Scientific American lauds author Chris Mooney “as one if the few journalists in the country who specialize in the now dangerous intersection of science and politics.” Having interviewed Mooney about his first book, the highly praised, “The Republican War on Science,” Truthout/BuzzFlash interviews Mooney about his latest release, “The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science – and Reality.” Truthout and BuzzFlash readers can directly obtain “The Republican Brain” and support uncompromised journalism by clicking here. Mark Karlin: Progressives often say of Fox that they create facts to bolster their opinions. Is this true of the Republican mind set in general? Chris Mooney: This…
Support Wikileaks
Business & Environmental Ethics
I am Fishead (Documentary)
Official movie description: how psychopaths and antidepressants influence our society: a provocative snapshot of the world we live in. It is a well-known fact that our society is structured like a pyramid. The very few people at the top create conditions for the majority below. Who are these people? Can we blame them for the problems our society faces today? Guided by the saying “A fish rots from the head,” the movie sets out to follow that fishy odor. What they found out is that people at the top are more likely to be psychopaths than the rest of us.…
Nine strategies to end corporate rule
Yes Magazine has put together an interesting collection of articles, written by various writers, around the question of the century: What can we do to bring an end to corporatocracy and help build a sustainable society that prioritizes human needs above corporate profits. The collection of articles can be found here. The nine strategies: 1. Amend the constitution to end corporate personhood. 2. Dive into grassroots campaigns. 3. Hold corporations accountable to our laws. 4. Get Past the Propaganda 5. Support independent media and keep the Internet free. 6. Protect the Commons 7. Vote. Protect our democracy. 8. Make your…
What public relations can do for human excrement
Most of us are taught from an early age that human shit is taboo–it should neither be touched nor touched upon in polite conversation. Consequently, most people probably don’t think much about what happens to their shit after they flush it down the toilet. But perhaps they should, and perhaps this taboo around shit needs to be abandoned, for there are people, businesses, entire industries working in dark corners of the waste economy finding clever ways to sell you your own shit. How is this possible? Why would anyone want to buy it? Good questions and very much related to…
The Crisis of Civilization (documentary)
The Crisis of Civilization is a documentary feature film investigating how global crises like ecological disaster, financial meltdown, dwindling oil reserves, terrorism and food shortages are converging symptoms of a single, failed global system. Weaving together archival film footage and animations, film-maker Dean Puckett, animator Lucca Benney and international security analyst Dr. Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, offer a stunning wake-up call proving that ‘another world’ is not merely possible, but on its way. The film consists of seven parts which explore the interconnected dynamic of global crises of Climate Catastrophe; Peak Energy; Peak Food; Economic Instability; International Terrorism; and the Militarization…
Are Wall Street traders psychopaths?
One has to be pleased that Time magazine even considers the question. Their answer can be found here. Also worth reading is the article that got them thinking about this, the insider’s account of what it’s like to work for Goldman Sachs.
Speaking out on climate change (TED lecture by James Hansen)
Another lecture that really should be required viewing for everyone. James Hansen, head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, is a credible expert on climate change and global warming. In this lecture he describes some of the main features of the climate change taking place today and gives a good sense of just how much time is left before we reach the point of no return. Most amazing is the fact that Hansen firmly believes that the greatest challenge facing human civilization has a simple and elegant solution, which is for governments to collect a gradually rising carbon…
Was bailout the only option?
Apparently not, as Iceland proves to be very successful with its 110 percent rule. Due to this rule, Icelandic households were forgiven of debt exceeding 110 percent of home values. On top of that, a Supreme Court ruling in June 2010 found loans indexed to foreign currencies were illegal, meaning households no longer needed to cover krona losses. The decision to reject foreign debt deals, causing harsh criticism from abroad, seems to have paid off. Here are some quotes from a Bloomberg article on this matter written by Omar R. Valdimarsson: “You could safely say that Iceland holds the world record in household debt relief,” said Lars…
Coronary Capitalism (by Kenneth Rogoff)
FRANKFURT – A systematic and broad failure of regulation is the elephant in the room when it comes to reforming today’s Western capitalism. Yes, much has been said about the unhealthy political-regulatory-financial dynamic that led to the global economy’s heart attack in 2008 (initiating what Carmen Reinhart and I call “The Second Great Contraction”). But is the problem unique to the financial industry, or does it exemplify a deeper flaw in Western capitalism? Consider the food industry, particularly its sometimes-malign influence on nutrition and health. Obesity rates are soaring around the entire world, though, among large countries, the problem is perhaps…
Cancer rates rising
Many people wonder whether cancer rates are really rising and, if so, whether this is due to an actual increase in the incidence of cancer or whether it is due rather to an increase in the availability and efficiency of methods for detecting cancer. According to this article from the BBC, commenting on data recently released by Cancer Research UK, there has definitely been an increase in cancer rates in the UK that go beyond what could be explained by better methods of detection. The CRUK says that the increase is due, not only to better screening, but also to…
Free Market Health Care: True Stories (by Michael Parenti)
I recently wrote an article about my personal experiences in dealing with the medical system while undergoing surgery (“Free Market Medicine: A Personal Account”). In response, a number of readers sent me accounts of their own experiences trying to get well in America. Health care in this country is hailed by conservative boosters as “the best medical system in the world.” It certainly is the most expensive, most profitable, and most complicated system in the world, leaving millions of Americans in shock. None of the people who wrote to me had anything positive to say about the U.S. health system.…
The Earth is Full (TED lecture by Paul Gilding)
This TED lecture by Paul Gilding should be translated into just about every language in the world and made available to the widest possible audience. It’s a frank discussion that needs to be had about our unsustainable economy and the inevitable crisis that human civilization faces. It also cuts to the core of what this blog, The Examined Life, is all about. The message that Gilding presents is indeed dark, but he’s not a pessimist. In fact he thinks that the human species is remarkably creative and capable of adapting to life on an overcrowded planet. Like Al Gore in one…
Power, knowledge and the universities (by Tarak Barkawi)
Tarak Barkawi, associate professor in the Department of Politics, New School for Social Research recently published an article named “Power, knowledge and the universities” which appeared on Al Jazeera. He presents a number of conclusive examples to highlight contemporary problems with the intertwines of governmental, public and esp. corporate influences and interests in university education. Some representative quotes of the full article will be highlighted in the following: Institutions concerned with producing knowledge, whether universities, publishing houses, news media, think tanks, and so on, require power to do their work. They need money, of course, but also a legal and…
Higher social status is correlated with lower ethical behavior
It may be true that cheats don’t prosper, but it seems equally true that those who are prosperous cheat. And this is not just an impression: there is now scientific evidence to back it up. The Los Angeles Times has a very interesting article on recent researching demonstrating that people with a high social status are less ethical than others in their daily behavior. According to the article, People driving expensive cars were more likely than other motorists to cut off drivers and pedestrians at a four-way-stop intersection in the San Francisco Bay Area, UC Berkeley researchers observed. Those findings led to…
Too big to jail (by Simon Johnson)
Simon Johnson, former chief economist of the IMF, and co-founder of a leading economics blog, BaselineScenario, a professor at MIT Sloan, and senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics published recently published “Too big to jail” on project-syndicate. Though I highly recommend to read the whole article, the first paragraph sums it up quite nicely: Among the fundamental principles of any functioning justice system is the following: Don’t lie to a judge or falsify documents submitted to a court, or you will go to jail. Breaking an oath to tell the truth is perjury, and lying in official documents…
More on consumer surveillance
In a previous post I described a new technological approach to track consumer behavior, utilizing data from security surveillance cameras and outlined some of the ethical issues that arise from the use and abuse of this technology. A recent NYT article (How Companies Learn Your Secrets by Charles Duhigg) adds valuable insight to the issue. Duhigg outlines the conversations he had with Andrew Pole, one of the leading statisticians of Target, the second largest retailer in the United States, focusing on Target’s interest in identifying pregnant female costumers to be able to specifically target them with advertisements. Though I recommend reading the…
Video: There’s No Tomorrow
There’s No Tomorrow is a well-written, animated documentary about resource depletion, energy, and the impossibility of infinite growth on a finite planet. Similar in style to the Story of Stuff and Story of Broke videos written and produced by Annie Leonard, the film provides a clear introduction to the energy dilemmas and problems arising from growth-based economies. The title however is misleading, since the documentary does provide a vision of tomorrow. It’s just quite different from today.
Progressive movements in the US
The Occupy Movement received a lot of attention in 2011 and it was indeed one of the most promising signs that although the economic and political system is profoundly unjust and has been hijacked and corrupted by corporations that quite literally own the country, the game is not completely over. The people are down but not thoroughly defeated, and we are now witnessing a reawakening of political consciousness. The lesson of the movement is simple and profound: if people unite, they can resist the corporate takeover of their country and instead democratize it. Within and alongside the Occupy Movement are…
Video: The Story of Broke
Annie Leonard has done it again. The Story of Broke is a nice follow-up video to her massive hit the Story of Stuff. It focuses on the economic choices that sustain the dinosaur economy and the political choices people have to create a sustainable future. She has a real talent for taking a complex issue, boiling it down to its essentials, and presenting it in a lively and entertaining fashion. You can watch the Story of Broke either on her website or here.
Democracy Now
Democracy Now News Feed
- Israel Considers Attacking Iran and Invading Rafah as Netanyahu Seeks Lifelines to Stay in Power April 18, 2024
- Columbia Students Risk Arrest, Suspension to Maintain Gaza Solidarity Encampment on Campus April 18, 2024
- The New McCarthyism: Congress Grills Columbia Univ. President Amid Crackdown on Pro-Palestine Speech April 18, 2024
- Meet USC Valedictorian Asna Tabassum: School Cancels Commencement Speech by Pro-Palestinian Student April 18, 2024
- Headlines for April 18, 2024 April 18, 2024
- Can UAW Unionize the South? Volkswagen Tennessee Vote Could Change U.S. Labor Landscape April 17, 2024
- No Tech for Apartheid: Google Workers Arrested for Protesting Company's $1.2B Contract with Israel April 17, 2024
Canadian Oil Sands
Consider these four facts: Canada quits the Kyoto protocol and threatens the EU with trade war for labeling tar sand produced oil highly polluting. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney calls the Keystone Pipeline a “no-brainer”. Cancer rates downstream of tar sands are staggering. Obama finally and despite earlier hesitation voiced his support for expedited construction of the southern half of the Keystone pipeline. In light of the foregoing, it is worth having a look at what both Canadian and U.S. politicians sell as unique job creation opportunities and heavenly energy security gifts: the oil sands that they have greenwashed and relabeled…
Read more »