the proclaimed ideal and the underlying reality.

1568. We must suppose that the only people not afraid of Islam are brain dead -- or live on remote Polynesian islands. Muslims must be fearful of renouncing their faith -- since the penalty is death. Unbelievers have already had their death sentence proclaimed -- the ever-present threat is the encounter with a willing executioner.

1567. Religion -- a kind of alternative insanity which allows the afflicted to make absurd irrational claims without fear of corrective treatment or loss of social standing.

1566. "Multiculturalism" -- "open borders" -- "strength from diversity" -- all these notions suggest that immigration need not be controlled, and cannot possibly represent a threat. Yet Motion M-103 shows the willingness of government to sell our birthright of freedom of speech for an unsavoury mess of religious pottage -- long rejected in our own culture but expected where Islam dominates -- the absurd claim that religion must not be criticized. The price of liberty, it has been said, is eternal vigilance. It is unwise to nod, agreeably, to the bromide lullabies of gullible idealists.

1565. Progressive, n: one who is gormlessly gullible; adj. gormlessly gullible

1564. Progressivism, n: modern term for gormless gullibility.

1563. The positions of theist and atheist are different in kind. The theist proposes a hypothesis to explain the mysteries of existence; the atheist has none. Thus -- although he is unlikely to admit it -- the theist must accept the burden of proof -- for it is he who has a hypothesis requiring validation. From that point, the difficulties become formidable -- since "God" is assumed to be "outside" the universe -- beyond the world of sensory experience -- and hence also outside the realm of rational argument. For "proof," the theist is left with the simple assertion of superior knowledge -- or the claims of self-proclaimed "visionaries" who lived in primitive times of great gullibility -- before humankind began much serious exploration of the real world. The hypothesis -- which claims divine omnipotence and benevolence focussed on homo sapiens-- seems at odds with the reality: man is merely one of many sentient creatures -- all composed of the same genetic building blocks -- seeking to survive in a ruthless scheme of necessary murder.

1562. There is a great divide in humankind that cannot be bridged -- that between those who have an intuitive understanding of how a dishwasher should be loaded for maximum efficiency -- and those who do not. Observation and instruction seem to have no effect in remedying the plight of the less fortunate.

1561. "God" is a thought experiment -- an essay of the creative imagination. The theist confuses hypothesis with fact, and confidently proclaims that he has discovered truth.

1560. "God" is an idea -- a hypothesis that cannot be verified through sensory experience. He cannot be seen, heard, touched, smelled or tasted. No one, obviously, can prove that there are not things beyond sensory experience -- but the claim that their true nature is understood is manifestly absurd, and represents an obvious intent to deceive.

1559. Utopia -- whether secular or religious -- is not attainable. That is because at the heart of every society there is a need for co-operation and a need for competition. It is a conflict of necessary opposites which ensures things will always be a muddle. The proper goal of mankind is pragmatic idealism -- the best muddle possible. (But the idealists will remain dissatisfied.)

1558. "Begging the question" may be inadvertent or deliberate. Inadvertence suggests stupidity; deliberateness suggests the sleaze of intellectual dishonesty.

1557. The theist is often careful to make his position unassailable. He claims his knowledge is a prerequisite to "proper" reasoning -- he has a truth beyond that obtainable by mere human reason. Thus his critics -- burdened by a crucial lack of reasoning capacity -- can be easily dismissed. He wins the argument about the validity of religion by assuming the validity of religion -- a kind of begging of the question.

1556. We live in the world of sensory experience; things outside that world may exist -- but they, by definition, are not subject to ordinary tests of evidence. The claims that "God" -- the Unicorn/Mermaid Co-operative Association  -- or multiple universes -- exist -- may be viewed with equal skepticism.  Further, those who claim we must observe the "commands" of "God" are deluded or evil; the only evidence they rely on is that for the fathomless gullibility of humankind.

1555. The scientist nibbles at the edges of whatever is really there -- finding particles, laws, and confounding puzzles. The theist speculates that the big answer is "God," and then claims that, because he knows what God is thinking, he has "divine" solutions for human problems.

1554. The brain constructs a "reality" from whatever is there. That allows us to function in a utilitarian world of apparent cause and effect.

1553. We dream of eternity -- but are condemned to a lifetime.

1552. Condemned to a lifetime, we dream of eternity.

1551. Tolerance flowers in the soil of reciprocity.

1550. Tolerance -- as a one-way street -- is surprisingly short.

1549. It's a long bridge between dream and reality.

1548. Greed and ambition may also be referred to as competitiveness and initiative. Realism or euphemism -- it's a matter of choice.

1547. Socialism will always fail because it pretends that competition and ambition are appropriate only in the governing class; the average citizen is expected to be content in an equality of mediocrity and misery. Capitalism succeeds, paradoxically, because it is far more egalitarian: it gives scope for the desires and ambition of all citizens.

1546. Socialism emphasizes security; capitalism encourages liberty.

1545. Dictatorship -- in government, business, or education -- is both dangerous and necessary; like a wilful child, it requires careful and constant supervision.

1544. The advantage of democracy is that it provides a mechanism for the supervision of the necessary evil of government dictatorship. Socialists -- in power -- devoted to central planning and utterly convinced of the virtue of their egalitarian cause -- tend to regard elections as intrusive and destructive; socialism naturally tends towards unfettered dictatorship.

1543. It is not "illiberal" to hold religious ideas to the same standard of truth and usefulness as any other. Rather, it is arrogant for theists to hold that religion -- the dogma based on the insights of self-proclaimed "visionaries" -- be accorded special reverence and respect. In the public sphere, all ideas should be judged on their merits, not on their claim to divine approval.  

1542. That men and women have exactly the same interests and ambitions -- and hence should be equally represented in all occupations, professions, and endeavours -- is an idea so profoundly stupid that it appears --as might be expected -- prominently in the lexicon of leftish ludicracies. (Nor is it surprising that the current Prime Minister, characteristically reflexive rather than reflective, appears to have taken it to heart.)

1541. Everyone knows, deep down, that equality of result is an absurd fiction, and that even equality of opportunity -- while an admirable goal -- is difficult to achieve in the real world.  But "equality" has become synonymous with "virtue:" that is why so many -- anxious to appear generous and compassionate -- proclaim it -- from the rooftops -- as the proper goal and saving grace of all mankind.

1540. "God" is mankind's answer -- both simple and deceptive -- to many difficult questions. But magic only works for the illusionist on stage; in the real world, the need is for facts. 

1539. As a species, we seem fated to pursue ideal perfection -- in a world where the only constant is change -- and what works is always a compromise.

1538. Bad ideas -- those which threaten our traditional freedoms -- should not go unopposed. No attention should be paid to the claim that such criticism will offend the religious sensibilities of those who hold them. The worst defence for any idea is that it is based in a religious tradition.

1537. There is often, currently, a conscious effort to blur the distinction between subjective perception and objective reality There is a big difference between saying that some have an acute perception that they are misgendered -- and saying that not all boys have penises. The second statement fails to distinguish between reality and a subjective perception of it.  

1536. Those who see conscious life as the miraculous gift of a benevolent God ignore the reality -- that the survival of most creatures is dependent upon a heartless scheme of necessary murder.

1535. The human tendency is to justify with evidence -- but to select only the evidence that is convenient.

1534. Correlation wears the convincing cape of causation; only careful fingerprinting and an examination of blood samples will reveal the truth.

1533. The confidence of science arises from its reliance on evidence and experiment.

1532. Fear and ignorance are the foundation stones of religion.

1531. Anthropogenic global warming: Take a political idea, characterize it as a mythic, uncertain quest for survival against daunting odds,  give it the religious overtones of sin, expiation, and salvation, and then label the whole concoction as "science." The people will be fooled for decades -- until, finally, the facts -- the failed predictions -- become too obvious to ignore.

1530. Modest improvements to the workable are better than radical transformations towards the ideal.

1529. There was a certain prudent practicality about the old religion -- it recognized the imperfections of temporal existence, and promised perfection only for the dead. The new religion -- political correctness -- is more bold, radical, and stupid: it envisions perfection in the here and now.

1528. Some are so intent on creating paradise they ignore the hell they are constructing in order to achieve it.

1527. Sometimes stupidity is just as bad as evil.

1526. There is a terrible awe at the cruel transformation of the quick to the dead.

1525. Some appear to believe that it is better to move backwards to the religious certainties of the seventh century rather than look forward to the scientific possibilities of the twenty-second.

1524. The politically correct progressive believes that it is better to allow evil to flourish than to offend the religious sensibilities of those who endorse it.

1523. When it becomes unacceptable to criticize bad ideas because they claim the sanction of religion, the bad ideas will flourish, and mankind will suffer accordingly.

1522. Bad ideas hiding under the cloak of religion should be seen as exactly what they are: bad ideas hiding under the cloak of religion.

1521. "Discrimination" is a two-faced, unreliable word. It is used to describe both unjust practices and admirably fine judgment. And when unjust practices parade as admirably fine judgment, it is nowhere to be found.

1520. The essential angst of human existence arises from the unyielding disparity between ideal conceptions and harsh necessities.

1519. Offended by the ephemeral, mankind creates Gods as an assurance of permanent, ultimate meaning. It is a hopeful alchemy -- the transmuting of truth from temporal to eternal.

1518. The Darwinian message to unsuccessful countries and cultures is harsh: adapt, or die. The civilized, humanitarian approach sees innocent misery requiring assistance. Truth is reliably contradictory.

1517. Pure justice is always cruel; pure mercy, always stupid. Every compromise between them is less than satisfactory.

1516. On the world-wide sea, there are many sinking vessels, and a number of fortunate lifeboats. Virtue requires that the lifeboats rescue desperate swimmer-survivors -- but an overburdened lifeboat becomes a deathtrap. Rescue, then, is not a matter of principle -- but a matter of numbers; the cruelty of rejection is not an option, but a necessity.

1515. Creativity is the willingness to experiment.

1514. The implication of Christianity is that God was created at about the time that Jesus lived. If he was there before that time, it is surely legitimate to ask what on earth he was doing while mankind worshipped all those other reprehensible imposters. Was he lazy, preoccupied, or just depressed? Or was he impotently frustrated: did it take all that time to come up with the brilliant idea of having his son tortured and murdered to draw proper attention to his existence? Why did he choose to save souls at one particular point in history, unaccountably ignoring the worthy of countless earlier generations? But if he was created along with Jesus -- does that not call into question his rôle as intelligent creator of the universe?

1513. Political correctness always chooses harmony over integrity, kindness over honesty.

1512. Freedom requires a framework; diversity must meet the test of viability; creativity is defined by custom. Life itself evolves through the interplay of random, chaotic forces tested against the inflexible limitation of survival. The principle of complementary opposites explains why life is not as simple as may appear on the surface -- why real virtue is never an ideal -- but a compromise.

1511. Cynicism is the armour of the wounded idealist.

1510. China plans to rate, punish, and reward citizens according to their obedience and loyalty to the state. It appears to be a significant step towards the ant colony model for the human species.

1509. In the garden of governments, democracy is the fragile orchid -- dictatorship the ineradicable dandelion.

1508. The default form of government -- that favoured by the gravitational force in human affairs -- appears to be some type of dictatorship.

1507. Because religious faith is impervious to reason, it has been the most potent and useful element in ensuring social -- that is -- tribal -- unity.

1506. Evil can be both deliberate -- and -- the unintended consequence of idealism. The most dangerous idealism involves the certain belief in an authoritarian and inflexible God; after that comes the belief that "equality" is both desirable and attainable.

1505. "Blind" faith mixes implacable determination with soothing certainty; the chosen darkness insulates and protects; it is impervious to the light of reason.

1504. Multiculturalism reflects the arrogance of progressive bias. The ancient wisdom -- "When in Rome, do as the Romans do,"  is assumed to be vastly inferior to the new -- "When in Rome, do as you please; the Romans will see the folly of their insufferably silly customs, and alter them accordingly."

1503. Multiculturalism is the idealistic response to the violent and aggressive nationalism of the twentieth century. It is an over-reaction which exchanges one folly for another. Cultures are not equal; progress is achieved through competition, not by requiring successful cultures to adopt the values of those attempting to escape from the unsatisfactory results of their own. (Cf. 1044)

1502. Nationalism is currently in disfavour; it is assumed that mankind can be transformed into a global automated ant colony, or that human beings, conveniently programmed, will hum contentedly in a single well-managed hive.

1501. Those who think that nationalism can be wished away are dreamers – tribalism is in our hearts and bones. We are not islands, entire of ourselves, but pieces of the continent, and parts of the main. We hope our country will prosper, the home team will crush the visitors, and our school will win the trophy. Local loyalties transcend the larger. Our challenge is not to eliminate nationalism, but tame it.

1500. In the battle between pleasant lies, and unpleasant facts -- the lies usually win.

1499. Our attempts to regain Paradise must fail in the realities of the fallen world, where change is the colour and inequality the thread of the existential fabric. The related, immutable principles are "adapt or die," and -- "the fittest survive." 

1498. Just as evolution proceeds through a series of random alterations -- given order by the survival judgment of the environment -- so herd-like tribal thinking may be influenced by the insights of unconventional individuals. The difference is that the environment pays attention only to evidence; tribes have a superstitious reverence for tradition, and a weakness for flattering fantasies.

1497. The success of tribes has always depended upon herd-like behaviour. No one should be surprised at the "madness of crowds."

1496. In a battle between evidence and a popular idea, the popular idea will win every time.

1495. Virtue signalling has become an epidemic: the virus appears to stimulate the brain's seat of sanctimoniousness -- the Pious Piffilis lobe -- while suppressing -- at the same time -- the capacity for critical thought. Every organization feels it necessary to scramble for a place of prominence in the choir of angels -- to affirm, above all, its devotion to the new dogmas of political correctness.

1494. Protect us from the idealists -- for their good intentions and gullibility will lead us to the inferno.

1493. No one can prove that unicorns do not exist; on the other hand, it is legitimate to regard those who claim to be experts in Unicornology with suspicion, and demand a tusk of hornory evidence.

1492.We must strive for equality of opportunity, but accept inequality of result as not necessarily requiring remediation. This is not inconsistency; it is reality.

1491. Political correctness and a sense of humour are like matter and anti-matter -- in any collision, one must destroy the other. The zeitgeist of the current age is to seek grievance, and having found causes as numerous as grains of sand on the shore, to respond with angry, vindictive righteousness. It is a grim and humourless process.

1490. Political correctness reflects the puritan religious instinct -- it is a prim, tight-lipped disapproval of a deplorable reality -- the "original sin" of inequality.

1489. Inequality-- unpleasant and unfair -- is much lamented; reducing it may be helpful. But equality -- if it were attainable -- would be just as unfair, and even more unpleasant.

November 1, 2018 -- ends the ninth year of Observations.

1488. There is no such thing as perfection -- only the warring of complementary opposites.

1487. In a world of equality, the visitors and the home team would always score the same number of goals. Everybody would be dead of boredom by the age of twenty.

1486. Life is never quite satisfactory. If you can't find something to complain about, you must be dead.

1485. Accepting the premise that space and time began with the universe, human language must fail when we attempt to imagine anything "outside," "beyond," or "before" it. The very term "intelligent creator" betrays our limitations. A "creator" operates within the sphere of cause and effect -- where one thing arises from another. "Intelligence" suggests consciousness and intent -- which are concepts arising from the experiences of living, ephemeral creatures who function within both time and space. The claim of an "intelligent creator" which is outside the universe -- the sphere of time and space -- must be seen as an attempt to have one's cake and eat it, too. The term "big mystery" would appear more suitably vague.

1484. The theist always finds what he seeks -- a happy and comforting answer to the riddle of existence; the scientist must be content with the truth.

1483. The theist's strategy is to protect his "God" from criticism by claiming that he is outside time and space; mere mortal reason must be silenced -- impertinent questions about his origin have no relevance or legitimacy. From that point, of course, the way is cleared for any absurdity the theist may wish to propose or imagine. Such an approach would, of course, permit the contention that "God" has absolutely no interaction with the universe whatsoever, or that he has no concern for homo sapiens on planet Earth, or that he is focused exclusively on the culture and behaviour of elephants -- on the planet Mysteria -- in the galaxy of Oz.

1482. The theist objects to the question "Where did God come from?" -- which suggests that "God" is an inadequate explanation for a "first cause." The claim is that he is a perfect eternal reality, beyond time and space; hence to question his origin is presumptuous and illegitimate: there can be nothing "before" the deity existing outside the universe -- where the concept of "time" began. It is a conveniently protective claim for a speculation -- a theory for which no real evidence can possibly be adduced. And such an explanation requires -- naturally -- the same type of thinking objected to in the question -- it requires the use of terms like "outside" and "beyond," and suggests God was there "before" the universe -- all terms which can have no meaningful function except within the "space" and "time" of the cosmos. In a bid to have his cake and eat it too, the theist expects us to believe that the same remote, hypothetical God -- timeless and living nowhere in particular -- is obsessively concerned with that from which he is radically apart -- the time and space of a particular mammal on a small planet in an average galaxy in one of possibly many universes. He is full of ideas about proper human behaviour -- ideas which change significantly over time -- and he holds out the promise of an afterlife for his most loyal and flattering human believers. While perfectly benevolent, he cares nothing for the others -- nor for animals made of the same genetic building blocks, who are the result of the same evolutionary process. Omniscient, he knows that most living creatures are locked in a scheme of necessary murder; omnipotent, he chooses to do nothing.

It is such utter nonsense!

1481. Change is at the heart of all things; "Equality" cannot change without destroying itself -- it is an unachievable fantasy of stability.

1480. When "Equality" shakes hands with "Change" -- only one will disintegrate in a regretful puff of smoke. It's not "Change."

1479. Diversity is a coin: heads, you win; tails you divide.

1478. Political correctness is the new creed; any error in recitation reveals the heretic; the bonfires are always burning, and always eager.

1477. Political correctness pretends that feelings are sacrosanct, and that "equality" of self-esteem is an achievable goal. They aren't, and it isn't -- which explains why political correctness -- wrapped in a mantle of self-righteous virtue -- encounters so many witches worthy of burning, and shows such enthusiasm in committing them to the flames.

1476. The great error of religion is to confuse belief with truth. The more certain the chosen belief, the more self-righteous are the believers, and the more powerful and dangerous is the religion. Political correctness is simply a modern religion.

1475. "Equality" is the source of the new tyranny. It is the new God, invisible but proclaimed, to which sacrifice of common sense must be made. It is known, variously, as affirmative action, multiculturalism, socialism, and political correctness.   

1474. Political correctness -- the marriage of insanities -- religious determination hitched to alchemical impossibility.

1473. Political correctness combines the methodology of religion -- the constant repetition of falsehoods -- with the faith of alchemy -- that the lead of lies can somehow be transmuted into the gold of truth.

1472. Those who dream of equality should remember that, after the big bang, matter triumphed over anti-matter -- and -- without slight variations in the density of the distribution of matter -- galaxies would not exist. Once again --"equality' is not in the blueprint of nature.

1471. Nobody has all the answers -- but questions are essential. Nothing further will be discovered by those who find truth in fantasy -- and stop asking questions.

1470. Language is like a suit of clothes -- the face we present to the world. It may be carefully tailored, deliberately casual, or carelessly sloppy. It may suggest wealth or impoverishment, style or indifference. Increasingly, it appears, the underpants of grammar and spelling are seen as optional.

1469. Descriptive dictionaries are politically correct: they refuse to make judgments -- to admit that some things are better than others.

1468. Dogs are tribal; cats, solitary.

1467. The first requirement is to discover the truth. Then it is necessary to determine which lies are necessary, which are dangerous, and which are merely advantageous.

1466. Compassion in one direction may represent cruelty in another.

1465. The human condition assures moral failure: too earnest a pursuit of perfection -- which is ultimately unattainable -- involves a degree of heartlessness -- the zeal of puritanical oppression; a lax or less committed approach suggests complacency in the face of evil -- the lack of a moral compass.

1464. Secularism -- the terrible thing that happens when people start thinking for themselves.

1463. The human condition will always be difficult -- because attractive ideals will always be at war with practical necessities.

1462. When diversity leads to division, it creates not strength, but weakness.

1461. The intellectual bankruptcy of the Left is shown by their insistence that it is possible to reconcile irreconcilables: that equality can be reconciled with merit, that justice is enhanced by discrimination against some in favour of others, that diversity is cohesive rather than divisive, that nations can exist without borders, and that antithetical cultural values can be made compatible in the magic of  something called "multiculturalism." 

1460. By definition -- imaginary creatures do not actually exist. That is true of elves, Santa Claus, fairies at the bottom of the garden, the Easter Bunny, mermaids, unicorns, and Gods. Only Gods -- it is claimed -- are divine exceptions to the obvious.

1459. "Diversity is our strength" -- a phrase used by politicians in the belief that, with sufficient repetition, an attractive lie will acquire the lustre of unimpeachable truth.

1458. When people elect idiots, they will suffer the consequences of idiocy.

1457. Beware perfection's dream forlorn;
          There grows no rose without its thorn.

1456. Every improvement represents a triumph of function or concept; every flower of success has, by definition, a competitive root.

1455. What is most desired is often unattainable, foolish, or both. (Cf. # 1137)

1454. Sometimes it is necessary to choose between ideals and survival.

1453. We have to make our own humanity, our own morality; there are no prescriptions.

1452. It now appears that Pope Francis dresses like a catholic, thinks like a socialist, and acts like a man without principles.

1451. Islam is like a hand grenade -- safe when handled with care -- but having -- at its core -- an ideology which is dangerously explosive.

1450. Islam calls for my death; the feeling is mutual.

1449: "Islamophobia:"  When a religion calls for your death, it should not be surprising that the feeling is mutual.

1448. "Islamophobia:" Any infidel has the right to fear a religion which calls for his death.

1447. If you understand the cause of a problem, but are unwilling to recognize it, you are politically correct.

1446. Those who signal virtue before determining the respective locations of good and evil -- proclaim only their stupidity.

1445. Those most anxious to signal their virtue -- with reflexive responses and convenient  buzzwords -- seldom take the time to consider the moral implications of their stance. Their concern is with appearance -- not reality. (The current Canadian Prime Minister is a perfect example.)

1444. Feel-good buzzwords are a reliable resource for those who find thinking too much of a challenge. Terms such as "multiculturalism," "diversity," "equality," and "tolerance" are intoned without giving any thought to their implications or limitations. They are like little hail Marys of belief, which, through constant repetition, will assure a safe passage to cultural nirvana.  

1443. The true multiculturalist does not exist; such an individual would approve not only cannibalism, slavery, and human sacrifice to the Gods -- but -- in the same breath -- the antithetical notions of free speech and laws against blasphemy.

1442. The secular Muslim and the radical Muslim drink from the same well -- each claiming that it is not poisoned.

1441. Making light of tragedy -- celebrating birthdays after forty.

1440. Science has evidence, but makes no claim of certainty; religion claims certainty, but has no evidence.

1439. We look forward to the day when immigrants from Islamic countries can be warned that Canada allows the freedom to practice, the freedom to abstain from, and the freedom to criticize any religion.

1438. The great dilemma of conservatives is that they wish to get elected, but know that their view of reality, while accurate, is not what voters wish to hear. They often put forward as candidates, inoffensive robots, carefully programmed to sound pleasant but say nothing in particular. But robots are seldom a match for agreeable liars.

1437. Mr. Trump's great "crime" -- and the reason he was elected -- is that he is unafraid to say that some things are better than others.

1436. The great, triumphant  discovery of modern times is the First Law of Cultural Paradox: the more unworthy, unsatisfactory, and absurd the cultural practice, the more it should be praised, encouraged, and protected from criticism.

1435. Motion M-103  reveals the true dangers of multiculturalism. It suggests a tumbling over the edge of rationality – into the abyss of cultural suicide.

1434. The bad behaviour of demonstrators is usually judged according to the virtue of the proclaimed cause rather than the evil of the actual effect. 

1433. The scent of fine words is often used to disguise a foul deed.

1432 Hellish results are seldom criticized if they have the pedigree of good intentions.

1431. There appears to be an inherent gullibility in human nature – a willingness to praise noble intentions rather than deplore ignoble results.

1430. Haunted by the ghosts of dreams --
          We lose the day in might-have-beens.

1429. "What might have been" -- the fine dust of failed dreams.

1428. Morality has no need of Gods -- it is socially derived -- a clause in every social contract. There is no practical morality for the lone castaway on a desert island -- for he can neither be sinned against nor sinning.

1427. We now seldom listen to the CBC. Long ago, the Mothership left the open seas of common sense, and has now marinated overlong in its own -- left-wing -- bathwater. It now offers the grey, sinister liquid from that pool as its chief fare; its priority is to proselytize rather than inform.  

1426. With political correctness, hurt feelings are an unsightly blot on the perfect copy-book of the universe.

1425. Grief-signalling is the dear sibling of virtue-signalling -- the beloved offspring of Parade and Posture.

1424. Shootings: In the age of political correctness, feelings come first -- a good mantra will trump every muddle -- fine sentiments will soothe the pain of atrocities and quiet the anguish of inflicted insanities. With sufficient candlelight vigils, the night will pass, and a new day will dawn. Coming together will conquer all.

1423. Life comes with a guarantee of muddle and uncertainty: there is no chart for safe passage between the lure of the ideal and the demands of the real.

1422. With enough dedication and perseverance -- success is assured; you may not achieve your goal -- but you will discover what is achievable -- and hence the difference between fantasy and reality.

1421. Certainty in the absence of evidence is the great inspirational strength -- and the great moral weakness -- at the heart of any religion.

1420. We should celebrate our miraculous sense of purpose and meaningfulness -- but refrain from jumping to conclusions about a big benefactor in the sky. Sentience is marvellous and extraordinary: it shows the creative capacity of the universe -- but it gives no proof of magical beginnings -- or promise of happy endings.

1419. Globalism and nationalism represent two warring aspects of our instinctive desire for tribal hierarchy. Nationalism at least allows for the possibility of democracy; globalism does not.

1418. It is not surprising that democracy is so difficult to establish and maintain: it represents a radical modification of our instinctive tribalism.

1417. Democracy represents the conscious attempt to modify the worst effects of instinctive tribalism. It allows for the disruption of a natural tendency towards hierarchical entrenchment with regular threats of uncertainty. It is like the discontinuous practice of monogamy: serial hierarchy.

1416. The persistence of religion and the continuing popularity of dictatorships suggest that the human brain has developed with a strong bias towards tribal hierarchy -- conformity and an acceptance of authority. At most important turns in the road, tribalism trumps thought. 

1415. We are born hierarchical, and long for equality.

1414. Dreams, with their bizarre and jumbled versions of reality, suggest the magical, creative powers of the human brain.

1413. Calls for "commitment" and "working together " are often the response to social tragedies. Vagueness is the comfortable refuge of those anguished but essentially clueless.

1412. The tragedies of ordinary life used to be more common; the response, of necessity, more muted: there was comfort in assigning responsibility to God, whose mysterious ways were assumed to result in inevitable, if distant, wonders. Today, tragedies are less common, but God less available. The response is in expressions of communal grief, and in ritual displays of the idea that love will conquer all.  (Shooting at Danforth & Logan, 2018)

1411. Anthropogenic climate change is -- like all previous religions -- a useful tool for rulers. It subdues with fear, then encourages with distant rewards for immediate compliant behaviour. It is not surprising that in an era of religious skepticism, most governments have heartily endorsed a theory, which, wearing the robe of piety and the wig of science, compels assent from a gullible populace.

1410. The external threat -- real, imagined, or conveniently manufactured -- is the most useful weapon in the government arsenal.

1409. Fear and greed are the great motivators -- the bribe and the bogeyman the preferred tools of the politician.

1408. Randomness shaped and modified according to advantage within an environment -- this is the essence of creativity in living things.  Chaos thus tamed may be described as purpose.

1407. Popularity comes in two sizes: lasting and passing.

1406. If morality is a function of tribalism -- we might ask further -- why do creatures form tribes? Probably for the same reason that single-celled organisms chose multiplicity -- the life-force -- competitive advantage.

1405. The universe is astoundingly, miraculously creative, but absolutely amoral. Men are little universes with the addition of morality derived from their communal, tribal existence. (A variation of #1394)

1404. It was once thought that freedom of speech was a good idea. Now that everybody knows what the good ideas are, the importance of freedom has declined precipitously.

1403. The task of the modern age is to divorce inspiration from certainty -- to transform religion into myth.

1402. Pope Francis dresses as a Catholic, thinks as a socialist.

1401. Motion M-103 suggests that free speech should be curtailed to stop "Islamophobia." It proposes the exchange of our birthright of freedom for an unsavoury mess of oppressive religious pottage.

1400. Faith is simply hope wearing the mask of certainty.

1399. Certainty can be motivating and persuasive; in the absence of evidence, it skirts the abyss of absurdity.

1398. Optimism is both useful and natural; it is also the nose-ring by which the masses are led to folly.

1397. Many a strength is weakness in disguise.

1396. Instead of becoming obsessed with abstract notions such as "equality," we should focus on what our uniqueness can contribute to the greater good.

1395. Gods come with a variable -- but always limited -- warranty. The devout Christian or Muslim of today -- would -- as a citizen of ancient Egypt, China, or Peru -- have had a similar commitment to Gods now long past their expiry dates.

1394. The universe -- call it God if you wish -- is creative, but amoral. Morality has its roots in tribal co-operation and is a function of tribal survival.

1393. The music of our youth defines our taste; it establishes that meaningful height from which all that follows represents, if not abject failure, much lamentable decline.

1392. A rose garden is never enough; the stems must be thornless, the blooms perpetual.

1391. The informing principle of the Left, is, in a phrase, Superficial Feel-Goodery. In a prescription it reads: "Always focus on what sounds good; reality – the results – what works – these are matters either irrelevant or secondary."

1390. That country achieves "greatness" when it provides the highest standard of living and the most freedom for its citizens consistent with its survival.

1389. Excellence is achieved through the struggle of competition. Each country should aspire to greatness, in non-violent competition with every other.

1388. The robe of sanctimony -- resplendent at the front -- tattered and worn at the back.

1387. Dogs are inclined to welcome you as an unexpected proof of the Second Coming; cats -- as if they had been counting on Zeus and Thor, singing a duet in drag.

1386. Many believe that without God, there can be no morality. But without men, there can be no Gods. Gods are mere reflectors -- they mirror the moralities of men.

1385. The great battle today is between those for whom progress lies in making unequal things equal, and those for whom progress involves the inegalitarian process of improvement.

1384. The modern egalitarian is not noted for his ability to erase differences; rather, he is remarkable for his determination to pretend that they do not exist.

1383. We do not enjoy music of the genre Classical Tedious: It wanders aimlessly, repetitiously -- up and then down -- around and then back -- but is bereft of melody, purpose, and soul.

1382. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation does not seek to reflect public opinion, but to mould it. The direction is away from liberty, and towards the harmonious security promised -- but never delivered -- by socialism.

1381. If something looks like baloney, slices like baloney, smells like baloney, and tastes like baloney – my bet is that it is baloney.

1380. Those who say we should be nice to everybody are over-simplifiers. Being nice to nice people involves being nasty to nasty people.

1379. The atheist cannot prove that "God" does not exist -- but why should he have to? Surely it is up to those who insist that we respect God's infinite wisdom and perfect knowledge to perform the minimal comforting courtesy -- to make the token nod to reason -- by proving -- first -- that he does exist.

1378. We do not see how any society can long remain half-committed to superstition, and half-committed to science. One or the other must be given precedence. We look forward to the day when superstition is -- at last -- dethroned.

1377. Religion is such a boon! When you think you know the mind of God, you can put your own at rest. Then it can -- and often does -- remain happily inactive for a lifetime!

1376. Religion has nothing to do with the truth. It is an illusion central to the ancient wisdom of tribal survival. In modern times, when aggressive tribalism is too destructive, but competitive tribalism is the best hope for achieving free and prosperous societies, the rôle of religion must change accordingly.

1375. It is the task of modern government to provide security -- against attack, injustice, and extreme want. The provision of security invariably involves infringements on the liberty of some -- but the best government aims to enhance liberty for citizens in general. Identity politics poses the difficult question: to what extent is it legitimate to enhance the security of one group by infringing on the liberties of all the others?

1374. Those in favour of "open borders" have -- reportedly -- been reluctant to provide public access to their own fenced gardens.

1373. Can any nation remain half-slave to the idea that religion and government should be inseparable, and half-free to claim that religion is a private matter irrelevant to affairs of state? Only in the insanity of multiculturalism can the answer be in the affirmative.

1372. Multicultural harmony is thought to be obtained by dictating the tune, and establishing penalties for traditional, divergent melodies.  But in the harmony purchased with liberty, discord lurks.

1371. Multiculturalism is a fine theoretical concept which ignores both the reality of instinctive human tribalism, and the fact of antithetical cultural values.

1370. Governments see harmony as a component of security; the temptation is to see citizens as piano keys rather than composers.

1369. Every government must find a balance the desire for security and the need for liberty. Or the need for security and the desire for liberty.

1368. The art of government consists of knowing when to interfere, and when to step aside. It lies in determining the balance between security and liberty.

1367. On a sea of infinite tolerance, no cultural ship can safely sail.

1366. The price of security is always liberty. "Perfect" security comes in a very small cage.

1365. Only in an age of collective insanity would the common sense of Jordan Peterson appear revolutionary.

1364. If you are unwilling to defend the cultural values you deem important, you should not be surprised to find them replaced with the values of those more determined and aggressive. 

1363. Homo Sapiens: Animal facts, angelic aspirations.

1362. The state which enables the greatest individual liberty is best -- but the freedom of the individual will inevitably be circumscribed by the requirements of the state.

1361. There are times when the freedom of the individual to express his devotion to religious fantasies must defer to the freedom of the state to express its devotion to secular values.

1360. A policeman wears a uniform to indicate that he is acting, not as an individual, but as a representative of the state. When he also wears a religious symbol, he is suggesting that the state approves of a particular religion, or that he represents something beyond -- and possibly above -- the state.

1359. Religious symbols worn with police uniforms suggest a religious state. In a secular state, such symbols represent confusion and disarray: the officer has divided loyalties -- and the state has an identity crisis.

1358. When the rational pretend to be delusional, they have one foot in the asylum.

1357. Secular states should avoid suggesting official approval of religious symbols. The rational do not pretend to be delusional.

1356. Appeasement: postponement -- not avoidance.

1355. Appeasement: short term harmony -- longer term chaos.

1354. The cage containing freedom is best constructed of facts;  paradoxically -- high-sounding, expansive ideals make very small cages.

1353. The preference for fantasy over fact is a modern folly. Equality of result is neither desirable nor attainable; adversity is woven into the fabric of existence, and hurt feelings are unavoidable;  the pursuit of all ideals -- especially those claiming religious sanction -- should be governed by a consideration of likely practical consequences, rather than by a blind belief in the validity of hopeful intentions.   

1352.The restriction of some freedoms -- while necessary -- should be based on logic, rather than  fantasy. It seems logical to restrict the freedom of thieves and murderers. Is it also appropriate to restrict the speech of those who criticize the fantasies of political correctness, or who oppose the evils -- both theoretical and practical -- of the religion of Islam?

1351. Religious ideas about society and government should be judged like all others: do they contribute to the well-being of the body politic? The claim of sacred inspiration and divine approval should be dismissed as the bullshit it is.   

1350. Freedom of religion is the freedom to engage in fantasy. To give special deference to religious ideas -- because they claim divine approval -- is to express a preference for fantasy over fact.

1349. Determining the limitations of freedom -- while necessary -- is fraught with difficulty. In the modern era, the freedom of fantasy often trumps the freedom of fact. The self-congratulatory all-inclusive tolerance of unproven, unsuccessful -- and ultimately destructive ideas -- is encouraged; those who wish to point out sobering facts are seldom welcomed.

1348. The awkward paradox of freedom is that it cannot flower (or even be understood) in the absence of boundaries. Freeing thieves and murderers will enhance their liberty, but not that of society as a whole. Like every virtue, freedom contains the seeds of vice. Like every ideal, it must be considered not as theory -- but in terms of its practical effects.

1347. Canada's universal health care system is both falsely egalitarian and truly oppressive. The patient, who -- in a capitalist society -- would be a customer able to take his business elsewhere -- is reduced -- in a socialist scheme -- to a supplicant without options. The price of security is always liberty.

1346. The fact that the world is populated by sentient creatures -- rather than just single-celled organisms -- is a testament to the power of competition -- a proof of the magnificent, unstoppable, creative force of inequality. 

1345. People reject -- or ignore -- the truth about Islam because it contradicts certain hopeful illusions: that Islam is a religion of peace, that multiculturalism is possible, and that tolerance is the effective inoculation against discord. They prefer the haven of stupidity to a confrontation with unpleasantness.

1344. All religions are false. Christianity, in its present state of decline, is false but relatively benign. Islam, in its theoretical -- and often practical -- militancy, is false and cries out for remedy and reform.

1343. "Multiculturalists" are nothing more nor less than virtue signallers. A true multiculturalist would welcome and embrace human sacrifice to the Gods, cannibalism, slavery, honour killings, and throwing gays from rooftops.  The self-professed "multiculturalist" is less accommodating -- but -- with a comfortable and rewarding dollop of self-congratulation -- proclaims the enlightened tolerance and virtue which the term has come to imply.  

1342. Any practical, real world expression of virtue will be found to be incomplete -- flawed and imperfect. The attempt to achieve "perfect" virtue requires exactly that oppressive zeal which is synonymous with vice.

1341. Perfection is incompatible with change; there is a certain prudent practicality -- or unacknowledged irony -- in the religious notion that you have to be dead to experience it.

1340. It's hard to complain too much -- at least theoretically -- about death. It is, after all, simply the string attached to the gift of life. It is difficult to reject any gift outright -- just because it has a time limit.

1339. The term ‘denier’ always suggests a denial of truth -- even though it may equally refer to a denial of falsehood. Proud deniers of popular misconceptions, when accused, should immediately admit to being ‘rejectionists’ -- those who oppose fantasies, falsehoods, and calculated deceptions.

1338. Nostalgia Quotient: the number of tomorrows you would give up to relive a yesterday.

1337. It is the modern folly to believe that equality is synonymous with justice. In fact some things are -- justly and justifiably -- better than others.

1336. "Affirmative action" -- and all endeavours based on that template -- embrace a signal perversity: the remedy for injustice is further injustice.

1335. The pursuit of ideal perfection in human affairs is based on the flawed premise that the quick can be transformed into the dead -- without the unfortunate consequence of mortality.

1334. The great stumbling block in the pursuit of ideal notions is the fact that living creatures are not perfectible. Perfection is static -- but life is never still.  When life is stilled, it has another name.

1333. An enduring truth -- stoutly resisted because of its paradoxical nature -- is this: the mindless, determined pursuit of a "virtuous" ideal invariably leads to vice.

1332. The struggle to write accurately is the struggle to think clearly.

1331. Equality implies stasis and death; fortunately, it is not attainable.  It is inequality -- not equality -- which is at the heart of all change, all life, and all progress. (Derived from #420 and #741.)

1330. The human condition might be significantly improved if foolish ideals were abandoned in favour of attainable goals. Some reduction of inequality may be both beneficial and attainable; equality itself is a fantasy, and the attempt to create it is invariably destructive. 

1329. The universe abounds in mysteries -- of origin, of the transformation of inanimate to animate matter, of consciousness, and of quantum perversities. True humility is shown by those who accept the mysteries. and await enlightening evidence. It is the arrogant who claim -- not only that the solution to the mysteries is "God" -- but that they are privileged to know his opinions, feelings, and intentions. It is the babbling of idiots pretending to wisdom.

1328. Death and violence -- necessary constants in the equation of existence.

1327. Violence -- a necessary constant in the equation of existence.

1326. The scientist with a logical and plausible hypothesis is exactly that: until the theory has been validated by predictive success -- his forecasts are no more credible than those of a medium, a witch doctor, or a fortune teller.

1325. At some point it would seem that political correctness -- which oppresses others in claiming the primacy of feelings -- will be hoist with its own petard. What is more hurtful than to have one's freedom to speak and to proclaim the primacy of facts constantly denied? 

1324. 'Virtuous' leaping captures the imagination; prudent looking is tiresomely dull. This accounts for the frequency of premature virtue signalling.

1323. It is one of the great follies of mankind to be seduced by ideal notions, and to give no thought to how they might, in practical terms, be put into effect.

1322. Faith is simply certainty in the absence of evidence. It is as dangerous as it is comforting.

1321. Complex things do not begin with complexity, but with simplicity; that is why "God" is an unconvincing ultimate first cause for the universe -- he is never described as simple -- but always in terms of a powerful "divine" complexity.

1320. The great weakness of youth is idealism; the great weakness of age is cynicism.

1319. The universe "just right" for life is often considered proof of a "divine plan." But it could also reflect the principle observed in the process of evolution. This universe is simply the "successful" version -- among many other "failed" universe experiments.

1318. It seems unlikely that nature -- having hit upon the wonderfully effective utilitarian process of evolution -- would abandon it on a whim. Thus it seems likely that the brains of living creatures reflect the same process of "brainstorming" which created them. The brain's existing database of information is augmented by spontaneous random suggestions which are -- at a subconscious level -- constantly proposed and judged. Some part of the brain -- a utilitarian gatekeeper -- decides what will be of advantage to the organism. This explains both the "creativity" and the "logic" needed for the success of an organism. (See also # 1075)

1317. The process of evolution may be likened to a "brainstorming" in the natural world: mutations are spontaneous suggestions thrown out for approval or rejection by the environmental committee. It is a process of random creativity controlled by a "logical," utilitarian gatekeeper -- the environment. It gives the appearance of purposeful movement towards a goal -- but its essence is a multitude of small utilitarian alterations.

1316. Those who reject all religions but one seem to feel  immensely superior to those who reject every single one of them. When the difference is so small -- one would expect a greater generosity of spirit!

1315. A liberal is someone who hops enthusiastically aboard the bandwagon "Sounds Good" -- without checking the street signs: "Path to Prosperity" or "Road to Ruin."

1314. The fatal leftist flaw: always go with what sounds good – worry about the results later.

1313. Political correctness is both puritanical and revolutionary. As it seeks -- and fails -- to alter the nature of  human nature, it will become increasingly obsessed and fanatical. New orthodoxies will be established; new heresies will be proclaimed: the net -- cast increasingly wide -- will find new witches for hungry -- and insatiable -- bonfires. Like every revolution, it will -- eventually -- devour its young.

1312. Revolutions devour their young because they envision an unattainable perfection. As the initial achievements are -- inevitably -- unsatisfactory, the early revolutionaries find themselves also condemned, as new, ever more rigorous orthodoxies are proclaimed in the pursuit of the ideal.

1311. As we age, the body tells truths which the mind resists.

1310. Ideals -- ideas of perfection -- are inherently unforgiving and coercive: they contain the seeds of oppression. Dangerously -- they sound good -- their veneer of virtue seduces the ignorant,  the unwary, and the well-intentioned.

1309. Those who dream of equality would banish both the despair of failure and the triumph of success -- the home team and the visitors would always score the same number of goals. Their dream, in fact, is the dream of death -- for the essence of life is the struggle for unequal outcomes.

1308. People who insist on seeing the world as it "should" be -- rather than as it is -- choose a dangerous path. They will eventually discover the curious but persistent relationship between real chasms and imaginary bridges.

1307. The popular ship "Sounds Good" invariably runs aground on the obdurate and immovable rocks of "What Works."

1306. The multicultural lens – linked to the political telescope – is remarkably tolerant and forgiving. Moral issues, seen clearly with the unaided eye, are blurred, indistinct -- the hard edges softened in a wash of comforting rose.

1305. Equality of result is not attainable; the truth of this proposition may be inferred from the fact that so many inegalitarian measures are required in the attempt. 

1304. Those who attempt to achieve "equality" invariably do so by treating people unequally.

1303. Assuming that "victims" are saints -- always worthy of belief -- reflects the informing principle of much modern egalitarianism: the best remedy for injustice is more injustice.

1302. Those who seek self-esteem through government-enforced pronoun usage reveal a pathetic inadequacy. Such deference -- compelled -- is empty: it rings hollow at the core; substantial self-regard can arise only from accomplishment.

1301. Requiring the use of transgendered pronouns shows how "feeling good" for the minority has become more important than "feeling free" for the majority.

1300. Making the use of transgendered pronouns a legal requirement arms one group of citizens with a toxic, nearly invincible weapon to be used against those who displease them. Such an unseemly power is corrosive and corrupting; it is folly to assume the claim of victimhood confers a condition of saintliness, and power will never be abused.

1299. Most "multiculturalists" do not favour human sacrifice, slavery, or honour killings -- thus they, too, are selective, discriminatory, and intolerant. "Multiculturalism" is a feel-good -- but thoroughly impractical -- notion.

1298. The universe has a significant design flaw: our desires and our realities are galaxies apart.

1297. The fact that morality is socially derived explains both the similarities and differences in moral codes. Casual murder is not likely to be condoned in any society -- because it is, universally, too dangerously disruptive. On the other hand, one society might favour human sacrifice in order to obtain a favourable harvest, while another would consider that immoral, and choose instead, the creation of an efficient system of irrigation.

1296. The multicultural lens is, by its peculiar nature and composition, remarkably tolerant and forgiving. Perhaps it is not surprising that it fails to recognize honour killings as "barbaric," and raises no alarm when those convicted of attempted murder are invited along on a "dress-up" junket to India.

1295. The choice is clear: to live with the uncomfortable truth -- that the universe is a great mystery whose origin and secrets we may never fully understand -- or to subscribe to a comforting lie -- that the universe was created solely for our benefit by a species-obsessed deity whose thoughts on every conceivable subject have been -- and continue to be -- accurately divined by self-proclaimed human intermediaries. It's a choice between reasonable calm -- pursuing the truth by sticking to the evidence -- and pathetic bluster -- the manufacturing of an unreasonable conclusion.

1294. Avoid giving clear, simple, and obvious advice; no one wants to think his intractable problems have easy solutions.

1293. Those who confide their problems are usually seeking sympathetic commiseration, not simple solutions.

1292. The ticking time bomb of truth which has the power to destroy the politically correct, egalitarian, liberal ethos: some things are better than others.

1291. Every society will reflect the tension between competition and co-operation, between the claims of merit and the yearnings for equality.

1290. The reduction of inequality should never be confused with the creation of "equality." One may, on balance, enhance liberty; the other invariably restricts it. (Unfortunately, no bell sounds when the virtue becomes the vice.)

1289. "Equality Success" is the reward, compensation, or consideration sought by a person or group claiming victimhood. 

1288. "Equality Success" is that compensation given to those who claim past or present victimhood; it is based on the premise that success is universally and equally deserved. 

1287. When real success is unobtainable, "Equality Success" -- the validation and recognition of victimhood -- is often an agreeable compensating alternative.

1286. There is a simple, basic truth which has the power to lacerate the heart of every socialist, to wither and destroy the soul of every multiculturalist, and to send every politically correct egalitarian screaming over the edge of the nearest abyss. It is simply this: "equality" is a figment of the human imagination -- some ideas, approaches and principles have superior function and effectiveness -- they bring more success -- than others.

1285. The removal of prejudicial barriers, the providing of equality of opportunity, and the achievement of equality of result are distinctly different concepts; they range from the reasonable, to the difficult, to the impossible. They are sometimes confused by those for whom thinking is an untried novelty.

1284. We live in an age where leaping is preferred to looking: the signalling of virtue occurs before its true location has been determined.

1283. When prejudicial barriers to participation in employment are removed -- liberty is enhanced. But the requirement that a particular group be represented in any type of employment is restrictive. "Equality" purchased at the cost of liberty should be given its true name: oppression.

1282. Those blessed with celebrity are often unjustifiably emboldened; they think celebrity confers authority.

1281. The world is full of circles, and people who, affronted, are determined to square them.

1280. Intolerance can be just as virtuous as tolerance: It is better to be intolerant -- rather that tolerant -- of evil, injustice, and stupidity.

1279. Tolerance may be viewed as an empathetic sensitivity, a foolish appeasement, or an enablement of evil. Its virtue is determined by its direction.

1278. The man who prides himself on his "tolerance" -- without specifying what he is "tolerant" of -- is an idiot.

1277. Tolerance, in itself, is morally neutral; it reflects virtue or evil, depending upon its object.

1276. Tolerance, like enthusiasm, is an attitude not a virtue. Few proclaim moral superiority in their tolerance of random shootings, or their enthusiasm for wife-beating.

1275. We do not expect government leaders to criticize any religion -- but nor do we expect them to decry "Islamophobia," and suggest that criticism of Islam should be silenced. In doing so, they betray the principle of freedom of speech. Expressions of pious outrage in defence of Islam are, in fact, counter-productive: like those of the Player Queen -- they are seen to be protestations entirely too much.

1274. The endless protection of feelings -- a cultivation of fragility -- is unwise. It leads to the seeking of validation, not through competence and the overcoming of obstacles, but through claiming increasing degrees of passivity and insufficiency – the "triumph" of victimhood.

1273. It is not surprising that, in an era of approved infantilization, so many seek validation, not in accomplishment, but in victimhood.

1272. The infant assumes he is the centre of the universe -- but eventually must encounter the reality. The failure to say "no" -- to enhance self-esteem -- ensures a prolonged infancy, and a consequent failure of competence.

1271. Self-esteem is not bestowed, but earned through accomplishment.

1270. Political correctness is the barometer of a society which does not wish to confront reality.

1269. When does lying to people in order to protect their feelings show respect -- and when does it show condescension?

1268. Every culture seeks success; some do it through economic progress, enhanced social stability, and creative endeavours; others by constantly emphasizing their lack of it -- their righteous claim to victimhood.

1267. The number of cultural grievance tantrums will decline in direct proportion to the amount of ridicule they elicit. (Henceforth this will be known as Dr. Dreimer's Second Law of Cultural Sensitivity.)

1266. The number of cultural grievance tantrums will rise in direct proportion to the kind and solicitous attention paid to them. (Henceforth this will be known as the Dr. Dreimer's First Law of Cultural Sensitivity.)

1265. The cultural grievance industry -- like any other -- will fold when it ceases to be profitable.

1264. Political correctness represents the desire to attain the unattainable virtue of equality; it must eventually founder on the fact that price of any ideal virtue is too high -- it is paid in the coin of freedom and the currency of truth.   

1263. Determining the difference between the achievable and the simply stupid is something we have not yet figured out.

1262. Damnation is inevitable: a failure to engage in the struggle for perfection suggests moral delinquency; but too determined a struggle for the impossible invariably brings not virtue, but vice. 

1261. Human aspirations for "equality" are cruelly mocked by the unaccommodating reality: some ideas, behaviours, and attitudes are more useful than others. 

1260. Not only are human beings not perfectible -- the point at which apparently desirable virtues are transformed into practical vices comes much earlier than most people think. 

1259. It is surprising how many people trade in their bullshit detectors for illusion receptors.

1258. Meaning is in the moment, not in eternity.

1257. No one can deny the confounding mysteries: the existence of matter, the transformation to animate matter, and the existence of consciousness. But religious explanations are always too simplistic; they assume a grand design, a human primacy and a divine concern and benevolence which cannot be justified by the facts of our circumstance.

1256. Political correctness suggests that feelings are the rock upon which a moral philosophy can be built. But feelings -- subjective, variable, and potentially unlimited in scope -- are not rock -- but sands -- shifting, unstable, and ultimately -- incoherent. 

1255. Every ideal is blind to reality. The abyss of truth is remarkably patient.

1254. Political correctness is the new religion; it holds that truth should always defer to kindness and compassion. It is the always -- the categorical imperative -- that is the problem. When the avoidance of hurt feelings is the overriding virtue, not only is truth ignored, but the freedom to speak it must be suppressed. Every virtue contains the self-destructive seed of uncompromising absolutism, the potential fruit of categorical oppression.

1253. It is possible that the belief in powerful, concerned, and often benign deities -- while completely unfounded -- is an illusion essential to the human project. History would seem to suggest so -- but perhaps there is hope for a faith in reason in the future.

1252. One of the great -- but largely unacknowledged -- sources of human wisdom is the simple, lowly, bullshit detector.

1251. In summation: orderly progress appears to be the result of a powerful -- partly random -- force of experimental creativity thrust against a restrictive but constantly varying gate of efficacy and utility.

1250. The universe appears to operate through an interplay of chaos and utilitarian limitation -- which gives the impression of order. Random, creative, experimental elements are loosed, then reigned in and limited by what "works." This is how evolution proceeds; we suspect that it is how living brains operate. Without experimental "playfulness," there could be no works of art. The fact that this universe is "just right" for life may not be by design -- but because it is simply the "successful" outcome in a series of other universe experiments.

1249. It is currently the fashion to decry "rote learning." But no matter how wonderful your oven, it will not produce a cake without a batter of necessary ingredients.

1248. A more sophisticated slogan would have been "All Lives Matter." "Black Lives Matter" suggests that skin colour is both defining and important -- which is exactly the mindset being condemned.

1247. Different standards are applied to different races and cultures; it is legitimate to condemn the white race and culture with the term "white privilege;" it is deplorable racism to note any scientific or cultural achievements by those who are white. For other races and cultures, the reverse is true: approval is allowed; criticism is not. At the heart of such disparities is the desire to find equality where it "should" -- but does not -- exist.

1246. There is a double standard when referring to indigenous cultures: approving comments reflect an acknowledgment of cultural achievements; disapproving comments are dismissed as racist.

1245. To object to someone because of race -- an unchangeable characteristic -- is foolish; to be opposed to cultural practices -- which are alterable -- is legitimate. Awkwardly, race and culture are often intertwined, and race is used as a visual signal to justify prejudice based on cultural antipathies. In a perfect world, people would never leap to conclusions about individuals -- or generalize about groups; in the real world, it is commonplace -- and may be part of our genetic heritage. Even those who condemn prejudicial negative generalizations about one group, often fall into the same error -- by making positive generalizations about the same group -- or with categorical condemnation of some other group.   

