Category Archives: Uncategorized

Stepping up

Posted on November 28, 2021 by hessd

What if there were something you would like to be able to reach and it is just a little too high to get to? Not a problem. You get a little stool and climb up on that. And if you … Continue reading →

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The disappearance of narcissism

Posted on November 18, 2021 by hessd

Good news! You’re not narcissistic and neither am I. And neither is anyone else you know. And why is that? Because the traits and the associated behaviors that characterize narcissism are now so common that they are no longer abnormal. … Continue reading →

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Don’t talk to her like she’s a slave

Posted on November 8, 2021 by hessd

This is (yet another) reflection on a dilemma presented by the Netflix show HUMANS. As the series develops, it is showing more interest in the fundamental robotic dilemma: just how is it that “they” are different from “us.?” That’s not … Continue reading →

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“Professors are the enemy”

Posted on November 4, 2021 by hessd

Let’s start with a paragraph from Heather Cox Richardson’s November 3 post, “Letters from an American.” She is reporting on the pushing and shoving that is going on in politics these days. Meanwhile, the Republicans continue to focus on culture … Continue reading →

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Sex with Machines

Posted on November 3, 2021 by hessd

This picture appears in the Netflix series HUMANS (with the A upside down) to advertise a whorehouse that has no whores in it. All the erotic services are provided by robots who, in this series are called “Synths.” It’s a … Continue reading →

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Robot Servants and Friends (and Lovers)

Posted on October 31, 2021 by hessd

Laura Hawkins, the mother, stands in the upstairs hallway, looking into the middle distance. Her teenage daughter Mattie, says, “Mom? What are you doing?” Her mother responds, “Just standing here being a shit mother.” That seems harsh. Here is the … Continue reading →

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Are we entitled to our own facts?

Posted on October 27, 2021 by hessd

On balance, yes. It isn’t as easy a question as Sen. Moynihan seemed to think when he admonished his colleagues that they were entitled to their own views, but they were not entitled to their own facts. There is a … Continue reading →

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Real Religion

Posted on October 19, 2021 by hessd

I want to wind up talking with you about the current series, “Manifest.” [1] I would like to start, however, with a line from Pay It Forward. The line is, “We’re not allowed to pay it back.” I am counting … Continue reading →

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Sticky Discrepancies

Posted on October 15, 2021 by hessd

There are so many different ways something can be funny. I have been blessed with kids who wonder just why it is that something is funny. That’s a good thing for me because it means I have someone to talk … Continue reading →

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Reminding ourselves (again) of authoritarian populism

Posted on October 12, 2021 by hessd

I will not surprise anyone by observing that authoritarian populism has taken hold in the United States. Donald Trump never made the slightest pretense of valuing democracy as a system of choosing leaders. There were other things that were much … Continue reading →

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