Category Archives: Paying Attention

Robots are better than anything

Posted on June 22, 2012 by hessd

Not, as in the earlier post, “better than nothing.”  Let me say up front that this whole “social robot” thing scares me.  It’s creepy, but the path to there from here is lit up like a strip with landing lights. … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, Love and Marriage, Paying Attention, ways of knowing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Robots are “better than nothing”

Posted on June 10, 2012 by hessd

Back in the old days, when there began to be science fiction fantasies about robots taking over the world, reassurance came with the line, “You can always just unplug them.”  And, with a quibble occasioned by robotic security measures, that … Continue reading →

Posted in Paying Attention, Politics, ways of knowing, Words | Tagged | 2 Comments

Narrative Seduction

Posted on May 6, 2012 by hessd

If you think carefully about the experiences you have and how fully you can trust them, this might be a difficult essay for you.  I already know it is going to be difficult for me. Let’s start with some conventional … Continue reading →

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The Hunger Games

Posted on May 1, 2012 by hessd

I finally saw The Hunger Games.  I had to wait until the initial furor passed so Bette and I could get adjacent seats.  I have read all three books of the series—of which I thought the first was by far … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Paying Attention, Political Psychology, Politics | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Beane Soup 1: Billy’s Goal

Posted on January 31, 2012 by hessd

This is the first of series of stories that purport to be about the movie, Moneyball.  They aren’t really.  Michael Lewis made a collection of narratives out of the experiences of general manager Billy Beane of the Oakland A’s in … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Paying Attention | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Fractured Attention

Posted on December 17, 2011 by hessd

From my standpoint, this looks like a cultural avalanche.  If there is something good about it, it is not yet visible to me. Today, I want to talk about technology and personal presence.  It seems to me that the more … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Paying Attention, Political Psychology, ways of knowing, Words | Tagged , , | 7 Comments