I hear dire predictions of a “constitutional crisis.” Is this just crackbrained nonsense from anti-Trump media, or is it a reasoned argument? Continue reading
Blog Posts and Writings Tagged: Complexity
Blog 145. The Backyard Fence
In those neighborhoods where single-family houses still exist, back yards are usually fenced. So are some front yards. Why is this? What motivates us to put up fences when a once-popular western song was Don’t Fence Me In? Continue reading
Blog 138. American Angst Part 6 of 7: Relieving angst in a complex system
The daily TV news sustains the angst in America,* but unlike the repetitive TV news, the situation isn’t hopeless.
The known science of complex systems indicates the route to remedy: alter the rules of interaction among the players. Continue reading
Blog 136. American Angst Part 4 of 7: Sliding into Fascism
America is split many ways: the divide between rich and poor,(1) educated versus uneducated, the elite versus the common person. We’re beset by a self-perpetuating crime and poverty in the bottom economic class because those individuals justifiably feel hopeless. It’s the middle classes that should be hopeful, Continue reading
Blog 134. American Angst Part 2 of 7: Alienation of the Individual
Individuals feel angry, frustrated, isolated, abandoned by their society, offended by immigrants, and threatened by political ideologues who want to take over. The stores are big-box: you don’t buy your shoes or your shampoo with assistance from a friendly sales person. Your only safe conversation seems to be with Siri on your cell phone. Continue reading
Blog 132. Technology–a bright future?
Technology, like everything else, is changing exponentially. At the human level, can anything change other than who gets richer and who gets poorer? Continue reading
Blog 107. Hanging the laundry
It occurred to me as I lifted the load from the washer, up into the dryer. Why don’t we hang out the laundry any more? Continue reading
Blog 99. Why can’t I make a difference?
As best I can tell, satisfaction comes from accomplishing something we regard as useful and meaningful. That seems to be true, whether you are a scientist, entrepreneur, gardener, or Mafia hit man. Most of us want to make a difference. We want to believe we’ve altered something for what we regard as the better. To assert our importance, we erect large monuments in graveyards Continue reading