1244. Political correctness: It would be madness to predict when the madness will end.

1243. Finding something which -- by some elasticity of the imagination -- might be termed "racism" is like discovering a well-travelled broomstick in the garden shed. A gleeful dance of moral triumph around the ritual bonfire is assured.

1242. Moral superiority is impossible in the absence of egregious moral turpitude in others -- thus the timeless appeal of witch hunts and virtue signalling.

1241. Traditionally, men have required myths to live by -- as refutations of an apparently uncaring universe, and as an assurance of immortality. The great modern danger is that they are divisive elements not subject to rational discussion, and are -- as in the past -- convenient tools for oppression.

1240. It is the aim of political correctness to put a gloss of lipstick on the snout of truth -- to ignore deficiencies -- to focus on what sounds good -- to proclaim the advantage to every awkwardness.  There is always a degree of coercion involved in requiring people to see only the lipstick, not the pig beneath.

1239. The current "correct" view is that "equality" is a reality implicit in the nature of things -- or one that must, at all costs, be engineered. Thus all apparent competence and success bear the taint of moral failure -- and must be condemned; failure and incompetence are redeemed by moral virtue -- and must be promoted and encouraged. High self-esteem should be independent of accomplishment, and feelings -- so often vulnerable to facts -- must never suffer the perception of an "unequal" deficiency. In other words, intellectual dishonesty is currently the prime requirement for holding socially approved views. 

1238. Religion -- traditionally -- enhances the commitment and ferocity of the tribe -- and hence its survival. 

1237. "Equality" sounds good; "merit" works. The desire to substitute one for the other is a modern folly – one which underlies socialism, multiculturalism, and, of course – political correctness.

1236. Affirmative action -- discrimination with an euphemistic face.  (An improvement on #13)

1235. Heaven sounds awfully boring. Let's face it -- it's sin -- or the prospect of it -- that keeps us alive and interested. No wonder you need a death certificate to get in.

1234. Heaven sounds awfully boring -- like rice pudding without the raisins.

1233. People who go around saying, "Our strength is in diversity" are probably thinking of plywood -- which gains strength by diversifying the direction of wood fibres. But plywood still requires wood -- you can't make it out of maple syrup.

1232. The home improvement store -- the local lumber yard -- should not be seen as prosaic purveyors of paint and plywood -- but as hymns to the creative spirit.

1231. Runaway spending -- when the money engine busts the brain brake.

1230. Ostentation is the horn that blows when the money engine has broken the brain brake.

1229. The law of the jungle says that inadequate, unhappy, and inefficient cultures must adapt or die; the law of compassionate civilization says they must be cherished and encouraged as equally worthy. Those who consistently choose tact over truth are likely to go -- politely -- extinct.

1228. It used to be that education was for the few; now, quite rightly, it is for the many. But we should not be surprised at the "democratization" of the language -- as more people use it -- the average proficiency in expression declines.

1227. We are moving from an era of religious idealism to one of secular idealism; the central secular ideal -- which underlies socialism, multiculturalism, and political correctness -- is that of "equality." Beyond, a corrective era awaits -- one in which it is recognized that ideals must be tempered by reality.

1226. Religions are useful, not truthful.

1225. We launch our atheistic missiles without scruple at the staunch believers; we know that the carapace of irrational faith has never yet been penetrated by reason, nor yet been dented by doubt.

1224. The Bible: historically significant; increasingly irrelevant; and -- to the gullible -- dangerously misleading.

1223. Masking the face always symbolizes a rejection of collaborative humanity: the medicine man signals his supernatural powers; the criminal his anti-social intent; the niqab-wearer her rejection of community.

1222. Religion may be reasonably benign when seen as a comforting -- but temporary and occasional -- flirtation with fantasy -- and as an acknowledgment that life has many unanswered questions. It can be quite dangerous as a permanent delusion -- a conclusion that all the questions have been answered.

1221. The great promise of socialism is "equality." But "equality' is a Procrustean bed into which real, competitive, and unequal human beings simply will not fit. The attempts to make them fit explain why socialist experiments  eventually end as dictatorships.

1220. Seeing the faces of others enables empathy; the masking of faces creates uncertainty; it suggests and encourages hostility.

1219. Age does not attenuate -- rather it accentuates our eccentricities.

1218. In some music, one hears the metronome of the soul.

1217. The face enables empathy: it is easier to insult someone at a distance -- in writing -- than in person. This is another reason that cultural face-coverings are to be deplored.

1216. Ideals represent virtuous perfection; democracy is messy and unpredictable. The left will always favour ideals over democracy.

1215. Those on the left are often so enamoured with their ideal conceptions of man and society that they deem them unassailable virtues -- to be finagled when possible -- or imposed when necessary. This explains why all socialist   schemes -- even those approved, initially, by the majority -- are eventually revealed as coercive. It is why "socialism," in time, becomes indistinguishable from dictatorship.  

1214. Aiding the unfortunate should never be referred to as "reducing inequality" -- since that suggests that "equality" is a desirable goal. It is not: the attempt to attain the unattainable is coercive and stupid. "Aiding the unfortunate" should be referred to as "aiding the unfortunate."

1213. We are witnessing a period of self-loathing in western societies which is based on a sense that "equality" is the bedrock reality of the human condition. Using that standard, everything which is "successful" offends the egalitarian moral imperative, and, in that sense, is a failure. Conversely, anything manifestly unsuccessful represents an oppressed virtue in dire need of promotion and respect.

1212. Human beings respond to incentives; they are inherently competitive. Just as the competitive spirit cannot be allowed unfettered reign, neither can it be extinguished. Those who attempt to do so -- under the banners of virtue and equality -- are not merely foolish; given sufficient power, they become dictators -- and murderers.

1211. If the niqab were merely an armband depicting a veiled face – it would be symbolically offensive – either as a marker of oppression – or of deliberate cultural insult. Because it actually masks the face – it adds injury to insult: it is a barrier to integration, ensures cultural isolation, and represents a risk to security. A further symbolic insult is added – that of a superior stance – the claim of a right to observe faces which it denies to others. Hiding the face is no more a "minority right" than is public nudity.

1210. Stupidity is easy to implement, harder to fix.

1209. The single payer health care system is, necessarily, coercive, removing competition and reducing patient choice. How we supplicants wish to throw off the yoke, and become customers, able to take our business elsewhere!

1208. Truth will always be ignored if it challenges a cherished illusion.

November 1, 2017 ends the eighth year of Observations

1207. "Racism" is a convenient buzzword used as an unanswerable accusation of moral depravity. It is often applied to criticism which has nothing to do with race.

1206. The just society does not promote equality, rather, it removes barriers to self-fulfilment. It allows capitalism as the most efficient economic system, but mitigates its Darwinian effects by alleviating need.

1205. Political correctness is the inedible fruit of unreasonable expectations.

1204. There are truths which everyone knows -- and which everyone is afraid to say; that is the triumph of political correctness.

1203. The criminalization of hatred can only ensure its continuance. What is more worthy of contempt than the attempt to criminalize a human emotion?

1202. The law of the survival of the fittest is cruel, but axiomatic and irrefutable. As civilizations focus on equality, rather than merit, so they ensure their decline.

1201. Socialism, multiculturalism, and political correctness are all informed by the principle of equality. Since "equality" is an unattainable ideal state, coercion and oppression are intrinsic to all three.

1200. What evils are wrought in the name of "equality!" It is the Procrustean bed into which the great unequal masses of mankind must be forced in order to proclaim that "virtue" has been achieved.

1199. The strand of self-loathing currently so evident in western civilization may be attributed to the idealistic focus on equality. All western achievements fail the egalitarian test; true virtue is to be found in cultures less competent, and less successful -- the traditionally disparaged. Even  directly antithetical cultural values must be spared criticism in the name of "equality." 

1198. When equality is the measure, all success is tainted by failure.

1197. Propaganda is only needed when the truth isn't good enough.

1196. The United Nations is a whited sepulchre -- a veneer of noble intentions covering a festering corruption beneath.

1195. The road to infantile incompetence is paved with exaggerated sensitivity.

1194. Liberal principles...aren’t they a bit like worthless treasures, unlikely certainties, and – oh yes -- straightforward deceptions?

1193. Banning the burka -- a great kindness mischaracterized as an offensive cruelty.

1192. Islam is a tough nut to crack: at its core is a ruthless, aggressive, hostile political ideology cunningly concealed beneath a ruthless, hostile, aggressive religious philosophy.

1191. Hiding one's face during ordinary social interactions is ridiculous, divisive, and subversive.

1190. Political correctness is the new religion -- determined to make up enough commandments to ensure that everyone is a sinner.

1189. In the ideal world, water also flows uphill.

1188. The truth will not win any popularity contests. It cannot compete with comforting illusions.

1187. In the ideal world, the niqab would not be banned; in accordance with the concept of freedom -- it would be allowed as a symbol of an oppressive political and religious ideology which is destructive of that very notion of freedom which permits its expression. But in the real world, that "tolerance" seems inextricably wedded to the notion that the oppressive symbol -- and the underlying ideology -- not be criticized. To allow opposing ideas a free rein -- and then prohibit criticism of them -- is not tolerance but stupidity. It seems the equivalent of a death wish.

1186. The origin of the universe and the nature of consciousness are considerable mysteries. It is possible to put mysteries into a black box, and give them the name "God." But that's what it is -- a label for the unknown. It is not then legitimate to ascribe to the unknown human attributes such as thought and intention. The unknown is not a person, and nobody knows what it eats for breakfast.  

1185. It is impossible to disprove the existence of something imagined, such as "God." On the other hand, the existence of something imagined cannot be confused with something for which evidence exists. The onus is on the imaginer of God to prove his existence. The universe is not that proof. We all agree about the universe. What is at issue is "God" -- as something separate from the universe. 

1184. Morality is socially derived -- but religion is the lie used to reinforce it. Some say the lie is necessary, but as more and more people cease to believe in God -- while living socially acceptable lives -- that argument loses its force.

1183. We live in an age of "necessary equality." The truth -- that things are inherently unequal -- must be denied at all costs.

1182. The virtue of harmony is a convenient cover for the totalitarian impulse.

1181. Those anxious to signal virtue are mostly signallers. They are generally not opposed to convenient pacts with the devil in support of their pretence.

1180. Those anxious to signal virtue seek not virtue, but approbation, and a sense of moral superiority. Thus selfishness parades as piety.

1179. The great trouble with fools -- they are so easily transformed into knaves.

1178. The great trouble with fools -- they so easily become the tools of knaves.

1177. All religions attempt to deal with the gap between desire and reality. The theistic religions promise to fulfill desires under certain conditions -- and -- rather conveniently -- after death. Buddhism attempts to solve the problem by banishing the desires. The persistence of religions is a testament to the usefulness of utter nonsense.

1176. Those who murder for the "correct" socialist reasons seem to be judged on their fine egalitarian intentions – never on their ruthless means and disastrous results. (Ireland issues Che Guevara stamp.)

1175. The Genie of power is notoriously reluctant to return to his bottle.

1174. In the marketplace of ideas, a winner can be chosen on the basis of efficacy; in any battle involving religion, reason is irrelevant -- determination is all. It is folly to believe that a winning idea will overcome a commitment of faith -- yet this appears to be the presumption of western secularism.  

1173. Contempt -- as an occasional sauce added to a final dish of factual triumph -- may be difficult to resist; as a main course -- served reflexively and repeatedly-- it indicates a woefully impoverished larder.

1172. The great revolutionary truth that hardly dares to speak its name: some things are better than others.

1171. We live in a time of universal deceit -- and there is little appetite for revolution. "Equality" is the pleasant lie which underlies multiculturalism, socialism, and, indeed, political correctness itself.

1170. Banning the burka: in a war, one neither broadcasts nor approves the propaganda of the enemy.

1169. Everyone knows that people are not equal. That is why it is necessary to keep insisting -- with such vehemence and conviction -- that they are. That is why we are always willing to give socialism one more chance.

1168. Socialism pretends that men are equal, interchangeable, nitwits -- imbued with all the aspirations of a working-class ant.

1167. The most dangerous men are those who have -- or pretend they have -- a vision of an egalitarian society. That noble end will justify a tsunami of oppressive means.

1166. The secret to a successful murderous dictatorship is to call it socialism.

1165. Emphasizing equality rather than merit will work -- as long as you are not in competition with realists.

1164. We are witnessing the clash of two antithetical traditions: one allows the freedom to criticize; the other holds that a religion must, unfailingly, be approved. There can be no compromise between such opposites. If we fail to uphold the freedom to criticize -- we concede the triumph of irrational belief, and embrace not merely the slavery of silence, but the imprisonment of the mind which it implies.

1163. The attainable is always at some distance from perfection.

1162. The concept of necessary complementary opposites is the key to understanding the difficulties of the human condition. The attainable always lies at some variable distance between the desired and the reviled.

1161. Religions claim the status of truth for what is merely speculation. They are dangerous to the extent to which they justify the compelling of belief.

1160. "Islamophobia" -- the irrational fear of Islam -- scarcely exists. An example would be the belief that agents of Islam are reading our thoughts through the television set. Overwhelmingly, the fear of Islam is perfectly rational -- it is based on the fact that the religion is oppressive and threatening in theory, and is interpreted literally by significant numbers. The attempts to vilify those who fear Islam represent stupidity wearing the mantle of "tolerance."

1159. Religion is the attempt to make comforting sense of the puzzle of the human condition. Where truth is unavailable, fantasy is made to suffice.

1158. Climate alarmism echoes the familiar narrative of religion: because of original sin -- selfishness -- there is a terrible threat of death and destruction; but salvation may be obtained -- by a degree of communal restraint and appropriate human sacrifice.

1157. Socialism pretends to equality; but the distinction -- the inequality -- between the central planners and those who must fit into their plan reveals the intrinsic and fatal flaw in the pretence.

1156. In healthcare -- as in everything else -- he who pays the piper calls the tune; when the government pays the piper, the patient must adjust his musical sensibility.

1155. Customers are accorded respect because they have the power of choice; supplicants, lacking choice, are treated with condescension. Despite sincere and earnest intentions, the socialist health care system creates supplicants, and will invariably suffer from the malaise of condescension.

1154. Socialism promises the ideal of equality; it fails to note two pertinent truths: equality is not actually attainable in the real world -- and the attempt to achieve the impossible is invariably oppressive and coercive.

1153. When the rallying cry is "equality," it takes a very brave man to resist. There is little to be gained from denying cherished illusions.

1152. Socialism proves -- through its repeated failures -- that equality is not in the blueprint of nature. That socialist schemes are still pursued illustrates the continuing unpopularity of reality.

1151. Churchill described the virtues of socialism and capitalism as -- respectively -- the equal sharing of misery and the unequal sharing of blessings. What the Canadian health care system shows is even less flattering to socialism: despite the pretence, even the sharing of misery is unequal.

1150. Socialism teaches a valuable -- although very expensive -- lesson: societies cannot function on the principle of equality. Unfortunately, idealists are very slow learners.

1149. Socialism: the aim -- equality; the result -- stupidity.

1148. Socialist schemes will always fail because they attempt to suspend the laws of economics, and to defy the realities of human nature.

1146. The road of the ideal never reaches the imagined heights; after a few blocks of well-defined enthusiasm, the track becomes muddied, reality floods over, and the path disappears in the treacherous quicksands of gullibility.

1145. The great political divide has its roots in psychology: Those on the left are idealistic and gullible; those on the right realistic and apprehensive. One side focuses on hopeful intentions, the other on unsatisfactory results.

1144. The multiculturalist assumes, naively, that cultural success -- both material and psychological -- is solely a function of location, and has nothing to do with cultural values and attitudes.

1143. "Infidels" will stop fearing Islam when the religion ceases to call for their deaths.

1142. We have arrived at a hell of stupidity -- a state of wilful ignorance based on good intentions -- that feelings of Muslims must not be hurt by calling attention to the oppressive nature of their religion.

1141. An irrational belief -- like a crucial break in the dyke of reason -- enables and encourages the flow of ever greater absurdities.

1140. Religion is a four-letter word: scam.

1139. Religion and science both represent man's quest for agency. Religion is the easy inheritance, promising unproven magical rewards; science is more demanding -- it offers real but limited benefits -- in exchange for effort. The persistence of religion is not difficult to explain.

1138. With age, reduced expectations follow diminished possibilities in an increasingly narrow circle.

1137. It is the unpleasant -- but necessary -- task of the curmudgeon to tell people that what they most desire is either improbable or impossible.

1136. It is a matter of enduring wonder that, even for intelligent people, the mind stops working when religious belief is at issue. What, do they imagine, would have been their convictions had they been born in ancient Egypt, China, or Peru? Would they have been "saved" at the time of their demise -- or just have fallen back into the "immense design of things?" Why should their present time and place make any difference? How unfair if it should!

1135. The notion of complementary opposites is the key to understanding the limitations of the real world. It is not a question of choosing, irrevocably, peace, freedom, love, tolerance, and equality. All of these ideal conceptions imply their necessary opposites. Conflict, restriction, hatred, and inequality cannot be wished away with pious incantations, however heartfelt -- or with determined imaginings, no matter how fervent.

1134. Paradoxically, choosing "ideals" -- such as peace, tolerance, and equality may be counter-productive. Every virtue, carried far enough, transforms into vice.

1133. The great intellectual failure of the left is to assume that ideal conceptions represent viable alternatives in real life. It is easy to proclaim virtue by being on the side of peace, tolerance, and equality. But peace may entail self-destruction, tolerance of evil allows it to spread, and equality -- if it were actually attainable -- implies mediocrity, stasis, and the cessation of progress. Choosing -- in the real world -- usually involves determining the lesser evil. 

1132. Political correctness attempts to realize -- on earth -- a heaven of equality, with saintly concomitants of benign tolerance and universal respect. The problem is that equality is not in the blueprint of natural things, and what political correctness exposes -- unintentionally -- is the gargantuan gap between the ideal and the real.

1131. When excellence plays second fiddle to diversity, the performance will suffer. (The more refined version of #1130)

1130. When excellence plays second fiddle to diversity, the tune will stink.

1129. Plagiarism: a surprising admission of inadequacy.

1128. The stronger the love, the greater the vulnerability to its loss.

1127. It would not surprise us to learn that God, in considerable annoyance at the arrogant claim of human beings that they are created in his image, and are the sole and worthy focus of his attention, is preparing an especially humiliating comeuppance. Perhaps an all-consuming solar flare, or a pulverising collision with a huge asteroid.

1126. Mr. Trudeau: a man whose superficiality extends, undiminished, to his core.

1125. Mr. Trudeau is a deeply superficial man.

1124. Immigration: compassionate ideals are attractive -- but practical realities -- despite their cosmetic deficiencies -- often interfere.

1123. Political correctness seeks to suppress speech critical of Islam. Thus not only are bad ideas protected -- including the absurd claim of infallibility -- but a liberty fundamental to western societies -- the right to criticize -- is denied. It is an obsequious appeasement -- an offer of cultural suicide in the hope of harmony.

1122. Political correctness insists on a smooth, egalitarian consistency -- but reality is always lumpy.

1121. If he did not have to eat, the tiger might well lie down with the lamb.

1120. Political correctness aims for a world of equality where feelings are triumphantly unhurt; the attempt is oppressive, and ultimately must founder on the implacable truth: feelings can never be sacrosanct, and equality is not in the blueprint of natural things.

1119. Ideals are conceptual and theoretical -- they are notions of perfection; human beings are real and -- resistantly -- imperfect. That is why the attempt to implement ideals invariably involves coercion and a loss of liberty.

1118. Socialism illustrates the tyranny of the ideal: it invariably leads to dictatorship.

1117. The tyranny of the ideal becomes possible when noble intentions are considered more important than actual results.

1116. Religion provides magical explanations; science is more prosaic, but has a winning track record. Where there are mysteries, leaping to religious answers seems unwise. When science has done its best -- some magic may remain -- the origin of the universe and the development of complex life forms seem dauntingly mysterious and miraculous respectively. But "God" is never an answer -- merely the evasive postponement of one. 

1115. Just as cunning is "the dark sanctuary of incapacity," so the ad hominem remark is the refuge of those without facts, rational analysis, or coherent arguments.

1114. Most animals participate in a ruthless scheme of  murder necessary for survival, but the claim of moral superiority for human beings is specious. It is simply that we are adept at disguising our involvement with well-run farms, discreetly placed slaughterhouses, and plastic packaging.

1113. With political correctness, "tolerance" and "diversity" are one-directional, not reciprocal.

1112. Religious presumptions invariably prefigure further foolishness.

1111. "Cultural sensitivity" should not preclude the criticism of oppressive,  unjust, and absurd cultural practices. For how else can freedom, justice, and reason be advanced?

1110. Political correctness foolishly favours uni-directional -- rather than reciprocal -- tolerance.

1109. In the present age of enlightenment, the right to criticize injustice and absurdity must defer to the demands of "cultural sensitivity."

1108. If "cultural sensitivity" had always been  considered the chief virtue -- we would still be practising slavery, human sacrifice -- and cannibalism.

1107. We need a complete explanation of the meaningless of existence. Or -- We will not be satisfied until we have a complete explanation of the meaningless of existence.

1106. Those who return from a place of "refuge" to their home country for a holiday or special event irrevocably alter their status --  from refugee to "prefugee." They are obviously "refugees" of preference or convenience.

1105. It is said that a habit of gloom may be erased by a determination to smile: what is at first forced becomes, over time, easy and natural. If this is true, a consistent and determined replacement of "religious" and "religion" with the word "stupidity" should result in a great benefit and advancement for mankind. The habit of deferring to "stupidity" might lose some small part of its allure.

1104. The collector of quotations is an intellectual magpie -- selecting the shiny bits to relieve -- and perhaps conceal -- the drabness of an insufficiently learned nest.

1103. We are waiting to see the point at which political correctness simply devours itself – is paralysed in a web of contradictions and impossibilities – or subsides beneath an incoherent sea of infinitely parsed microaggressions. (We are not holding our breath.)

1102. Islam presents a problem because it is very oppressive in theory, but can be less so in practice. The danger is that failure to criticize bad ideas can be mistaken for consent; the feelings of believers must never stand in the way of  criticizing absurdity and injustice -- wherever they are found. 

1101. The theory of evolution is resisted by many of the faithful. They prefer the  immediate, strategic brilliance -- the magic of purposeful creation -- to the eons of tiny changes -- an uncertain, meandering slog of natural interactions. Worst of all, perhaps -- the deceptive curtain thus pulled aside -- there appears no magnificent wizard worthy of worship -- but rather -- exposed -- is the creaky machinery of religion -- a bunch of levers requiring constant activation by mortal hands.

1100. The God of the Old Testament differs from that of the New; the Christian God of the fifteenth century differs from the Christian God of the present day. That is because Gods are created by men, and are obliged to change with the times.

1099. Political correctness invariably leads to moral relativism -- because the commitment to "equality" precludes judgment. The criticism of ideas -- the suggestion that some ideas are better than others -- is considered unseemly and hurtful of feelings. But ultimately, basic judgments about life are necessary. It is better to be free than to be enslaved; it is better to be comfortable than in pain -- to be fed and sheltered rather than hungry and exposed. It is better to be confident than fearful. It is better to have more opportunities for self-fulfilment rather than fewer. It is better to live a long life than a short one. One may quibble at the edges of such assumptions -- there may be occasions when death is preferable to life -- but, quibbles aside, cultures can -- and should  -- be judged.

1098. Egalitarian ideals will forever founder on the unmovable rock of hierarchic reality: some ideas are invariably better than others.

1097. The conflict between the ideal and the real worlds cannot be resolved: one is too fanciful for implementation, the other too depressing for contemplation.

1096. The history of religion shows a marked propensity for leaping to conclusions -- "certainties" later contradicted by evidence.

1095. Religion -- the happy marriage of gullibility and mendacity.

1094. In the absence of evidence, speculation is a thin, unsatisfying gruel for the mind. We may speculate that there is a benevolent God obsessively concerned with the human race, anguishing over the beliefs, attitudes and customs of human societies, and fretting about the success -- or lack thereof -- of his Divine Plan. But is it not equally valid to speculate that God is largely indifferent to human affairs? Perhaps, after all, he has a far older, more interesting species on an entirely different planet -- one far more worthy of the concern and focus of his Divine Mind. 

1093. The universe is a great mystery -- there is no evidence that it has -- or has not -- any meaning or purpose. Theories are proposed which are comforting, benign, and anthropocentric -- but they are contradicted by the realities thus far discovered: human beings evolved using the same building blocks as other creatures -- and we are interdependent -- all involved in a ruthless scheme of necessary murder.

1092. Victimhood likely has its limitations. It requires certain awkward mindsets: continuing self-pity and resentment -- and unstinting affirmation and accommodation.  

1091. When victimhood is unduly rewarded, it becomes addictive -- a habit of mind requiring ever new oppressions for "success." Of such oppressions, life -- unfair to the core -- has an infinite supply.

1090. If you are determined to be an oppressed nail, you will find -- or manufacture -- the necessary hammers. (A variation of #803)

1089. Tolerance is a poor defence against knavery.

1088. Evil is the distillation of self-interest.

1087. Thoughtless human beings have it so easy! (An irreverent addendum to #1086)

1086. To determine what is true, and what is false, to judge what improvements are achievable, and what dreams are idle or even dangerous -- these are the difficult tasks which challenge all thoughtful human beings. 

1085. Mr. Dawkins has noted the "epidemic" of restrictions on open speech. The pathogen responsible is the notion of equality; the disease is called political correctness. In the ideal world, people, cultures, and religions -- even ideas-- except those which deny the very premise of equality -- are equal. Thus criticism becomes "unfair" and -- the ultimate in tragedy -- hurtful of feelings. The ideal world is, necessarily, a restrictive and coercive factor in the real one

1084. The belief in multiculturalism is one of the chief follies of the age. It ignores the diversity of cultural beliefs, the powerful roots and bonds of traditional practice, and the essential incompatibility of some traditions with any humane continuance of the human project. In particular, religious certainties -- which have no basis in evidence -- are resistant to reason, and to the moderating effects of secular perspectives. 

1083. The appeasement of bullies serves as an encouragement  -- it shows that they have embraced a successful strategy.

1082. The road to nonsense is paved with unthinking, untroubled acceptance; the truth is less accessible -- often found only at the end of a steep, questioning path of challenge.

1081. If Islam were a person, he would be seen as suffering from a number of mental deficiencies -- some of which alone -- but certainly all of which in combination -- would render him unfit for human society. He would be seen as utterly lacking in empathy -- calling for the death of all those around him who were insufficiently supportive -- or who expressed a desire to move to more congenial neighbourhoods. He would be seen as an obsessive compulsive -- attempting to control every aspect of the lives of those around him. He would be seen as a megalomaniac -- insisting that complete strangers pay him the same respect required of those in his inner circle. Indeed, he would be seen as emotionally unstable -- reacting to mockery with the tantrums of a two-year old -- murderous outbursts in his case -- ineptly battling the unwelcome reality -- that he is not the centre of the universe.

1080. The world is divided into two classes: the small number of those who know how to use the apostrophe -- and the vast hordes who do not.

