It is notable that in everyday life we rarely talk, or hear those around us talking, about values. Where we do hear much talk of values is from those who start wars and kill people, as well as those who explain and justify the wars and the killing: the leaders and politicians who declare the …
Category archives: Society
Sir Tom and the Brutes: The Moral Pitfalls of Privilege
The UK has recently witnessed a surge of violence and unrest following the tragic murder of three young girls by a young man later identified as black. Prior to his identification, far-right extremists seized upon the incident to stoke racial tensions, falsely portraying the perpetrator as a Muslim asylum seeker. In reality, the youth, is …
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Hypothetical News
There is real news, fake news and now hypothetical news. Hypothetical news is a “what-if” sort of news that presents a would-be reality were the facts to be different or the truth be told. It is distinct from fake news, in that it does not aim to deceive but to simply showcase arguments by presenting …
Ethical Dilemmas at the Dinner Table: Exploring Wealth Inequality Through the Lens of the Trolley Problem
Here is an interesting analogy between the unequal sharing of food at a dinner and the trolley problem, highlighting the ethical dilemma of wealth inequality and exploitation. Consider a grand dinner where representatives from all walks of life gather. When asked if it would be justifiable for someone to deny others the best foods, a …
Though ugly and repellent, racism can be an awe inspiring phenomenon
[Begin ChatGPT 3.5 summary of Guardian article] A recent Guardian article tells the story of Patrick Braxton, the first Black mayor of Newbern, Alabama, a small rural town. Braxton’s election in November 2020 disrupted a long-standing political system dominated by white leaders. This made him the first Black mayor in the town’s 169-year history. However, …
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Feeling ignored in Lebanon? Buy a Car Noise-Making Kit.
“Feeling overlooked? Failing to Impress? Do people talk over you, or move to the other side of the room? Need to make your mark on the world? With a Very Loud Noise Car Kit you too can attract attention even when others don’t want to give it to you! No longer do you have to …
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Queen Elizabeth II: Free At Last
The Queen of the United Kingdom has died. The nation mourns her death, and every subject takes from it – or perhaps projects onto it – a meaning that feels both personal and profound. But looking beyond the outpouring of grief, praise and inevitable celebration, what we see is less a remarkable woman born to …
The Paradox of Anti-Abortion, Gun Loving, Death Penalty Advocates Explained
In 2006, the ultra-right conservative, Christian fundamentalist Amy Coney Barrett, later appointed to the US supreme Court in 2022, signed her name to a newspaper ad taken out by an anti-abortion group. The ad condemned what the group characterised as “abortion on demand”, further declaring support for “the right to life from fertilization to natural …
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Piers Morgan and the “trans activist mob”
It’s actually difficult to decide which is worse when it comes to the former editor of THE Sun and currently almost-everywhere controversial media personality Piers Morgan: whether generally he believes what he says, or says it in the belief it will garner the most attention and approval? This disclaimer aside, it’s not impossible that on …
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Love Guns, Hate Choice
This could pass as the average profile of a right wing conservative in America. The overturning of Roe v Wade in June 2022 is what some are calling the thin edge of the wedge. Soon, they fear, all other freedoms and rights will be under threat, all sanctioned by the highest authority in the land. …