Americans are rejecting science, and putting themselves…and everyone else…in peril Every semester I lead my Introduction to Sociology students through the following scenario: Uncle Phil is sitting at home watching television, a wonder of technological advancement, and eating a microwave meal. Suddenly, he feels a sharp pain in his chest that travels down his left... Continue Reading →
And: The Rained Out Revolution I can't help but ask myself, what if Occupy protestors in 2010 showed up with AR-15s? On one hand, being armed may have given law enforcement pause before they use paramilitary tactics to take down the Occupy encampments all over the country. On the other hand, Occupy was protesting... Continue Reading →
Or the Plutocracy Worm Hole I've had very limited time to blog. This one will be short and sweet…but telling. According to billionaire Tom Perkins…you know, the guy who compared critics of economic inequality to Nazi's, his proposal is that only those who pay taxes should be allowed to vote. Of course, this is consistent... Continue Reading →
iExperience is lacking in -- Touch First, I think it's great that open mic poetry still exists. This recital is especially poignant. I can't wait for the day when our technology advances to the point where it can make us human again.
Why we are complicit in the domestic spying scandal The most noteworthy observation that I have about the great brouhaha over Glen Greenwald's expose of US domestic spying in The Guardian is how absolutely shocked everybody seems. The press and the social media act as if this is some sudden revelation. We had no idea... Continue Reading →
Well, here's a brief answer. I'm actually working on a different blog post, but I've heard this question quite a bit, lately. I mostly overhear it in conversations between people who do not know I can hear them. However, people who know that I'm a sociologist, including many students, have approached me directly and asked... Continue Reading →
When tragedy strikes our own children, we collectively mourn. The world would be a better place if we did the same for the children of others. Figure 1: Pakistani Children Keeping Vigil for the Sandy Hook Victims Click image for the source In my novel, The Revelation of Herman Smiley the title character is... Continue Reading →
On Anger and Foreign Policy We are all appalled at the brutal attack on a US embassy in Benghazi last week. Senseless killing cannot be condoned by civilized people regardless of the circumstances, be it an IED attack by an extremist terrorist group or a drone attack by a world power. Those who value human... Continue Reading →
http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf Pam Warhurst gave a rousing lecture on the experiences of her hometown in re-imagining their common space. This isn't just about increasing food yields, which would be impressive enough. This is about re-imagining the commons and building a community around food. In an age where the commons is being gobbled up by the unfree... Continue Reading →