1079. All religions arise from the claims of special insight or "revelation" on the part of fallible human beings. The messages are rare, arbitrary, and conflicting; they vary widely according to location and time. A serious God -- one with modest intelligence and a half-decent marketing department -- would hardly let belief in his existence -- if it mattered -- depend on such a tenuous and unlikely strategy. The conclusions are clear: "God" is incompetent, capricious, or indifferent. If he is there at all.

1078. Disorder and order are the yin and yang of all progress.

1077. Progress is the result of a necessary taming of a necessary disorder.

1076. Without disorder, there is no creativity -- only inevitability. Without some limiting order, creativity descends into chaos.

1075. We imagine that the brains of sentient creatures reflect the evolutionary process. Evolution makes random alterations which are approved -- or rejected -- by the constantly changing environment -- giving the impression of orderly progress. So the brain may make random suggestions which must meet the changing requirements for the survival and success of the organism -- giving the impression of reasoned, orderly decision-making.

1074. In left-wing philosophy, only society is to blame -- evil and self-interest are vague illusions. Justice is best employed as an occasional scullery maid in the house of infinite mercy.

1073. As instinctive tribalists, we are programmed for herd-like thinking.

1072. Separating truth from lies is a never-ending task. Generally speaking, anything disappointing and unpopular is the truth.

1071. Tribalism -- which is instinctive -- favours conformity and provides the comfort of herd-like thinking; thus it tends naturally towards dictatorship. Democracy attempts to modify the natural bias -- but it requires constant effort and commitment. No one should be surprised that it is not more eagerly adopted.

1070. Persistence is often more important than aptitude.

1069. Socialism pretends that benevolence can be made compulsory. But compulsion is corrosive -- it erodes and eventually destroys benevolence.

1068. Religion is a useful -- but flawed -- coping mechanism; it is like an enabling drug with dangerous side-effects.

1067. Stupidity can be just as dangerous as animosity.

1066. A tone which is consistently jeering does not suggest superiority, but weakness. Those confident in their arguments do not feel the need to antagonize their opponents.

1065. Apology and appeasement -- the Obama approach to world affairs -- represents a sacrifice of truth in the pursuit of harmony. But, in the end, the world recognizes merit; it is not productive to hide the light of superior ideas under a barrel of obsequious self-effacement.

1064. Life, at its core, is not egalitarian, but competitive. This fact may be deplored, and competition may be beneficially modified in the interests of "equality" -- but it can never be eliminated. The attempts to create egalitarian societies -- socialist states -- are coercive cures worse than the disease they are meant to remedy. All socialist societies are Procrustean beds -- they invariably become dictatorships as they attempt to force real, natural, competitive inequalities into a theoretical framework of equality.

1063. Religion is a kind of formalized insanity in which suppositions are transformed into facts. The trouble is -- any insanity sufficiently common and widespread is viewed as completely normal.

1062. It is fashionable to proclaim -- especially in the interests of compassion and tolerance -- that unequal things are equal. In this manner, stupidity is enhanced, while the reality remains unchanged.

1061. Voting for politicians who spout optimistic nonsense is like buying a lottery ticket: you can live in a fantasy of hope until the numbers are drawn. Then it's back to reality.

1060. It is remarkably easy to prove that a professed multiculturalist is a fool, a monster, or a liar. It is simply necessary to ask: "Are you in favour of cannibalism, slavery, appeasement of the Gods with human sacrifice, stoning for adultery, female genital mutilation, and honour killings?" If all these customs are approved, a true "multiculturalist" has been discovered, but one who is -- clearly -- either a half-wit or a monster. The "multiculturalist" who balks at any of these practices is obviously a liar -- a poseur who likes the sound of the term, and wishes to signal his superior tolerance, virtue, and compassion.

1059. People who endlessly praise "diversity" forget that the ultimate in diversity is chaos.  Too much of a good thing is invariably a bad thing: a society too diverse will fall apart.

1058. Diversity and uniformity are opposite but complementary concepts. One suggests tyranny; the other, chaos.

1057. The success of strategic victimhood is always somewhat tenuous: the pool of necessary and enabling pity can evaporate in the wind of whining.  

1056. The most promising dreams are those long-cooked over a slow fire -- and well seasoned with reality.

1055. Conclusions should not be drawn until the canvass of evidence is complete.

1054. Religion is the curse of mankind. It claims certainty about matters which are unknowable, and provides a sanctuary for those who seek ready-made -- but mindless -- solutions to the real problems of existence.

1053. Those who see the world through the prism of ancient grievance are likely to misinterpret the present and compromise the future. 

1052. Those who define themselves by ancient grievance make victimhood a continuing necessity.

1051. The collision between idealistic dreams and stark realities is seldom pretty. (The dreams are always found liable; reality is awarded for insult, injury, and costs.)

1050. Morality has nothing to do with God -- and everything to do with social interaction. There is no "morality" for a lone castaway on an uninhabited island. His actions can be considered neither moral nor immoral -- for they affect no one but himself. With the addition of another castaway -- or a troop of monkeys -- the potential for morality -- or immorality -- is introduced.

1049. When paradise is assumed a birthright, the earth can harbour only the aggrieved.

1048. The more ancient the grievance, the more likely it is to become a raison d'être, incapable of being appeased.

1047. When there is more reverence for religious fantasies than observable facts, you know we're dealing with a major flaw in circuitry design.  

1046. Far too much reverence is accorded to religious belief. It is as if all the inmates in the asylum had joined in a conspiracy to respect each others' delusions.

1045. Religion shows the danger of allowing wishful thinking to dress up and parade as received wisdom.

1044. Multiculturalism is the idealistic -- but unworkable -- response to the violent and aggressive nationalism of the last century.

1043. Political correctness romanticizes reality -- and then insists it has discovered both truth and virtue.

1042. Spending money is an affirmation of one's worth and worthiness: it lifts the spirits and soothes the soul.

1041. The weakness of science is that it is a human endeavour -- and scientists do not live in intellectual or social vacuums. They need jobs, funding, and the respect of their peers. Thus -- for surprisingly long periods of time -- science can become the handmaiden of orthodoxy.

1040. The future is prone to perversity; it delights in mocking its eager predictors.

1039. Political correctness chooses to ignore facts in order to assuage feelings. The difficulty is that feelings can be unexpectedly needy and voracious, while facts are notoriously unflappable and persistent. Over time, ignored facts tend to band together, becoming noisy, nagging -- and even vindictive.

1038. Political correctness assumes that ignoring unpleasant facts will make them disappear.

1037. Political correctness represents a determination to see the world not as it is, but as it "should" be -- a happy place of equality and infinite tolerance.

1036. The border between La-la land and Stupidity Street is ill-defined. ("Singer Katy Perry has called on music fans everywhere to unite and love each other in the wake of the Manchester terror attack." Evening Standard, May 23, 2017)

1035. Evils are often selectively perceived. Many who abhor racism have no difficulty in inveighing against "white privilege."

1034. Tolerance of evil cannot escape its taint.

1033. Death is the final mockery.

1032. Trying to personalize the great mystery by calling it "God" is like naming your car "Bessie" -- because then you don't feel like such an idiot when you talk to it. Nothing changes. "Bessie" is still a car -- and you are still an idiot.

1031. The desire of indigenous people to retain their traditional culture and way of life while at the same time attaining the standard of living common in modern capitalist societies is an example of Multiple Cake Syndrome.

1030. Multiple Cake Syndrome: The desire or requirement for two or more conditions which are incompatible, contradictory or mutually exclusive.

1029. The indignant response to the sin of cultural appropriation may be likened to laws against blasphemy: they are both attempts to compel reverence where it is not being freely given.

1028. When ideas -- whether religious or secular -- are considered too "blasphemous" to be expressed -- we know that somebody's illusion is being threatened.

1027. Laws against blasphemy always suggest inadequacy -- the need to proclaim certainty in the absence of evidence.

1026. Every orthodoxy lays claim to virtue and certainty.

1025. Facts have never required the protection of anti-blasphemy laws.

1024. "Blasphemy" is found in matters of comforting but vulnerable belief; the forbidding of criticism is invariably a sign of weakness and insecurity.

1023. Socialism -- the dictatorship of good intentions.

1022. Socialism is the road paved with good intentions -- it invariably leads to the hell of dictatorship.

1021. Central planning can never achieve the promised equality -- for its premise is the existence of two unequal classes: the planners and the planned.

1020. Socialism seeks harmonious perfection through central planning -- the successful completing of ideal round holes using the square pegs of reality. Thus it is necessarily oppressive; it is invariably revealed as a dictatorship.

1019. The art of civilization lies in convincing citizens that their conformity is freely chosen.

1018. Socialism requires central planning -- it assumes that men are piano keys to be manipulated in the achievement of an ideal harmony. But men prefer to be composers and pianists  -- not piano keys.

1017. Conformity and diversity -- the oil and vinegar of the cultural dressing.

1016. Happiness is not designed, but discovered.

1015. Capitalism works because it recognizes and gives scope to the competitive instinct. Socialism doesn't work because it pretends that people don't want to compete -- they want to be equal. It's the distinction -- once again -- between what works and what sounds good.

1014. A capitalist democracy -- in which citizens conform in the interests of self-improvement -- is superior to a theocracy or socialist state -- where citizens are required to conform to an ideal vision of reality; these invariably become indistinguishable from oppressive monarchies or dictatorships.

1013. Tribalism -- instinctive and essential -- depends upon conformity -- and conformity implies some degree of tyranny. There is always a penalty for failing to think with the herd.

1012. Religion should be like nudity: an indulgence unlikely to be fatal in the privacy of the home -- permissible, in seclusion, among small groups of like-minded eccentrics  -- considered scandalous and uncivilized in the public sphere --unheard of in the workplace -- and utterly irrelevant in any government deliberation, discussion, or decision.

1011. Our favourite essay-writing service is the one which boasts that it has "no tolerance for plagiarism."

1010. Serenity requires an element of obliviousness; those who are uniquely aware may be anguished -- both from their perception and from the isolation which it entails. The comedian is aware, but is an alchemist of reality. The emotional angst -- tragedy -- is deliberately ignored; the incongruities of the world are presented as comedic -- a triumph of intellectual -- rather than emotional -- perception.   

1009. Most stand-up comedians rely heavily on personal anecdote; that is because they have a unique comedic perception of the world -- they are the lens through which the audience must peer, and, vicariously, perceive.

1008. Creativity differentiates and isolates; happiness is most often found with the herd.

1007. At the heart of comedy is the perception of incongruity -- but those who create comedy are unlikely to be mere trivialists, blissfully unaware of the more profound and tragic incongruities of the human condition.

1006. Happy people are seldom funny.

1005. God, Equality, and the Easter Bunny have a lot in common.

1004. Experience tempers enthusiasm. (The short version of #1003)

1003. The older we get, the more we realize that things often go wrong. Thus the impetuousness of youth cools to the caution of age.

1002. The idea of perfection can be like a censorious bird of caution sitting on the shoulder of creativity.

1002. Long version-- as it appears in the Quote Garden: Too much concern with quality may be counter-productive. Perfection can be an oppressive bird of caution sitting on the shoulder of creativity, quite dampening its spirit. Enthusiasm, which throws the dice freely and more often, may yield more quality than doubt, which, obsessed with perfection, fears to take a chance.

1001. Science questions everything in search of answers; religion provides answers for everything -- but refuses to be questioned.

1000. All our philosophies have their roots in temperament and emotion.

999. Political correctness is the new humanist religion. It dispenses with some old ideals -- the anthropomorphic monarch in the sky, and the reward of an afterlife -- in order to focus on the new: human equality -- including the equality of ideas and cultures -- and human dignity. It is currently experiencing the inevitable skirmish with reality: human beings are neither equal, nor inherently dignified.

998. Good ideas are unpretentious, fearless and confident; bad ideas -- pretending to virtue and authority -- fear the truth, and thus claim immunity from the scrutiny of free debate.

997. God is the great Jester: into a hierarchical world of cruel competition, he has thrust his "favourite" creature -- cursed with unquenchable, unattainable dreams of justice and equality. 

996. The attractive theory is equality; the plain reality is hierarchy.

995. That morality is best which allows for the greatest liberty of citizens which is consistent with the well-being of the society of which they are a part.

994. Certainty is at once the great strength -- and the great weakness -- of religion: for the believer, certainty in the absence of evidence is the solid rock of faith; for the skeptic – it is the treacherous quicksand of stupidity.

993. At its core, religion is utilitarian: irrational belief is a potent force for tribal unity. As the need for aggressive nationalism declines, we expect religious belief to become less fervent.

992. Morality is not divinely revealed, but socially derived. It represents an adjudication between the desires of the individual and the requirements of the tribe. That adjudication may have some universal elements essential to survival, but it may also vary according to beliefs and circumstances. The moral values inspired by the belief that a good harvest depends upon the appeasement of the Gods with human sacrifice differ from those which arise from a belief in the efficacy of a well-designed irrigation system. The values of the tribe under constant threat of attack are unlikely to be identical to those of the tribe which co-exists peacefully with its neighbours. Morality is, essentially, utilitarian rather than holy.

991. Where would you place your bet in a "clash of civilizations?" On the civilization which believes that it is incomparably superior -- or on the one which believes in the equality of all cultures?

990. The two faces of religion: hopeful illusion -- and dangerous certainty. In the theatre of the absurd, it may wear the mask of comedy -- or of tragedy.

989. A world without nuclear weapons is not feasible: Science has not yet devised a bottle of forgetting into which the genie of scientific knowledge can be safely stuffed.

988. Religion is a dirty trick of evolution. Blind and irrational belief in the "divine" has been useful in fostering the unity and determination of primitive tribes. Now -- modern tribes are still burdened with the inherited stupidity which resists reason, and sanctions conflicts potentially fatal to the human project.

987. Sometimes the request for "equal treatment" is mere artful dodgery: the aim is, in fact, "special treatment."

986. The difference between what is believed and what is known accounts for a world of stupidity.

985. A theory is not validated by "scientific consensus" -- but by consistent predictive success.

984. Those who seek "victory" by claiming victimhood need, for their success, the collaboration of the competent.

983. Every human society must adjudicate between desirable but conflicting concepts: competition and co-operation; equality and excellence; freedom and security; diversity and uniformity; justice and mercy.

982. "Cultural appropriation" is the sin discerned by those determined not to be flattered: success is -- for them -- to be found not in accomplishment, but in victimhood.

981. "Cultural appropriation" may be seen as flattery, or insult: everything depends on the desire to be insulted -- to claim the triumph of victimhood.

980. No life is without the hardship of regret.

979. The more cherished the illusion, the more reviled is the teller of truth.

978. Some believe that their tolerance, earnestly displayed, is a virtuous garlic -- powerful enough to protect them from the vampire of of folly, or the infection of stupidity. Unfortunately, that very belief disproves the thesis.

977. Political correctness is politeness gone mad.

976. Neither diversity nor conformity can make it to shore alone. They have to swim together.

975. We all have an inner sheep. Possibly an inner lemming.

974. The hypothesis that successful cultures will continue to prosper by welcoming those with values antithetical to those which have been instrumental in achieving the success is, as yet, unproven. It is a theory, however, which many idealists seem anxious to validate.

973. Political correctness is always serious -- determinedly empathetic, and cautiously apprehensive. Laughter is spontaneous, and doesn't give a damn. The politically correct can never be jolly.

972. Laughter arises from a triumphant perception of unexpected differences. The politically correct can never acknowledge differences -- which is why they are so grimly humourless.

971. Laughter is a spontaneous cry of triumphant perception. The cause may be a word with a double meaning -- an incongruous circumstance -- or some absurd human pretension. The triumph is all; it is agnostic with respect to feelings.

970. Laughter arises from the sudden, triumphant perception of incongruity.

969. Political correctness bleeds mercy -- but ignores justice.

968. Political correctness values empathy above all; thus it eschews criticism, and refuses to pass judgment. It is all mercy -- but has no concern for justice.

967.
Sometimes – in a quirk of happiness --
Lost love leaves scarce a scar --
But oft its wound of neverness
Bleeds long past reason’s bar.

966. Any ideal conception -- to the extent to which it is not consonant with reality -- is potentially oppressive. Thus, the utopias of religion and socialism -- the ideals of equality and infinite tolerance -- are all inherently tyrannical. 

965. To escape the tyranny of reality, we flee to the ideal -- only to discover that even velvet gloves hide similar fists.

964. Hate is a human emotion; it may, perhaps, be tempered by reason, dissuaded from violence, or cajoled into mere antipathy. But the notion that it can be banished entirely is, quite simply, Canutian.

963. People often use the word "racist" when they cannot think of a logical argument.

962. "Freedom of religion" does not allow adherents to dictate how others should view their faith.

961. Success is a target most often hit when the aim is excellence.

960. One of the great strengths of a religion is its certainty: it is a communal, unifying force; it provides assurance to adherents that they are in possession of truth where others are in error. But certainty is also a great weakness when it concerns matters which are entirely speculative; dogma divorced from reality is coercive, and is the seed of apostasy. Christianity, which has passed its period of greatest certainty, is less coercive than Islam, which often defends its  absurdities with violence.

959. "Free will" suggests a "rational chaos." It supposes that we are not automatons -- our decisions resist the near-universal workings of the laws of cause and effect. Those workings are interrupted, however -- not with randomness and chaos -- but with something equally as orderly, logical and rational as those laws of cause and effect which are supposedly being ignored. It looks awfully suspicious.

958. Political correctness -- which values feelings over facts, and fiction over freedom -- has led to a kind of intellectual bankruptcy. Any criticism of ideas is seen as an illegitimate attack on the feelings of those who hold them; thus the competitive marketplace of ideas -- where the best must battle to survive -- is rejected in favour of a central plan – a plan designed to enforce an inoffensive egalitarian harmony. It proclaims, in effect, a socialism of the mind.

957. Discussions about the validity of religion must always rest on estimations of likelihood -- since real evidence is unobtainable.

956. Religions are hypotheses suitable for those "dying for evidence."

955. Those who would chase a dream should always examine the intervening terrain. Often a dream shines brightly, distracting attention from the fact that it lies on the far side of an unbridgeable gulf of nightmare.

954. Religion, with evolutionary sanction, embraces an illusion -- and, like tribalism itself, may not be entirely extinguishable. Let us hope that, at least, it can be transformed by doubt: from absolute certainty to something less dangerous -- such as guarded hope.

953. Every child should learn something about three or more religions; in this way, certainty about the truth of any religion will be challenged, and religion will become a force less dangerous to the humane continuance of the human project.

952. Religion has had a useful, unifying rôle in the evolution of tribes: battles are more easily won with fanaticism than with hesitancy. But fanaticism has now outlived its usefulness: religious certainty must be leavened with doubt, and weakened by reason.  

951. All religion is rubbish. The problem is that the human brain appears to have evolved with a large Rubbish Reception Centre.

950. Mr. Trudeau’s intellectual arsenal consists of a stock of comforting platitudes, feel-good fantasies, and myopic mantras. They are un-assimilated hand-me-downs – neither forged from personal struggle nor tempered by encounters with reality.

949. The European Union overlooks the reality of man’s instinctive tribalism. People do not like to be ruled by those both distant and unaccountable.

948. In an era of political correctness -- where feelings are more important than facts -- it is not surprising that socialist regimes are not judged on facts and results, but on aims and intentions. As long as the aim is equality and brotherhood, murder and oppression are merely unfortunate but excusable inconveniences.

947. The "preferred narrative" of those on the left is the world not as it is, but as it "ought" to be. Thus fascism is the obvious and necessary response to any threatening reminders of a reality that has already been rejected.  

946. Truth is like a skeleton in the closet -- it will rattle its way out eventually. (A shortened version of #659)

945. Multiculturalism works well on the Big Rock Candy Mountain.  In the real world, not so much.

944. Islamophobia is an entirely reasonable response to a very frightening religion.

943. The remedy for Islamophobia will not be found by criminalizing fear, but by making Islam less frightening.

942. Uniformity and diversity are complementary opposites, not ends in themselves. One leads to stasis, the other to chaos.

941. The election of Donald Trump and the vote in favour of "Brexit" are simply tribal responses to the pretence that tribalism is irrelevant.

940. The idea that men are mere piano keys -- easily manipulated in the interests of harmony -- is the false assumption of multiculturalism. It overlooks two awkward realities: instinctive tribalism, and the fact that some tribal ideas are better than others.

939. Nations should compete -- and co-operate where it is advantageous -- in order to achieve the most agreeable lives for their citizens. Without competition, there can be no success, and no progress.

938. Nationalism is just a fancy name for tribalism.

937. Co-operation is often seen as the opposite of competition; in fact, it is simply a competitive tribal strategy.

936. People yearn for "certainty" -- but evidence is not, ironically, a prerequisite. The bleakly factual narratives of science are less attractive than the comforting illusions of religion.

935. Pretentious displays of virtue suggest either deception or atonement.

934. It's a bit unnerving to encounter intelligent people who are also religious -- one realizes how long and difficult is man's path to sanity.

933. Sometimes the road to hope runs through the valley of despair.

932. In a world yet to be discovered, the truth is seen without distortion -- and without despair.

931. Freedom of speech and blasphemy are conceptual matter and anti-matter: in collision -- one must destroy the other.

930. Those who believe that bad ideas can be overcome with silence and kindness have another bad idea.

929. When religion is used to justify oppression and cruelty, polite silence merely approves the evil.

928. Your rulers are those you fear to criticize.  ( A re-statement of: "To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize."  Voltaire,  1694 - 1778)

927. When you refrain from criticizing a bad idea for fear of giving offense, the bad idea has won.

926. Euphemism is the renaming of unpleasantness; political correctness denies its existence entirely.

925. Socialism requires a great deal of coercion in order achieve the unnatural conditions of "brotherhood" and "equality." It is simply dictatorship pretending to benevolence.

924. In the long run, evidence trumps belief. (Sometimes the run is surprisingly long.)

923. "Hate speech" is a term which appeals to virtue, but paves the way to tyranny; it is the means through which opinion is transformed into blasphemy.

922. When words and ideas are made "illegal" in the name of tolerance – then tolerance gives up its name for another – totalitarianism.

921. The confidence of youth is a green shoot of optimism rooted in ignorance; the prudence of age is the fruit of experience -- an awareness that things often go wrong.

920. It appears that humankind requires both truth and illusion: the truth is necessary, but often harsh; illusion is protective and inspiring, but potentially dangerous. No easy recipe is available.

919. Christianity -- with its belief in virgin birth and final resurrection, its self-serving claim of a bizarre, unlikely "divine" decision to save the entirety of mankind by means of a local, temporal crucifixion -- is preposterous madness. That intelligent individuals profess belief is a testament to the desperate human need for an alternative to the truth: that man is merely one among many sentient creatures locked in a scheme of necessary murder, the product of a universe which gives no evidence of meaning or purpose which is consistent with human yearnings. The best thing that may be said for it is that -- unlike Islam -- it has lost much of its intolerant certainty; by choosing the sanest elements, it may be possible to respect the "Christian tradition" without standing in the way of the humane continuance of the human project.

918. Ingenuity is the child of challenge.

917. An obstacle is not a roadblock -- it is an inspiration for creative detours.

916. Civil servants -- including police officers -- should not wear religious symbols during working hours -- since they suggest that the state approves of a particular religion, or, indeed, of religion in general. Just as individuals should be free to express superstitious beliefs in private, so the state must be free to show -- to the public -- that it does not approve of or cater to unfounded hypotheses about the nature of Divinity. State and Church should remain in separate spheres; it is unwise to suggest that the ordinary stupidity of government might be exacerbated by the malign influence of religious folly.

915. When confronted with the choice between an attractive dream and a workable reality, people often choose the dream.  The admirers of the Canadian health care system are an excellent example.

914. Competition these days is so ruthless you can only get decent recognition by being a victim.

913. Elitism survives only because of the inferior promotion of averagism.

912. Mr. Obama's intent has always been clear: to transform the lion of initiative and entrepreneurship into a pussy-cat of socialist mediocrity.

911. In the modern era, hurt feelings have become the ultimate tragedy. In the world of consistent compliments, however, there is still a distinction -- between genuine praise and that which is clearly a tactful exaggeration -- a charitable compensation for obvious inadequacies.

910. To hold that all cultures are equal is to abandon reason for fantasy.

909. As long as there is speech, feelings will be hurt.

908. The determination to find microaggressions represents a significant macroaggression: it is the prim-lipped attack of the holier-than-thou.

907. Merit gets things done; "Equality" makes us feel good. But ultimately, feelings are no substitute for facts.

906. Political correctness contemplates the sty of reality, but finds no trace of pig. Instead there is a gilded ballroom -- ethereal music and delicate perfume -- much lipstick -- and a wealth of silken purses woven from sows' ears.

905. We are thrilled at the progress being made in the proportional hiring of those from diverse groups in our society. It is clear that announcers with speech impediments, bus drivers with partial sight, and orchestra conductors with impaired hearing will mark the next level of success in the achievement of our egalitarian goals.

904. We are caught between the desire for security, stability, and equality -- and the reality: the inevitability of change and the necessity of competitive struggle.

903. Vague threats are always a sign of weakness: they are an admission that no believable specific threat is adequately intimidating.

902. Political correctness assumes that the world is essentially a nice place, and that if everyone says nice things, the nasty bits -- simply peculiar aberrations -- will magically disappear. In fact, the world is both nasty and nice -- with an awkward bias towards the nasty. If no one says nasty things about the nasty bits, they will simply go forth and multiply.  

901. Socialism has a magnificent vision: a crystal palace of equality for all. Such edifices are doomed to fail -- since no one has found a way to construct the crystal people required to inhabit them.

900. Capitalism embodies freedom; socialism yearns for security. They are the cobra and mongoose found in battle within the body politic.

899. The universe is not an ethical machine, but a utilitarian one. That is one reason why successful dictators are not more reviled: the successful end overshadows the dictatorial means.

898. Fidel Castro illustrates the necessary link between socialism and dictatorship. Socialism is the genetic legacy of ants, but human beings still yearn for some degree of autonomy and some measure of freedom.

897. Fidel Castro did not "love the Cuban people." He loved his vision of the Cuban people. Between these two concepts there are worlds of cruelty, and light years of oppression. Nor should brainwashing and the Stockholm Syndrome be confused with genuine reverence.

896. Speaking the truth is often seen as subversive and revolutionary -- because it usually contradicts the cherished illusions: that equality and harmony are the birthright of mankind.

895. Men constantly aspire to build palaces of crystal -- never fully comprehending that only crystal people can live in them.

894. Ideals are for inspiration, not implementation.

893. "Safe spaces" -- the omnipresent symbol of modern academic fatuity.

892. Socialism always looks like a peach -- but it tastes like a lemon.

891. The modern university shows that we need less academic folly and more common sense.

890. "Thrift" and "government expenditure" are concepts not simply mutually exclusive -- or even mutually destructive. They occupy galaxies so distant that no light has ever travelled between them.

889. Political correctness: the pleasant primrose path to perdition.

888. If a tribe becomes too rational — perhaps it will always succumb to the tribe that has the determination that only blind belief can confer. (This Observation is derived from #616. It appeared in some correspondence with Terri Guillemets of the Quote Garden, and found its way to the "Belief" page on her site.)

