Dysphoric response to teen angst

file:///C:/Users/Dorothy/Desktop/Dorothy%20Work/Blog%20notes/imprimis.hillsdale.edu-Gender%20Ideology%20Run%20Amok.pdf

Participatory Democracy needs participants

But what it ends up meaning, is that there are a lot of processes at basically every level of government, that are designed with the idea of a population that wants to participate. But then, when that population doesn’t participate, to paraphrase Cain here, it leaves a void that organized interests flow into. And so, it is then the people who are most organized, who have the money, who can hire lobbyists, who can sign up for everything, and generate the information, who are well organized, who have something on the line, who show up.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/23/podcasts/transcript-ezra-klein-interviews-jerusalem-demsas.html?smid=url-share

What makes a cult a cult? THE NEW YORKER July 12 & 19, 2021

“People do not deploy the powerful human intellect to dispassionately analyze the world,” William J. Bernstein writes, in “The Delusions of Crowds” (Atlantic Monthly). Instead, they “rationalize how the facts conform to their emotionally derived preconceptions.” Charles Mackay’s 1841 work, “Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.” Mackay saw crowd dynamics as central to phenomena as disparate as the South Sea Bubble, the Crusades, witch hunts, and alchemy. Bernstein uses the lessons of evolutionary psychology and neuroscience to elucidate some of Mackay’s observations, and argues that our propensity to go nuts en masse is determined in part by a hardwired weakness for stories. “Humans understand the world through narratives,” he writes. “However much we flatter ourselves about our individual rationality, a good story, no matter how analytically deficient, lingers in the mind, resonates emotionally, and persuades more than the most dispositive facts or data.” If we accept the premise that our beliefs are rooted in emotional attachments rather than in cool assessments of evidence, there is little reason to imagine that rational debate will break the spell. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/07/12/what-makes-a-cult-a-cult?source=search_google_dsa_paid&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9O6HBhCrARIsADx5qCQFUxD64oIPZTJJdGEOwHnY87v4pD4oMKoydIaIv_Co0wocsGTvB-caAlQJEALw_wcB

Makeup needed to be normal?

Search for The Normalization of Makeup: How Society Has Redefined the Natural Woman Greenwald SarahJanuary 29, 2015 Image by Sara Haenny/b/ Makeup has become so deeply embedded in our society’s culture as a normality for women. We don’t ever question why women wear makeup, that’s just the way life is. Society has constructed the idea that using makeup is an activity women do because it’s inherently a product of being female. Even though no one is born wearing makeup, but only their natural skin, society has redefined the “natural” female as makeup enhanced. Women might not think twice about applying makeup because it is just a part of their everyday routine, but the irony lies in the fact that something technically unnatural has become a natural phenomenon. Firstly, I have no problem with using makeup; it acts as a form of expression, is an art in itself, is fun to use, and can help with self-confidence. My issue lies in the fact that society has normalized makeup as a natural feature of being a woman and continually stigmatizes makeup-free women. Women who don’t wear makeup tend to be scrutinized and are expected to wear makeup because they are supposed to look like society’s version of a woman. Makeup-free women are criticized in the work environment, Hollywood, sports, and all aspects of life. Women who choose to be makeup-free are pressured to look “normal” or there are consequences. In applying for a job, makeup is a huge make or break factor. A New York Times article discussed a study which showed that women with makeup were seen as “more competent than barefaced women, whether they [participants] had a quick glance or a longer inspection.” Makeup is a marker of power and competence for women, turning makeup into a necessity rather than a choice of expression. Makeup is associated as a way to match the skill and authority men inherently possess in a patriarchal makeup-free world. Makeup should not be the basis in determining a person’s ability to be powerful, but rather we need to put value on the individual self. The patriarchal standard ultimately creates a disparity when it comes to granting men greater amounts of freedom in the job market. Men are not overpowered by the subconscious pressures women face in looking blemish-free 24 hours a day; men can go to job interviews and feel less apprehension that their work ethic will be judged by their appearance. However, women will feel compelled to wear makeup for a job interview just so she can compete on an equal playing field with a man who has the same qualifications, background, and education as her. A woman without makeup might seem less professional because she doesn’t look like the “natural” presentation of a woman. There is also a tendency to criticize women who show natural signs of aging. For men though, this is welcomed, as it connotes toughness, knowledge, and wisdom. On the other hand, women who age are confined by society’s expectation to look young and beautiful, yet sexy and sophisticated. Wrinkles, pimples, scars, and bags under the eyes are not permitted for women and can even hold them back from moving up the career ladder. Our society has an incessant fixation with keeping women looking as young as possible. For example, in 2012 a photo of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went viral when she made a speech makeup-free. It resulted in harsh criticism from the media, with the Daily Mail stating “the Secretary of State appears tired and withdrawn.” While Clinton deserves the same amount of respect as her fellow male politicians, she is still subjugated to scrutiny over her appearance due to being a woman, shown by the fact that according to the Huffington Post, “as many people have searched…for a photo of the Secretary of State without her makeup on, as have searched for any information related to her leadership on dealing with Iran.” Clinton’s policies are taken less seriously than her own appearance. In Hollywood, the media obsesses over women doing mundane everyday tasks without makeup, “exposing” female celebrities who choose not to wear makeup going to the grocery store or working out. This relentless and unyielding attention creates a shock factor, making makeup-free women appear as abnormal and lazy. With articles using words like “shocking” or “caught,” it gives the impression that these women are an oddity and should be ashamed and embarrassed for not wearing makeup. Seemingly, even going the gym isn’t safe, with ET making comments like “Britney Spears hit up a gym…without wearing a stitch of powder.” According to society, there is a logical rationale behind putting effort into wearing a product that will eventually sweat off your face anyway during a workout. This is also prevalent in women’s professional sports, with athletes feeling pressure to present themselves as “real” woman even during a rigorous tournament where makeup might actually hinder their performance by getting in their eyes and obscuring their vision for example. Women should not have to worry about their appearance being analyzed while they are competing. If women want to look natural, natural makeup products exist. Ironically, the natural skin a woman is born with is not considered acceptable in a world defined by society’s perception of female beauty. However, makeup that makes you look “natural” is completely suitable. A COVERGIRL commercial uses the slogan “I want to look natural, not naked,” basically stating it is inappropriate to actually wear your naked skin. This paradoxical understanding of natural beauty continues to plague the media and consequently women feel entrapped, as if they have an obligation to apply makeup but still look like they aren’t wearing any. Going au natural is belittled since it is not performing gender “correctly” in accordance with society’s expectation. Society has created a new definition of natural and it doesn’t include a single flaw. Makeup has developed into a natural feature of being female while subsequently erasing the actual natural women from society’s image. The constant pressure women feel at work, school, the gym, and day-to-day life undoubtedly stems from society subconsciously disciplining women into feeling like they have no choice but to wear makeup. Rather than advocating for the annihilation of makeup, society needs to stop holding women to the expectation they only look like real woman if they are wearing makeup. We need to redefine what society deems as the “natural” female body and judge women for who they are as people, whether it is with or without makeup.

