Explanation of Tags

Some of my tags which might need explanation... feel free to do as I have done and borrow ones you like.

2 + 2 = 5:

One consistent phenomenon that has and will probably always be a part of the human experience is that people tend to believe things they want to believe; even when logic, reason, and empirical science consistently contradict such beliefs. There are many factors as to why but as a whole it seems to be due to the comforting nature and rational benefits of cultural tradition,religious belief, and political belief.

"Liberal" Media:

People often speak of the existence of Liberal Media bias. For many its a obvious truism, I as of yet am not convinced. While I am up-to-date on the Chomsky-ian Manufacture of Consent thesis and therefore can concede and conceive of a "Corporate" Media bias. I have yet to see an empirically based media analysis providing testable evidence of "Liberal" Media bias.

Leadership by Example:

It is a historical truism that countries and peoples (read: in-groups) paint their own actions in noble terms while the enemy (or out-group) acts in hostile,irrational, and evil ways. But often times the in-group defies or ignores its standards of behavior, the standards that have been given as the definitional reasons for the nobility of the in-group to begin with. In the United States you find a pattern of agreeable and positive noble traits: civil liberties, human rights, democratic principles; they are praised with voracious passion by every man woman and chorus of polite neighborhood children, while examples and patterns of those traits being denied, violated or eroded; are written off as anomalies not worth mentioning or even pathologically ignored on the grounds that such claims are absurd and irrational. Leadership by example will be a tag used on items where an in-group (for me examples would be: U.S. Government, Progressive Democrats, Greens, Socialists, or atheists--to name a few) do not adhere to the self-professed noble traits. It is based on the belief that noble truths and moralistic framing are only valid if it is also adhered to in a consistent manner. You can't lecture others while doing the very thing you decry. (Well you obviously can, but a general truism is that you can't be taken seriously when doing so and should be called out on it when guilty of it)

Political Hobgoblin:

People with something to gain/hide often use scare tactics promoting nonexistent or statistically meaningless threats. This is often built out of and fed from bias, bigotry, and lack of education. Political Hobgoblins...We all have them. We all use them. We should all call each other out on them!

The Good Fight:

It is found too few and far between. But every day, sometimes small, sometimes large ways. People take positive and uplifting actions to address wrongs and influence opinions or groups who are acting contrary to the common good of humankind.

With time this list is certain to grow and change...