Posts

Myths

A myth is not an entirely false story. A myth is a story with some true thing at the kernel, around all which all sorts of fabrications have been wrapped. So, if you tell me that something is a "myth," I start asking myself where the truth might lie beneath the fiction.

Respect

Adults should not demand "respect" from children. They should focus on "respectful behavior." Respect is an emotion, and we should not tell other people that they must have one or another feeling. Demanding respect from children (or even from other adults) means that we do not want them to live with integrity or good self-knowledge. I rather suspect that forcing "respect" creates a baseline of conflict between adults and children that manifests in other unrelated conflicts.

On Teaching

There is not one best way to teach that everyone who teaches should try out. Integrity and authenticity are the core of good teaching. If you follow someone else's teaching style that does not fit you, chances are high that technique will not work out well for you. Also, for maximum pedagogical effectiveness, teachers should give away as much authority as possible to students. Enforcing rules about hierarchically differentiated titles undermines the teaching relationship.

On Atheism

Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is lack of belief in God. There are real religions where atheism is not a dealbreaker. Buddhism for one. Unitarian Universalism for another. Sometimes Judaism. Being an atheist is not the same as being irreligious.

In praise of spoilers

Knowing the twists and turns of a story can enhance the experience of the art rather than undermine it. Just ask anyone attending a play by Shakespeare.