There are no sad songs
There are no such things as sad songs, only sad minds.
Internet Archive releases all those timewasters from our youth
Ok – so I’m a bit behind on this one. But the Internet Archive recently released a whole bunch of old MS-DOS games that can now be played on your browser. Even if you don’t play any of them, it’s… Continue Reading
Sinead speaking the Truth
Sinead o’Connor returns to form with this one. I haven’t listened to anything from her in ages, but gave this track a try and it hit me in right in the chest. Take me to church But not the ones… Continue Reading
On the Stoics
Not sure how I stumbled into the Stoics, I think it might have been from reading De Botton’s “Consolations of Philosophy”. I’ve been steadily making my way through Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictus over the last few months. They are… Continue Reading
Bruce Springsteen: The Ghost of Tom Joad
After waiting far too many years, I finally decided to download the old 1995 Springsteen album “The Ghost of Tom Joad”. I’d had a sneaking suspicion that it would be great – and it didn’t let me down. It is… Continue Reading
How do you choose your career?
Looking back on it – it wasn’t how I thought it was. I think I just kind of drifted unawares into my career choice. The randomness of an intern acceptance progress. What my friends were doing. During all of my… Continue Reading
True Detective on the big picture
I finished up True Detective Season 1 recently. Aside from the great music, one of the conversations between Rust and Marty, has stayed with me for weeks. Rust and Marty are looking up at starts in the night sky, discussing… Continue Reading
I love you, now change.
A form of love that doesn’t really love the individual where they are, but insists on a transformation to become more like the lover doesn’t really seem like love to me. Christians can appear to be saying “I love you,… Continue Reading
Bill Hicks on life
It’s just a ride, it’s just a ride. Don’t take life too seriously…
Stoicism
Note to self: do not read the Stoic philosophers when you have a hangover.
A spiritual moment for the ones outside of the tent
Sometimes when taking a walk with headphones on having a moment with Bruce Springsteen is about as good a spiritual experience as any I can imagine.
Lyric of the day
A prisoner of their own mindCan never be free~ Charlemagne
God as parent. Believer as teenager.
We begin our faith as children looking to their parent. God is flawless, always looking out for us and all things will work out well in the end – if we just have faith. Some believers become teenagers. Rebelling against… Continue Reading
Springsteen’s “cowboy album”
Devils and Dust is a hugely underrated album. I can only think its lack of commercial success upon its release must be due to the world not being ready for its themes of betrayal and loss.
The Onion: Exhausted Noam Chomsky Just Going To Try And Enjoy The Day For Once
From the Onion… Describing himself as “terribly exhausted,” famed linguist and political dissident Noam Chomsky said Monday that he was taking a break from combating the hegemony of the American imperialist machine to try and take it easy for once.… Continue Reading
Nick Shager on the dying art of action movies
A thoughtful piece on how action movies have given in to Chaos Choreography. “The Wolverine” is many things—another piece of Marvel’s big-screen superhero puzzle, a sturdy vehicle for Hugh Jackman’s soulful ferocity, a moderately gripping fish-out-of-water story of self-discovery and… Continue Reading
Ehrman on the Bible
“Different authors have different points of view. You can’t just say, ‘I believe in the Bible.” ― Bart D. Ehrman
Losing my Christian labels
I’m sympathetic to the postmodern/postChristian movement and I’m sympathetic generally to socially liberal causes, but I can’t bring myself to join any of the groups that go along with it. I’ve always been uncomfortable with labels – I feel they… Continue Reading
Life philosophy – starting this Thursday
On the advice of Tyler Cowen, I’ve decided to adopt a regret minimization heuristic.
Arnold Kling on the three languages of politics
EconTalk is ostensibly a 1 hour weekly podcast on Economics… but it is really more about life. And after an uncomfortable conversation with a more conservative believer, a friend of mine recommended I give Arnold Kling’s viewpoint a try. There… Continue Reading
A comic book critiques utilitarianism
From Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal:
Woody Allen: we’re not alone
I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it’s the government. ~ Woody Allen
Man of Steel – Can we reopen the Batman versus Superman debate?
It is reasonably fashionable these days to ridicule Superman as the “this is how American sees itself” superhero. When film fans discuss the the age-old is “Batsman better than Superman?” argument, it is decidedly pointed in the favor of Batman… Continue Reading
David Chase’s eulogy for James Gandolfini
You know, everybody knows that we always ended an episode with a song. That was kind of like me and the writers letting the real geniuses do the heavy lifting: Bruce, and Mick and Keith, and Howling Wolf and a… Continue Reading
The Ambivalent Manifesto
From Tyler Cowen, as applicable to spirituality as it is to economic We are the Ambivalents, unable not to see both sides of the argument, frozen in the no-man’s land between armies of true believers. We cannot speak our name, because… Continue Reading
Joseph Arthur – The Saint of Impossible Causes
I need the saint of music need the saint of love I know what you’re thinking and you’re right…
Lovink on Social Media
‘We are honoured to be invited by the Machine to submit our opinions and preferences. We give in to the pressure to categorize data and join the swarms of ‘collective intelligence.’ Donate your wisdom to the crowds. We are invited… Continue Reading
Maybe God calls some people to disbelief
Some people are called to have a close personal relationship with God. Maybe for others, that never happens. Maybe their path is never to have that kind of intimacy and confidence with this version of God that you have. Maybe… Continue Reading
The postmodern theology of Walking Dead
I don’t think I’ve ever been quite as theologically gutted by a show as the Walking Dead. Whether it is a character praying for a sign from God and being answered by having their child taken from them, or whether… Continue Reading
The irony of blogging on spirituality
“The Way that can be spoken is not the Way.” ~ Tao te Ching