“Nothing but hopes and dreams, but hopes and dreams can sometimes be the most powerful forces in the world.” Amen, bro! That sounds like something from the hearts of the world’s most dynamic people.
Dix is a true role model. If I ever stop by Kent State University, I will make sure to check out the stadium. I hope it’s as prodigious in size as he is in strength. I think the comparison between your mom and Dix is a very revealing and humbling one. Thanks for opening up and sharing honestly about that. I’ve met people from the ghettos of Chicago, and they often worry about just what you were talking: people inventing excuses not to work, to remain complacent in their situation. When you live in an impoverished environment, it can be spiritually, emotionally, and even physically draining. At the end of the day, you feel like you don’t have enough energy to escape it. Other people do have that energy, but they are constantly handicapped by environmental, societal, or personal factors. For instance, you might want to go make something of yourself, but you have to expend all your energy caring for your sister’s five children. We definitely need to pray for compassion, grace, energy, and opportunity, both within and without poor communities. We’ve overcome great challenges as a nation: I know we can diminish poverty as well.
Your question about Stephen Hawking is a fantastic one. Sometimes towering intellectuals are very intimidating, even if they are not trying to be so. The complexity and creativity of their ideas can seem to make them immune to common sense critique. Still, if an idea seems somehow flawed, one should press further: nail down the critique in precise language, or with a helpful example. Consider what Mr. Hawking might say in response, and try to amend the objection so as to anticipate his response. After forging such a critique, crafting and tweaking it, one should present it to him in a respectable manner, in which one is more concerned with figuring out the problem than proving someone wrong. I think these things – effort, counter-consideration, respect, and humility – are the right methods for critiquing someone’s theory. Otherwise, one can put off the person they’re critiquing, and rightly so: who wants to respond to the critique of a bitter, disrespectful skeptic? In my personal experience, I’ve found that many bright intellectuals are acutely aware of the possible objections and flaws with their theories. They try to respond as best they can to their skeptics, and (hopefully) have respect for their questioners. Perhaps their responses are convincing to you, perhaps not. It might be that the prominent intellectual and skeptic operate according to different background assumptions. By the way, I would love to hear what you have to say about Hawking’s presentation. I don’t know too much about his theories, but it would still be interesting to hear what you think. (Continued onto next page)
Thank you for this thought provoking piece. I wonder if the Bible quote should be than: judge wisely... etc. Who knows what got lost in translation. But I guess I get your point. I do not judge has a layer of I do not relate, an absence of relationship. Take Care, Ju
You have said some pretty distasteful things in your blogs but to state that because he was "trained by his country to be a killer" we shouldn't be surprised that he murdered someone has got to be as low as you can get.
This is deeply disrespectful to the many, many thousands who have since served and were also "trained by their country to be killers" but have not subsequently slaughtered anyone.
Eight months ago I was Director of Security and my demise was imminent when you presented all your carefully collated evidence. What happened to that? Didn't go so well, huh.
Now I'm a lowly subcontracted employee that you're fixating on. Maybe you're getting bad information. I have told you repeatedly that I am not now, never have been and never will be employed in the Massachusetts Department of Correction.
Good then perhaps you can censor Paul's insults. The rules are for. EVERYONE, right? Seems to me Paul's the one attacking - Relentlessly- you've done nothing to siphon his vile away from this blog.... Seems to me you're picking & choosing who gets to be mouthy & insulting.
Well that's a good one! Somewhere along the line you swapped both your tags from 'Murderer' to 'Intellectual' Now who decided on that ridiculous position. Don't tell me...........Fisher and Muise! Locking you up is totally in the interest of protecting society at large.
Oh, and people should be aware that you are not actually in Solitary Confinement.
RSS
“Nothing but hopes and dreams, but hopes and dreams can sometimes be the most powerful forces in the world.” Amen, bro! That sounds like something from the hearts of the world’s most dynamic people.
Dix is a true role model. If I ever stop by Kent State University, I will make sure to check out the stadium. I hope it’s as prodigious in size as he is in strength. I think the comparison between your mom and Dix is a very revealing and humbling one. Thanks for opening up and sharing honestly about that. I’ve met people from the ghettos of Chicago, and they often worry about just what you were talking: people inventing excuses not to work, to remain complacent in their situation. When you live in an impoverished environment, it can be spiritually, emotionally, and even physically draining. At the end of the day, you feel like you don’t have enough energy to escape it. Other people do have that energy, but they are constantly handicapped by environmental, societal, or personal factors. For instance, you might want to go make something of yourself, but you have to expend all your energy caring for your sister’s five children. We definitely need to pray for compassion, grace, energy, and opportunity, both within and without poor communities. We’ve overcome great challenges as a nation: I know we can diminish poverty as well.
Your question about Stephen Hawking is a fantastic one. Sometimes towering intellectuals are very intimidating, even if they are not trying to be so. The complexity and creativity of their ideas can seem to make them immune to common sense critique. Still, if an idea seems somehow flawed, one should press further: nail down the critique in precise language, or with a helpful example. Consider what Mr. Hawking might say in response, and try to amend the objection so as to anticipate his response. After forging such a critique, crafting and tweaking it, one should present it to him in a respectable manner, in which one is more concerned with figuring out the problem than proving someone wrong. I think these things – effort, counter-consideration, respect, and humility – are the right methods for critiquing someone’s theory. Otherwise, one can put off the person they’re critiquing, and rightly so: who wants to respond to the critique of a bitter, disrespectful skeptic? In my personal experience, I’ve found that many bright intellectuals are acutely aware of the possible objections and flaws with their theories. They try to respond as best they can to their skeptics, and (hopefully) have respect for their questioners. Perhaps their responses are convincing to you, perhaps not. It might be that the prominent intellectual and skeptic operate according to different background assumptions. By the way, I would love to hear what you have to say about Hawking’s presentation. I don’t know too much about his theories, but it would still be interesting to hear what you think.
(Continued onto next page)
I do not judge has a layer of I do not relate, an absence of relationship.
Take Care, Ju
This is deeply disrespectful to the many, many thousands who have since served and were also "trained by their country to be killers" but have not subsequently slaughtered anyone.
Paul
You've demoted me without even an interview.
Eight months ago I was Director of Security and my demise was imminent when you presented all your carefully collated evidence. What happened to that? Didn't go so well, huh.
Now I'm a lowly subcontracted employee that you're fixating on. Maybe you're getting bad information. I have told you repeatedly that I am not now, never have been and never will be employed in the Massachusetts Department of Correction.
Paul
Paul
Oh, and people should be aware that you are not actually in Solitary Confinement.
Paul.