I've noticed that people are increasingly adverse to interrupting others, especially in progressive circles. The thought is admirable- shy people, or people who have been taught that their opinions matter less, tend to lose out in a social environment in which interruptions are common. This may have a particular effect on oppressed individuals such as … Continue reading The problems with “no interrupting” as a categorical social norm

I. At the moment there’s a huge debate over whether or not advancing robotics and artificial intelligence is likely to lead to ongoing technological unemployment- a permanent increase in unemployment due to automation. For the most part though, I think this discussion over technological unemployment elides the scarier prospect- technological marginalisation. By technological marginalisation I … Continue reading Technological unemployment isn’t the point

I suspect many readers will find this essay as engaging as I do. See here: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/wp-content/files_mf/1426269747ACautiousCaseforSocialism.pdf

For most people, being hypocritical is uncomfortable- at least if they become aware of that hypocrisy. Hypocrisy means guilt, denial, etc. A minority of sociopaths and sociopathy adjacent types seem unaffected by hypocrisy- able to wear the mask quite comfortably. A lot of politicians and clergy, for example. But every so often one hears about … Continue reading The Joyous Hypocrite

Secondary to my OCD, I suffer relatively mild depression. One of the symptoms of this depression with which I am well acquainted, but eluded my description for years, is a low level sense of disgust at everything.  And I do mean disgust- disgust and contempt very specifically, and not just “anger” or “irritation”. When this … Continue reading The feeling of disgust in depression

I've found that a lot of Qanon supporters and other conspirators are relatively financially successful and/or small business owners. This isn’t surprising on purely demographic grounds- these people are older, white, Republicans so why should anyone be surprised that they often own a jet-ski dealerships and diners? It makes a lot of sense when you … Continue reading The paranoid style in petit-bourgeois politics

You occasionally see arguments that, while CEO's are spectacularly rich, those riches are drop in the ocean compared to the quantum that would be required to give a real pay rise to workers. Of course the main reply here is that CEO's are emblematic of a whole bunch of people who are overpaid relative to … Continue reading Jeff Beezos absolutely could afford to pay his employees much better