Heuristics...Nobel prize to Daniel Kahneman...thought process influenced by our attitudes and environment. If we are surrounded by a "group think" we tend to adopt the group think as a short cut. Today, however it is more insidious; our health, safety and livelihood are threatened by the "group think". We must gather open minded people to ourselves to air all sides of ideas and discussions, to keep our own minds open. Similarly, we must have the courage to speak the truth to let the world heal itself. And we must add to...Heterodoxy, empathy, courage...to these I would add patience. To make a 9th grader proficient in life skills and academics, along with recognizing the problem, takes 12 years of effort, commitment to the effort, and acknowledging the trillions of dollars spent on "the great society" have made pimps like Abernathy rich and been poured down a rat hole.
I appreciate you starting w/ a verse, but your conclusion of "bad ideas" as free-floating thoughts in the "hands" of those at the top is wrong, near-negligent, and dangerous. These "ideas" reflect a strategy from a thought-producer, a generator of bad ideas, a liar. That chapter talks about the being that made up those ideas and is always trying to implement those ideas.
We don't at this point need to discuss why he does this, but it is enough to for me to clearly confront you that Paul is identifying the one who is attempting to misinform/confuse and mislead humans.
I think your very first sentence may be the reason as to why you are timid at identifying and softening the true point of that chapter. If you admit to your readers (love substack - good job Greenwald) that there is indeed an Adversary, then you'll be force to admit that there is One that is the Way and the Truth and the Life.
Those ideas come from the devil (Paul's words, not mine) to confuse you and me. They are designed to muddy the truthful waters. This is an old scheme of the Ultimate Fool. He always starts with, "Has God really said...". He is a loser and will ultimately fail and suffer outside of time.
You, Glenn, must honestly and fearlessly reexamine as to why you are "no longer a Christian".
Whatever you're resentments are, those are mammoth mistakes and will ultimately lead to your judgment as well.
Do not go into eternity not being covered by The Lamb of God's blood.
Unfortunately, the name of your new journal undermines its purpose. In fact, I find it off-putting. I am a Holocaust survivor and a naturalized U,S, citizen. With others, I worked for a color-blind society, that we almost had, and that I still wish for. You speak of "Black thought". I look at your picture and see that all of your forbears were not black (excuse me, Black). I have read some of your columns, which I thoroughly enjoy, and I never thought about your skin color at all. I didnt even know what it was until I read your column,
"Human empathy, assiduously cultivated, is probably the best anti-racism program we’ve got." What a beautiful idea, so thoughtfully stated. Seek to understand rather than to be understood, to hear rather than to be heard.
I concur with both your sentiments and those of Garry Walker below. We need to plant these ideas into our children. I can only hope that the SILENT MAJORITY will elect more moderate voices to school boards, local & state legislatures, elected judges, the Congress & the Senate.
Beautiful!!!! You’re a very enjoyable and inspirational dude. You and other free thinkers have inspired and encouraged me. Please enjoy my substack adventure
I have on my bookshelf, the story of Viclav Havel in “Speak Truth To Power”, profiles of human rights defenders in 2000. I attended an event in SF where honorees spoke to the audience, where I purchased the book. In my friend’s Oakland neighborhood of Tamescal, signs that Viclav and you refer to - are present at every house on street X. In my Tenderloin neighborhood, less so.
I enjoyed enormously your inaugural essay for the "Journal of Free Black Thought." You may not be the reincarnation of John the Baptist "crying in the wilderness," but your sane and wise voice is a breath of fresh air.
The one question I would ask: Without the Divine, can we effectively sustain "speaking the truth in love" against the "principalities...powers...the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places?" It may take the power of God to prevail against the power of darkness.
In the interim, I join you in the very real and hard work of "heterodoxy, empathy, and courage."
All the best to you and to the new "Journal of Free Black Thought." We will spread the good word!
Word. The Journal of Free Black Thought is a good initiative especially for the Black youth who are prone to be cowed into towing the Black 'party line orthodoxy' for fear of being cancelled or suffering other reprisals. 👌👍
I guess I should PROFUSELY apologize, because I did EXACTLY what M. Loury said NOT to do. I attacked the PEOPLE, rather than the ideas.
I'm not exactly sure how I should get around that. Mebbe I just need to wrap my head around the idea. But where I come from, the ideas that people espouse comes FROM them. They, AFAIK, have the responsibility for what they say and, to a large extent, what their influence on people IS.
And what these people are DOING is dividing the country along racial lines. Mebbe I'm wrong, and they're not actually AWARE that this is what they're doing. I dunno.
This is what I wrote a moment ago, for a different Substack:
"WILL put out the notion that the common bonds exist, still, but the intelligentsia on both sides of the aisle have just DECIDED (to me, on a whim) that these bonds that DO exist won’t be of any notice to any-a them. Sign of the times, from what I know. Will that change?"
Only Way I know that could happen is if people, themselves, change. As always, ICBW, VERY wrong. Sorry if I am...
Heuristics...Nobel prize to Daniel Kahneman...thought process influenced by our attitudes and environment. If we are surrounded by a "group think" we tend to adopt the group think as a short cut. Today, however it is more insidious; our health, safety and livelihood are threatened by the "group think". We must gather open minded people to ourselves to air all sides of ideas and discussions, to keep our own minds open. Similarly, we must have the courage to speak the truth to let the world heal itself. And we must add to...Heterodoxy, empathy, courage...to these I would add patience. To make a 9th grader proficient in life skills and academics, along with recognizing the problem, takes 12 years of effort, commitment to the effort, and acknowledging the trillions of dollars spent on "the great society" have made pimps like Abernathy rich and been poured down a rat hole.
Glenn, why aren’t you a Christian anymore?
Hi Glenn,
You’re right, OF COURSE. Everyone knows you’re right. Or are we just conservatives. God bless you anyway mate.
Glenn,
I appreciate you starting w/ a verse, but your conclusion of "bad ideas" as free-floating thoughts in the "hands" of those at the top is wrong, near-negligent, and dangerous. These "ideas" reflect a strategy from a thought-producer, a generator of bad ideas, a liar. That chapter talks about the being that made up those ideas and is always trying to implement those ideas.
We don't at this point need to discuss why he does this, but it is enough to for me to clearly confront you that Paul is identifying the one who is attempting to misinform/confuse and mislead humans.
I think your very first sentence may be the reason as to why you are timid at identifying and softening the true point of that chapter. If you admit to your readers (love substack - good job Greenwald) that there is indeed an Adversary, then you'll be force to admit that there is One that is the Way and the Truth and the Life.
Those ideas come from the devil (Paul's words, not mine) to confuse you and me. They are designed to muddy the truthful waters. This is an old scheme of the Ultimate Fool. He always starts with, "Has God really said...". He is a loser and will ultimately fail and suffer outside of time.
You, Glenn, must honestly and fearlessly reexamine as to why you are "no longer a Christian".
Whatever you're resentments are, those are mammoth mistakes and will ultimately lead to your judgment as well.
Do not go into eternity not being covered by The Lamb of God's blood.
I don't think it's complicated. First you have to have empathy, and with empathy you can build solidarity. Both are intrinsically color blind ways.
Unfortunately, the name of your new journal undermines its purpose. In fact, I find it off-putting. I am a Holocaust survivor and a naturalized U,S, citizen. With others, I worked for a color-blind society, that we almost had, and that I still wish for. You speak of "Black thought". I look at your picture and see that all of your forbears were not black (excuse me, Black). I have read some of your columns, which I thoroughly enjoy, and I never thought about your skin color at all. I didnt even know what it was until I read your column,
"Human empathy, assiduously cultivated, is probably the best anti-racism program we’ve got." What a beautiful idea, so thoughtfully stated. Seek to understand rather than to be understood, to hear rather than to be heard.
I concur with both your sentiments and those of Garry Walker below. We need to plant these ideas into our children. I can only hope that the SILENT MAJORITY will elect more moderate voices to school boards, local & state legislatures, elected judges, the Congress & the Senate.
Beautiful!!!! You’re a very enjoyable and inspirational dude. You and other free thinkers have inspired and encouraged me. Please enjoy my substack adventure
https://garryf81.substack.com/p/systemic-benevolence-and-human-supremacy?r=eo3di&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=text
You’re the man, Professor. So grateful for your courageous thought leadership.
I have on my bookshelf, the story of Viclav Havel in “Speak Truth To Power”, profiles of human rights defenders in 2000. I attended an event in SF where honorees spoke to the audience, where I purchased the book. In my friend’s Oakland neighborhood of Tamescal, signs that Viclav and you refer to - are present at every house on street X. In my Tenderloin neighborhood, less so.
Dr. Loury,
I enjoyed enormously your inaugural essay for the "Journal of Free Black Thought." You may not be the reincarnation of John the Baptist "crying in the wilderness," but your sane and wise voice is a breath of fresh air.
The one question I would ask: Without the Divine, can we effectively sustain "speaking the truth in love" against the "principalities...powers...the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places?" It may take the power of God to prevail against the power of darkness.
In the interim, I join you in the very real and hard work of "heterodoxy, empathy, and courage."
All the best to you and to the new "Journal of Free Black Thought." We will spread the good word!
Respectfully,
D. Paul Thomas
enteringstageright.substack.com
Word. The Journal of Free Black Thought is a good initiative especially for the Black youth who are prone to be cowed into towing the Black 'party line orthodoxy' for fear of being cancelled or suffering other reprisals. 👌👍
What I feel when I read this is simply relief.
This is lovely--captures the heart of the problem and offers a solution. Thank you.
I guess I should PROFUSELY apologize, because I did EXACTLY what M. Loury said NOT to do. I attacked the PEOPLE, rather than the ideas.
I'm not exactly sure how I should get around that. Mebbe I just need to wrap my head around the idea. But where I come from, the ideas that people espouse comes FROM them. They, AFAIK, have the responsibility for what they say and, to a large extent, what their influence on people IS.
And what these people are DOING is dividing the country along racial lines. Mebbe I'm wrong, and they're not actually AWARE that this is what they're doing. I dunno.
This is what I wrote a moment ago, for a different Substack:
"WILL put out the notion that the common bonds exist, still, but the intelligentsia on both sides of the aisle have just DECIDED (to me, on a whim) that these bonds that DO exist won’t be of any notice to any-a them. Sign of the times, from what I know. Will that change?"
Only Way I know that could happen is if people, themselves, change. As always, ICBW, VERY wrong. Sorry if I am...