Bloody Insulting

Dear Red Cross: I have donated blood for 50 years - believing in its importance to others. Your current campaign to promote blood donations seems off-putting in its approach. Offering prizes (such as Amazon gift cards) misses the point of who you are appealing to. Blood donation is inherently selfless - entirely motivated by the needs of others, not self gain. To offer little "prizes" for donating feels more like insult than encouragement. The second off-putting approach is the perpetual scream of "urgent need for blood" with no qualifiers as to relative severity or basis for assessment. Even sharing the urgency of need on a numerical scale would help - along with some basis for that evaluation. Really, I'll keep giving, but feel my donation is cheapened by your seeming assumption that I am motivated by receiving stuff -- and I'm insulted by the mindless shout of URGENT NEED with no basis for that evaluation being shared.

Violence

The short answer is that violence is a maladaptive problem-solving technique. Perhaps we should focus on developing other methods.

No more "free speech" in America

During a press conference on Thursday, Psaki confirmed that President Joe Biden wants Big Tech to be more “aggressive” when policing “misinformation.” The White House is “in regular touch with social media platforms” to handle it, she added. “Within the Surgeon General’s Office, we’re flagging posts for Facebook that spread disinformation,” Psaki explained. “We’re working with doctors and medical professionals to connect medical experts with people, who are popular with their audiences with accurate information and boost trusted content. So, we’re helping get trusted content out there. We also created the COVID Community Corps to get factual information into the hands of local messengers.” Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy confirmed that he regularly communicates with Big Tech to make sure the social media platforms “consistently take action against misinformation superspreaders.” Now we have the DNC and its actors becoming the determiners of what is information and what is "misinformation" using the covid crisis as an opportunity for control. Here's an excellent discussion: https://taibbi.substack.com/p/meet-the-censored-matt-orfalea?r=88fi0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy

It could never happen here...

At the beginning of the imposed unanimity of thought and "correctness" in our land of freedom, I was reminded of the Cultural Revolution in China. The attached is from a Chinese Uighur who managed, against many odds, to flee to the US. He paints a vivid picture of what is happening in China today to impose unanimity of thought and eradicate "incorrectness," using suppression of potential terrorism and extremism as an excuse. It's not part of the historical past, but very much the present and a forewarning of where the current we are swimming in is taking us. https://www.theatlantic.com/the-uyghur-chronicles/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=atlantic-daily-newsletter&utm_content=20210714&silverid=%25%25RECIPIENT_ID%25%25&utm_term=The%20Atlantic%20Daily

Crazy Times

"Ich bin ein Berliner" Famous quote of JFK. Quote for my time: "I am Rosa Parks." I will not move to the back of the bus based on my skin color... and the demands of a social lynch mob. This is what CRT training is asking/telling whites to do. In the name of "equity," move to the back, step aside, genuflect. It's wrong. Who we are is not determined by our skin or our heritage. Today we stand capable of rising up and being the best we can be regardless of circumstances that precede us. We need not be ashamed for actions of those over whom we have no influence or control - they died before we were born. To focus outside on the past is to avoid the present.