What I've Been Reading, October 2020

Links

• Bypass paywalls on popular online publications for free, by 7 Labs.
  There is a lot of important information out there that is behind paywalls, many requiring expensive subscription to overcome.

Above the Fold

• Howard Zinn: Don’t Despair about the Supreme Court, by Howard Zinn, The Progressive
  "It would be naive to depend on the Supreme Court to defend the rights of poor people, women, people of color, dissenters of all kinds. Those rights only come alive when citizens organize, protest, demonstrate, strike, boycott, rebel, and violate the law in order to uphold justice."
• The Tragedy of the ‘Tragedy of the Commons’, by Matto Mildenberger, Pocket— Scientific American
  "The man who wrote one of environmentalism’s most-cited essays was a racist, eugenicist, nativist and Islamaphobe—plus his argument was wrong."
• A response to Pollin and Chomsky: We need a Green New Deal without growth, by Jason Hickel, on Jason's blog
  Good stuff, but one needs to be aware of EROEI and the surplus energy problem to really have an intelligent discussion of Green New Deals. And to be aware that as we speak the planet's carrying capacity is decreasing, and so the sustainability target we are aiming for is continually moving.
• Not a Coup but a Cover-Up and a Con Game, by Jeet Heer, The Nation
  "Trump is refusing to concede and purging the civilian leadership of the Pentagon. The moment requires vigilance rather than panic."
• 'Sustainability is wishful thinking': get ready for the energy downshift, by John McCrone, Stuff—Environment
  "Renewables can’t deliver in this way so energy abundance is about to become energy poverty. And we need to get ready."
  "Focus on eliminating the need for energy rather than on worrying how to keep increasing its supply."
• San Francisco just banned gas in all new buildings. Could it ever happen in Australia?, by Susan M Park and Madeline Taylor, The Conversation
  Perhaps all those who are eagerly awaiting their gas hook ups here in Kincardine should ask if this could every happen in Ontario.
• Degrowth: A response to Branko Milanovic, by Jason Hickel, on his blog
  This is a must read, even if it is ridiculously optimistic about the likelihood of such policies ever being implemented. It is important to know what we are going to say no too, as we rush on toward collapse. And do follow the links, which lead to a bunch of good articles.

Miscellaneous

Things end up in this section not because they aren't important, but because I can't figure out what other section they should go in.

• My Neighbor Joined a Sex Cult; it Explains A Lot About Trump’s America, by Karyn S, Medium—Politically Speaking
  "The end of NXIVM might shed light on where the country is headed"
• Why do Pro-Life people support Trump, who left children at the border in cages and concentration camps, some who have died?, by Christian Winter, Quora
• A Philadelphia Local Is Unamused by the Fuss, by Dave Eggers, The New Yorker—Election
• You Are Not Free to Move Out of the Country, by Nick Slater, Current Affairs
  "An American passport isn’t worth what it used to be—but it’s also never opened as many doors as you might’ve thought. "

Suddenly, "liberal" is a dirty word

And with good reason, it seems.

• David Graeber on the Extreme 'Centre', by David Graeber, YouTube—Double Down News
  “It strikes me that what’s called the moderates are the most immoderate people possible”
  "Previously unreleased video of David Graeber talking about liberalism. Originally filmed at the start of 2020. We planned to make a dedicated film on the subject with David upon his return to London. We release this video with the blessing of his beloved wife Nika.
  Rest in Power David Graeber"

Coronavirus

• Why is Spain being punished more than any other European country by Covid 19)? by Eduardo Marqués Collado, Quora
  

