What are you reading? - 2022

OK, so we can make some progress on the whole "woke" thing! Yay! People don't have to be actively racist in order to perpetuate racism (or name another injustice). I'm all too aware of folks who take on the victim role because it's easier than action, but it's the people who are trying to change things for the better who are usually slurred as radical libtard commie &c &c. But here's the thing, if someone supports an unjust system for whatever reason (actual racism, ignorance, hope of personal gain, owning the libs), they are to blame. I certainly feel no guilt that slavery existed in America.  I should absolutely feel guilty for not speaking up about how that legacy has reverberated in the present. 

America has needed to have honest conversations about these things since its inception, but those in power don't want every day people to do so. They create plausible myths to subjugate those below them and remain in power. Immigrants steal jobs! No, if anyone was replaced by an immigrant, it's because an employer replaced them for their own financial benefit. The Civil War was about states' rights! No, it was about owning other humans, as it is explicit in the confederate constitution that mandated that states must allow slavery. Education is bad! No, but it can bring one awareness of uncomfortable truths. America was
founded as Christian nation! No, as explicitly stated in the First Amendment, and Christianity's glaring omission in the Federalist Papers, and the documented variation in the beliefs of the Founders. Republicans are the party of fiscal responsibility! No, every R president in my lifetime has increased the federal deficit and blamed Democrats. Democrats are radical communists! No, they are are center-right on most political spectra, but the far right has pushed the Overton window so far that making the wealthy pay taxes is somehow equated with abolishment of private property. Corporate Marxism! That's not even possible, but we have placed people in power who complain about it. Trans people are delusional! A high school bio class will show that intersex people exist and a 200 level embryogenesis class will refute claims that sex--let alone gender--is strictly binary in humans.  CRT is created to make white people guilty!  No, it is a way to explore the history of systemic racism in America.  Denying that history or the means to explore it is what should make someone feel guilty.

I know to a lot of people, this is made up stuff and that is because we have been celebrating anti intellectualism for so long that myths have become so ingrained that they take on a patina of truthiness.  It becomes easier to believe in globalist conspiracies than to see that we have created a system and elected folks of both major parties that hand American wealth to a handful of people who take their cut and then  tell you it's a meritocracy and you didn't work hard enough for yours. Or it's that other party giving your money to undeserving poc. Or the Jews took it. Or [insert your personal bugbear] did it. 

I'm in no way judging anyone here or elsewhere, but as much as I love America, we have some potentially fatal flaws we just can't ignore. And because I love America I want to make it better for all, not just a handful.  When you honestly explore this stuff, you can see the cracks go down to the foundations.  When you ignore it, you get political campaigns based on drag queens and ivy leaguers making bank denouncing the elite on outrage TV.  Meanwhile American resources, wealth, and labor flows up the pyramid to a few people who are all too happy to have us fight about imaginary litter boxes in school bathrooms and how Jesus was really a laissez faire capitalist and extra judicial killings are a-ok if the victim had a history of drug abuse.  It's absolute insanity.  

tl;dr  our own ignorance is becoming our downfall 

"I'm in no way judging anyone here or elsewhere, but..." the "but" in there undermines the rest.

I don't think anyone, especially in this rather more thoughtful group of people (I really believe that) is in favor of deliberately ignoring anyone's present difficulties, anyone's past afflictions. And even anyone's inherited heritage of past afflictions.

Many people, many many people, see woke as like a political correctness, enforced by one group of people not offended themselves, but offended on the behalf of other groups of people, (who may or may not be themselves offended) and attempting to get everyone to feel guilty and responsible (whether they or their whole generation had anything to do with it) for sins perceived by other not involved people.

If we all just dealt with our own personal afflictions, and work on overcoming them, and were careful not to genuinely afflict anyone else, this whole "woke" thing would be far less a controversial thing.


I think I should bow out of this thread for now, as it is about neither smoking nor reading, and I am in danger of embarrassing myself.

If y'all knew how much this group means to me you would laugh at me.

Hey, I respect everyone here and I like most of you!  I'm just trying to exchange ideas and I like to learn where others are coming from.  I don’t think wanting to make things better for everyone is extreme or negative. I'd like to know why you think that, Ron. It's the essence of Christianity! Turning our back on God is the cause of our problems but living Jesus' instructions is negative?  It's the megachurch grifters using Jesus' name in vain who'd crucify him all over again.  

I've been living in a seedy hotel for a few weeks with people who have been ground under the wheels.   It's probably coloring my mood, but I cannot bring myself to believe that compassion and empathy are bad things.  

Anyway, may y'all have peace and a little food for thought if you'll have it.

It's hard for me to believe being gay is a sin, when it is incredibly common in nature and in many human cultures throughout history. It's amazing that folks claim Western Civilization is superior for not allowing thes natural differences,  yet ignore that  Classical Greece and Rome were gay as heck.  Trans emperors, the whole bag.  The idea that these things are wrong now began with desert dwellers trying to differentiate themselves from other tribes and increase their population. And Paul trying to grow a religion of Jews and gentiles within his empire, yet distancing it from their norms. It's fairly easy to see why people born gay in a society that condemns them for it might experience some unhappiness.   That's why we get insufferable bitches like Lindsay Graham. 

What is the difference between gay lifestyle and true love? And is there a difference between cishetero lifestyle and true love? There must be an accepted definition of "gay lifestyle,"  as it is included in a plank in your state's GOP platform.  And why is it harder for gay people to find true love?  (I can certainly argue that it's sometimes harder to express that love because of societal prejudice. I have to be hyperaware of my surroundings just to hold my wife's hand or kiss her cheek in public. I've been with her exclusively for over 30 years. It's as true as love gets.)  Is gay marriage a gay lifestyle?  Is it inferior to "Biblical marriage" (one man, one woman and as many other wives and concubines as the man desires?) Does the story of David and Jonathan illustrate a gay lifestyle or true love?  Same question for Jesus' beloved disciple.

"Ronin" by Edward W. Robertson

"Freefall" by Edward W. Robertson

Just finished "The Girl Who Drank the Moon". A beautiful fairytale.
Starting The Lost Metal soon.

Another excellent story.

Still marching through "The 100 Years War" with Bernard Cornwell, Thomas of Hookton, Will Skeat, and other notables.

Now, I do not encourage anyone to visit this sad era of death and destruction unless there is an interest in Archery.

Man, these 14th Century French, English, Scots, Welsh, and Italians were shites! Mean mothers!

Just finished this. Missing him even more after this. Highly recommended.

I would like to read it, but it would be too painful.

Read some reviews, it looks like an interesting read, so I picked up a copy.
Hard to beat the $5.00 price and free shipping @ Abebooks.

DOG IS LOVE (Subtitle: “Why and how your dog loves you”) by Clive Byrne, PhD. Not nearly as soppy as it sounds, this is a very complex scientific study of the subject. It refutes pretty well the hypothesis that “love” has nothing to do with our relationship with our canine pals. I found it most interesting, as well as convincing.

I tired reading one of that series but found it dull.

Much prefer the period tales as told by Bernard Cornwell.