Why I am an optimist

My family likes to complain that I am a pessimist and tell me I would be happier if I were more optimistic. They don’t understand. Some of the unhappiest people I know are optimists, because they falsely assume that optimism produces good outcomes. Their optimism feels to them like a magical talisman that will protect them. When their positive thinking does not shield them from bad outcomes they feel betrayed by Fate, often taking it personally, and sometimes becoming bitter.

Some thoughts on the the GOP and the national debt

The GOP has a long history of presenting itself as the party of fiscal responsibility with a focus on reducing debt by reducing spending. This position does not hold up under scrutiny.
 
First, a simple fact: among all the non-wartime Presidents since 1900, four of the five who increased the national debt the most were Republicans:

Diversity in academia

There is no doubt that the political views seen in academia do not represent the full spectrum of American politics. Academia leans left. Conservatives respond by complaining that academia is 'ideologically homogenous' (sic) because they have been excluded based on their political views. If conservatives want to assign blame for their low numbers in academia, perhaps they should start by looking in the mirror.
 

Empathy defended

Comment about Musk from a college classmate: "Musk’s comment in his interview by Seth Rogan: “The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy.”  Says all you need to know about him. "

Reply by another college classmate: "But see Paul Bloom’s book Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion.

From the back cover, courtesy of Amazon.com: