Monthly Archives: February 2020

Zen agency

Posted on February 28, 2020 by hessd

I’ve been thinking about agency a lot lately. A agency is fundamental to being human; the costs of giving up on it are catastrophic. By “agency,” I mean only having the sense of acting on your own behalf. In Martin … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, Paying Attention, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A complaint about Thomas Edsall

Posted on February 22, 2020 by hessd

Who is Thomas B. Edsall and what is the complaint.  Thomas B. Edsall is one of the best things that happens in a week of The New York Times.  He publishes a column on (most) Wednesdays.  The column is about, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Going uphill requires resources

Posted on February 19, 2020 by hessd

The summary I found for the recent movie, Downhill, starts like this: “Barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski vacation in the Alps, a married couple is thrown into disarray…” I don’t mean to imply that that is inaccurate, … Continue reading →

Posted in Love and Marriage, Movies | Leave a comment

Heaven as dessert

Posted on February 10, 2020 by hessd

I don’t think this is a totally crazy metaphor. I think it’s mostly crazy. Let me deal first with the instance in which I think it is not crazy. The way heaven is pictured in some of the slave songs … Continue reading →

Posted in Paying Attention, Theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

I feel so judged

Posted on February 5, 2020 by hessd

There was a time—even I remember it—when someone who was really good at something, was admired for it.  Or “respected;” it depends to a certain extent on what it was.  I don’t think we are entirely out of that era—not … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Political Psychology, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Because I’m worth it.”

Posted on February 1, 2020 by hessd

It’s a powerful sentiment. No question about it. It is a sentiment, however, not a fact. I think it works as well as it does because it sounds like a fact. We are accustomed to statements about “worth” and this … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Economy, Political Psychology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment