Racial nationalism and white guilt
Whether or not white guilt is generally merited as a consequence of apartheid, any of us should certainly feel guilt if we cease dialogue, and instead resort to violence against those we disagree with.
Elevatorgate and the power of words
The origins of what has now become a bitter war between various elements in the secular community lie partly in a failure to understand context, or to apply the principle of charity. Some posts on Elevatorgate make it appear that Watson accuses all men of being rapists, and others that Dawkins is a misogynist – but neither viewpoint seems justified.
What is the point of feminism?
There could well have been a time when feminism – as a cause separate to the simple one of human equality – added some unique value. But perhaps that time has passed, and we should allow ourselves to consider whether feminism (and LGBT activism, etc.) might get in the way of the more general struggle towards treating all humans equally, no matter who they are.
On Grayling’s New College of the Humanities
Anthony Grayling’s plans to launch an elite ‘New College of the Humanities’ has caused controversy, partly because the sticker price is £ 18 000 per year, rather than the UK limit of £ 9 000 for state universities. But elite educations are defensible, and should be expected to cost more than the average.
Tuning out (and in)
Both sorts of interacting – the immediate (Twitter), and the traditional (books) – with words, and with ideas, are valuable. We shouldn’t neglect or demonize either of them – but rather make sure we take full advantage of both.
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