Author Archives: hessd

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About hessd

Here is all you need to know to follow this blog. I am an old man and I love to think about why we say the things we do. I've taught at the elementary, secondary, collegiate, and doctoral levels. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. I have taught political science for a long time and have practiced politics in and around the Oregon Legislature. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. You'll be seeing a lot about my favorite topics here. There will be religious reflections (I'm a Christian) and political reflections (I'm a Democrat) and a good deal of whimsy. I'm a dilettante.

The Beauty of Pravic Verbs

Posted on February 12, 2022 by hessd

“Still working?” she said as she passed. “Do you ever get a break?” he said, fifteen minutes later. Things like this happen for two reasons. I sit and type next a place where a lot of people walk. This of … Continue reading →

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The Anger of the Bypassed Classes

Posted on February 10, 2022 by hessd

Some of the links available in Thomas B. Edsall’s column in the New York Times yesterday have moved me to try to envision a broader political landscape for the U. S. I don’t know if this is sophisticated or naive. … Continue reading →

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Staying in Love

Posted on February 7, 2022 by hessd

I am going to argue today that it is possible and that for a certain kind of person—I am that kind of person—it is a really good idea. Now, during what my wife, Bette, and I call “the Valentine season” … Continue reading →

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The Stupidity of Intellectuals

Posted on February 3, 2022 by hessd

I’m going to say a lot of bad things about intellectuals today so I might just as well take the trouble to identify myself as one right up front. I have had a lot of formal education and have spent … Continue reading →

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Avoiding Divisive Concepts in Our Schools

Posted on January 26, 2022 by hessd

This is so easy to snicker at and dismiss. It is ridiculous on its face. And that is why it is so dangerous. Let’s think about it. And so we will have something concrete to think about, let’s consider Florida’s … Continue reading →

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Disapproval Fatigue and Team Names

Posted on January 19, 2022 by hessd

I grew up in a meat and potatoes house. We had noodles from time to time, but we never had “pasta.” That being the case, the first dozen or so times I saw the word “antipasto, “ I misunderstood it … Continue reading →

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So…who IS the fairest of us all?

Posted on January 12, 2022 by hessd

I’ve been in a number of conversations recently that presume race and racism as the proper context for the discussion. It isn’t always. Sometimes it is culture; sometimes it is class; sometimes it is religious practice. And on some of … Continue reading →

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Staying Protected Against “Them”

Posted on January 4, 2022 by hessd

I want to express a guarded admiration for “them.” Before I do that, I will need to say just who I mean by “them” and also to suggest that the clarity of that designation is becoming a little ragged around … Continue reading →

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And be sure to look both ways

Posted on December 31, 2021 by hessd

Yes, well, easier said than done. I caught myself cheating this morning and this was just as I was backing out of my parking spot. This is the way it happens with me, for good or ill. I catch a … Continue reading →

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The Seduction of Joe Hawkins

Posted on December 23, 2021 by hessd

If you have been reading this blog recently, you know that I have been thinking about some of the “interpersonal” issues dealt with by the TV series Humans. [1] Joe Hawkins (Tom Goodman-Hill), frustrated and angry at what he has … Continue reading →

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