887. By any objective standard, most aboriginal cultures have been adaptive failures: despite massive government assistance, they experience high rates of poverty, despair, and suicide. No doubt some may derive personal satisfaction from cultural traditions, language, and ways of thinking; but the costs seem excessive and unjustifiable.

886. Environments are sometimes stable and indulgent, but often changeable and cruel. Their message is the ultimate in tough love: adapt or die.

885. It is currently fashionable to wallow in the misery of hurt feelings, and to vie in delineating degrees of outrage and victimization. When equality claims it is in bad taste to succeed -- triumph can still be found -- in complaint, frustration, or failure. Perhaps there is some comfort to be taken from the fact that the competitive spirit has not been entirely extinguished.

884. The energy spent in whining is better directed at winning -- even if the attempt fails.

883. The best remedy for hurt feelings is not complaint, but accomplishment.

882. Appeasing a bully is like trying to douse a fire with lighter fluid.

881. In dealing with some claims for "equality," it is necessary to distinguish between reasonable accommodation and the tyranny of the minority.  Sometimes "equality" looks like special treatment for those whose claim is based on subjective perceptions of oppression.

880. An ideal shimmers like sunlight on a distant, glorious peak. But any pinnacle of perfection is elusive -- it is a conjuring, a seductive shaping of mirage. The wise man knows when to stop climbing the mountain -- when the air is too austere -- too rarefied to support his only human breath.

879. A revulsion against the manifest inequities of the real world has led to extraordinary and draconian attempts to create an ideal world of equality. The oppression necessary to create the ideal is self-defeating; failure is assured.

878. The politically correct welcome all those at the gate, giving them shelter, cakes, and ale. The explanation is simple: they do not believe in barbarians. Only time will tell whether they are justly benevolent or naively foolish.

877. Just as evolution progresses by testing the environment with innovations, so societies explore possibilities for an improved continuance. Environments change, and with them, the viability of ideas. Unquestioning religious commitment has benefited tribal cultures in the past; it is uncertain whether such insular devotions will function in a world which, increasingly, seems to require global interaction and co-operation. We also question the viability of political correctness -- a modern religion which is more and more often exposed as a dogma at odds with the facts.

876. Fundamentalist Islam must be criticized with relentless determination, for it stands in stark opposition to any humane continuance of the human project.

875. It is possible to accept, philosophically, the ultimate futility of existence, while, at the same time, recognizing that existence is its own philosophy: it matters.

874. Some discriminations are evil and unfair; other, similar discriminations are virtuous expressions of sweetness and light. You will not obtain the diploma in political correctness until you can show proficiency in determining which is which.

873. Every human society blends the elements of co-operation and competition; they are forces opposite yet complementary -- the yin and yang of the body politic.

872. Reducing inequality is like extending lifespan -- very desirable, but subject to limitations, and not the sole purpose of existence.

871. The human tendency is to live by myth and illusion when possible, by facts when necessary.

870. The welcoming of immigrants with antithetical cultural values suggests a triumph of egalitarian ideals over common sense. No healthy body politic welcomes an inimical and destructive pathogen.

869. Everyone seems to agree that hatred is a terrible emotion; no one seems willing to admit that there are terrible things worthy of hatred.

868. "Legacy" should defer to the here and now: the judgments of history can bring neither comfort nor shame; they are based on the unforeseeable perceptions of strangers in a strange land.

867. "Safe spaces" are inherently flawed -- for they offer no protection from that state of stupidity implied by the belief that reality can be avoided in a "safe space."

866. The meek shall inherit the earth -- providing, of course, that their meekness is a clever ruse -- an artful ploy designed to outwit their more apparently aggressive rivals. Otherwise -- we're afraid -- they're toast!

865. Political correctness does a great disservice to the young studying at our institutions of higher learning and evanescent sanity. Eventually they must discover that the focus of the world at large is elsewhere: it has no interest in bolstering self-esteem, protecting feelings, or providing a safe space for stupidity.

864. All life flows in a sweeping deliberate curve -- in the inevitable arc of tragedy.

863. Every time you think we’ve touched bottom in the abyss of human stupidity, another deep crevasse seems – as if by magic -- to appear.

862. The removal of barriers to participation may be described as a passive approach to promoting equality. An active approach involves the use of quotas and reverse discrimination, which is a cure at least as troubling as the disease. The implicit assumption is that equality is in the natural order of things. It is not.

861. Religions often insist on the fiction that there is a divine being morbidly obsessed with expressions of human sexuality. Modern secular societies have decided that homosexuality -- found in many animal species -- is a morally neutral variation. This shift has been recent and rapid -- only time will tell whether the old fiction was crucially necessary -- or unhelpfully stupid. Our prediction is that, if and when a societal collapse occurs, it will not be traceable to the rejection of a "divine plan" for sexual mores.

860. "Racism" is a term inaccurately used to describe the negative stereotyping of any group seen as having a different culture or religion. Not all -- but much of what appears to be real "racism" is similarly not based on race, but arises from an unfortunate linkage between race and cultural and economic differences. As such disparities are lessened, so "racism" will decline. While we would like to predict that people will also cease to judge and be judged on the basis of money, possessions, culture, intelligence, and appearance -- we have no interest in winning the Nobel prize for stupidity.

859. The shortening days of fall are depressing enough; the acceleration of gloom with a switch to standard time is a peculiar perversity of outmoded tradition.  

858. Political correctness -- the new religion -- sets itself a difficult task: the elimination of the "original sin" of inequality -- by pretending that it doesn't exist.

857. Inequality is the bite of the apple -- the original sin -- both necessary and deplorable -- at the heart of all existence.

856. Residual sin: you can take mankind out of the muck of its past -- but never the muck out of mankind.

855. A long life combined with eminent success is indeed desirable -- but when we read of the famous and accomplished dying young -- we find ourselves content with a long life of unremarkable obscurity.

854. The man unwilling to fight for his convictions will find himself at the mercy of those determined to impose their own. (cf. Chesterton: "Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.")

853. Those who proclaim the equality of cultures, and cherish the notion that everyone is as good as everyone else, still expect to be recognized and admired for their superior tolerance and extraordinary compassion.

852. In contemplating the variety and complexity of forms of life, one must marvel at the ingenuity of the evolutionary process -- but also be appalled with a recognition of its inherent cruelty.

851. There is an inherent contradiction in human affairs: no approach to society can be considered "rational" which does not take into account the essential irrationality of the species.

850. Man will always be unruly, for he is only partly rational: he is also dreamer, survivalist, and tribalist.

849. So desperate is the desire for "equality" that it is becoming common to find virtue and special status in every deficiency. The disabled proclaim the advantages of their unique perceptions; the deaf extol their world of silence; the transgendered seek a multiplicity of special validating pronouns. This is the compensatory celebration of misfortune.

848. Primitive religions and traditional cultural beliefs do not yield easily to fine and enlightened sentiments; it is the great folly of fine and enlightened sentiments to believe that they do.

November 1, 2016 -- concludes the seventh year of Observations.

847. Political correctness is the new religion. Unlike the old religions -- which placed heavenly perfection in the afterlife -- political correctness seeks to enforce it here, where it is significantly at odds with earthly realities. 

846. At the root of political correctness is an idealistic fantasy: the world can, in fact, be transformed into a Rose Garden, where the thorns of  inequality, failure, and hurt feelings are banished, and each perfect rose blooms in confident, untroubled harmony with the whole. But perfection is elusive: like all ideals, the Rose Garden is absolutist, unforgiving, and oppressive.

845. The sin of cultural appropriation is very selective. The fact that some cultures are considered vulnerable, while others are impervious to insult suggests -- contrary to the intention -- that some cultures are much superior to others.

844. Old age: haunted by the past, daunted by the future.

843. Political correctness places a high value on emotions, and a low value on truth. It fails to recognize that it is more important to criticize an idea for its deficiencies than to protect it because of the emotional cost of criticism. No society can thrive on a diet of agreeable delusions.

842. It is the folly of the politically correct to equate an attack on ideas with an attack on the "dignity and humanity" of those who hold them. When criticism is forbidden on the grounds of "hurt feelings," bad ideas are sanctioned and encouraged. In other words, stupidity triumphs.

841. The "preferred narrative" is that cultures and religions are equally worthy. In an effort to silence those who disagree, many newspapers now provide no opportunity for commentary on articles dealing with religion and culture. Whenever ideas seem to require the protection of censorship, you know they are dangerously flawed. Truth cannot be proclaimed by the well-intentioned; it is discovered through evidence, and from an exchange of competing views.  

840. A superstition is a popular belief in a causal link which does not, in fact, exist. The belief that mankind is the chief influence on global temperatures is a modern example.

839. A scientific theory about the interactions of things -- how the world actually works -- can only be validated by facts which are in accord with a predicted outcome. The validation may come from a short term experiment, or from a long term unfolding of events.  Those studying climate have been unable to make accurate predictions; this shows that their theories do not describe the interactions of things, and must be revised.

838. Some days, we think that the world has gone completely mad. On other days, we are absolutely sure of it.

837. As much as power corrupts -- it also seems to blind.  (The political class seems enamoured of the idea of anthropogenic global warming -- despite failed predictions, and the fact that the behaviour of alarmists is indistinguishable
from that of the purveyors of snake oil.)

836. If only it were possible to determine the point at which an exaggeratedly optimistic view of reality -- a benign and encouraging hopefulness -- is tragically transformed into dangerous delusion!

835. It is necessary to distinguish between a legitimate claim for equal rights, and the self-indulgent desire for special treatment -- between reasonable accommodation and the tyranny of the minority. Political correctness is a pre-judgment -- the triumphant value is personal and self-determined: it is the right not to feel offended.

834. Political correctness proclaims the irrelevancy of facts and the vulnerability of freedom: speech and social custom must be altered to satisfy feelings -- individual desires for validation and self-esteem.

833. It may be legitimate for society to aim for "the greatest happiness of the greatest number." That is not the same as the hopeless, politically correct aim of making everyone equally happy.

832. Political correctness defers to individual perceptions, and assumes that it is the task of society to make everyone equally happy -- free from anxiety and hurt feelings. It is idealism taken to the point of insanity.

831. If it claims to be science, but looks, swims, and quacks like religion – it’s obviously a religious duck wearing a lab coat.

830. We are tempted to advocate for practical idealism -- but suspect that the concept may be an oxymoronic impossibility.

829. Ideals are necessary -- but can become dangerous traps of absolutism.

828. The open border is a sieve claiming to be a bucket.

827. The "open border" is a conceptual triumph of the oxymoronic mind. It should be welcomed with the restrictive abandon of enthusiastic reluctance. [We assume that borders have a protective function -- against invading armies and uncontrolled immigration. If security and cultural integrity are not issues, an "open border" is possible -- as in a provincial or state boundary line.]

826. Islamic free speech is like the thunder of unicorns racing across an imaginary plain.

825. Identity politics – which assumes that no man can see beyond the interests of his own minority group – combined with the fashionable focus on maximum diversity – would suggest that a return to tribal government ( preferably with no more than twenty individuals per tribe) should be instituted as soon as possible.

824. Writer's block arises from self-doubt -- the fear of inadequate result. But creative success -- like happiness -- is not a target to be captured by direct and determined assault. It arises, serendipitously, from a process unfettered by anxious and prejudicial supervision.

823. A religious view of the world is best adopted quickly, and without much subsequent reflection. With reflection, the constant need to explain away the awkward facts of existence is likely to become tiresome and dispiriting.

822. The real truth and the preferred truth are seldom in the same ballpark; often they are separated by whole galaxies of wishful thinking.

821. Freedom from religion is as important as freedom of religion.

820. To discriminate is to be human. The great difficulty is to classify discriminations: what is the capriciously personal and legitimate, what is the reasonably justifiable, and what is the capriciously personal, but illegitimate?

819. Life provides the possibility of euphoria and delight against a background of necessary murder and ultimate demise. We might be inclined to see it, remotely, as impossibly bizarre -- a mere drama of the absurd. But we are involved participants; as prisoners of our consciousness -- we are forced to take it seriously.

818. Tribalism -- the result of our evolutionary process -- can and should be made less dangerous; however, the extinguishing of tribal rivalries is not only impossible, but the attempt is foolish. Competition -- from which the best ideas survive and thrive -- is the life-blood of progress.

817. (a) When enough people share the same insanity, it is considered normal.

(b) Men -- tribal and conformist in nature -- prefer to bleat with the herd; in this manner, insanity becomes epidemic, triumphant, and normalized.

816. Breaking the rules of grammar is most profitably done by those who know what they are.

815. Political correctness is an intellectual arsenic in the body politic -- a slow, subversive, deadly poison.

814. Some pretend that use of the Oxford comma is "optional" – but this is nonsense. Those who fail to employ it regularly and consistently are, in some deplorable fashion, tainted – whether by laziness, by failure of aesthetic sensibility, or by sheer wretchedness and perversity of temperament. Indeed (as we often suspect of people who mount toilet paper the wrong way in the holder) it seems entirely likely that this sin of omission is the invariable marker of some deeper, quite troubling degree of moral turpitude.

813. In the end, human societies will reflect the nature of the creatures of which they are composed. Man is neither as independent as the jaguar nor as tribal as the ant. The view that humankind can out-tribalize the ants and become one giant colony is currently popular, but has no chance of being realized.

812. Each society must determine how much liberty should be sacrificed for security and equality.

811. Equality is no friend to liberty.

810. Schemes to promote equality invariably involve a loss of liberty.

809. The greater the freedom, the greater the inequality.

808. The truth is no pushover -- in exchange for each hard diamond light of reality -- you have to give up a soft pearl of illusion. At some point -- it's different for everyone -- people prefer pearls to diamonds.

807. Beware the progression of the sounds of aggression. There is little doubt microaggression aspires to nano-aggression; some will not be satisfied until all speech is silenced in the name of harmony.

806. Those aggrieved by "cultural appropriation" simply draw attention to their own insecurities. Headdresses are always sensitive; bowler hats don't give a damn.

805. Cultural appropriation is a sin devised by those anxious to proclaim cultural equality. The attempt is self-defeating: calmness is a mark of confidence; those quick to take offense wave the flag of their insecurities.

804. The active pursuit of microaggressions tumbles, perversely, down a rabbit hole of madness -- where paranoia engages in a limitless parsing for insult. The determination of the perpetually aggrieved must find in every light a shadow -- in every innocence an irredeemable corruption of malice.

803. There can be no innocence where a feeling is determined to be hurt.

802. Idealists seem to believe that tribalism is superficial – something which – if ignored -- will simply go away. But the fact is that tribalism has been an integral part of our evolutionary success. That it is instinctive and deep-rooted is shown in every aspect of society: in religion, in politics -- and in rooting for the home team.

801. Socialism is based on the premise that human beings would prefer to be ants.

800. Schemes to improve society will work only insofar as citizens can be convinced that the benefits outweigh the inevitable loss of liberty required.

799. There is no free lunch. The Canadian government funds the health care system, but the patient is required to donate his right to choose a more efficient and timely service.

798. The urge to organize and improve society is irresistible, but organization always demands a price in terms of individual freedom. Human beings are not ants.

797. Much is suggested about the nature of existence by observing the number and scope of the lies needed to make it bearable.

796. Diversity in a population can provide strength and resilience, but it is not an end in itself. The ultimate in diversity is simply chaos. 

795. Those on the left usually follow a "preferred narrative" -- one from which any awkward, truthy bits have been excluded.

794. Equality is a fool's game; there's always someone richer, smarter, or better looking. It's better to try for your personal best.

793. Perfectionitis: a psychiatric affliction of modern western democracies. Measuring their societies against a standard of impossible perfection, they become filled with self-loathing, and eagerly embrace policies which seem likely to assure their own destruction.

792. People love to hear that unicorns gambol on the slopes of the Big Rock Candy Mountain, where the handouts grow on bushes, and the lemonade -- like the lunch -- is always free. Thus are they seduced into stupidity.

791. The universe is a great mystery -- but there seems to be an irresistible impulse to explain it in human terms -- with distinctly human Gods inordinately preoccupied with their precious human creations. Objectively, this inclination seems to betray an infantile self-absorption. Why should the universe care more about homo sapiens than elephants, or jaguars, or some other life form elsewhere in its undefined vastness? Isn't it about time we grew up?

790. Life -- the diagnosis is always terminal. Timing is everything.

789. The phrase "freedom of religion" has become, unjustifiably, the byword for a modern taboo against criticism of any religion. The taboo is recognized both by unbelievers -- who may regard criticism as bad manners --an unkind assault on cherished illusions -- and  believers -- who doubtless see criticism of any religion as setting a precedent dangerous to their own assumptions. The power of superstition should never be underestimated.

788. The universe is a vast creative experiment.

787. Creativity is simply the willingness to experiment.

786. How does man's imagination arise? Surely it is but a reflection of the creative process of evolution itself -- which is constantly throwing out new ideas seeking the approval of the environment.

785. The Canadian healthcare system, in the guise of egalitarian benevolence, deliberately removes competition and reduces consumer choice. As with any benevolent monopoly, a culture of complacency and sanctimonious condescension is the result.

784. A benevolent monopoly is particularly odious; the usual monopolistic arrogance is wedded to an aura of sanctimonious self-satisfaction. 

783. No monopolist is ever humble.

782. Arrogance is a necessary concomitant of monopoly.

781. Speculation about divinity is relatively harmless. The problems begin when speculation pretends that it is revelation, and assumes the mantle of absolute truth.

780. From the awkward fabric of existence – the threads of our human legacy of competition and co-operation – must be fashioned the best garment of civilization possible.

779. We recommend paying careful attention to the musings of the Pope. It is important to see how the other half believes, so that dangerous follies can be avoided.

778. Appeasement never deters -- but always encourages -- aggression.

777. Every government contains the seed of corruption. It is called power.

776. The United Nations is extremely useful: it ensures that -- this side of sanity -- the idea of world government will never be considered.

775. Every ideal conception should have a 'Plan B.'

774. No scheme of government benevolence should overlook the fact that some portion of humanity is crooked.

773. There is no cure for age.

772. Citizenship without commitment is the subversive legacy of multiculturalism.

771. Human speech should be reserved for the dignified and reasonable purpose of communicating with other sentient beings.  It should not be demeaned and devalued in a charade of "conversation" with machines.

770. What does work is often disdained -- because it fails to support the idea of what should work.

769. Certainty -- when it is linked to grand conceptual schemes of human improvement and social virtue -- should be viewed with deepest suspicion.

768. Certainty -- so often a façade of rouge and perfume found in the embrace of stupidity.

767. Certainty -- the favourite disguise of falsehood.

766. Ice cream -- the great melter of all resolve.

765. Islam and freedom of speech cannot co-exist; the battle may, at great cost, be postponed, but it cannot be avoided.

764. The human condition is difficult. As a species we must journey between the Scylla of despair in contemplating the blind, destructive, indifference of the universe -- and the Charybdis of necessary, protective, but potentially dangerous hopeful illusions.

763. There is nothing like a little money to gladden the heart.

762. Illusions may be necessary -- but it is important to distinguish between the harmlessly comforting and the dangerously stupid.

761. Islam upholds the sensibilities of the seventh century as a source of all wisdom. This explains why the countries in which  it dominates are primitive, oppressive, and unpleasant.

760. Islam is full of bad ideas -- one of the worst of which is that it is an infallible source of wisdom in all matters, and hence is beyond criticism. Thus it stands resolutely against the great constant reality of the universe: change.

759. Science, dealing with facts, makes no claim of knowledge with respect to ultimate intent, motivation, or meaning; religion, without a scintilla of evidence, does. Clearly, this is a case in which ignorance is preferable to arrogance.

758. The art of life lies in choosing the least dangerous illusions.

757. When someone says, "The science is settled" -- you know they are talking about religion.

756. There is no direct evidence for any religion. There are reports of self-proclaimed human intermediaries, accounts by gullible contemporaries, and exhortations by those with obvious self-interest. It's a wonderful example of the triumph of grand conceptual fiction over the plodding plainness of facts.

755. Multiculturalism and socialism -- look like peaches, taste like lemons.

754. Multiculturalism and socialism are conceptually attractive, but thoroughly impractical. One proclaims the equality of cultures, the other the equality of men. But to cherish equality is to reject what works -- merit, competence, and accomplishment. 

753. Equality looks like a peach, tastes like a lemon.

752. Equality is a false God, but a true Devil. His worshippers never achieve the promise of his name, but effectively seek to destroy competence, excellence, and achievement.

751. These are the great unflattering truths that religion teaches us: big, absurd lies about imaginary deities represent a powerful force for cultural unity -- and blind irrational faith confers some competitive advantage in tribal conflicts.

750. If what we assert is true, it may be remembered; if what we say is in error, it will be rejected and forgotten -- but this, too, is an advance for the cause of truth.

749. Religion is a very special kind of insanity -- a kind that has conferred, historically, a competitive advantage in human tribal conflict, and hence has the sanction of the evolutionary process. Like tribalism itself, it represents an inherited human instinct. Now, when tribes possess nuclear weapons, the question arises: is that same insanity no longer an advantage, but a mortal threat to the species as a whole?

748. To claim an equivalency of virtue between the cultures of secular western democracies, and those under the influence of Islam, is a declaration of intellectual and moral bankruptcy.

747. Whenever people attack not the idea – but its source -- you know they’ve hit the brick wall of their intellectual limitations.

746. There is a fine line between helpfulness and intrusion.

(Not only do microwave ovens which beep nanny reminders cross that line -- they march several miles inland and set up encampments of permanent abrasive annoyance.)

745. The modern appliance reflects the temper of the age, which is driven by change and entranced by fashion. There is no point in making a durable product when the ultimate aim is to make the customer dissatisfied with it as quickly as possible.

744. Every compliment -- every encouragement -- is a treasure -- a welcome token of psychic currency saved into the piggy bank of self-esteem.

743. Every totalitarian – whether dictator, socialist, climate alarmist, religious leader, or upholder of political correctness – is an idealist: he attempts to make humanity fit – through force or persuasion -- the Procrustean bed of an ideal, conceptual world. The concept is always at odds with the facts or with the realities of the human condition, and is ultimately unattainable or unsustainable.

742. Real science: an understanding of how things actually work is revealed by consistent predictive success.  Climate "science:" no evidence of consistent predictive success.

741. "Equality," "tolerance," "faith," ‘science" and "racism" are some of the most dangerous words in the English language – because they all encompass unjustified assumptions.

"Equality" is assumed to be the natural state of things, or a state towards which things should be -- virtuously -- manoeuvered. But while equality of opportunity and treatment are worthy aims, it is inequality -- not equality -- which is at the heart of all change, all life, and all progress. "Equality" is not attainable, except -- perhaps – in stasis, finality, and death. The true motive of those claiming to seek equality is generally improvement. Anyone who attains equality in some respect will not be satisfied; he will seek further improvement, even if that should result in inequality.

"Tolerance" and "faith" are assumed to be universally benign; but focus and direction are the determinants: tolerance of murder, or faith in a God who approves of human sacrifice, slavery, or cannibalism can hardly be considered virtuous.

"Science" suggests the authority of facts, and a reliability of prediction; but too often the term is applied to matters of mere hypothesis, to conclusions preliminary or premature, or to pronouncements made by those with expertise in a field labelled "scientific." Only a record of consistent predictive success gives evidence of a scientific understanding of how the world works.

"Racism" is used as a term of irrefutable opprobrium; it is often applied – not legitimately – to an irrational disapproval of race -- but illegitimately -- to simple criticisms of cultural ideas and practices.

740. Inequality is at the heart of change, life, and progress. Only dead things have a remote chance of being considered equal.

739. Illusion is the great conjurer: it transforms the past; it enhances the future. In the present, it often wears the disguise of truth.

738. There is an inevitability to nostalgia: the past is not burdened – as is the present – by apprehension -- the uncertainty of inconclusivity.

737. If you don't understand the cause of the problem -- your solution will become part of it.

736. Life challenges each of us with an enigmatic and unyielding alchemy -- making sense of the human experience.

735. Idealism -- so often the blind nursemaid to folly.

734. Wise and fortunate is the man versed in illusions -- who can distinguish between the blandly benign and the delusionally dangerous.

733. High ideals -- the most convenient cloak for low motives.

732. The most sinister evils are those committed in piety, and justified by reverence.

731. Religious certainty -- as illustrated by ancient human sacrifice, the Christian Inquisition, and Sharia Law -- is a profound vulnerability -- a source of great moral evil -- at the heart of the human enterprise. 

730. The Rose Garden was never promised; nor should it be invoked or simulated by Human Rights Commissions.

729. Reality is always the dowdy sister to Fancy. [This is a part of Observation #5. It appears as an independent Observation in The Quote Garden -- and elsewhere. It seemed appropriate to give it a number of its own.]

728. To say that love is blind understates the case; surely only perverse incompetence can account for the fact that it so often chooses the hopelessly unattainable, the maddeningly unresponsive, or the manifestly unsuitable.

727. Celebrity status contributes greatly to confidence, while leaving cognitive abilities unchanged. That is why so many celebrities -- compelled by a sense of self-importance to pronounce on issues of the day -- sound like vacuous twits.

726. (a) Celebrity does not preclude stupidity.

        (b) Celebrity does not preclude stupidity; it may even encourage its expression.

725. This is an age which cherishes not only hopeful illusions, but the self-esteem of those most foolishly entranced; thus, in all things, the truth becomes toxic: the destruction of fantasy is seen as a wanton, gratuitous cruelty.

724. Cultures are like complex melodies – full of nuance and rhythmic subtleties. Human beings, instinctively tribal, and correspondingly accepting of existing tribal mores, find comfort and reassurance in the familiarity and essential predictability of the "anthem" of their national identities. They can – and do -- cope with natural and gradual alterations to the melody over time. However, abrupt changes to the tune demanded by complete strangers who have not listened long enough to appreciate its complexities -- these are scarcely welcomed.

723. Truth disdains alike the sanctity of religion, the myth of equality, and the ideal of cultural fraternity. Thus it is inimical to peace, order, and security -- the raison d'être of all government.

722. Freedom of speech is attacked because, over time, it tends to lead to truth -- a destroyer of dreams and a threat to harmony.

721. Equality is the dream; competition is the reality.

720. Political correctness represents the intersection of timidity and stupidity.

719. Whenever anyone sets out to prove that equality and brotherhood are the central truths of the human condition, they are challenged by merit, and are overcome by competition.

718. Political correctness pretends that perfection is the natural state of humanity, and demands adherence to the myth as proof of virtue. Thus anxiety, guilt --and a concomitant cowering silence --become the zeitgeist of the age.

717. The Koran contains many barbaric ideas which are incompatible with modern Western secular precepts -- and, indeed, with any humane continuance of the human project. The politically correct, always desperate to find an affirming equality -- especially where it does not exist -- seem to think that this fact should not be mentioned. Perhaps they believe that ignored facts turn into pumpkins at midnight. But bad ideas, uncriticized, are neither transformed into jack-o'- lanterns nor neutralized as pies. It is important to give voice to passionate criticism of the unacceptable elements in the religion of Islam.

716. The ratio of dreaming to doing varies inversely with the rate of accomplishment.

715. There are few things more dangerous than a bad idea pretending to be a good idea -- and claiming special status and protection on that account.

714. When not giving offense becomes the chief good, dishonesty and stupidity share equally in the triumph.

713. It is important to be able to say nasty things about bad ideas; freedom and good ideas are the worthy beneficiaries.

712. You may not hit a home run -- but that's no reason to stop swinging.

711. Life is a triumph of utility, but a failure of perfection.

710. Aim high -- but recognize that life itself is a failure of perfection. (Cf. #349 Nature does not aim for perfection, but rather, a high degree of utility. This fact should temper much idealistic enthusiasm.)

709. It's better to be perfectly useful than uselessly perfect.

708. We are the temporary achievement of relentless change and ceaseless striving; yet, like the flower that disdains the supportive soil and forgets its roots, we yearn for unwitherable bloom, and a quiet, unhurried garden of equality.

707. The twentieth century provided adequate evidence of the destructive potential of competitive, aggressive tribalism. It is interesting that, in the twenty-first century, some of the more enlightened tribes have concluded that the appropriate remedy for tribal aggression is self-destruction -- in deference to less enlightened tribes.

706. A refusal to face reality allows it to stab you in the back.

705. Islam presents a difficult puzzle for the West. A literal reading of the Koran reveals ways of thinking absolutely incompatible with western government, secular freedoms, and egalitarian aspirations. At the same time, a portion of the Muslim population is religiously casual and capable of adaptation to western values; another portion is unlikely to appreciate the distinction between concepts religious and principles secular; yet another portion is fanatically committed to the triumph of the barbaric sensibilities of the seventh century. The western bias -- resolutely optimistic and egalitarian -- assumes the vast preponderance of the first portion. The realist -- a rare species in the West -- would insist on determining immigration policy based on an accurate discrimination among the adaptable, the likely resistant, and the clearly fanatical.

704. There have been attempts to equate the anti-Semitism of the last century with anti-Islamic sentiment of the present day. But there is a difference between discrimination based on race, and the rejection of those committed to a hostile religious ideology. 

703. The term "multiculturalism" -- like the term "tolerance" -- is used to represent an unqualified, unassailable good, and to silence discussion of cultural differences. In fact, "multiculturalism" -- is simply not viable in the real world -- because some cultural values are directly antithetical. There is no compromise possible between the belief that religion should form the basis of government, and the conviction that it should not. It is not helpful to discuss "multiculturalism" -- in general; the focus should be on the desirability of specific cultural values.

702. The idea of human equality -- a hopeful gloss of lipstick on the snout of truth.

701. Political correctness: a gloss of lipstick on the snout of truth.

700. Multiculturalism is viable only at the superficial level of culinary preference and the odd quaint tradition. He who claims to welcome the cultural subversion of modernity -- which upholds the concept of freedom of speech, which denies the rôle of religion in government,  which rejects adherence to cruel religious traditions, which claims gender equality and the moral neutrality of sexual orientation -- is a liar.

699. The next time you hear someone approving of "multiculturalism," ask whether the tolerance expressed extends to cannibalism, slavery, and stoning for adultery. The subsequent attempt to define "multiculturalism" should prove interesting.

698. Most multiculturalists are hypocritical liars; they favour "multiculturalism" in order to suggest their superior inclusive tolerance -- but only in a broad, vague, general way. They balk at specific cultural practices, such as cannibalism, slavery, beheadings, scalpings, appeasement of Gods with human sacrifice, laws against blasphemy, the death penalty for apostasy, stoning for adultery, amputation for theft, throwing gays from tall buildings, female genital mutilation, widow burning, and honour killings. Their "tolerance" is not all-embracing; it is quite selective. It is simply the scope of that selectivity -- not "multiculturalism"-- which is the legitimate subject of public debate.

697. It used to be that taking offense was an occasional surreptitious private indulgence -- but now -- especially at institutions of higher learning -- there is a virtual epidemic of quivering public angst. Can it be long before it finds broader manifestation -- as a nation-wide dangerous and de-stabilizing social addiction?

696. Roadblocks beget detours.

695. The well-worn path is the most likely to become a rut.

694. In the real world, no freedom can be absolute; but the freedom to criticize should come within an inch of infinity.

693. Certainty is saving grace or dangerous delusion -- depending on its foundation -- in fact -- or fantasy.

692. Just as the old, looking back, idealize the past, so the young, looking forward, idealize the future. Illusion is the stuff of memory -- and is at the heart of hope.

691. The globalist view is that national borders are anachronistic relics which should be destroyed. This ignores a certain obdurate reality: human beings are instinctively tribal, and territorial -- and tend to resist the incursion of foreign cultural values. 

690. Borders make the nation. When borders are destroyed, the concept of nationhood is effectively obliterated.

689. "Equality" boasts of super-powers in a seductive and honeyed voice; but it is a poseur and charlatan -- always vulnerable to the kryptonite of truth.

687. The term "affirmative action" suggests that a re-naming of the Devil will alter the nature of his deeds.

686. The project of the European Union reflects a spirit more idealistic than scientific. It assumes – contrary to historical evidence -- that citizens are enamoured of central planning, and welcome the central plans of unelected elites; further – most recently – it has pretended that cultural – that is tribal -- differences are always minor, and will succumb to good intentions. It is significant that the first country to leave the Union is one which, by historical exceptionalism and through geographical isolation, has a strong sense of tribal identity.

685. Those who see equality as a legitimate goal are deluded; men seek not equality, but improvement. The bauble goal of equality -- be it reached or breached -- the desire for improvement remains.

684. Every thinking person seeks a coherent, rational, comprehensive philosophy of life -- something which will give meaning to the human condition, and solace to the human spirit. That is why thinking people are more frustrated and disappointed than the rest of us.

683. "Moderate" Muslims seem remarkably silent -- nor have they responded to the horrors committed in the name of Islam by seeking to establish a central interpretative authority to disavow the barbarous and aggressive supporting religious texts. This seems telling. By their silence, they give consent;  by their inaction, they betray the absence of a functioning moral compass.

682. The West has decided to trade in its moral compass for a shiny bauble called "equality" -- and a smug, self-congratulatory sense of "tolerance." In the end, the bargain will prove to be both debilitating and impoverishing.

681. Globalism is theory; nationalism -- which has its roots in instinctive tribalism -- is practice.

680. Political correctness -- a cocktail of poisonous lies pretending to the sweetness of lemonade, and the virtue of carrot juice.

679. We have begun to believe that a certificate of intellectual bankruptcy must be one of the chief pre-requisites for those on the political left.

678. It would be great progress if belief in Sharia law could be replaced by a conviction that the earth is flat. Some follies are more dangerous than others.

677. Islam is a religion which lacks any redeeming element of humility.

676. Illusions are necessary, but dangerous. Commitment is best hedged with caution.

675. Happiness is the charlatan whose disguise is always perfect.

674. Happiness is always the serendipitous result of looking for something else.

673. The great dilemma of the age -- whether to be nice -- or speak the truth.

672. Pleasant illusions are best maintained by not thinking too much. That is why it is considered so important to restrict the expression of worrisome ideas.

671. God is the convenient answer -- a black box of silence resistant to supplementary questions or further discussion.

670. Religion -- an intellectual colouring book for adults.

669. Religion -- the refuge of those for whom thinking is too much of a challenge.

668. How Gods reflect their creators! The Gods of primitive, ignorant, and vulnerable societies seem immediate, arbitrary, and cruel -- requiring significant appeasement and sacrifice in return for a mitigation of their fury. In modern societies -- more knowledgeable and self-sufficient -- God is more like an elderly benevolent uncle living in a distant city; in the right mood, he might be good for a new red bicycle, or a crucial, reassuring win for the home team.

667. In restricting free speech, academic institutions claim the virtue of harmony, and the harm of hurt feelings; thus are pacts with the devil written in reverence, sealed in piety, and sprinkled with the holy water of good intentions.

666. Usually free speech is restricted in order to protect a "preferred narrative" -- a view of the world which is known to be fatally vulnerable to facts.

665. It is admirable to maintain that tribalism is a barbaric element of our past, and that all cultures are equal; practical difficulties arise from the fact that some tribes are still more barbaric than others.

 664. Equality, like a spoiled child, demands attention, recognition, and reward -- whether they are deserved or not.

663. A melody is not created by selecting notes on the basis of their diversity, but on the basis of their effectiveness.

662. Political correctness cherishes, above all, the subjective lens; further, no individual perception of reality is -- reassuringly -- better than any other. To suggest otherwise is to risk an unpleasant encounter with the truth.

661. Logic permits two explanations of our behaviour. First, our decisions are the inevitable result of the laws of cause and effect -- since only one effect can arise from a single set of causes (the brain in a particular state responding to the environment in a particular state) -- at any instant in time. Second, chance -- to a greater or lesser degree -- interferes with that inevitability, making our choices unpredictable, arbitrary, and meaningless. Sanity requires us to reject logic, and believe we are the masters of our fate.

660. Careful dreams begin the necessary voyage to improvement. Careless dreams disdain reality -- they end in wreckage -- a harsh testament to the perils of idealistic gullibility.

659. The lies of political correctness sound pleasant enough -- but the truth is like a restless skeleton in the closet – it will rattle its way out eventually.

658. It doesn't matter whether you are a fortune teller, a certified genius, or a highly-regarded scientist with peer-reviewed scientific papers emanating from every orifice: a failed prediction shows you don't know what you are talking about.

657. The greatest threat to freedom in the West is political correctness -- the despotism disguised as virtue.

656. Political correctness: despotism disguised as virtue.

655. The despotic impulse is a human constant. It often appears cloaked as virtue -- protecting the sanctity of religion, the fragility of feelings, or the ideal of equality. It even pretends to a saving of the planet.                  

654. Cultures are like melodies: simultaneous performances in a common hall make the jobs of lyricist -- and vocalist -- impossible.

653. Truth will always be ignored if it threatens the cherished ideal of equality.

652. A politician whose chief asset is charisma should avoid frittering it away with his elbows. (May 18, 2016)

651. Gazing at the stars will not save you from the abyss at your feet.

650. The enthusiasm of the Liberal government for deficit spending suggests they believe they have discovered a new magic -- an innovative incantation which will ensure their perennial popularity. In fact the new magic is simply an old trick -- one destined to be seen as a false "sleight of mind" when the money runs out, and there are bills to be paid.

649. The spiritual home of Left-Wingery is -- of course -- none other than the Big Rock Candy Mountain -- where the sun always shines, the handouts grow on bushes, and the bluebird, full of free lemonade, exults in perpetual song.

648. The notion that religions represent the word of "God" -- as discovered by self-proclaimed special human intermediaries -- is laughably absurd. Yet the belief has persisted even into modern times. A different idea -- that Gods and religions represent -- merely-- human theories and suppositions about reality -- satisfies the detached intellect, but does not feed, apparently, a deep emotional hunger. Is it too much to suggest that an early infantile illusion -- a perception of parental perfection, power, and benevolence -- is mirrored in the yearning for "God?"

647. It seems likely that the idea of "God" has its seeds in the infantile illusion of parental perfection that is gradually -- and reluctantly -- abandoned in the process of maturation. The need for that illusion persists: "God" provides a comforting, caressing circularity -- a womb of benevolent certainty to replace that which has been lost.

646. If man is instinctively tribal, and tribes are instinctively hierarchical, egalitarian and multicultural societies are at some distance beyond the horizon. He who would tame the lion of instinct must be ever-vigilant; nor should he belittle the magnitude of his task.

645. When tolerance must be paid for with the coin of traditional freedoms, it has become destructively expensive.

644. Tolerance is akin to enthusiasm -- admirable or not, depending upon its focus and direction.

643. Intelligence is the wide beam of light -- but determination is the narrow focus, the lens by which the darkness is transformed, and new trails are blazed.

642. Most people, confronted with pleasant nonsense, focus on the pleasant, and overlook the nonsense.

641. Mankind aspires to a perfection not permitted by his genetic legacy -- nor by the competitive necessities of his circumstance.  He is condemned to endless aspiration -- a persistent purgatory of failed ideals.

640. Faith has a hypnotic fascination -- it is a light of promised permanence -- of certainty beyond fact and reason. But it can be beacon, or flame -- a saving grace, or a pact with the devil.

639. Religion requires a submission of the intellect in exchange for emotional reassurance. It pretends that the universe is not the vast indifference which it appears, but a benign contrivance reflecting an obsession with the human project, and each single member of the human race. 

638. Religion: a cultural glue of mythic tradition, the adhesive strength of which relies on the claim that it is "above" reason, and exempt from rational analysis.

637. We long for "dangerous" spaces, where feelings are irrelevant, and all ideas are free to engage in a battle to the death.

636. Society will always be torn between the pretence of equality -- in order to make people feel good -- and the need for a hierarchy of competence -- in order to make things work.

635. Our Gods -- despite their supreme powers, remote abodes, and divine disdain for regular and effective communication -- are all quite recognizably human. This should give some clue as to who was created by whom.

634. In a forest of infinite tolerance, every path leads to the tiger's jaws.

633. One-sided tolerance is called appeasement. Either that, or stupidity.

632. Some western ideals -- the belief in cultural equality and an uncritical view of tolerance as an unqualified good -- lead to a self-destructive appeasement of those who are neither egalitarian nor tolerant. Complete destruction may not ensue, but the disruption of society occasioned should result in a better appreciation of reality.

631. Sometimes the ends do justify the means. A lot depends on whether the ends are mine, or yours.

630. Facts and reality have little chance against a narrative that has captured the public imagination.

629.  Evolution no doubt selects for irrational optimism -- which explains why "hope and change" is the perennial promise of progressive politicians. 

628. Laws against blasphemy provide the opportunity for private evil to strut and prance in the cloak of pious public outrage.

627. An evil impulse is most safely and conveniently disguised as the outrage of righteous piety.

626. It's a pity to see western democracies caught in the trap of their own idealistic but inappropriate tolerance.

625. God is the universe; we are but his transient, fleeting flashes of self-perception.

624. The inspirational value of religion as myth is far overshadowed by the harm and destruction caused when it is perceived as truth.

623. Insufficient similarity
        Is the curse of analogy.

622. When faith needs so many suicide bombers to defend it, you know it's having serious mental health issues.

621. Saving mankind: most responsible manufacturers would just fix the design flaws; arranging for the crucifixion of a close relative would be near the bottom of the ideas list.

620. The "Brainy Quote" website accepts quotations only from the famous. This fact exposes a hypocrisy in the name which seems typically American: "Brainy Quote" is mere façade; the real importance -- the true fascination -- is not with brains -- or wisdom -- but celebrity.

619. Those who know the mind of God also converse agreeably with mermaids, dine on roasted unicorn, and drink the chocolate ambrosia of melted Easter Bunnies.

618. The impossible is so often desirable; the desirable, so often impossible.

617. Life's but a trial --
        A bleak day-to-daybia
        So vile is the style
        In Saudi Arabia.

616. God -- of course -- is not real.  He is just an idea, an illusion.  But here is the troubling question: Is such an illusion essential to the success of the tribe? Is the competitive universe a place where a rational tribe must always succumb to one driven by a blind -- but determined -- collective insanity?

615. More blest would be the world by far --
        Could we but see things as they are.

614. Why haven't we received radio messages from advanced civilizations elsewhere in the universe? The answer may be quite simple. At about the same time a species discovers radio waves, it acquires the technology for blowing itself up -- which it promptly does.

613. Fearing that the universe might wobble, and require a complete galactic re-ordering, political correctness attempts to prevent even a single triggering event of hurt feelings. It fails to contemplate the possibility that there are some feelings that deserve to be hurt. 

612. The trouble with brains is -- they are so easily washed.

611. Bandwagons have no brakes; nor do they explode in a collision with fact. Rather, over a period of time, the enthusiasts leave quietly, one by one, until the seats are mostly empty. Then -- a puff of derision does the trick. The end comes with neither a screech nor a bang -- but with a whimper of embarrassed acquiescence.

610. The human brain is essentially tribal in nature: Ninety per cent imitation, ten per cent contemplation, and two percent initiation.

609. One thing is reliably certain -- my equality is a lot better than yours.

608. Caste and class systems represent the oppressive imposition of artificial inequality. The opposite -- the attempt to impose some degree of artificial equality -- is more laudable, but has limited scope. Equality before the law and equality of opportunity -- based on the the absence of discriminatory practices -- seem self-evidently worthy. The provision of one vote for each unequal citizen, or the taxing of the rich to provide for the poor may, on balance, be beneficial.  But the idea of imposed artificial equality -- carried too far -- denies the bedrock realities of success and failure -- and becomes just as oppressive as artificial inequality.

607. "Equality of opportunity" refers to the attempt to remove artificial barriers -- but still permits the effects of natural inequalities revealed by competition. "Equal opportunity" refers to the attempt to create an artificial circumstance of equal access to opportunity. "Equality of result" refers to the attempt to deny, by artificial means, any effects of natural inequalities. The range is from the admirable to the unlikely to the perversely impossible.

606. Like some other animals, human beings are essentially tribal in nature. This means they readily absorb not merely the wisdom of their tribe, but also its follies, and irrational  beliefs. This is the great problem posed by religion in all societies: it is the thread of irrational belief woven inextricably into the fabric of tribal thinking.

605. A signal deficiency of Islam is its lack of a central interpretive authority. Thus, the contradictions of the written record remain unresolved: Islam may reasonably be interpreted as a peaceful beacon of sweetness and light -- or as an aggressive call to cruelty and barbarism.  A related difficulty arises from its failure to distinguish between the temporal and the spiritual. It may be seen as a religion assuming unimpeachable political expertise, or as a political movement claiming divine sanction. It represents that most dangerous of fusions known to mankind -- the melding of religious ideals with political power.

604. No world of rational civility can be achieved until all religions concede that their claimed truths are fallible, partial, and particular -- not perfect, universal, and all-encompassing. Islam, with its determined claims to universal infallibility, seems particularly resistant to rational civility.

603. "Preferred narrative:" A pleasant, left-wing version of reality designed to obscure the truth.

602. Ideals are absolutes – they are like round holes of perfection into which the square, rough-hewn pegs of reality can never be successfully fitted.

601. The Greater Carrot Theory of International Relations: Carrots, provided promptly, and in sufficient quantity, render the need for sticks obsolete.

600. Political correctness is the new, oppressive religion.

599. Societies seem to welcome -- perhaps they require -- oppressive religions. As Christianity ebbs, political correctness -- stern, uncompromising, and intolerant -- floods imperiously in.

598. Freedom of religion proclaims the right of citizens to hold foolish and irrational beliefs; it does not protect them from criticism of their irrationality, or the denunciation of their folly.

597. Reality is not pleasant -- but fantasy can be far more dangerous.

596. Religion is concerned with how the world should work; science with how the world does work.

595. Religion  and science are indeed opposites: religion begins with conclusions hoping to find evidence; science begins with evidence hoping to find conclusions.

594. God is theory; the universe is practice.

593. Religion is similar to tradition, except that it claims not merely the sanction of ancient practice, but that of divine origin. Religion is similar to superstition in that both claim the existence of cause and effect relationships for which  evidence is lacking.

592. When ideas seem to require the protection of censorship, it suggests they are burdened by some essential deficiency, they are afflicted by some fatal vulnerability to reason.

591. Criticism of Islam is the only choice for anyone with a moral compass.

590. All religions -- because of the assumption of divine sanction -- tend towards intolerance. A theocracy results when the intolerance is unrestricted, and pervades the spheres of politics, science, and economics.

589. When truth is labelled blasphemy, a new dark age of the mind has been proclaimed.

588. Religions are attempts to personalize the universe. A puzzle of "benevolence" mixed with "cruelty" -- no matter how absurd or irrational -- suggests intention -- and thus is preferred to unmotivated impersonality, or blind indifference.

587. After a period of ascendancy, and a period of decline, Islam is in the process of reform -- a return to the barbarism, intolerance, and cruelty of its seventh century roots.

586. It's a cruel world: idealistic dreams usually end up costing as much as regular stupidity.

585. Naiveté does not come cheap.

584. Only through competition in the marketplace of discourse can the best ideas emerge and triumph.

583. Government by grand gesture and untested hypothesis will proceed quite happily -- until the bills come in.

582. Political correctness values feelings over facts, fiction over freedom.

581. Political correctness is essentially totalitarian – it aims to suppress truth in favour of harmony.

580. Christianity seems to be moving from cruel certainty towards a more benign vagueness, a less dogmatic hopefulness. Islam seems resolutely stuck in the certitudes of the seventh century.

579. Religions are dangerous because they offer the comfort of respectability to those who wish to believe without evidence, and to act without compassion.

578. Perhaps the great triumph of Christianity is that it has been sufficiently deferential to evidence to allow for its decline into obsolescence.

577. Virtuous Exemption Syndrome: An affliction which leads the sufferer to believe that his clear and undeniable virtue exempts him from observing normal conventions and rules of behaviour. 

576. Those who breathlessly praise 'cultural diversity' as an end in itself seem to forget that, in the natural world, diversity provides not only good ideas which triumph, but bad ideas which, deservedly, fail.

575. People should feel valued for their unique gifts and abilities. To seek validation in equality is to ensure disappointment.

574. There is a distinction between equality of opportunity and equal opportunity. One suggests a potential; the other assumes an unachievable circumstance.

573. Equality is not in the blueprint of natural things. Thus it will not be found among living creatures.

572. Herds may do much ill-considered and foolish trampling; the choice between being a trampling fool -- or a wise man trampled -- is not difficult to make.

571. Men think in herds, not because herds are right, but because they offer security, mutual respect, and a needed sense of certainty.

570. Facts require no special protection; it is only some beliefs that claim criticism is unfair and illegitimate.

569. Tolerance -- as a self-perceived virtue -- will brook no dissent.

568. The term "racist" is mistakenly -- and unfairly -- applied to those critical, not of race, but of cultural values and attitudes. A more accurate term might be "culturist." It would probably be difficult to find anyone who is not a "culturist."

567. Every instance of political correctness reflects the death of some degree of honesty, the snuffing out of some light of truth.

566. "Tolerance" becomes totalitarian when it denies the right to criticize.

565. The ideal is that all human beings are equal, and should not be judged on the basis of their culturally derived ideas and attitudes. The fact is that cultural gulfs can be wide, deep, and dangerous. Pretending that there is no abyss will not repeal the law of gravity.

564. Discrimination based on race is absurd; preference for one culture over another is entirely reasonable -- since some cultures create more freedom, opportunity, wealth, artistic accomplishment and scientific achievement than others. A difficulty arises when race and culture are closely intertwined.

563. Human beings are defiantly real, rather than conveniently conceptual. That is why attempts to create an ideal society invariably involve bullying and oppression -- and why they ultimately fail.

562. Prescriptions made for ideal societies may not cure the maladies afflicting our own.

561. The great weakness of tolerance is gullibility.

560. In the hotel of the human psyche, emotion owns and manages the building; science and reason are occasional guests.

559. Tolerance – being on the side of the angels – feels no need of caution. With untroubled righteousness, it welcomes the ominously ticking package, the stranger with cloven hooves, and the heavy wooden horse left at the city gate.

558. The miraculous – dazzling and fantastical – cannot be denied: the transformation of matter from inanimate to animate – the expanding labyrinthine complexity and the extraordinary variety of life forms – the mysterious development of consciousness. Yet the process itself seems automatic and reactive rather than planned and deliberate. And nowhere is there even a breath of benevolence – except in the yearning of the human imagination.

557. Even those philosophically committed to equality and the brotherhood of man tend to root for the home team.

556. The dreams most desirable are least attainable.  This is the first axiom in the geometry of reality.

555. Pie-itis: Disease affecting cognition and perception. Characterized by specific hallucinations concerning edible desserts (they are usually round, and crusted) navigating in the earth’s atmosphere.

554. There are things people want to hear. And then there is the truth.

553. Appeasement of those proclaiming manifestly bad ideas will be taken as a mark of approval, and a sign of consent.

552. It is never wise to ignore a primary principle in human affairs: people like power.  They like attaining it, retaining it, and exercising it.

551. Hope is essential; but it doesn't hurt to expect disappointment.

550. No mourning can heal the wound of neverness.

549. The fact that chimpanzees have a sense of fairness suggests that morality is not divinely inspired, but socially derived.

548. The dimensions of social reality: the height depends on the right length of competition, and an appropriate width of co-operation. No yardstick is available.

547. In every social bestiary, the mongoose of ideal conceptions battles with the cobra of practical necessities.

546. The contradiction at the atomic heart of human matter: electrons of comedy circling protons of tragedy.

545. The sweep of history reveals a gradual erosion – and submersion -- of the great banks of religious hypotheses in a rising tide of knowledge.

The idea that human and animal sacrifices will ensure a bountiful harvest has given way to the use of fertilizers and irrigation. The notion that the earth occupies a position of centrality in the universe has been superseded by the awareness that it is a small and peripheral planet in a universe of unimaginable size. The concept that man is a separately conceived creation -- half-beast, half-angel -- has succumbed to the theory of evolution and the discovery of universal genetic building blocks. The belief that torture and death are appropriate measures for ensuring religious conformity finds remnants only in Islamic countries where the study of science has been largely neglected.

Currently, it is still believed that "God" -- whose "creation" operates on a pitiless predatory principle, in which the survival of individuals and the species of which they are a part is determined by their fitness in a randomly changing environment -- is primly concerned with the sexual mores and conventions of one particular species: homo sapiens.

It does not seem unreasonable to suggest that this last hypothesis, will become simply more debris deposited on the submerged reefs of religious folly.

544. Doublethink is essential to human existence; we must remain inspired by ideals without being foolish enough to let them destroy us.

543. As worship of the Christian God has declined, the God of Equality has become more revered. This shows the need for comforting but unrealistic ideals.

542.  It’s impossible to overestimate the capacity for stupidity engendered by religion.

541. No garden of equality is without its serpent of competition.

540.  Life is absolutely wonderful -- but utterly ruthless.

539. The determined pretence that tribal -- that is cultural -- differences are unimportant  is one of the chief follies of the age.

538. Blown from the pipe of hope, the shimmering, iridescent bubbles of equality eventually find their way to the uneven reality of earth.

537. The nature of reality is such that the prism of illusion is always necessary.

536. Religion is like an inefficient kaleidoscope: in order to present a pretty pattern -- many awkward bits of reality have to be left out.

535. If you want to silence a critic, the term "racist" is more effective than facts or logic.

534. The level path is easy, but it will not bring you to the mountaintop.

533. One day -- probably hundreds of years in the future -- it may be possible to say: "I don't care whether you are offended."

532. Pure virtue -- self-perceived -- seeks no compromise with reality.  This explains the fascism of the Left.

531. Evil is most ruthless and untroubled when it has divine permission and holy sanction.

530. Hurt feelings are subjective, self-defined, and potentially limitless in scope. That is why they cannot be used to measure the inappropriateness of a comment or criticism.

529. The truth is seldom popular: it doesn't look good, it doesn't sound good, and it refuses to change.

528. Romanticism values the intangible over the tangible.

527. Equality offers ambrosia in a poisoned chalice -- but Merit has never acquired a taste for suicide.

526. Our opposition to religion might be moderately diminished were all Gods to be renamed as one entity: "Highly Unlikely."

525. Religions are human hypotheses about divine possibilities.

524. The more governments grow in power, the more people look to government to solve problems; the more governments are asked to solve problems, the more power they seek to solve them. Thus liberty defers to security.

523. Small, achievable dreams are worth considering; it's the grand, universal -- but unachievable -- conceptions that guarantee misery.

522. Climate "science:" The wolf of politics wearing grandma's lab coat.

521. All societies create, adopt, or adapt religions. This suggests the usefulness -- not the truthfulness -- of religions.

520. Religion is speculation pretending to be revelation.

519. The truth perplexes and challenges. It is little wonder that religion --which offers the comfort of ritual, the assurance of tradition, and the rewards of tribal conformity-- seems significantly more attractive.

518. Religion: people prefer the comfort of false certainty to the perplexity of real mystery. 

517. Religion survives as a most potent cohesive force for tribal unity: ideas claiming evidentiary justification are always subject to factual challenge; but unproven ideas, accepted on faith, are invulnerable to the demands of logic or the doubts of common sense.

516. Because Islam does not recognize the separation of mosque and state, it may be regarded as a political ideology with delusions of divine sanction -- or a religion with delusions of political infallibility. Delusions are always dangerous.

515. Xenophobia may be likened to paranoia: sometimes there are real threats, and sometimes fear is a reasonable response.

514. Climate alarmism benefits greatly from the human susceptibility – doubtless an instinctive one – to religious belief – an element of tribal culture in which the need for factual evidence is overwhelmed by the perceived advantages of enthusiastic participation. The existential threats presented are of death and extinction. The accusation of human responsibility – sin – preys upon that reservoir of guilt consistent with and attendant upon an awareness of inherent human frailty. The glories of salvation are offered in exchange for human sacrifice. It would appear that only a drastic decline in global temperatures is likely to result in apostasy on any significant scale.

513. The claim of a religion to represent universal and eternal truths is always betrayed by the particularities of its origin. Taking Christianity as an example – the God revealed --as opposed to the one proclaimed -- is willing to see his son tortured as a part of a propaganda event – an event as cheaply sensationalist as something which might be devised by the proprietor of a struggling travelling circus. God is also, evidently, a gambler – counting on the credulity of the age – for what were the chances that his 'one-shot miracle' would be believed on the basis of such limited and unlikely evidence? Finally, God makes salvation the equivalent of holding a lottery ticket – he cares nothing for the millions of souls born too soon, or the millions born into other cultures, in inconveniently distant locations. The God revealed – a cruel, unjust, capricious, speculator-promoter-publicist -- is not fit to manage a corner convenience store, much less a universe.

512. It is the current fashion to expect truth to defer to feelings.  It is, perhaps, unfortunate that the demands of feelings are limitless, and the truth has little reputation for generosity.

511. Political correctness is a refusal to make judgments about value – lest the ideal of equality be betrayed.

510. Islam is an ideology made more dangerous by its claim to a religious -- and therefore infallible -- origin.

509. Political correctness: Correctness sacrificed for political reasons.

508. Political correctness: Tact grows up confused, changes his name to Cowardice -- and marries Stupidity.

507. Tolerance is a two-way street. The one-way streets are called Provocative Arrogance and Spineless Submission.

506. Insecurity breeds a defensive hostility. "Cultural appropriation" is seen as a terrible insult, an appropriate compliment, or a matter of complete indifference -- according to the self-perceived level of cultural validity.

505. A wordsmith is a word worrier. He worries words and the positions of words. His aim is to worry meaning into a bell of sound that has the ring of truth.

504. The source of an idea does not determine its legitimacy.

503. Religions are human hypotheses about divine beginnings – ideas which gain power only insofar as their imaginative and speculative origins are forgotten, and the reality of the human element becomes lost in the divine ideal. They are like bogus currencies – which circulate as long as their lead coins can maintain a plated sheen of gold – a façade of truth and legitimacy.

502. The universe is a great mystery. You can make up as many happy and flattering stories about the mystery as you want. They are still just stories -- and the mystery is still a mystery.

501. The scientific method – with its annoying emphasis on evidence – finds neither a warm welcome nor a comfortable lodging in the human mind. That is because an agreeable concept can often be reassuringly maintained through the judicious selection of complementary evidence. Starting with a dispassionate look at the evidence too often leads to conclusions either inconsiderately impertinent or thoroughly disagreeable.

500. There are advantages to an umbrella of anticipatory gloom; at least – when the storm hits – there will be no washout of surprise.

499. The distinction between arrogance and confidence is determined by what happens next.

498. A religion is simply that element of tribalism which refers to origins. It creates cohesion by encouraging a shared mythic belief not vulnerable to rational analysis. It is nothing more nor less than tribal propaganda which claims the mantle of divine sanction, and postures with a halo of theistic infallibility.

 497. Islam is, indeed, a religion of peace; it is that particular variety of peace attained when there is complete and unthinking submission to its precepts. (In the absence of complete submission, it is inclined to be grumpy, rather than peaceful.)

496. Hopeful illusions -- so necessary and comforting -- so dangerous when made compulsory.

495. Only from a free exchange and competition will the best ideas emerge and triumph; those with the worst ideas are the most anxious that freedom be suppressed and competition curtailed. This accounts for the confidence of science, and the defensiveness of religion. 

494. Political correctness is a consequence of the egalitarian ideal: it protects bad ideas so that those holding them will not feel offended. Thus it assures that good and bad ideas may be held with equal confidence and certainty.

493. The truth is unpleasant; on the other hand, one should choose one's lies quite carefully.

492. Ideals are often like the Sirens of mythology – a seductively attractive lure to shipwreck.

491. Surely there can be no statement more antithetical, more hostile, or more blind to the essence and spirit of scientific enquiry than: "The science is settled."

490. The essence of science lies in the repeatability of experiment -- when the interactions of things are well understood -- accurate prediction becomes possible. The "science" of climate has progressed to the point of making confident predictions; but accuracy has remained elusive. It might best be termed "theoretical," "hypothetical," or "aspirational" science.

489. Life is inherently paradoxical: every dream has the potential for nightmare; every nightmare may reveal some truth.

488. Idealism is absolutism. The pristine version is toxic, and often fatal; to be beneficial, it requires the dilution of balance, and the filter of common sense.

487. Idealism is a rejection of reality. The difficulty is that reality is sometimes subject to alteration, sometimes not. The most productive idealism is tentative and hopeful; the most dangerous is that infused with absolute certainty.

486. In religious faith there is the seed of madness.

485. The victory -- or defeat -- of the home team is of infinitesimal consequence; what is significant is the passionate engagement of the crowd -- for it is that which suggests the rôle of tribal instinct in human affairs.

484. Of all tribalism, that based on religion is most dangerous. When faith -- the fever borne of factless fantasy -- unleashes, with aggressive certainty, its unreasoning, rabid dogs of war -- negotiation is not possible.

483. If tribalism is the natural state of mankind, we should not be surprised at the presence of great swaths of mindless conformity, and the scarcity of threads of independent thought.

482. The great virtue of tribalism -- co-operation -- contains the seed of its great vice -- unthinking conformity.

481. Religious tribalism is based on nonsense -- which is not necessarily a disadvantage -- for faith never defers to facts.

480. It remains to be seen whether, in the current conflict between religious and national tribalism, the tribalism most impervious to reason will triumph.

November 1, 2015 -- concludes the sixth year of observations.

479. Political correctness is concerned not with truth, but with pretense.

478. What an odd joke life is! After eons of competitive striving, matter achieves consciousness, renounces striving, and yearns, pathetically, for the stasis of equality.

477. Islam is the elephant in the room. No matter how aggressively it poops on the carpet, everyone pretends not to notice. Instead, the cat is excoriated for its carelessness, and the canary criticized for its thoughtless incontinence.

476. Leopards do not change their spots. The bleach of wishful thinking can never erase the stain of original deficiencies.

475. Conservatives are like the primly unaccommodating governess, constantly warning of what is permissible, what is reasonably consistent with the limitations of reality. Liberals are like the doting aunt, who never appears without a bag of candy, who holds out the promise of an easy trip to the Big Rock Candy Mountain, where the bluebird sings, and the sun always shines. 

474. The gloomy notion of original sin has been replaced with the happy presumption of original goodness. During the process, human nature has remained unchanged.

473. Political correctness: tact trumps fact.

472. Political correctness assumes that when facts are ignored, they will go away.

471. Political correctness is wilful blindness.

470. The certainty of the righteous idealist is indeed dangerous. Once you have convinced yourself that you are saving the planet, advancing multiculturalism, or ensuring gender equality in the ranks of bicycle mechanics, the pillaging of evidence, the looting of common sense, and the burning of freedoms become mere necessary means  blessedly sanctified by noble ends.

469. Certainty based on evidence is a weak and sickly thing compared to the robust assurance arising from unsubstantiated beliefs and impractical ideals.

468. That the universe is capable of sentience is extraordinary. It's a pity people wish to romanticize that miraculous fact by imagining a First Cause possessed of a sentience flatteringly similar to their own.

466. The love affair with central planning has its roots in religion: God -- omnipotent, omniscient, and holier than thou -- is the archetypical central planner.

465. We are not, essentially and intrinsically, rational. The difficulty is to find the least harmful expressions of superstition and primitive tribal emotions. Rooting for the home team and religions without fangs -- reduced to ritual cheering for the home God -- might be acceptable.

464. In a world so often chaotic and unpredictable, it is no surprise that order and certainty are highly prized. Doubtless this accounts for the success of dictators, and the popularity of Gods.

463. Truth can afford to be casual, and point to the evidence; belief -- lacking evidence -- tends to passion, and to extremes.

462. Certainty is most passionate in the absence of evidence.

461. The universe is real; "God" is a figment of the human imagination.  We hope this clears up the confusion.

460. The roots of religions are in the societies which give them credence; that accounts for their differences -- and their similarities. One similarity -- that they are bequeathed from the heavens by a remote divinity is simply self-serving propaganda.

459. The ladder of progress contains the rungs of freedom, competition, wealth, and inequality. Apart from the ladder is equality -- the smooth, level, unchallenging plain. But for all its superficial attractiveness, it rejects wealth, eschews competition, and enforces conformity.

458. Compassionate government largesse, apparently unencumbered, may yet contain the seeds of dependency, and the tendrils of tentacles. It is not inconceivable that eventually, "free" health care may require behaviour, diet, and medication in conformity with government guidelines.

457. Political correctness is a dangerous, hypocritical idealism: it is a determined pretence that the world of competitive struggle, in which some things are inevitably better than others, is, at its core, an egalitarian utopia of sweetness and light. As Aldous Huxley so aptly observed, "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."

456. Inequality is the seed of progress.

455. Those who seek special treatment as members of a disadvantaged group ensure that they will never be judged on their merits.

454. The ideal is to see people as individuals; the current practice of political correctness is to see citizens solely as representatives of groups afflicted with various degrees of victimization.

453. Political correctness: freedom sacrificed at the altar of hypocrisy.

452. Equality is the desirable dream; inequality is the practical necessity.

451. Mr. Obama: the paragon of pusillanimity. When principle is sacrificed at the altar of legacy, weakness rises to virtue, and appeasement bears the palm and pride of statesmanship.

450. Just as nature abhors a vacuum, so it eschews equality.

449. Some ideas – some accomplishments – are better than others. This landscape truth of mountain and abyss will always frustrate the prairie dreams of equality.

448. There are contradictions at the heart of human existence which ensure a restless dis-ease: sentient creatures can thrive only in the unreasonable expectation of their own permanence; uplifting, co-operative, egalitarian dreams are restrictively contained in a prevailing landscape of hostile competition. In short, religious and social ideals inevitably conflict with reality.

447. In the pigsty of reality -- always the cruel hope of a silk purse.

446. If there were a God, he would be appalled by the beliefs and actions of those using him as an excuse.

 445. That any adult could believe in Scientology is a testament to the tragic and dangerous gullibility of humankind.          

444. The claim that religious ideas are beyond criticism is a provocation to the reasonable, and to the free.  The silence of fear -- or the restraint of good manners -- both raise the same white flag: they are a surrender to the tyranny of religion.

443. The United Nations is doomed to dysfunction because it falsely assumes the equality of nations and the moral equivalence of cultures.

442 Ideals are theoretical; power is practical. The mixture of the two requires the same caution required when a gasoline can is opened in a match factory.

441. Religion is superstition made respectable by tradition.

440. Religion is superstition transformed by success: the same black magic -- but with a veneer of learning, some fancy robes, and a more respectable address.

439. The name of the "Hope not Hate" organization -- which opposes "Draw Muhammad" contests -- should be changed to "Capitulation, not Courage." Or, perhaps -- "Forfeit Freedom in Favour of Fanaticism."

438. Competition -- with its implications of inequality and injustice -- is much out of favour among those of the compassionate left. To them we would pose this question: Would you rather be the product of a competitively successful sperm, or one enabled to reach its destination with the aid of an auxiliary propeller -- installed at a government-sponsored after-school remedial swimming program -- and with the charitable provision -- from the International Sperm Workers' Co-operative Brotherhood -- of a taxi service for the difficult parts of the journey?

437. Every human society will reflect a conflict between bedrock truths of the natural world, and the tempering elements of civilized necessities and hopeful aspirations. All creatures are the products of a ceaseless competitive striving for survival: there are winners and losers; some things are, inevitably, better than others. At the same time, civilization requires co-operation -- which entrains an element of justice and a degree of compassion. Beyond those are the shimmering, attractive, but unattainable dreams of equality, harmony, and rest.

436. The persistence of religious beliefs suggests that men need myths to live by. The weakness of any myth is that it is not true, but, to be taken seriously, must pretend to be. Great assurance in the pretence inspires confidence in the believers -- but concomitantly fuels the fires of contemptuous piety, and provides holy sanction for the oppression of others.

(It may be observed that this applies to belief in catastrophic anthropogenic climate change, as well as to other, more conventional, myths.)

435. The more religion is necessary, the greater its power; that power which pretends to the mantle of divinity is no less corrupt or corrupting than any other kind.

434. If religion is necessary, then mankind is irredeemably in thrall to absurdity.

433. What is popular is seldom important; what is important, seldom popular. (American society often seems particularly obsessed with the the popular.)

432. And this alone the skeptic's daunting task:
        Find pebble truth beneath the golden mask.

431. The causes of climate change are imperfectly understood, and inadequately delineated; climate alarmists have decided that leaping should precede looking.

430. Some cling to religion as the infallible source of morality; in fact, religions -- which are created by societies -- encapsulate the moral values already established and inherent in those societies. The appeal to religious values is simply an appeal to tradition dressed up as divinity.

429. No man is more dangerous than the idealist with power, for he will always seek to oppress or betray the people. The strong idealist sees citizens as square pegs who must be forced, ruthlessly, into the round holes of an imagined perfect behaviour. The weak idealist sees citizens as requiring no special care or protection: their power and advantages may be ceded, easily, to others -- because he believes in the essential goodness of mankind, and the kindness of strangers.  Mao Tse-tung was a strong idealist; Mr. Obama is a weak one.

428. Religious myths are fine as long as they are seen for what they are -- a traditional entertainment like the songs shared and the familiar ghost stories told in the cosy warmth of a summer evening's campfire. They should not be seen as particularly relevant to fetching water, cooking breakfast, and taking down the tents the next morning. 

427. By their works ye shall know them. In the unlikely event there is a causative intelligence behind the universe, it is clear that it has no concern with justice, mercy, the survival of  individual creatures -- or even the species of which they are a part. The notion that it might have have the slightest interest in the functioning, beliefs, or values of human societies is, quite frankly, ludicrous.

426. Religious conviction is exceedingly dangerous because it is rooted in the air, founded on unsubstantial wisps of faith. It towers to the sky composed only of the weightless bricks of fancy. It is not subject to the logic of common discourse; it remains, inviolable, apart from the realm of facts. It is dangerous precisely because it pretends, falsely, to the immutability and infallibility of the divine.

425. Most men are part realist, part idealist. The ideals are usually chosen; realistic notions are generally compelled by circumstance.

424. Predictions should not prance; the tightrope of the future requires a humility of caution -- a carefulness of balance.

423. Life is not writ neatly with a steady hand between the prescriptive lines of a uniform, copy-book page; it is chaotic at the core -- full of false starts, cross-outs, misspellings, and unsightly blotches. It is inherently messy.

422. All banks are evil. Perhaps that is because they are at the root of all money.

421. Equality is motionless, bound to the level and unvarying plain; only the exceptional can touch the stars.

420. Equality is to be found locked in the abyss of stasis, mired in the paralysis of perfection. Some things are better than others; this truth is at the heart of all change, all creativity, and all progress.

419. Mr. Trudeau's endorsement of all ninety-four of the often unrealistic recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission shows -- once again -- that there is no opportunity for political pandering which he deems unworthy of seizing.

418. The path to progress is often blocked by the deference which reality is required to pay to fantasy.

417. The most popular sandwiches are short on reality, long on baloney. Alternate version: The tastiest sandwiches are short on reality, long on baloney.

416. The claim that something should be beyond criticism is a sure sign of its inadequacy.

415. Co-operation is much admired, and is helpful in getting things done; competition is cruel, and often despised -- but it works to get the best things done. There is a similar relationship between tolerance and intolerance.

414. To be in favour of multiculturalism, one must believe in the equality of cultures. To believe in the equality of cultures, one must hold that no idea about the conduct of life is better than any other – that differences between freedom and repression, church and state, gender equality and patriarchy-- between cruel traditions and the attempt to see things as they are – that all such distinctions are irrelevant. In other words, one has to be a complete idiot -- or perversely bent on cultural suicide.

413. It is impossible to be fully alive in the cold and dark of a Canadian winter.

412. Sometimes it is not worthwhile to articulate a scornful condemnation of others for their bad ideas; their own foolish remarks accomplish the task with admirable efficiency and satisfying immediacy.

411. Mankind -- and the other animals -- show that the universe is capable of consciousness, and wants to think. That makes the universe a very interesting place; it does not suggest benevolence, omnipotence, or life after death.

410. If man was made in the image of God, God must have started as a single-celled organism. 

409. The self-importance of those in government is directly proportional to the GMQ -- the Government Meddling Quotient.  This ensures that Government Meddling will always be extensive, intensive, persistent -- and expensive.

408. Failures of idealism: religion, socialism, multiculturalism, the United Nations, the compulsory universal healthcare system, concerted attempts to protect ideas or people from criticism, the committed belief that equality is a "natural" state – especially the notion that equality of result is either attainable or desirable.

407. A concerted attempt to shield people from experiencing hurt feelings may appear noble; but a price is paid in the coin of freedom, and in the currency of truth.

406. "Science" is one of the most dangerous words in the English language. It suggests the authority of facts, and the reliability of evidence. But too often "science" is a gloved puppet worn on the hand of human motive.

405. The central problem of mankind: How to satisfy the craving for meaning without succumbing to the addictive effects of nonsense: fervent certainty wedded to intellectual paralysis.

404. The necessity of illusion is the curse of mankind.

403. People tend to believe in the traditional Gods of the societies of which they are a part -- Gods of a time and a place. The existence of Gods temporal, geographical, and multiple carries the obvious implication that they are created by groups of men, seeking to reassure themselves that they are worthy of being created by a God.

402. Civilizations do not last forever; they always seem to reach a point from which decline is inevitable.

401. Tolerance is not, as some seem to think, a universal good. It is laudable in some cases, foolish in others.

400. Appeasement of those making unreasonable demands -- whether from fear or from a generous, empathetic sensitivity -- invariably leads to further unreasonable demands.

399. Tradition is habit: self-confirming, self-reverential, and self-perpetuating.

398. Admitted ignorance is better than a false certainty.

397. The "ideal" ideal is that which gives up something of its essence, and makes a compromise with reality.

396. Idealism is absolutism. That is why idealistic schemes for improvement, allowed their full scope, become coercive and oppressive.

395. Humour that requires explanation has failed. It is DOA. The humorist should not be expected to conduct the messy and embarrassing post mortem of a dead joke.

394. Were the notion of "God" to be retired, and human beings urged to act according to the best and noblest aspirations of mankind, we think there would be no diminution in human morality, or human worth.

393. Self-delusion: short term self-protection in exchange for longer term self-destruction.

392. The mind develops as does evolution--with an experimental playfulness: some results are rejected, while others are approved. We must assume that Google, by readily providing a multiplicity of facts with which to conjure, will enhance the function of the human brain.

391. Our judgments are visceral, immediate, and naked.  Only later are they decently covered -- in the respectability of persuasive logic and the faultless tailoring of reasoned opinion.

390. The greatest threat to the immortality of  "salvation" is neither sin nor wickedness, but plain thinking and rational analysis.

389. To refrain from mocking those with foolish ideas for fear of giving offense is not wise. Hurt feelings are a small price to pay for the erosion of stupidity.  (cf. The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.  Herbert Spencer, 1820 - 1903)

388. It has been argued that atheism is also a faith, since no proof can be provided that God does not exist. If that is admitted, then it still seems that the faith most reasonable is that which postulates the fewest unlikely entities, and which engages in the least speculation about theistic capabilities, motives, desires, and benevolence.

387. The paradox of certainty: Certainty is asserted with most assurance and confidence in the absence of  facts.

386. In times of rapid change, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine what is real improvement, what is a mere bubble of affectation, and what represents an infection of dangerous stupidity.

385. It was an argument with the tenuousness of a gossamer thread floating in the mist, with the evanescence of a discontinuous filament drifting aimlessly in a pervasive, enveloping, fog of the intellect.

384.  A certainty divine is what men crave --
         That they, with conscience clear, may misbehave.  (The Alexander Pope version of # 381)

383. Internationally, Mr. Obama shows a rare talent for imbecilic perversity: he spurns his friends, and appeases his enemies. Thus he is, quite legitimately, derided for betrayal and despised for weakness.

382. Almost everything wrong with religion could be cured with a massive injection of uncertainty, a giant dose of doubt.

381. Men crave certainty, since certainty encourages dashing, bold initiatives, and approves the ruthless confidence of the heroic quest. In the real world, certainty is rare, but it is provided in abundance by religion. Thus it is that religion sanctions awful absurdities and calculated cruelties which would otherwise -- in the real world – be fatally beset by a hesitant anxiety -- a troubled and reluctant doubt.

380. Some ideas are better than others; ideas should be judged according to the best evidence available. The danger of religious beliefs is that their claim for acceptance is based not on merit, but on a sacred -- and manifestly unverifiable -- origin. 

379. True self esteem is earned -- and is rooted deep in the soil of accomplishment. Thus it can withstand the storm. "Esteem" bestowed -- without reason -- from above, is mere painting, the insubstantial decoration of a seed without roots. It engenders a superficial confidence most likely to be perceived as arrogance. In a light rain, the seed, the gloss, and the "esteem" are like to be washed away.

378. It is a sobering thought that madness – either of hope or despair -- may be a near necessity of the human condition. One either embraces the false hope offered by religion, or one despairs because life is only what it is –a   short burst of meaningless sentience in an indifferent universe. The only escape would appear to be a mirroring indifference, the refuge – whether natural or deliberate – of a complacent mindlessness.

377. The Young Jihadist:  Old dark beliefs besiege the unschooled brain --
                                           Which once in place, seep error like a stain;
                                           And when the mind's with reckless folly filled --
                                           Then madness gapes, and blood's in terror spilled. 

376. Happy myths are more popular than bleak realities.

375. Fond faith thrives best in rich deceptive soil --
       Where knaves sow dreams that witless fools embroil.

374. Laws Against Blasphemy:  How truth, and laws of science stand serene!
                                                    Their sole defence -- but facts in reason's theme.
                                                    Yet  anxious faiths and Gods of priestly scheme --
                                                    'Gainst such deceits --'tis ruled -- shall none blaspheme!

373. Climate alarmism: When prediction in the face of reason flies --
                                       Then "science" yields to politics, and lies.

372. It is a common error to confuse equality of opportunity with equality of result. One is a worthy aspiration, the other an absurd fantasy -- cherished chiefly by those who have undergone voluntary intellectual spinectomies.

371. The price of security is always liberty.

370. In the secure interdependence of citizen and state, the savanna gives way to the hive; man becomes a mere "piano key" to be depressed and released in accordance with the melody: a contented, harmonious buzz.

369. Faith confuses hope with reality. The faithful become dangerous when they insist that others share their confusion. (Cf. Dr. Johnson: Hope is necessary in every condition. Mencken: Men get into trouble by taking their visions and hallucinations too seriously.)

368. Not all ideas are equal. In the real world, fact takes you farther than fancy.

367. To limit freedom of speech in the hope that none will ever be offended is a blighted seed – a precursor of decay. Its flower is a failure of honesty, its fruit -- the imprisonment of the mind .

366. If one devotes oneself, with some reasonable degree of care and consideration, to the project of finding things at which to take offense, a magnificent success is guaranteed.

365. Islam is a religion as yet untamed by reason.

364. Religion is essentially tribal in nature. It has little to do with individual rationality, and much to do with the emotional comfort provided by "groupthink."

364. "Groupthink" suggests certainty where there is none. (Cf. Voltaire: Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.)

363. The more absurd the tribal (or religious) myth, the greater the sacrifice of rationality required for belief. The greater the sacrifice of rationality, the greater appears the power of the tribe. Thus absurdity begets not weakness, but strength.

362. The flower of absurd belief is usually rooted in the soil of fear, and fear is its chief means of propagation.

361. Religious commitment is a barometer of tribal power, and tribal control.

360. Often the greatest "certainty" seems to arise from the flimsiest evidence. Those with weak arguments "yell like hell." Those whose opinion is supported by fact can encounter contrary opinion with an even tone.

359. In a world roiled by doubt, one should choose one’s certainties with care. But this is seldom the case: certainty is characterized by a comeliness of aspect, an adroitness of style, and an all-embracing, comforting smile; thus it is often given pride of place in the House of Intellect, with no questions asked.

358. Those mired in ancient grievance are likely to ignore present opportunities, and thus forfeit future compensating rewards.

357. The road of righteous certainty has a powerful allure, but it usually ends at the cliff of comeuppance. 

356. While science has shed considerable light on dark prejudices, and social views have altered accordingly, religion clings, like a rather desperate limpet, to a rock of 'certitudes' made untenable in the rising tide of knowledge.

355. The steed of idealism should never be given free "reign" -- it invariably heads directly towards the abyss.

354. Some ideas are better than others. This simple truth strikes at the heart of many popular beliefs; multiculturalism and religion come quickly to mind.

353. Tolerance is not an absolute virtue; it is laudable -- or not -- in context. Tolerance of thievery suggests an intolerant hostility towards the robbed.

352. One of the chief problems of human existence is posed by this simple question: How much truth should be sacrificed into the maw of illusion?

(The depth of the problem may be illustrated by a restatement: How much warmth of illusion is needed to protect us from the cold winds of truth?)

351. (a) It is difficult to tell people the truth.

        (b) So needed are the balms of illusion, it is difficult to tell people the truth.   

350. Tolerance can be but a Trojan Horse of the mind: it presents itself as unblemished virtue, offering the satisfaction of moral superiority, and the reward of self-congratulatory smugness. Too late, it is discovered that it works to erode the foundations, the very principles upon which the city has been built. It delivers the keys to those who envision a society measurably less tolerant, to those with inferior ideas, but superior confidence.

