Casual Contemplation

Like many girls, I played with Barbies when I was a kid.  Every now and then I would get a new doll or some new outfits for them. When my friends came over we played with (and fought over) them, dressing them in various outfits and playing pretend. To be honest though, I don't recall ever comparing myself or other adult women to Barbie. At 7 I knew that she was just a toy and never saw her as anything more. After an hour or two, Barbie and her friends were put back neatly in their box and replaced in their spot under the bed. My sister, on the other hand, turned 7 last month. While she's never played with dolls much, she loved watching Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse on Netflix.  I happened to be sitting in the same room a few times, and I was appalled by the show. Not only is Barbie super skinny, she's got this huge house with a closet the size of the White House and 36 hot tubs and an elevator. (I'm not exaggerating the closet btw. Her friends got lost in it once. An...

In A Measure of Restraint , Chet Raymo calls attention to the potential dangers of "the unexamined quest for knowledge", citing the story behind Radium. While we have much more knowledge about radioactivity than we did then, the current scientific excitement and concern is all about DNA. Nearly everything in our supermarkets is genetically modified or contains GMO ingredients. Supporters say that genetic modification allows plants to repel insects, eliminating the need for harmful pesticides, or that it lets food to be grown in places where it normally couldn't, helping to solve world hunger. Opponents argue that while it sounds good, messing with nature may have unforeseen consequences later. Some scientists are trying to extend human lifespan or even try to make humans immortal. Again, it sounds wonderful - how great would it be to get to know your great-great-grandparents in person? But there is always another side. If people are living longer, will the earth be ab...

One of the most important tools that politicians used in the past and still do today is to relate to their audience. By telling anecdotes and providing occasional glimpses into their personal lives, they attempt to shift the public's view of them from someone of a high, powerful position to someone who shares their joys, their tears and their struggles. In a way, politicians humanize themselves in this manner. Take President Trump, for example. Much of his popularity was due to the fact that he was not a politician, but a businessman, by profession. The people wanted change, and he had a different background than other politicians, which played out well for him. Every Trump supporter said the same thing: "He is the change America needs." He told the story of his success (the infamous "small loan of a million dollars") and this resonated with the public.  This strategy was especially used by President Obama during his campaign as well as his presidency. He so...