chendri887's Comments (128)

“Ugh.”

“Larry Summers. Now there's a name that makes me go all giddy inside as a lower middle class American. The empathy. The caring. The wide, non-elitist view of what it takes to shore up or economy. Thank goodness President Obama chose L-Dog to lead his economic team! Ain't it peachy?”

“It's obviously a complex issue. That was a well written piece. I'd like to put in my two cents. In all my adult life, I have rarely (if ever) been to a doctor that wanted to choose vaccination or antibiotics against "waiting it out" when I've had a viral or bacterial infection. I've always found doctors to be on the conservative side ("Let's wait and see") with respect to this issue. It seems that all the huffing and puffing and spazzing comes from big media, not the doctor's office itself.”

“I'm scared of the idea of hell, a place of eternal suffering.”

“I think a lot of this depends on how we, as individuals, are biochemically made up. Everyone is different. So, while one person might have the ability to become addicted to a certain substance or activity, another may not have that same inclination. In the end, the key is empathy--empathy and help for anyone who feels that they want to stop taking a substance or engaging in an activity, but cannot. Doesn't matter how "silly" or "easy to give up" it seems to an outsider.”

“Well said.”

“I thought that most research validated the opposite conclusion with regards to masturbation: That it could not rewire brain chemistry in any permanent way like, say, methamphetamine or cocaine. As a guy who struggles with a very serious anxiety/panic disorder, and has used the very practices you refer to above to deal with those feelings, I can report that using porn in this manner did not rewire my brain. However, antidepressants definitely do. The rather high combination of SSRIs and benzos I am on now pretty much deadens my sexual desire. It also deadens the feeling of orgasm. In some ways, it's a good thing; in some ways, bad. However my main point is that masturbation has never rewired my brain chemistry in the way that pharmaceuticals do. Interesting article, this. Thanks.”

“The Immigration Act of 1965 was a seminal event in this country's history. Yet, no one really addresses it. Before that act was put into place, there were strict national origin quotas for eastern hemisphere immigrants to the United States. Since that time, immigration from non-European countries to the United States has quadrupled. At the time, the Democratic Senate argued that this act would not substantially change the ethnic makeup of the country, but they were wrong. It has. It has brought tens of millions of people into the country who do not share European-American assumptions/views of history and philosophy. For better or worse, these views--the views that many pre-1965 immigrants to the United States shared--include a mix of Enlightenment era deistic rationalism, Christian-­influenced humanism, the direct effects of the Protestant Reformation, Greco-Roman republicanism, an Aristoteli­an-influen­ced view of the non-human world that is separated into categories (resulting in science), and a general, non-fatali­stic/optim­istic belief in American exceptionalism. Immigrants from East and Southeast Asia, relatively untouched by these traditions, and greatly influenced by Confucianism and Hinduism, share a more cyclical view of history, are less likely to believe in American exceptionalism, tend to be more socially conservative while at the same time critical of perceived Anglo-American racism, and often (fairly or unfairly) have a very critical (or very pop culture-y) view of the American historical experience.”

“To me, that quote from Mathew, "the camel passing through the eye of the needle," shows how impossible it is to square the morality of first century ancient-wo­rld-lookin­g Judea with that of the 21st century modern-looking West. The two are incompatible. Of course, without some type of supernatural power, none of us can take care of others without taking care of ourselves first. So, unless we are all willing to be wandering homeless people, we must be a bit "selfish." The reality of first century Judea was based on patron-client relationships, and limited means. Most Americans who believe in democracy believe that individual success and accomplishment are good, that equality between all is a genuine possibility, and that, despite being "Christian," it is not "bad" to be rich (or at least middle class.) So, your point about American exceptionalism is well taken, but it is still the foundation of our governance until another philosophy takes its place.”

“It's all a part of our cognitively dissonant Greco-Roma­n/Judeo-Ch­ristian tradition. We can embrace rampant militarism because of the former (and the Hebrew Bible), but we cannot embrace public health care because that notion comes from dialectal materialism, putting faith for solving social problems in "man" (government) and not in "God."”

“Asking kids to do well in school equates with the president "telling them what to do?" Good lord. Is there any US president in modern memory who has not done that? I'd venture to say no.”

“No, the GOP has no shame (and no empathy for "the other," whomever that "other of the moment" may be). They lost that decades ago, if they ever even had it to begin with.”

“Well, Michael, wonder no more: The racist meme is fully in play. On every issue President Obama tries to support.”

“I guess I've been lucky, if Dr. Weil's article rings true for most people. I have never been over-treated by physicians. In fact, almost every physician I have seen has been on the way-conservative side, opting for a "wait and see" approach first before advocating anything more. I also don't any friends and family who have these "body scans."”

“Your assessment is right on target. Asia as a whole (especially China, Korea, and Japan) have never really diverged much from Confucianism as an organizing under-structure. This only leads to an "older male dominated" hierarchical type of nepotism, as you point out.”

“Consider yourself lucky if you do not have to take pharmaceuticals, Dr. Weil. I certainly don't like taking mine. However, they literally save my life. And I know many others who are in the same boat. We can't control everything that happens to us, even when we eat a great diet and exercise daily (I am living proof of that!). Sometimes, our genes and biology trump that which we wish to control.”

“So true! And yet here we have Fox News, devoted to a nostalgic glee about the Reagan Era every night. Sickening.”

“Sounds like great advice to me. I'll have to try it with my wife!”

“You hit the nail on the end. Thanks for that. The person I feel worse for is the woman who called the police. It seems that she really was trying to help Professor Gates and now, all this. What a shame.”

“Cohen is just not that funny. His "satire" is--I don't know--1980s faire. It's fake, rehearsed, unshocking. Seth MacFarlane ("Family Guy") and Trey Parker and Matt Stone ("South Park") do better satire in the "shocking" vein (if that's what some people want to label it) than does Cohen. His Bruno character is worse than the Ali G and Borat characters because people are on to the ruse. To me, Cohen's "satire" is what a British person who obtained most of his cultural information about the United States via mass media would consider "shocking" to "Americans­." If he had spent more time here, he would realize that Alabama has more gay couples than states such as Connecticut, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Wisconsin (at least according to official US Census statistics). This country simply cannot be reduced to stereotypes from the 19th century or from the 1950s and 1960s. Thus, "satire" cannot be done about a culture which does not or no longer exists, and remain relevant and/or funny.”

“Yes, too true. Perhaps the "by Governor Sarah Palin" part of the article was penned by Magritte himself in an ironic stroke of genius.”

“Sarah Palin can write? Who wudda thunk it? The woman continues to astound me with her caring and intellect.”

“"Sarah Palin is a coward and a bully. "

No truer words spoken.”

“Putting "good-looking" in quotes is appropriate. I really don't get that, even Lyon's reference to Palin as being "good looking."”

“"I wish she'd shut up and go away."

Me too!”