(Cf. #234. Tolerance extended to intolerance looks very much like stupidity.)

349. Nature does not aim for perfection, but rather, a high degree of utility. This fact should temper much idealistic enthusiasm.

348. Idealists have a penchant for prescribing cures worse than the disease.

November, 2014  -- concludes the fifth year of observations.

347. Cats manage to suggest some quiet, inner knowledge of the world -- a wisdom which lies beyond the powers of human articulation.

346. Some ideas are better than others. The refusal to face this simple fact lies at the heart of multiculturalism.

345. Where science advances, and gains ground, religion should make graceful retreat.  (Cf. #139. Where there are gaps in knowledge, religion tends to seep in.)

344. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal... (The American Declaration of Independence) This, of course, is mere pious piffle, the empty puffery of platitudinous pretense. We must conclude that declarations of independence are meant to have the flavour of ceremonial occasions – in which the pomp of oratory is expected to vie with the facade of circumstance.

343. People are often wedded to their illusions; any petition for divorce is likely to be met with a degree of shock, and a measure of hostility.

342. Idealism is the problem: a little bit may lead to improvement; too much invariably leads to a Procrustean bed of cruelty and oppression, or the opposite, a refusal to confront evil. Sometimes it leads to both at the same time. Oh, for a reliable -- and universal -- recipe!

341. Climate change alarmism: it's always a pity when science enrolls in the seminary of ideology, and emerges with holy orders.

340. Faith is a belief lacking factual support. (This and the next nine observations are derived from # 330)

339. Faith is a loyalty in defiance of fact.

338. Faith transforms absurdity into virtue.

337. Faith is perversity by another name.

336. The longevity of an absurd belief is a measure of the reverence in which it is held.

335. Perversity may be condemned as folly, or admired as loyalty.

334. The paradox of perversity is that it is as often admired as condemned.

333. Where religion is concerned, the reward for absurdity is reverence.

332. The persistence of unfounded beliefs shows the inadequacy of facts in contention with reverence.

331. Loyalty and logic live in different parts of town.

330. The paradox of perversity is that it is as often admired as condemned. It may be seen as a folly in defiance of facts, but also as a virtue of loyalty in the face of adversity. In sports, the determined loyalty of the fan devoted to a consistently losing team is revered rather than ridiculed. In religion, the more absurd the belief, the greater the faith that is required; the greater the faith, the more virtuous the believer.  (This observation gives rise to some of the more succinct expressions above.)

329. There is always a tendency to ignore those facts which contradict a favoured hypothesis. The price of complacency is often paid in the coin of absurdity.

328. Most people prefer simple clarity to accurate complexity. Doubtless this accounts for much of the appeal of religious explanations of the world.

327. The mainstream media seem determined to protect Mr. Trudeau from the natural consequences of his deficiencies.  In this, perhaps, they simply reveal the persistence of a monarchist undercurrent beneath the democratic and egalitarian calm of Canadian society. For is not Mr. Trudeau the Hair Apparent and the Prince of Platitudes?

326. Those who stridently claim the moral high ground always risk a tumbling into the pit of self-righteousness, where the end always justifies the means.

325. Islam is a religion easy to fear, but very hard to love.

324. For the mindlessly compassionate, the road to equality is paved with the uneven stones of bias.

323. It may be pleasant to imagine every shoot in the garden a potential orchid; however, it does little to prepare for the threat of thistle, or the plague of poison ivy.

322. His intellect would feel lost in the vastness of a thimble. [Refers to a prominent Canadian political leader.]

321. Pretending there is no abyss will not repeal the law of gravity.

320. The promise of paradise is a rose with many thorns.

319. A politically correct pretence is like a tightrope over a volcano.

318. It's a delicate balance. A certain amount of humbug is necessary to keep the wheels of civilized society turning. Too much humbug -- as people pretend that sand is a lubricant and dynamite a promising alternative fuel -- and the bang and whimper of collapse loom near.

317. All Gods suffer from the same fatal flaw: they are created in the image of man. Thus they are invariably tainted with a human pettiness which renders them unworthy of worship.

316. Laughter is the cry of intellectual triumph which occurs when the "still sad music of humanity" is forgotten, and a surprising incongruity is suddenly perceived. The comedian focuses entirely on that superficial incongruity; the "laughter" of the humorist is less triumphant and less pure; it is a chuckle which suggests an awareness of the underlying melody.

315. When Mr. Trudeau speaks, it is as if a great muddle has been splashed onto the calm surface of the sea of sanity.

314. An idealistic view is often as dangerous as it is attractive.

313. For the Left, being the underdog excuses sins mortal, moral and multitudinous.

312. Harmony on the cheap -- purchased by turning a blind eye to the transgressions of those claiming other cultural values -- may yet prove to be unacceptably costly.

311. An admission of ignorance is better than a false claim to understanding. Those with certain knowledge of God and his wishes are unlikely to disperse the oppressive mists of error, or blaze new trails to truth.

310. Too much of a good thing is always a bad thing.

309. With increasing age, the daily walk becomes a kind of religious ritual -- a bodily incantation against debility and death.

308. Where harmony is the greatest good, the notes of truth and justice are often deemed discordant -- harsh voices inadmissible in the reverential choir.

307. Every illusion has its price.

306. Mr. Obama is the great Sadim -- a Midas in reverse: everything he touches turns to lead.

305. In the interests of harmony, it is often considered appropriate to silence any discordant notes of truth.

304. The more irrational the belief, the more spirited and indignant defence it requires.

303. If you must have a God, then create one. Just don't take him too seriously: one man's dream is another man's nightmare.

302. There can be no honesty in politics: the realist must lie to get elected; the idealist, easily elected for his promises, must cede his beliefs to reality once in office.

+

300. The tall, impressive column of particular expertise is narrow, and of limited application; wisdom is often found in a broader vessel of general understanding.

299. Knowledge should never be confused with wisdom.

298. Beware of politics masquerading as science.

297. Some degree of certainty is a necessary prelude to all action and enterprise; but the notes of certainty are too often sought, found, and sung -- in the sanctimonious bleatings of the herd.

296. A bandwagon, fuelled by the opinion of the masses, runs swiftly and with confidence down an agreeable gradient. Few are bold enough to cry halt, or point out the jagged rocks of contrary fact in the road ahead.

295. Communal error is usually preferred to independent truth.

294. If a popular opinion is exposed as erroneous, the heavy burden of folly falls lightly on many shoulders, and is tossed aside with an easy shrug.

293. To oppose a popular opinion risks isolation and opprobrium. That is why so many bad ideas live into an old age of serenity and reverence.

292. Human Rights Commissions, with an alchemy perversely unjust, turn whines into gold.

291. Disappointment is as inevitable as hope is necessary.

290. Without dreams, we would remain in a stasis of content.

289. Reasonable dreams may lead to improvement; unreasonable ones to disaster. In the early stages, it is often difficult to make the distinction.

288. The biggest dreams can cause the most damage.

287. Of all dreams, those driven by government are the most dangerous; implementation is undeterred by a sense of personal responsibility, and negative effects are felt by entire communities.

286. All dreams must defer to an underlying paradoxical principle: too much of a good thing is always a bad thing.

285. While perfection may be desirable, it is never reasonable.

284. All virtues contain the seeds of vice.

283. The path of merit may scale the heights of progress; the even road of equality -- contained in an imaginary fixed point of stasis -- leads nowhere.

282. An exaggerated sensitivity is an invitation to the mischief of mockery.

281. Man prefers to see himself as the agreeable culmination of a grand plan.  That he might be the chance result of persistent rolls of the dice in randomly varying circumstances gives insufficient scope for smugness and self-congratulatory preening.

280. Laughter and piety do not make good neighbours.

279. Most will give up an acre of freedom for a closet of security.

278. Free lunches are always expensive.

277. We look forward to that day of enlightenment when freedom from religion may contend on equal footing with the freedom of religion.

276. Human Rights Commissions show that the road of Bias can never lead to the city of Justice.

275. The propensity of porkers is to pan pearls. (Variation: 'Twas ever the propensity of porkers to pan pearls.)

274. Religion represents a transaction in which emotional comfort is purchased with the coin of intellectual dishonesty.

273. Propaganda is never more necessary than in a universe of disagreeable realities.

272. Hopefulness should never venture abroad but that it be attended by wariness as a helpful and faithful companion.

271. The construction of the crystal palace always involves some degree of enslavement of the benefiting citizens.

270. Angelic conceptions always founder on devilish details.

269. Man’s great gift is his ability to imagine better worlds; his curse is to be bound by the real one.

268. Entranced by the concepts of order and perfection, most see God as the original central planner, and must exercise a willful blindness to the imperfections of the result. In fact, life evolves by a blind striving, with a repetitive focus on what works. Some order is thereby achieved, but it is not always pretty.

267. An aggressive action to remedy a social ill should always wait upon the paramount preliminary consideration: Is the cure worse than the disease?

266. Magical Thinking is a steadfast belief in a cause and effect relationship, where the validity of that relationship has not been established. In scientific thinking, the absence of this validity is considered fatal; in Magical Thinking, it confers sanctity, and garners both respect and reverence.

265. Good is not achieved except through engagement with evil.

264. Gaffology: A field of study based on the fallout from Trudeaumania.

November, 2013 -- ends the fourth year of Observations.

263. The socialists’ ideal is a compulsory grand scheme to construct a shimmering palace of crystal for all; that all citizens should have the freedom to construct their own dwellings is as abhorrent to them as the hodge-podge of mud, wood, brick, and glass which must invariably result.

262. The ideal of the central planner is a Phoenix too frequent: from the ashes of any grand, universal scheme -- from the immolation of inefficiency, or the conflagration of collapse -- must rise again the same remedy -- improved central planning.

261. So many Gods -- so little time.

260. The less one knows about a subject, the easier it is to pronounce upon it with an air of assured confidence and untroubled authority.

259. There are plain fools, and fools who recognize the advantages of knavery in the commission of their folly.

258.  The pusillanimous pooh-bahs of punditry have postured in paroxysms of outrage and moral superiority.  (A reference to response in the media to Quebec's proposed Charter of Values.)

257. Diversity and uniformity represent ends of a spectrum. The most useful light is generated somewhere in the middle.

256. "Diversity" is not an end in itself. At the end, one must conclude that some ideas are better than others.

255. A collection of stupidities, though breathlessly praised for its "diversity," is yet unlikely to result in wisdom.

254. The waving of Legislative wands, hoping that human nature can thereby be magically transformed, is the remedy of fools. It will create only the knavery of a disease worse than that which cries out for cure.

253. Early Gods are likely to have power before they have wisdom, and fame before they have perspective.

252. Progress is achieved by evolution; evolution is the antithesis of equality. No one who wants progress wants equality.

251. True respect is earned, not wheedled, demanded, or coerced.

250. The red lips and rouged cheeks of certainty have more allure than the plain unvarnished face of doubt. (The tarted-up version of #249)

249. A false certainty may yet persuade the hesitation of reasonable doubt.

248. Much of what people proclaim is fraudulent; much of what they do, stupid. The price of sanity is a skeptical vigilance.

247. Beware of the word "sacred." It is the handmaiden of bamboozlement.

246. Cultural sensitivity-- expressed in cries of wounded outrage -- is a measure of cultural insecurity.

245. Mockery is the pin that bursts the bubble of pretension.

244. Appeasement of evil is seen as folly by the realist, as a stop-gap by the strategist, and as a solution by the fool.

243. Being on the side of the angels allows for many a pact with the devil. (A re-statement of # 242)

       The Alexander Pope Version: 

       With angels some do take their public stands --
       Let noble ends approve their devil’s hands.

242. The nobler the ideal, the greater the evil which can be justified in its pursuit.

241. Most creatures are locked in a scheme of necessary murder; this reality tends to inhibit our expressions of gratitude to an infinitely wise and beneficent creator.

240. There are few easy answers; most "easy answers" invite more difficult questions.

239. Power, once possessed, is never relinquished except under delusion or necessity.

238. Religion is like the cheater’s response to a jigsaw puzzle of overwhelming size and daunting complexity. From the vast jumble of pieces, some few are selected, some trimmed with a hopeful eye, and others constructed anew and painted to match. These are then arranged to resemble a scene of tolerable order and comforting attractiveness. The myriad of unused elements -- and the tell-tale clippings -- are classified as superfluous or heretical, and are buried in the back lot of the pacified mind.

237. Religion represents a wonderful marriage of persistence and alchemy:  lies, repeated often enough, acquire the lustre of truth.

236. Islamic terrorism is the noxious flower of a flawed seed.

235. Elephants, though unrecognized or unacknowledged, may yet continue to poop on the carpet, eventually rendering the room uninhabitable.

234. Tolerance extended to intolerance looks very much like stupidity.

232. The United Nations is a wonderful example of the failure which occurs when idealism is unchecked by pragmatism.

231. Every human being must make his own peace with reality.

230. Equality, that unexamined, almost universal desire, is inextricable from stasis -- and stasis is indistinguishable from death.

229. Capitalism can never be harnessed into the service of equality, for that is a blue-horned unicorn, a chimerical creature of the imagination run wild.

228. Man's imagination is enterprising, but not entirely trustworthy.

227. It has been oft observed that, while capitalism tends to create a disparity of wealth, the socialist alternative offers only a pretence -- a mask of equality slipped over the face of poverty.

226. There is little doubt that elephants believe in a God with large ears and a big trunk.

225. Beware of those who claim to know the "mind" of "God;" they are deluded or evil -- fools or liars.

224.The truth is not determined by popular vote; the fact that an overwhelming majority of scientists, doctors, Baptist ministers, or organ grinders believe in a proposition is irrelevant to its validity. At one time, everyone believed
        that the earth was flat.

222. When Goliath is slain, do not be surprised when David tries on his shoes.

221. The height of prosperity is not reached by traversing the even, level plain of equality; rather it is achieved by ascending the challenging and competitive slope of improvement.

220. Of all words, few are more dangerous than the word "equality."

219. Harsh truths are oft unearthed, but seldom embraced; rather they are re-buried or painted over with a more agreeable mask of illusion.

218. The fascism of the Left, though masked in compassionate smiles, is still oppressive, and still cruel: it is still fascism.

217. Bureaucratic domination without representation is a recipe for slavery.

216. Purity of intent does not guarantee purity of result.

215. Religion is so naked an emperor, that it is a wonder it continues to parade its hypothetical finery without near-universal derision; one must conclude that the streets are lined with crowds of foolish or fearful adults, and that there is a regrettable paucity of clear-sighted and unintimidated children.

214. The amount of worrying done by an individual is determined by a "worry quotient" fixed at the time of birth, and is independent of apparently causal circumstances.

213: The size of a bureaucracy is in inverse proportion to the efficiency and productivity of the organization of which it is a part.

212. Benevolence wary is like to lose both name and reputation; benevolence blind and pure in heart may yet nourish the seeds of evil.

211. Civilizations, like the sentient beings of which they are composed, contain the seeds of their own destruction.

210. One seldom knows one’s true opinion until one has expressed it.

209. Rational analysis is the camouflage for visceral response.

208. Opinion is informed by emotion, not logic.

207. Suppositions about "God" pose the greatest threat to human happiness – and human survival.

206."God" is a blank slate onto which varied human beliefs are inscribed; thus he is as multi-faceted as he is unreliable.

205. "God" represents the attempt to preserve the illusion of permanence.

204. Sentience can only thrive in the unreasonable expectation of its own permanence.

203. Creation and destruction are two sides of the same coin.

202. Illusion is at the heart of existence.

201. It is easier to punish evil than compel benevolence.

200. The little rituals of death serve to tame the chaos of our puzzlement, soothe the denial of our hopes.

199. How oft is the pursuit of an ideal found to end in a quicksand of folly! How oft is the road to stupidity paved with unreasonable kindness!

198. The human mind, too divine for death, flatters itself with expectations of immortality.

197. Life is not so much like a novel, in which each chapter informs the next, and the hero is wiser at the end; rather, it is like a series of echoing but enigmatic haiku, with the last no more revealing than the first.

November, 2012 -- ends year three.

196. All that glisters is not gold:
        Let caution reign where freedom’s sold.

195. Western societies are engaged in a slow, determined march from liberty to security.

194. The pursuit of an impossible perfection can provide only a cure worse than the disease; the noble end is seen to justify all those reprehensible means needed to achieve it, but the final result is a degradation, not an improvement in circumstance.

193. Mankind cannot abide a mystery: it must be dispersed with a causal narrative. Many seem not to care whether the explanation is rational, and scientific, or imaginative and religious.

192. In general, it may be said that as the rôle of government increases, so liberty declines.

191. "God" represents a leaping to conclusions in the absence of facts.

190. Leaving difficult questions to God is a guaranteed method for perpetuating ignorance and misery.

189. Islam is a religion overtaken by politics.

188. Islam is a religion overtaken by politics. The lust for power -- wedded to holy sanction -- spawns the fanatical violence of unreason.

187. If the world of the realist is depressing, that of the idealist is dangerous. Happy is that state where the balloon of hope can lift us from the Slough of Despond, without taking us above those heights where breath must perish.

186. God is a construct of the human imagination – just like living within one’s means, grateful children, and happy birthdays after forty.

185. The pursuit of impossible ideals results in the destruction of achievable goods; a coerced  harmony leads to the discord of discontent.

184. It is a mark of the peculiar perversity of mankind that most prefer to see the enormous random cruelty of existence – not as an arbitrary, capricious element intrinsic to the condition of sentience -- but as something within the purview of a deliberating consciousness – a circumstance ascribable to an omniscient, omnipotent, and beneficent creator.

183. Reality is Darwinian; man’s aspirations, egalitarian. From this obdurate dichotomy flows much disappointment, dissatisfaction, and despair.

182. In most things, money matters.

181. Israel tends to be held in high regard by those on the right, as it has achieved success through skill, competence, determination, and an element of hard-nosed realism in dealing with its neighbours. It is precisely for these reasons that Israel is anathema for those on the left, in whose ideal world rewards should accrue to the muddled, the inefficient, and the incompetent – or to those significantly encumbered by unrealizable dreams or old, self-defeating grievances.

180. Indications for success: aspiration, inspiration, and perspiration.

179. A modicum of idealism can be a good thing; but too much is enough.

178.  Religion is just superstition wearing a better suit of clothes. Or: Religion is just superstition wearing a Sunday suit and ritual tie.

177. "God" is man’s attempt to construct an endpoint for infinity.

176. Be hesitant in accepting the claims of those who speak in the name of science; one must determine first whether that science is indeed the master, or merely the tool of self-interest, self- aggrandisement,  or political agenda.

175.  Scientists have not yet discovered the inoculation against hubris, or the effective incantation against self-interest; nor are they immune from the contamination of an ill-considered enthusiasm for a cause.

174. Belief in God is but a whistling in the dark; harmless enough, perhaps -- until it is wedded to the notion that all should carry the same tune.

173.  Evolution trumps revolution. Great changes are achieved incrementally, each step building naturally on the last. It is the folly of government to believe in the efficacy of great leaps -- and its hubris the attempt to implement them.

172. The response to criticism of those in power is in direct proportion to their feelings of illegitimacy.

171. Great expectations bring inevitably in their train disappointments of equal magnitude.

170. Some truths are best glimpsed, then kept only in dim remembrance, as a salutary check on one’s accustomed devotion to illusion.

169. By all means seeks the truth – but do not expect it to be a satisfactory substitute for illusion

168. When equality is the aim, mediocrity is the result; when excellence is the aim, equality finds its true place.

167. Beneficial change is much desired; it is especially attractive when thought to be obtainable without altering established habit or custom.

166. Disappointment in life is assured, since necessary illusions are necessarily vulnerable to contradictory evidence.

165.  The sacredness of religion, and the sanctity of tradition–these things–being beyond rational criticism–are what enable atrocity with an untroubled heart.

164. One man's deeply held conviction is another man's bigotry.

163. Exceptional aggressiveness is rooted in exceptional insecurity.

162. Ad hominem attacks
        Betray an absence of facts.

161. The motto of the political class: Never displease; pretend and appease.

This may also be put in verse form: For wisdom it passes
                                                            'Mongst the political classes:
                                                            Never displease;
                                                            Pretend and appease.

160. Try to look on the bright side of things; if the bright side is not immediately evident, keep looking. It is better to be busy than depressed.

159. The important thing about an opinion is that it be dearly held; hence--of a comfortable weight, convenient configuration, and of a pattern with its fellows. Whether it be supported by the facts, or not--why, that, of course, is of no importance at all. (From The Fool’s Dictionary and Commonplace Book)

158. In the workings of government healthcare, a debilitating sclerosis slows the passage of vital fluid, hobbles the joints in movement, and fixes the organism to a hardened reef of unyielding stasis.

November, 2011 -- ends year two.

157. The terrain of life is so imperfect, the ascents and declines so precipitous and extreme, the rivers to be crossed so wide and possessed of such contrary currents, that he who would proceed in a straight and unvarying direction, adhering to principle alone, is likely to make little progress, or, indeed, find himself forced to surrender the entirety of his enterprise.

156. Grand schemes of improvement which ignore the primacy of self interest -- will always end badly.

155. Happiness is a temporary illusion.

154. Man is happiest when bleating with the herd; the herd is happiest when professing the pursuit of an agreeable ideal, a flattering illusion, or perceived safe haven.

153. Investment is the avenue to wealth; expenditure, the path to ruin.

152. In the vehicle of progress, the ideal is the accelerator, the practical is the brake. Finding the judicious application of each in differing terrains is fraught with difficulty: the ride will always be unsettling.

151. Religious belief is not so much a sign of inferior intelligence, as of vulnerable temperament.

150. Security by government intervention is always paid for in the dear coin of freedom.

149. The Canadian Universal Health Care System is unsatisfactory precisely because the chief and unremitting focus is not on health -- but on universality.

148. It is best that idealism be firmly yoked with impotence, for there are few men more dangerous than the idealist with power. What oppressions have been levied, what destructions have been wrought, what profound evils have been committed by those who would force mankind into the Procrustean bed of an imagined, ideal state!

147. Man’s idealistic reach often exceeds the reasonable capabilities of his grasp; in this disparity lie the seeds of misery.

146. The pursuit of the ideal is a blessing when it results in improvement, a curse when it requires the sacrifice of the reasonable.

145. There is no rational road to religion.

144. Surely religion must be the first and most striking example of what we now call the Stockholm Syndrome. Though held captive in a universe that is best characterized as profoundly indifferent--or easily seen as manifestly unfair, and demonstrably cruel--millions are infused with a spirit of gratitude and adoration;  nor yet do they stint in their praise of the creator whom they imagine to be responsible for their unalterable fate.

143. The socialist’s advocacy of compassion, powerful and heartfelt though it may be, is matched by the staunchness of his belief that charitable works are best performed using other people’s money.

142. Power has no need of civility; thus it is seen much in the company of arrogance, provocation, and insult.

141. Some form of servitude is a condition of civilization.

140. What is larceny but an exaggerated perception of entitlement?

139. Where there are gaps in knowledge, religion tends to seep in.

138. Religion shows that the price of contentment is folly.

137. Religion is the great salesman of snake oil, the pious pitchman of healing nostrum, the pretending purveyor of chimerical panacea: it speaks of an oasis where, to the horizon, stretches only an unbroken sea of sand, of a voice where there is only silence, and of truth where there is only unfathomable mystery.

136. The silly hat syndrome is an unfortunate affliction specific to the political class; it is manifested by those politicians who adopt, on a temporary and expedient basis, the garb of that cultural group whose votes they wish to attract.

135. Deferring appropriately to the concerns of others may reap the gratitude of the favoured and garner general respect; changing course to the breeze of the moment gains neither; weathervanes do not make good leaders.

134. Flexibility can be an advantage, but not when it arises from an absence of backbone.

133. The man who sets out to please everyone is on a fool’s errand.

132. Fine words, married to a seductive cadence, and convincingly intoned-- often mask a great deal of nonsense.

131. Equality is admirable as one lamb in the fold of justice–an impartial gatekeeper to public benefit and private opportunity; worshiped blindly as an all-encompassing principle, it is transformed: the tiger is unleashed, the essential cruelty, the Procrustean essence, comes inevitably, relentlessly, to the fore.

130. Divinity is not enthroned above, in a heaven amid the stars, but in ourselves, the dust of stars which encodes and reflects the creativity and the imagination of the universe.

129. Reason is often used to justify--but seldom to contradict--a powerful emotion, or previously declared position.  Compare:

128. Of all words in our great English language, there is one which may be deemed most welcome in aspect, most sweet in sound, and most powerful in its incitement to immediate response. And that is the word "free."

127. Those who would be reluctant to subscribe to the general proposition that "the end justifies the means," may yet see no difficulty in instituting preferential treatment in order to advance equality.

126. The modern fool is a strange creature indeed; he will readily admit the observable variability of natural talent: that A runs faster than B, that B is wittier than C, and that C is more eloquent than D–and yet take great offense at the dismissing of the old canard: "All men are created equal." We can only assume that the price of contentment is high, and folly the only coin suitable in the effecting of its purchase.

125. To strive for--and in some cases achieve--equality of opportunity, or equality of treatment, is a welcome enhancement of the light of human progress; to expect–or demand--equality of result is to call forth doomed yet disruptive forces which lurk in the abyss, in the profound, dark craters of human ignorance.

124. The road to equality envisioned by the socialists passes through a valley of corrective fire, the flames of which are as unsurvivable as they are perceived to be purifying.

123. Banks are not exempt from the general rule: where money is concerned, expect piracy before probity.

122. Imagination is the fuel of man’s aspirations, and his greatest gift; it explores both the world of the possible–as in advances which are achievable because of their consonance with reality–and the world of the unreal as in fiction, superstition, and religion. A great danger arises when one is unable –or unwilling--to distinguish between these two worlds.

121. We always take comfort in opinions which echo our own; thus is achieved much harmonious bleating, and the happiness of herds.

120. An opinion agreeable to one’s own is always given safe harbour and an easy rest; a contrary view is left to founder on the jagged rocks of its perceived insufficiency.

119. Death marks our reluctant passage from vocal minority to silent majority.

118. He is a man of few opinions, but an infinite capacity for repeating them. (A self-reflection.)

117. The left has an admirable but single-eyed concern for mercy–the raising of the unfortunate to a state of equality; what is missing in its vision is a concern for merit, that element of justice which dismisses equality, and acknowledges the legitimacy of both failure and success.

116. Consider the beloved of the sappy, soppy-eyed left: the incompetent, the unsuccessful, and the unrealistic–all aspiring candidates for a Big Rock Candy Mountain world of sweetness and light. Is it any wonder that Israel–competent, successful, realistically self-defensive, and--horror of horrors!–unapologetic–is a target of their opprobrium?

115. Human Nature is neither inherently good, nor intrinsically evil. As with many things–it is a muddle of potentials.

114. In the grand scheme of things, there are a lot of things looking–rather anxiously, we suspect–for a grand scheme which might comfortably accommodate them.

113. A consistent gloominess is the best defence against reality.

112. We are conscious, but ignorantly so–like the sounds in an unheard melody, or the precise but meaningless hieroglyphs in an ancient enigmatic text.

1. That hypocrisy is so widespread and persistent is a tribute to its utility.


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