Capitalism, Communism, Anarchy

• The radical aristocrat who put kindness on a scientific footing, by Lydia Syson, Aeon—Psyche
• Economics for the people—the challenge of reclaiming the commons from capitalism, by Dirk Philipsen, Aeon
  "Against the capitalist creeds of scarcity and self-interest, a plan for humanity’s shared flourishing is finally coming into view"
  We should be concerned about the "tragedy of the private", not the "tragedy of the commons".
  While this article recognizes the role of fossil fuels in driving growth of the private, it also makes a statement like, "We produce and grow enough for every child, woman and man to have a good and dignified life wherever they live". True, but we must consider the cost to the planet of producing and growing that much, and ask ourselves how long it can be sustained. (Not long, in case anyone is wondering.)
  Scarcity is real, capitalism only makes it worse, even as we produce more and more while ignoring the consequences
  Ordinary people these days have tastes borrowed from billionaires (comfort, convenience, entertainment) and no idea of frugality, so when you say "we produce enough", and talk about prosperity for all, it is taken as something entirely different from what this article means.
• Are You An Anarchist?, by David Graeber, YouTube
• David Graeber on basic income, by David Graber, YouTube
  "David Graeber speaking at 'Basic Income: How do we get there?' Basic Income UK meet-up at St Clements Church Kings Square, London, 3 December 2015."
• David Graeber on a Fair Future Economy, by David Graeber, YouTube
  David Graeber was an anthropologist, a leading figure in the Occupy movement, and one of our most original and influential public thinkers.
• The Future Is Worker-Owned, by Douglas Rushkoff, Medium—Team Human
  "It’s time for businesses to work for people, not the other way around."

The New Fascism, and Antifa

I hear a lot of well educated people saying that the people some of us are calling fascists don't meet all the criteria for being "real" fascists. Others have even accused us of calling anyone we disagree with a fascist. I predict that a few decades (maybe just a few years) from now those same people will be saying they wish they hadn't been quite so fussy with their definitions, and had acted sooner to oppose these "new fascists", even if they weren't identical to the fascists of the twentieth century.

• Why do fascists "come for the socialists first"? by Christian Winter, Quora
• An Intimate History of Antifa, by Daniel Penny, The New Yorker

Resource Depletion, formerly (and still including) Peak Oil

The change in title stems from the fact that it's not just oil that is peaking.

• The fall of an empire, by Felix Salmon, Axios
  "The decline of ExxonMobil has been remarkable in its magnitude and unexpectedness."
• Shell To Shut Down Louisiana Refinery, by Irina Slav, OilPrice.com
  "Royal Dutch Shell will shut down its Convent refinery in Louisiana after failing to find a buyer for the facility, Bloomberg reports, citing a statement by the company."

Climate Change

• Russian Arctic Sea Fails to Freeze , The Moscow Times
  "Russia’s Arctic Laptev Sea has not yet frozen for the first time since records began, according to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Centre."

Gardening

• Nearly 40% of Russia’s Food Still Comes From Small, Family Gardens, by Sara Burrows, Return to Now
• 10 Herbs You Can Grow Indoors in Water All Year Long, by Linda Parker, Gardening Soul
  We actually have basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme growing in pots on our south facing window sill.

Genetic Engineering

Before jumping to the erroneous conclusion that this section was paid for by Monsanto, stop for a moment and understand that organic agriculture/food is a multi-billion dollar per year industry that relies on fear to get people to buy its product. Millions of dollars are spent to convince you that non-organic food is dangerous. In fact both conventionally grown and organic foods are equally safe. Sadly neither method of agriculture is even remotely substainable.

• Panic-free GMOs, A Grist Special Series by Nathanael Johnson
  "It’s easy to get information about genetically modified food. There are the dubious anti-GM horror stories that recirculate through social networks. On the other side, there’s the dismissive sighing, eye-rolling, and hand patting of pro-GM partisans. But if you just want a level-headed assessment of the evidence in plain English, that’s in pretty short supply. Fortunately, you’ve found the trove."
  A series of articles that does a pretty good job of presenting the facts about GMOs. I plan to include one article from this series here each month.
• Food for bots: Distinguishing the novel from the knee-jerk in the GMO debate, by Nathanael Johnson, GRist— Panic-free GMOs

Practical Skills

• Make a mid-century modern-style coffee table, by Patrick Laperrière and Matt Wallace, YouTube— Lee Valley
  "Lee Valley’s Patrick Laperrière and Matt Wallace show you how to make a mid-century modern-style coffee table out of black walnut."
  I watched this video because I am at the moment seriously considering making a coffee table. It presents some good ideas.
• Using a Blanket Pin, by Coalcracker Bushcraft, YouTube

Canadian Politics

• The real #WeScandal is the loss of #WeCharity, by Andy Stillman, Friends of WE

Politics

• How is Jacinda Ardern able to achieve so much with seemingly little compromise? by Nicholas Smeaton, Quora
  

Linguistics

• What is the Hopi time controversy? by Spencer Alexander McDaniel, Quora

Debunking Resources

These are of such importance that I've decide to leave them here on an ongoing basis.

