What's NEXT? (Michael Crichton)

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Absolutely terrifying. 

Crichton has basically thrown together a grab-bag of "worst case scenarios" for genetic modification research into a "perfect storm" of biological nightmares. Even though it begins to read like a farce, with hop-skip pacing and multiple random strands tying together with implausible convenience, the reason it remains horrific is because every nightmare in the book is true--it has either already happened and will continue to happen, or every precursor for its happening is already in place and nothing is being done to prevent it, essentially assuring its inevitable event.

One issue he does not include (at least, not directly) is the issue of the revival of human eugenics which again, is already ongoing in small ways (for example, through embryo screening and selection) and which is on track to become a dehumanizing juggernaut if not contained. For an examination of the kind of pressures that may create for humanity, see the movie "Gattaca."

This work needs serious, conscientious consideration, and that is not being done as the general public continues to be distracted by idiotic, shallow "controversies" (as well as just "amusing ourselves to death"--a la Neil Postman) while research that may create irreversible, tragic changes to our lives--and indeed our very selves--continues unexamined.

 

Constructive Boredom vs. The End of Civilization

Check out a bit of this conversation between two doctors--you can watch the whole thing if you like, it will show even more clearly what is meant by the kinds of cognitive, communication, and character skills I'm talking about, but the part I'm interested in here is from around 50:00 to 56:00 :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN5_af-_Xp0

Constructive boredom is essential to full development of cognitive abilities, as well as desirable character traits such as self-control, in humans. The U.S. is now going on two generations, a majority of whom, as children, have not had the opportunity to experience this and develop those abilities and traits.

 

They don’t know how to think; how to marshal their reason and work through problems and challenges to take considered action accordingly.  They only know how to FEEL; to REact.  This is certainly a major contributing factor to the violence we’ve seen recently on both “sides” of our political divisions.  There is marching with facile slogans; that doesn’t yield instant gratification, so there is destruction and damage, strong-arming to attempt forced compliance with an “agenda” that is so without reasoning as to be undefined and therefore impossible to evaluate, let alone comply with, and then inevitable escalation to sieges, assaults and murders. 

 

If we don't counter this trend, we're in real trouble as a society. 

 

What's the counter?  LET your children be bored; give them opportunity to learn to occupy themselves with real things in the real world (can I make my own musical instruments? can I build something with these cast-off items?), and even the opportunity, as both of these men say, to just sit with their own thoughts and learn HOW TO THINK--how to organize the random ideas flitting around in their heads into coherent streams. It is effortful and challenging: we actually need PRACTICE to learn to do that, and it does not happen while we are taking in all kinds of stimulation; it happens when we have quiet time on our own, without distractions. When they reach their limit interacting with the real world around them, give them a PRINTED BOOK, so they can see good models of how other people organize their thoughts, without the temptation to switch to an electronic distraction.

 

The one doctor describes how his family does this on one day of the week.  Frankly, although that is certainly better than nothing, it does not amount to anything like the opportunities he had to learn to marshal his own personal resources.  Good for him for making a move in the right direction; I encourage you to move even further.  

 

The CDC recommends that children under the age of 2 have NO screen time whatsoever, and children older than that have quite limited and supervised screen time.  If your reaction to that is "how could we possibly do that?" then you probably need to look at your own addiction to screen time first.  Human children have been raised by actual interactions with actual other humans, and with the actual objects in the natural environment, as long as there have been humans.  I contend that the less of our direct, undivided human attention we give them, and the less time and opportunity they have to learn and develop themselves by interacting with real-world objects and situations--especially in-person interactions with other humans--the less human they will grow to be.  

Personally, I think that is a tragic outcome.  

Choose the human.

Worldview Review: "Blood Father" (2016) Mel Gibson

Very violent, as expected, but the violence is inherent to the story.  The overarching theme of a broken, flawed father's struggle to redeem himself is told strongly.  Like its title, full of layers to examine.  For adults of formed conscience, ready for "meat" as opposed to "milk," it is well worth a view and a ponder.

Daily Wire: Matt Walsh's Very Important Personal Announcement

READ IT!  -->    Matt Walsh's Important Announcement

I'm in tears laughing at Walsh's essay!

Whoops!--sorry, as my pronoun is "you," my noun is "obstacle," my verb is "cha-cha," my preposition is "around," my adjective is "every" and my adverb "cheerily," I meant to write:

"You shall cheerily cha-cha around every obstacle."

That is my sentence.  Please do not reply to, comment upon, or talk about, this post or this blogger with any other verbiage. Thank you.

Daily Wire: Calvin Klein Forced to Apologize, but the reason may surprise you. . .

Daily Wire:  Calvin Klein Forced to Apologize, but the reason may surprise you

The problem IS the "blurred lines" themselves.

They have told us (and told us and told us, and painstakingly taught generations of children now) that there ARE no lines.

But clearly, there ARE.

It's just that now, nobody (following this Leftist agenda) knows where they are.

So they, each and all, scrap and scrabble to defend "their" line in these shifting sands.

I witness all this internecine battery with a kind of horrified hope.

Why "God the Father"? PragerU Perspective

This recent PragerU video gives a strong argument for the practical value of referring to God as a "He."  Mr. Prager's perspective is characteristically kept on the applied, social-political level of human experience, and everything he proposes here is valid and well supported:

I just wanted to add that there are other layers of additional reasons, as well.  For example, theologically speaking, the Catholic answer to this question also includes the notion that God's primary identification in scripture is as masculine because God is "outside" of our experience (outside space/time/material existence) and comes "into" us to create life.  If you think about that for just a moment you'll see how that is inherently better described by masculine rather than feminine identification.

Note also that while the Bible does consistently refer to God as "He," sometimes in the Bible God uses feminine imagery to describe "Himself."  For example, the image of God as a mother bird, longing to enfold Israel under her wings to keep the nation safe.  And finally, of course, it is important to remember that when God made humans "in God's image," the Bible is very specific that this includes "male and female" humans, so--as Mr. Prager properly points out--God transcends our limited notion of male and female, all people are made in God's image, whether male or female, masculine or feminine, but still, just as all human beings have a human father who "gave us life" (whether currently present in their lives or absent), so too we all have an eternal Father who created our very lives, and Who is ever-present.

In this current culture with so many fathers absent from their children's lives, Mr. Prager is right to point out that the existence of this Father, and the hope of relationship with Him, is an essential hope to cling to--for the sake of our civilization's continued survival.

"Veep" Sinks Deep

I received this from a friend:

"I don't know if you've seen "VEEP." The comedy about politics and the vice president trying to grab the presidency. This is the sixth and final season. It's dark humor and very metropolitan.  So, at the end of last season, one of the staffers discovers she's pregnant by a member of the rival team. They decide to raise the baby amid their political differences. Then, in the new season, they have a silly spat. She hangs up the phone, and then places another call. "I'd like to make an appointment with the OBGYN... Yes, it's to schedule an abortion. And as long as I'm going to be there, I might as well schedule a flu shot too."

Our jaws hit the floor. The next episode was primarily focused on the abortion. "Happy Abortion Eve!" chirps a coworker. Then we follow them through the whole process, except with more punch lines than most abortions, I assume.

Then they cut away, and we held our breath. Would they call it off at the last minute? Nope. The next time we see them, they are in the recovery room. She gets a phone call with a new job offer. She says she has the time now!

I felt physically ill."


Apparently, my friend's description of this is far kinder than the episode
as written. For one example, the character's response to the job offer was
actually:  “You are in luck, because my schedule just got scraped clean.”
(https://www.lifenews.com/2019/04/15/character-on-hbos-veep-cant-wait-to-kill-her-baby-less-talk-more-abortion/) 

If the technology to replay these things exists 100 years from now,
whatever culture is rebuilding then will hold things like this up as
incontrovertible evidence of our barbarity.  The Aztecs cut the living
hearts out of their enemies and offered them to their terrifying god.
We destroy OUR OWN CHILDREN in the name of convenience. 

Honestly, I have far more respect for the Aztec religion.  Or even for the
Molech-worshippers, who sacrificed infants.  These religions were
horrifying--but at least sincere in their attempts to relate to their
conception of something greater than themselves.  We allow a mother to
have her own child murdered for no better reason than
to--essentially--worship herself ("me/my needs are paramount, my child
is nothing in comparison").

P.S. Whoever else may read this:  I am NOT saying that that is the
only reason that women get abortions.  I am saying that we allow
abortion for that reason--for any reason.  That's why this series can
make a "joke" about having your own child murdered just to spite your
political opponent.  God save us.