Posts Tagged ‘identity’

I was glad to see that Simone Biles was able to compete again in the Olympics and win a bronze medal on the balance beam.  She is an outstanding gymnast who has advanced the sport/art with new moves and a high level of execution.  Unfortunately, because of her very public withdrawal from some of the events for reasons of “mental health,” she has been subjected to some extremely harsh criticism.

The reactions both of her critics and defenders have been mostly superficial. What happened to Simone Biles is the result of the confluence of four currents in modern American society: the role of sports, the financial impact of sponsors, the ubiquitous presence of social media and its baleful influence on the self, which was already trapped in the hopelessly contradictory reality of mass society and the exaltation of its individual expression. Read the rest of this entry »

In the previous posts we examined the root sin of pride and then the sins of vainglory, anger, and sloth.  The next three deadly sins—greed or avarice, gluttony, and lust—represent a shift in perspective.  Traditionally they are denominated as sins of the flesh, whereas the previous ones are categorized as sins of the spirit.  Before discussing the specific sin of avarice, we need to clarify this distinction between types of sins and demonstrate its dangers and advantages. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the consistent accusations against those who voted in favor of Brexit, the referendum on Great Britain leaving the European Union (EU), is that they are racists.  The charge is based upon the facts that the great majority of those who voted for Brexit are white and many are motivated by an anti-immigrant bias, even animus.  In contrast, the opponents of Brexit view themselves as tolerant, even welcoming, of racial differences.

The problem with the anti-Brexits’ racist charge is that it is inexact and self-serving.  Read the rest of this entry »

             Even though I am happily married to a wonderful British West Indian, we still experience cross-cultural differences.  Obviously July 4^th, when we Americans celebrate our independence from the tyrant King George III, is a bit dicey.  Strangely, December 31^st presents another challenge.  Is it New Year’s Eve or, as my wife calls it, Old Year’s Night?  Read the rest of this entry »