Lightly Salted: October 2018

Tribalism is the death of thinking

Listening to late night talk-back radio as I drive home late at night is almost always a bad idea. The presenters are usually so biased in their outlook that they ride roughshod over logic in order to promote their preferred opinion. So it was moderately amusing to hear one guest complain that politics was becoming more tribal than ever. Recent studies, and our experience of public 'debate' have shown that people care less than ever about what is true or just and more than ever about believing and echoing whatever spin their tribe is currently using to "win" the day.

As I was listening to the (very) biased radio host complaining about his audience being very biased, I couldn't help remembering a certain comedian's take on political tribalism.

Oct

The viciousness of masculine victims

In an article speaking up for male victims of sexual assault, Christine Wekerle, (a professor of paediatrics) calls for a more compassionate response to male victims.

The first thing to acknowledge is that, according to current records, females are much more likely to suffer assault than males. Roughly 1 in 5 girls are assaulted worldwide, while 1 in 13 boys are assaulted. The next thing to acknowledge is that the perpetrators of this assault are overwhelmingly, though not exclusively, male.

Lightly Salted

A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men. - Roald Dahl -

Tribalism is the death of thinking

The viciousness of masculine victims