• Debunking, Wikipedia
• Pseudoscience, Wikipedia
• List of topics characterized as pseudoscience, Wikipedia
• Rational Wiki
• Science Based Medecine
• Quackwatch
• Snopes, debunks or validates urban legends
• Bad Astronomy
• The Skeptics Society
• The 8 Best Fact-Checking Sites for Finding Unbiased Truth, by Megan Ellis, MUO—Make Use Of
• Pain Science, by Paul Ingraham
• Techniques of Science Denial
• , by,

Science

• What Does 'Scientific Consensus' Mean? by Ethan Siegel, Forbes—Science
  I've been looking for a good articles explaining what the scientific consensu is. This one will do.
• ‘Believes In Science’ Is Now A Kitchen Table Issue, by David Leibowitz, Medium—Dialogue & Discourse
  "When did science become a debatable election topic?"

Lacking an Owner's Manual

The human body/mind/spirit doesn't come with an owner's manual, and we continually struggle to figure out how best to operate them.

• You Don’t Have to Win Friends or Influence People, by Jessica Wildfire, Medium—splattered
  "Six lessons, illustrated with discontent cats."
• 7 Methods for Recovering From Internalized Capitalism, by Anna Gragert, Medium—Forge
  "Your self-worth is not connected to your productivity."

Gender and Sexuality

• The Big Little Joys of Being Trans, by Victoria Strake, Medium
  "It’s the small things in life that often bring the most happiness moment-to-moment."
• Toward a Better Future for Transgender Health Care, by Bex vanKoot, Medium—LGBTQIA
  "The scientific advancements in trans medicine could be revolutionary—if our culture can change to accept them."
• Transitioning Into the Man I Always Knew I Could Be, by BFoundAPen, Medium— BFoundAPen
  "Learning how to love myself."
• Anti-Trans Bathroom Beliefs Unintentionally Targets Cis Women, by BFoundAPen, Medium—BFoundAPen

There is No God, and Thou Shall Have No Other Gods

I don't think I've made any secret of the fact that I am an atheist, but I may not have made it clear that I think any sort of worship is a bad thing and that believing in things is to be avoided whenever possible. Indeed, I do not believe in belief itself. That's what the "Thou shall have no other gods" is about—it's not enough to quit believing in whatever God or Gods you were raised to believe in, but also we must avoid other gods, including material wealth, power and fame.

Further, many people today (including most atheists) follow the religion of "progress", which is based on the belief that mankind is destined to follow a road that leads from the caves ever upward to the stars, and that however bad things seem today, they are bound to be better tomorrow due to technological advancement and economic growth. This is very convenient for those who benefit most from economic growth, but it is hardly based on any sort of science and leads to a great deal of confused thinking.

• 10 Questions I Have Never Been Asked About Atheism… Answered, by Courtney Heard, Atheist Mom
  Pretty good questions, although I am a little concerned that some of the sarcasm will go right over believers' heads. Number 2 in particular—to be clear atheism is NOT a form of Satanism.
• Another 10 Questions For Atheists, by Courtney Heard, Godless Mom

Humour

These are great times for political satire.

• Mike Pence Quotes as Dennis the Menace Comics, by Jack Shepherd, Mediukm—Sharks and Spades
  "'Pence the Menace' is the comic literally nobody asked for"

Books

Fiction

• Semiosis, by Sue Burke
• Interference, by Sue Burke
• Attack Surface, by Cory Doctorow
• A memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine
• Ancestral Night, by Elizabeth Bear

 

Non-Fiction

• Natural: How Faith in Nature's Goodness Leads to Harmful Fads, Unjust Laws, and Flawed Science, by Alan Levinovitz
  Overall, this book does a pretty good job of highlighting much of the nonsense done in the name of nature. If anything, he is a little too kind to the "natural" nuts, especially in the section on medicine. Personally, I just haven't found the medical profession to be as uncaring and inhuman as Leviowitz would have us believe. But then I don't live in the U.S.
  Anyway, if the idea that everything natural isn't necessarily good is new to you, this one is definitely worth a read.